This is what watching superhero movies for one week taught me

Black Panther (2018)

Vibranium. If I had to recap Black Panther in one word, it would be vibranium. This stuff is a big deal. It’s so valuable the people of Wakanda are reluctant to share it. I also, briefly and mistakenly, believed it was the metal that comprised Thor’s Hammer (before his sister smashed it to bits).

Black Panther is a good movie. The e special effects are impressive, but to be fair, the one constant about movies adapted from comic books are good special effects. It’s kind of the hill they  live and die on.

The cast is great. I love that the guy who plays Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) in The Hobbit turns out to be a kick- ass pilot. The women are spies, political leaders and warriors. The best thing about Black Panther is T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) realization that it’s a moral imperative to help those in need.

Americans in particular have a very “I’ve got mine” mentality. Our failure to understand it’s better for society and the country as a whole when everyone does well. The disconnect between the haves and the have nots is the catalyst for our biggest problems, ranging from income disparity to exorbitant healthcare costs.

This makes Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) an interesting villain because the driving force behind his actions is an admirable one. It’s just his execution that really sucks.

I have no idea how much comic books embrace ethnic diversity, but what I can say is I see a whole lot of white fellas in funny suits and not much else (again, exclusivity).Hopefully, Black Panther’s success changes that.