The time has come for Marvel to put some respect on theBlack Panther’sname, and we mean that literally. Not the hero’s codename, asthe Black Panther nameis one that has become famous and revered in both comics and movies. But that fame makes it even more unbelievable thatthe world has been pronouncing King T’Challa’s name wrongthis whole time.
The bombshell was dropped all the way back inJungle Action#19, and changes Marvel history in just one panel. Or more accurately, it was Marvel who incorrectly changedBlack Pantherlore forever. Because judging from this comic,the MCU changed how T’Challa’s name is supposed to be said, canonically. So even if it is too late to correct the problem on film, Black Panther fans can start paying respect to T’Challa every time they utter his name.
Black Panther Fans: Pronounce T’Challa “Without The T”
Jungle Action#19 (1975) by Don McGregor, Billy Graham, Bob McLeod, Petra Goldberg, Denise Wohl
Still a relatively new star on the Marvel roster at the time, some of Black Panther’s earliest adventures were depicted in theJungle Action. book, with Issue #19 beginningBlack Panther’s mission against the Ku Klux Klan, or rather the"primitive power of the Clan,“as noted on the cover art by Gil Kane, Dan Adkins, and Irv Watanabe.
It’s one of Black Panther’s first American allies who first asks if he goes only by his heroic moniker, and is met with T’Challa’s true identity. While pronunciation is impossible on the comic page, the response asking if the proper pronunciation is “TA-CHALLA” is clearly mimicking the way the modern world addresses the King of Wakanda. Sothe correction that T’Challa should be pronounced"Without the T"is guaranteed to send fans spiraling.
Black Panther’s Brother Is One of the Coolest Characters the MCU Left Out
The MCU version of Black Panther has emphasized a significant importance around his family, but they left out one important member of the family.
As revealed in an article featured inBack Issue#27 (“The Blackest Panther: Don McGregor in the Jungles of Wakanda” by Tom Stewart),Jungle Actionoriginally starred white protagonists Lorna the Queen of the Jungle, Tharn the Magnificent, and Jann of the Jungle. This lasted until Marvel’s premiere proofreader at the time, Don McGregor, realized how many Marvel titles taking place in Africa starred white heroes. After pointing out how dated such a practice was,Black Panther became the new star of the comic,with McGregor overseeing the series as its writer. So this attention to pronunciation is no surprise, either.
Black Panther’s Name Was Changed More Than Once
His Pseudonym Was Changed to ‘Coal Panther’ inFantastic Four#119
Obviously both devoted and casual fans can all be forgiven for mispronouncing the Black Panther’s Wakandan name, instead taking cues from Marvel’s audible adaptations for the proper sound. Even before the MCU, most animated films and TV shows tookthe seemingly obvious cue to lead the Panther’s name with a “T” sound, repeating the issue’s own presumption. If Marvel itself doesn’t have time to consult a half-century-old comic for reference, why would comic readers?
But even if correcting the issue now fails to reach the doorsteps of Kevin Feige’s office, spreading the word about how to truly say Black Panther’s real name could be enough torectify a 50-year mistake. After all, it’s not like Marvel keeping their ear to the markets hasn’t convinced them to take a different approach to Black Panther’s name before. In 1971,Marvel changed Black Panther’s name to Black Leopardjust five years after his debut.
It’s never too late for Marvel to right a decades-old wrong, and correct the world on the proper way to pronounce King T’Challa’s name.
Due to the growing media attention that the Black Panther Party was receiving at the time, Marvel wanted to distance the hero and publisher byre-naming King T’Challa as the Black Leopard. Even then, Marvel carefully approached the topic through T’Challa’s own words: specifying that the Black Panther Party’s actions and political views were not being condemned or condoned…“butT’Challa is a law unto himself.”
Why Saying Black Panther’s Name Right Still Matters
If The Name Isn’t Repected, The Hero Can’t Be Honored
Some might conclude that if Marvel changed the Black Panther’s name, then reverted it back, or even passed it to other characters, his name can only be so important. Maybe the point is moot, when changing a name and establishing a new pronunciation are two different things (and after worldwide blockbusters starring Chadwick Boseman made the ‘wrong’ name a household one, why bother?). But it’s never too late for Marvel to right a decades-old wrong, and correct the world on the proper way to pronounce King T’Challa’s name.
Black Panther’s Successor Is Here: Meet Wakanda’s New Superhero, Gold Tiger
The next generation of Marvel heroes has officially assembled, with the successor to Black Panther revealing her powers as one of the New Champions.
Re-establishing T’Challa’s original pronunciation allows fans everywhere to properly celebrate the character’s legacy. Can respect to a character under a knowingly incorrect name be respectful? Unintentional disrespect is still disrespect. For all the success garnered by the character in the comics and the movies, T’Challa deserves his respect.
To celebrate these legacies in the way they deserve to be respected, it’s timeBlack Pantherfans around the globe collectively agree to put respect onKing T’Challa’s name. Just ‘without the T.’
