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Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Who's the first Black comic book character to have his own title?

Black Lightning?
Luke Cage, Power Man?
Black Panther?
The Falcon?
Blade?
John Stewart, Green Lantern?

Nope, I think it's LOBO. That's right, Lobo. No, not THAT Lobo. This LOBO #1, December 1965 (Dell), and LOBO #2, October 1966:



As best as I can tell, this was the first time that a black character starred in his own book. I've tried to do searches on the internet and have quizzed some knowledgable folks and consulted my Vast Library of Comic Goodness, and I'm almost sure he's the first.

The plot: The American Civil War is over and tens of thousands of men go home... but some have no home to return to. The man called Lobo served with the Union Army and now heads West to find work as a cowboy. (Footnote: 25% of cowboys in the American West were black!) He finds work and... adventure and treachery on the high plains!

This comic was actually pretty good in plot and art and quite enjoyable as a western, but a rather mild attempt for such an auspicious debut... as the first Black character to have his own title?

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