Claim: Black Panther appeared in mainstream American comics as a significant comic book character.
Evidence: He is the first black superhero in mainstream American comics , debuting years before such early African-American superheroes as Marvel Comics ' the Falcon -LRB- 1969 -RRB- and Luke Cage -LRB- 1972 -RRB- , and DC Comics ' Green Lantern John Stewart -LRB- 1971 -RRB- and Black Lightning -LRB- 1977 -RRB-.