First appearance

Black Panther's first appearance: Fantastic Four #52

Black Panther first appeared in Fantastic Four #52, cover dated July 1966, published by Marvel and created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Why it matters

T'Challa, king of Wakanda, debuts as the first Black superhero in mainstream American comics. A landmark issue, and demand surged with the Black Panther films.

Related key issues

• Fantastic Four #53 (August 1966), his origin and the first appearance of Klaw.

Before you buy or sell, check

• Reprints and facsimiles exist. An original has a 12-cent cover price.
• UK editions with a pence price exist and usually sell for less.

Then look up what copies in similar condition actually sold for. Prices for keys like this move with grade and with news about the character, so a recent sale tells you far more than a printed guide. Our guides on the grading scale and spotting reprints help you compare like with like.

More first appearances

• Doctor Doom: The Fantastic Four #5 (July 1962)
• Thanos: Iron Man #55 (February 1973)
• Iron Man: Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963)
• Spider-Man: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)
• Wolverine: The Incredible Hulk #181 (November 1974)

Questions