Disney and Marvel have released a short clip from their upcoming Disney Plus documentary Marvel's Behind The Mask. Available for streaming on Disney Plus on February 12, the documentary aims to give Marvel fans insight into the stories of the classic and most important characters in the comics, including Black Panther, Ms. Marvel, Miles Morales, the X-Men, and many others.
The 28-second clip released on Marvel’s official YouTube channel shows Joseph Quesada, Marvel Entertainment's executive vice president and creative director, talking about King T'Chall/Black Panther's reveal as a ‘Black superhero’ to the Fantastic Four in the comics. The teaser-length clip appeals to the viewers’ emotions, with Quesada emphasizing how the fantastic team doesn’t seem to make a big deal about T’Challa being Black.
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"When T’Challa takes off his mask, the readers go ‘oh my God, it’s a Black superhero’. But the Fantastic Four don’t say that," Quesada says in the clip. He goes on to mention that if people were in the “middle of all this strive” and read the comics, they would want that to be the kind of world they live in. What stands out is when Quesada is talking, the cutaway shots consist of old footage of police officers arresting Black men in what appears to be a Western country.
It seems like the documentary will not just focus on the backstories of the most loved superheroes, but will also be touching upon their potential impact on pop culture, the media, and the current state of affairs in the world. In the Marvel comics, the writers and artists have been known to examine the concept of equal rights. The stories hope to work as a representation of its fans’ identities and what Quesada states is in line with their vision, hoping for a world where people don’t focus on one’s skin color.
Black Panther's entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe was celebrated for the same reasons, with fans appreciating Marvel’s move towards diversity. The 2018 movie, starring late actor Chadwick Boseman, introduced the legacy that the comics hoped to achieve into the MCU. Boseman soon became a favorite among Marvel fans, as he took on the role of the ‘Black superhero’ that transcends all barriers of race, but at the same time representing a segment of the fan population that was previously feeling neglected.
This was evident in an old video that went viral, after the actor’s death, of fans getting a chance to meet him during the filming of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Apart from Quesada, Marvel’s Behind the Mask will feature several other guests, including writers and artists, from across Marvel’s 80-year legacy.
Marvel's Behind the Mask begins streaming on Disney Plus on February 12.
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Source: Marvel/YouTube