Black Panther is a character.
The Black Panther ( T'Challa ) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . He is the first black superhero in mainstream American comics , debuting years before such early African-American superheroes as Marvel Comics ' the Falcon ( 1969 ) and Luke Cage ( 1972 ) , and DC Comics ' Green Lantern John Stewart ( 1971 ) and Black Lightning ( 1977 ) . The character is usually depicted as the king and protector of Wakanda , a fictional African nation . A superhero ( sometimes rendered super-hero or super hero ) is a type of heroic stock character who possesses supernatural or superhuman powers and who is dedicated to fighting crime , protecting the public , and usually battling supervillains .