Chadwick Boseman died on a special day in the history of Black Panther
Joe Erwin
Chadwick Boseman’s stunning death on Friday came on an indelible anniversary in the history of his most-celebrated screen character.
Boseman created a series of memorable roles — including star turns as Jackie Robinson and Thurgood Marshall, trailblazers in baseball and the Supreme Court, respectively — but he is most widely known for 2018′s “Black Panther.”
That film shattered box-office records and became the first superhero movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
The character of Black Panther was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for Marvel comics and first appeared in the Fantastic Four No. 52 in 1966.
Kirby’s birthday was Aug. 28, 1917. Boseman died on Aug. 28, 2020. The actor died at 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer.
On Friday afternoon, before Boseman’s death, Kirby’s grandson Jeremy Kirby shared a drawing of Black Panther to celebrate his grandfather’s special day.
The grandest of creations start out with a simple spark of creativity. The original sketch of who would become the Black Panther. In the 1960s my grandfather felt the world needed a black superhero. Jack Kirby would have been 103 today, August 28th 2020. pic.twitter.com/LRLxhmfjPh
“The grandest of creations start out with a simple spark of creativity,” Jeremy Kirby tweeted. “The original sketch of who would become the Black Panther. In the 1960s, my grandfather felt the world needed a black superhero. Jack Kirby would have been 103 today, August 28th 2020.”
Jack Kirby died in 1994 at age 76. The New York native — born Jacob Kurtzberg — is regarded as one of the most influential and prolific comic book artists.
After Boseman died, Jeremy Kirby saluted the actor.
“Chadwick brought grace and humility to a warrior and helped inspire a generation,” he tweeted. “Rest In Peace.”
Actor Chadwick Boseman, born on Nov. 29, 1976, was praised during his film career for his portrayal of storied historical and entertainment figures like Jackie Robinson in “42” and James Brown in “Get on Up.” He gained worldwide recognition in 2018 when he portrayed King T’Challa, the titular hero in the Marvel movie “Black Panther.” Boseman gained further recognition as Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall” and Stormin in “Da 5 Bloods” before succumbing to a four-year battle with colon cancer on Aug. 28, 2020. Take a look back at his life and career.
In this Saturday, March 23, 2013 photo, Harrison Ford, left, and Chadwick Boseman, cast members in the film "42," pose together for a portrait, in Los Angeles. In the new movie by writer-director, Brian Helgeland, Boseman plays Jackie Robinson and Ford plays Brooklyn Dodgers president and general manager Branch Rickey. Remembering Robinson's accomplishments is more important than ever, say people involved with "42" and baseball historians alike.
Actor Chadwick Boseman throws out the ceremonial first prior to the Los Angeles Dodgers' baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Saturday, July 13, 2013 in Los Angeles. Boseman plays Jackie Robinson in the film "42."
Actor Chadwick Boseman, right, laughs with Los Angeles Dodgers' Matt Kemp after throwing out the ceremonial first prior to the Los Angeles Dodgers' baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Saturday, July 13, 2013 in Los Angeles. Boseman plays Jackie Robinson in the film "42."
First Lady Michelle Obama, right, introduces a panel of the cast and crew of the movie "42", with, from left, writer and director Brian Helgeland, actor Harrison Ford, actor Chadwick Boseman, and Rachel Robinson, 90, widow of baseball great Jackie Robinson at the start of a panel workshop for high school and college students from across the country, Tuesday, April 2, 2013, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington.
Actor and star of the James Brown biopic "Get on Up," Chadwick Boseman poses for a portrait, on Monday, July 21, 2014 in New York.
Actors Chadwick Boseman, left, and Kevin Costner appear at a news conference for the movie "Draft Day" in New York on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, two days before the NFL football Super Bowl in East Rutherford, N.J.
Blake Leeper, left, Common, center, and Chadwick Boseman, right, take the court during the first half of the NBA All-Star celebrity basketball game Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, in New York.
Chadwick Boseman speaks on stage at the 46th NAACP Image Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, in Pasadena, Calif.
Chadwick Boseman, left, and Chris Evans present the award for best sound editing at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Chadwick Boseman attends the "Black Panther" panel on day 3 of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 23, 2016, in San Diego.
Chadwick Boseman, from left, Lupita Nyong'o, and Michael B. Jordan attend the "Marvel" panel on day 3 of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 22, 2017, in San Diego.
Stan Lee and Chadwick Boseman speak at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Grants Banquet at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
In this Sept. 21, 2017 photo, director Reginald Hudlin, left, and actor Chadwick Boseman appear during an interview for the film "Marshall," in Washington. Boseman plays Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as a young attorney for the NAACP as he battles through on of his career-defining cases.
Todd McFarlane, from left, Kevin Feige, Stan Lee, Kevin Smith, Chadwick Boseman and Clark Gregg pose at the Stan Lee hand and footprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Tuesday, July 18, 2017, in Los Angeles.
In this Feb. 8, 2018 file photo, actors Michael B. Jordan, Leitia Wright, Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, Daniel Kaluuya and Danai Gurira pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film "Black Panther" in London.
Chadwick Boseman, left, embraces Daniel Kaluuya while Jordan Peele, from right, comes on stage as "Get Out" wins the award for best feature at the 33rd Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, March 3, 2018, in Santa Monica, Calif.
Chadwick Boseman arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 4, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Chadwick Boseman, left, greets Kobe Bryant at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Chadwick Boseman attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination exhibition on Monday, May 7, 2018, in New York.
In this Saturday, June 16, 2018, photo, Chadwick Boseman accepts the award for best performance in a movie for "Black Panther" at the MTV Movie and TV Awards at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.
Chadwick Boseman speaks about Arthur Ashe at the ESPY Awards at Microsoft Theater on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, in Los Angeles.
Chadwick Boseman poses in the press room with the award for outstanding actor in a motion picture for "Black Panther" at the 50th annual NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Sterling K. Brown, from left, Sydelle Noel, Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Isaach de Bankole, Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o and Angela Bassett from the cast of "Black Panther," accept the award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture at the 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, in Los Angeles.
In this Jan. 27, 2019 file photo, Chadwick Boseman arrives at the 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
Chadwick Boseman, a cast member in "21 Bridges," poses during a photo call for the film at the Four Seasons Hotel, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Los Angeles.
Boseman also died on the night Major League Baseball celebrated the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson. That is normally done on April 15, the day Robinson broke MLB’s color line in 1947, but it was pushed back because of the pandemic.
We are devastated by the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman. His transcendent performance in “42” will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Jackie’s story to audiences for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/8oU7QpdLSE
“We are devastated by the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman,” Major League Baseball tweeted late Friday. “His transcendent performance in ’42′ will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Jackie’s story to audiences for generations to come.”
