Moviegoers were quick to correct former first lady Michelle Obama this week after she framed the blockbuster movie “Black Panther” as a racial milestone.
The left-wing magazine Salon was mocked by superhero fans earlier this month for calling “Black Panther” the “first blockbuster-format release featuring a black hero front and center.” Mrs. Obama, however, made the same error on Monday after the Marvel Studios hit tallied the highest-grossing February debut — $201.8 million for its Friday-Sunday weekend.
“Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen,” Mrs. Obama tweeted. “I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.”
Fans reminded the former first lady, as they did with Salon, of a well-established history of superhero fare with black stars such as Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Wesley Snipes and others.
“So which is it: did you never watch super hero movies and read comics till [sic] this year or were none of the awesome black super heroes from years before good enough for you?” responded one user.
“[I] guess you’ve never watched #Hancock [with Will Smith] or #Blade before,” added another. “Congrats on making EVERYTHING about race.”
“Do I come from a parallel universe?” replied a third person. “Is that why nobody seems to remember the 3 very successful Blade movies? You know, the ones with the black Marvel hero Blade. Guess I may have imagined them and this film is really groundbreaking. Sorry Mr. Snipes.”
The comment was liked over 1,300 times.
“Deadpool” held the previous February box-office record with $132 million over its opening weekend.
Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen. I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) February 19, 2018
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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