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The recent official release of Marvel's highly anticipated film Black Panther was a momentous cultural moment for Dr. Yona Harvey.
A poet and assistant professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh, the film's premiere is significant to Harvey because she is one of the first African-American female writers to have written for Marvel, contributing to the Black Panther comic spinoffs World of Wakanda and Black Panther and the Crew.
"It feels exciting to have contributed to the comic that maybe led to the film being released" she said. "A lot of people are just thrilled to see more complicated and nuanced images of Black people, queer people and people of color in visual media and visual culture"
Marvel has made strides in reflecting diversity in its superhero collection over the last few years. The publishing group introduced AfricanAmerican, IslamicAmerican and LGBT versions of characters such as Spiderman, Ironman, Ms. Marvel and Ice Man among other prominent characters in its Marvel Universe.
On her inspiration for joining the World of Wakanda and Black Panther and the Crew projects, Harvey said it was simply a desire to work...