Whether you are a Marvel fan or not, you can`t go on any social media platform right now without seeing references to “Black Panther,” which opened this past weekend as the top film in the country.

Many people went to the film dressed up as characters from the film or in African attire, including students and faculty from Texas Wesleyan. Senior sociology major Shanice Evans wore a dashiki and an Afro hair style to support African culture.

She said the film gives her, for the first time, the opportunity to share her passion for comic books with friends and family for the first time because the hero of the film, T’Challa/Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman, is black.

“It`s really hard to talk about something with someone (when) half of the time (they) are not from the same background or society,” Evans said. “Having this film where a black cast is being portrayed positively, and they are not showing slavery or struggle is something I’m grateful to Marvel studios for.”

“Black Panther” made an estimated $218 million in its Friday-Monday opening weekend, according to nytimes.com, which called the film a “full-blown cultural event.” Film critical Peter Debruge at Variety.com wrote that the film is one of the best Marvel movies because it attracts fans from all different walks of life; a film celebrating an African superhero has never been done before.

“(It) is a radically different kind of comic-book movie, one with a proud Afrocentric twist, featuring a nearly all-black cast, that largely ignores the United States and focuses instead on the fictional nation of Wakanda — and guess what: Virtually everything that distinguishes Black Panther from past Marvel pics works to this standalone entry’s advantage,” Debruge wrote. “Black Panther celebrates its hero’s heritage while delivering one of Marvel’s most all-around appealing standalone installments to date.”

Junior business major Briana Veasley said the film was fantastic, with everything about the movie from the graphics to the storyline meeting her expectations. She added that the African-American community need more films like this to be made, so that the youth can be aware that black people can also be superheroes.

“The movie was amazing,” Veasley said. “I love it from beginning to the end, but we need more movies like this because it shows children of all ages and race that dreams can come true even when the world around them is against them (and) they can still do anything they put their minds too.”

While many people love the movie for various reasons, freshman psychology and Christian studies major Azeez Akande said he like the film because of its authentic representations of African culture, which shows African-Americans where they come from and reminds them to never forget their culture.

“We need more movies like this,” Akande said. “It is important for us as a people not to forget where we come from and the beautiful history and culture that originates from it.”