Black Panther, known as King T’Challa of Wakanda, is a profound Marvel Comics character. He first appeared in 1966 and has made various appearances since then. Some of his most noteworthy took place in several Marvel cartoons. He was usually a guest but eventually became a main character in a few series. No matter the circumstance, seeing the warrior king was always a treat.
Pouncing into 90s Marvel Cartoons
The first animated debut of Black Panther was in October 1995 as a cameo in the two-part X-Men animated series episode “Sanctuary.” In the first half, he crouches behind a rock and witnesses the mutants leaving Earth. He returns in the second part, watching mutants and the X-Men returning to the planet. Since it is a cameo, the Wakandan king does not speak or interact with others. He is simply a mysterious figure observing the events happening before him.
The ruler would next appear in Fantastic Four as a supporting character. He debuted in the episode “Prey of the Black Panther,” voiced by Keith David. The king is initially an adversary to the titular team of heroes, but after the Fantastic Four learn of his backstory and plight, they choose to help him. They teamed up to stop Ulysses Klaw from stealing Wakanda’s vibranium for his nefarious plans. This would be his final appearance in the 90s but not his last overall.
The King Climbs Into The 2000s
Black Panther returned to making cartoon appearances in the following millennium; however, his first appearance was not in an animated series, nor as a guest. The Wakandan king starred as a main character in the direct-to-DVD film Ultimate Avengers 2. He would team up with the Avengers to stop a Chitauri invasion of Wakanda. His next appearance was in another direct-to-DVD movie, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow. It was simply a non-speaking flashback cameo about him finally getting married.
Afterward, Black Panther returned to his guest star origins for a few animated Marvel shows. He appeared in a few episodes of Iron Man: Armored Adventures, including the series finale. Following that, the king starred in an episode of The Super Hero Squad Show. He and his girlfriend Storm worked with the titular team to stop M.O.D.O.K. These appearances proved that Wakanda’s sovereign was an ideal supporting character for any Marvel series; however, he was going to become something more soon enough.
The Panther Roars Into The Early 2010s
After so long, Black Panther would finally take center stage. He starred in a self-titled motion comic series produced by BET. It focused on T’Challa protecting his nation from Ulysses Klaue and his band of supervillains. It was six episodes long and aired in Australia in 2010. The program did not air in the United States until 2011.
Black Panther joined the main cast of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in 2010. He appeared in over half of the episodes during the series’ run. Wakanda’s king returned in the 2014 anime Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers. He starred in one episode but was a supporting character for his remaining appearances. With the inclusion of his show, T’Challa proved to be quite the star and there was no stopping him from showing up in future cartoons.
Standing Strong In The Later 2010s
Black Panther appeared in 2016’s Avengers Assemble, but not until the third season. He started as a supporting character before becoming a permanent star in Season Five. In 2017, the king of Wakanda guest starred in the show Marvel Super Hero Adventures. He also appeared in the Marvel Future Avengers anime in the same year.
The warrior king of Wakanda changed in 2018, transitioning from 2D to 3D. He starred in the Lego Marvel Super Heroes – Black Panther: Trouble in Wakanda mini-series, which featured him and the Avengers stopping the trio of Thanos, Klaue, and Killmonger. This wasn’t the last time he appeared in a Lego animated production.
The King Arrives In The 2020s
The Wakandan king would make his newest appearance in 2020’s Lego Marvel Avenger: Climate Conundrum. In 2021, His Majesty guest-starred in Spidey and His Amazing Friends. He even appeared in an episode of What If . . . ? along with Tony Stark and Killmonger. He would return to Lego in 2022, starring in Lego Marvel Avengers: Time Twisted. His following animated appearance was in Lego Marvel Avengers: Code Red. Finally, His Majesty debuted in episode eight of 2023’s It’s Jeff and the Avengers. There is no doubt that Black Panther will appear in future Marvel cartoons.
Final Thoughts
Over the past 30 years, Black Panther’s appearances in Marvel cartoons have gone from non-speaking cameos in the 1990s to guest appearances in the 2000s to main character status in the 2010s. The character has certainly earned his title as king with his memorable appearances across a broad range of Marvel cartoons. Where will he show up next?
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