Black Panther- The Nation of Wakanda
Millennia ago, a giant meteor made entirely of the metal vibranium crashed into the heart of Africa. The five closest tribes went to war over the land and the alien metal, but were eventually united by a great warrior-shaman led by visions of the panther god Bast. This warrior imbibed plant life empowered by the vibranium and became the first Black Panther.
These united tribes formed the nation of Wakanda, and quickly grew in technological prowess, able to outstrip the feats of any other nation on earth. To protect themselves from outside interference and the nations of the world learning of their rich resource, Wakanda kept the secret of their technology hidden by utilizing a cloaking field to hide their city, disguised as a flourishing rainforest.
Visual design for Wakanda was far-ranging; and was a delicate balancing act of new technology science-fiction tropes, classical African architectural motifs, and still making the nation feel lived-in and alive. The final city in Black Panther pulls it off perfectly, Wakanda feeling like a true, organic nation where high technology is used for the good of all, but hardly a utopia beyond belief.
