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Fantastic Fan Fiction Asks: What If Marvel's Black Panther Met The ThunderCats?

Not even the Sword of Omens' "sight beyond sight" could see this coming.

By Paco TaylorPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
2
[Credit: @MarcusTheVisual]

On November 9, Atlanta-based comic book maker Marcus Williams (Tuskegee Heirs) caught the nerdiverse by surprise when he posted to his Facebook page the first spine-tingling installment of a 6-part fan art/fan fiction saga, Black Panther/ThunderCats! As one might rightly expect, the followers of his feed have been loosing their $#@% ever since––and who can blame ‘em? Most Black Panther fans right now are wound up tighter than a one size fits all tube top on Power Girl.

Since the first week of June, when the trailer for Marvel's 2018 film Black Panther first dropped, nerds, geeks, and comic book freaks have been impatiently watching their calendars (for the February release date) and waiting to exhale. In the meantime, Williams devised a brilliant plan take our collective breath away with a fan-made tale that taps into the old school vibe of Marvel Team-Up and What If...? comics and puts Marvel’s Black Panther face to face with Panthro of the ThunderCats. The pairing of the two heroes is a match made in...well, Third Earth!

"Help Me, King of Waukanda. You're My Only Hope!"

[Credit: @MarcusTheVisual]

As the senses shattering story opens, T'Challa is picking up a faint and unearthly distress call from Jaga, the spirit guardian of the ThunderCats. Jaga informs the ruler of Waukanda that he and those over whom he watches are in desperate need of aid, and the only one who can help them is the Black Panther. That is, of course, if the courageous king of Waukanda is willing take an inter-dimensional leap of faith.

When the ThunderCats 'toon first aired on TV back in 1985, comic books were the place for a super cool imagining like the one conjured now by Williams. Back then, Marvel, the publisher of Black Panther comics, was also publishing a ThunderCats series under its kid-oriented Star imprint. And though Marvel kept the feline cartoon stars apart from its superhero universe, rival publisher DC had a bit of fun with a cross-licensing idea that introduced Superman to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (in DC Comics Presents #47).

Old School Flavor That You Savor

[Credit: @MarcusTheVisual]

Because DC now holds the ThunderCats license, the closest that the nerdiverse will ever come to seeing a crossover like the one imagined by Williams is the artist's Facebook page. But that's actually a good thing, too, because between now and February 2018, many kids (with super cool parents) will have anywhere from one to six eye-popping Black Panther/ThunderCats posters adorning their bedroom walls. They could even get action figures (see: Ebay) to go along with them, too, so that they can conjure up Black Panther and ThunderCats adventures of their own!

To check out the other exciting installments of Marcus William's 6-part Black Panther/ThunderCats fan art series––and to read the fan fiction episodes that go along with 'em––be sure to visit his Facebook page. But before you head on over, why not pour yourself a heaping bowl of cereal to help you to savor every moment. It's not often that something comes outta’ nowhere and gives you all the childhood feels, but Black Panther/ThunderCats is just the kind of thing that very likely will.

[Credit: @MarcusTheVisual]

In memory of Earle Hyman (1926-2017), the revered voice of Panthro.

fan fiction
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About the Creator

Paco Taylor

Pop culture archaeologist. Content creator. Word nerd. Blogger. Fluent in geek speak.

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  • Philip Gipson2 months ago

    I actually read this crossover a long time ago, so you did pretty great in writing a review on it.

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