Black Panther is not fictional.
Black Panther (comics) . Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller and co-plotter Jack Kirby , he first appeared in Fantastic Four # 52 ( July 1966 ) . 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 .