How the Black Panther Became the Black LEOPARD...then Went Back to Being the Black PANTHER! Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...

...The Black Panther changed his name to "Black Leopard" in Fantastic Four #119 (February 1972)...

...then, several months later, changed it back to "Black Panther" in Daredevil #92 (October 1972)...

Why?

When he appeared a month later in Avengers #105 (November 1972)...

...with the first cover caption since 1969 to use his super-hero name...

...even Hawkeye was confused...and the other Avengers were curious as well...

This was Steve Englehart's first Avengers story, and while most of it is Englehart's material, this particular aspect is clearly editor/departing writer Roy Thomas' doing.

Roy is an incredible continuity fan, and has never left a plotline unresolved if he could do something about it!

With this issue, the Panther became a full-time Avenger again until #126...

...when, after kicking a disguised Klaw's ass yet again, he departed for Wakanda to begin his own series in Jungle Action #6 (1973)!

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Essential Avengers

Volume 5
and

Essential Avengers
Volume 6

(reprinting the complete stories we excerpted here...but in black and white!)

How the Black Panther Became the Black LEOPARD...then Went Back to Being the Black PANTHER!

Many stories providing background for the new Black Panther movie mention how, in Fantastic Four #119 (February 1972), T'Challa changes his super-hero name...

But none of them mention when or why Marvel reversed the name change!

As we pointed out HERE, Marvel had been using the Panther's civilian name on covers, which was a little silly since he was in costume...

...even on the book where he changed his name from Black Panther to Black LEOPARD...

...thus, T'Challa's name change was firmly established!

Or was it?

T'Challa's next appearance was in Daredevil #92 (October 1972)

...where this symbolic cover shows Daredevil, the Black Widow, and the Black Panther!

Nope, I'm not kidding!

A villain kidnaps the Black Widow and figures out Matt Murdock is Daredevil!

He sends a martial arts-trained assassin to kill Murdock...

Note something a little...off..about 'ol Hornhead?

Figure out what's going on?

Clue: Daredevil doesn't use his billy club...his primary weapon!

T'Challa's calling himself "Black Panther" again!

Why?

Did writer Gerry Conway forget the name change in FF #119?

Guess what, True Believer?

You'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out!

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Visit Amazon and Order...

Essential Darevevil

Volume 4

(which reprints the complete story we excerpted...but in black and white)

The Avengers are HERE!

Variant Mondo poster by Tyler Stout

The Avengers opens today.

So why are you sitting around reading this blog?

Get out there and see it!

I've seen it, and it's KOOL!

NOTE: Stay for the whole end-credits sequence!

There's two tag-scenes, one at the very end of the credits!

Mondo poster by Tyler Stout

And don't forget Free Comic Book Day tomorrow...

YouTube Wednesday Reux: IRON MAN "Enter Hawkeye" (& Black Widow)

While everyone's familiar with Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America, most don't know...

Hawkeye and the Black Widow!
Hawkeye the Marksman first appeared as a misunderstood hero in Iron Man's series in Tales of Suspense #57, where he met the already-ongoing villainess (yes, villainess) Black Widow!
That story and it's follow-ups in Tales of Suspense #60 & 61...

...were the basis for the cartoon from the Marvel SuperHeroes Show (1966) below!

The previous episode in the Iron Man series had introduced the Black Widow in a tale adapted from Tales of Suspense #46 (the first Crimson Dynamo story)...

  ...and Tales of Suspense #52 (the sequel which featured the Black Widow's first appearance)!

The episode features one of the characters actually dying on screen (A rarity in 60s cartoons)!

Enjoy!