2017 Geek-A-Long: Black Panther

I can’t speak to what Black Panther means to the Black community. His name predates the Black Panther Party, and it’s my understanding that the party did not have him in mind when they chose their name. Jack Kirby had originally named him “The Coal Tiger” which is a dumb name and I think that we can all see why it would be changed. He fought the KKK in a story that was controversial in 1976. Sadly, thanks to our political state, the character is still seen as somewhat controversial today. Did you know that Jack Kirby was straight up ready to throw down with actual Nazis? We could use more of that.

More recently Black Panther has been written by the acclaimed author Ta Nahisi Coates and headlined multiple series.

T’Challa is the king of a small but resource rich country called Wakanda. He is also empowered by the Panther God to become the protector of his nation called the Black Panther. He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby back in 1966, making him the first black hero in mainstream comic books. Ever since, the Black Panther has been an important part of the Marvel Universe. He has had his own solo title on occasion and has been an Avenger. He has been part of the Illuminati, Marvel’s team of geniuses that sought to protect the planet. He has stood alongside and against some of the strongest heroes and villains that Marvel has and came out on top.

At one point T’Challa marries the best character in the Marvel Universe, Storm. They ruled Wakanda as King and Queen until it became inconvenient to writers who wanted to use Storm.

Whether you’re knitting, crocheting, or cross stitching this square, you can download the Black Panther pattern here. Instructions and charts for both knit and crochet are listed in the pattern. When you’re finished making it, don’t forget to Instagram your squares at us @lattesandllamasyarn with the hashtag #geekalong!

If you’re having trouble with double-sided knitting, we have a how-to video here and a tutorial on crochet here. Want to hang out with other people making the blanket? You can find moral support in the Geek-A-Long group on Ravelry here.

~ Megan-Anne
“Dude shows up dressed like a cat and you don’t want to know more?”

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If you enjoyed this post, please consider making a donation to Child’s Play Charity. Here is a direct link to our official donation widget benefiting the charity. Please help us raise $1,000 this year. No contribution is too small! Wanna make your donation go even further? Lattes & Llamas will donate $1 for every skein of Geek-A-Long Yarn purchased. Ask your local yarn store to carry GAL Yarn or get it through our website.

6 thoughts on “2017 Geek-A-Long: Black Panther

    • Jacquline Cappuccino says:

      It isn’t just you! The pattern was uploaded, but the link broke. It’s been fixed and is ready for you to download it. :D

  1. Pingback: Black Panther: A study of Xenophobia – The knitpurl dispatch

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