A Seattle comic book shop raised enough money to send more than 100 children to see the record-breaking move "Black Panther" over Emerald City Comicon weekend.
With inspiration drawn from a New York man who crowdfunded $30,000 to send Harlem kids to see the movie, Comics Dungeon in Wallingford started the initiative in mid-January to do something similar for a Seattle community.
The shop works with a nonprofit organization that helps bring comics and graphic novels into schools and libraries. The nonprofit found that a teacher at Denny Middle School using comics in his Proyecto Saber program, which is a program in which students of color can develop their cultural identity, interpersonal skills and college readiness.
Denny Middle School has one of the highest free and reduced lunch participation rates in Seattle.
Scott and Lainie Thomlin wrote in a blog post on Jan. 14: "We hope to raise enough funds in the next two weeks to send the 150 students from Mr. Albanes' classes to see Black Panther ... Please support our goal and send deserving middle schoolers, that would normally not be able to see a block buster in the theatre, to see this important movie."
In one month, they have raised nearly $1,500 to send 131 children to see the movie. They will see it at the Regal movie theater in downtown Seattle near the Washington State Convention Center, as thousands attend Emerald City Comicon.
Showings of the superhero movie are selling out across Seattle, and some critics are calling the film a “defining moment.”
Even before opening weekend, reviews celebrated “Black Panther” for the predominantly black cast. Released in the middle of Black History Month, the latest installment in Marvel's superhero franchise is now about much more than just comics.
“Black Panther” takes place in the fictional African nation of Wakanda. Chadwick Boseman, who stars as T'Challa, is the country's new ruler.
"I knew the comic book from the beginning had the possibility of being [about these] Afro-futurist sociopolitical issues that you could bring up in it," said Boseman in a video clip promoting the film. "That's why you want to do it."
Some said the trailer for the movie made them think about the African-American struggle for equality. KIRO 7 News spoke with The Shop Hair Design studio on Rainier Avenue.
"It makes you do research,” said owner Ennis Ticeson. “You look into "Black Panther" (and) you're going to look into more of, you know, African history, the African story."
More news from KIRO 7
- How $1 million in medical debt was forgiven in Washington by KIRO 7, Jesse Jones
- Man with 'DIRTBAG' vanity plate arrested after Bellevue road rage incident
- Trump administration proposes changes to SNAP program
- SMART Team investigating deputy involved shooting on Mountain Loop Highway
- Couple mistakenly goes to see Red Hot Chilli Pipers