Seattle cop is giving away 2 historic copies of Black Panther comics
Mar 23, 2018, 10:27 AM | Updated: 11:12 pm

Seattle Police Officer and president of the Seattle Police Officer's Guild holds copies of "Fantastic Four" No. 52 and No. 53. (Courtesy of the Seattle Police Department)
(Courtesy of the Seattle Police Department)
As Black Panther experiences a surge in popularity, one Seattle police officer is offering the opportunity to own a piece of the character’s comic book history.
“I have been collecting comics since I was 12 years old 鈥 so I have the first two appearances of Black Panther, which is聽 鈥楩antastic Four鈥 52 and 53,” said Seattle Police Officer Kevin Stuckey. “The contest is to draw what a hero looks like to you, and submit it. And the winner will get the first two appearances of Black Panther.鈥
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Seattle police officer Kevin Stuckey. (SPD)
Stuckey is an avid comic book collector and the president of the Seattle Police Officer’s Guild. He’s donating two comic books of particular note in a giveaway for the.
Copies like 52 an 53 sell for hundreds to thousands of dollars — depending on the condition. Stuckey expects they’ll only increase in value since the release of the film.
鈥淭hese are the originals. These are from 1966. They are not reprints or anything like that,” Stuckey said.
鈥淲hen I was 12 years old, coming up as a kid, living in New York and was in foster care, I was reading about superheroes and it took me away. It made me think about my life and that there was something else for me,” he said. “We鈥檙e talking about reading. Even if it鈥檚 not a kid, if it鈥檚 a young person, a young adult, we鈥檙e talking about giving away a book …. yes, this book has some value, but it sparks a conversation and we鈥檙e getting kids to want to read; to enter a contest to get a book.”
Stuckey adds that anyone of any age can enter the contest.
Stuckey’s two editions of “Fantastic Four” were Comic greats Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created the character. Black Panther appeared infrequently in Fantastic Four comics until staring in a “Jungle Action” series in the 1970s. The character finally got his own series under the “Black Panther” title in the late ’70s. The character has had a few runs since then, leading up to the recent film.
Black Panther lessons
Stuckey says that the film is opening up opportunities for him to talk with children, especially his own.
鈥淚 have a 10-year-old son and I took him to see 鈥楤lack Panther鈥 with my 8-year-old daughter,” Stuckey said. “My son was so ecstatic 鈥 he said, 鈥楾he Black Panther was an ordinary guy who had a special uniform and he saves people.’ I thought that was so cool. So I looked down at him and I said, 鈥榃ell you know that鈥檚 real, right? We have regular people who wear uniforms and it鈥檚 their job to protect us. The only difference between those people and Black Panther is that Black Panther got to pick his nickname 鈥 they are called police officers.'”
“The Black Panther, in order for him to become king, he had to have support from all his people. The different tribes had to support him,” he added. “That鈥檚 how he became king. Without everyone saying 鈥楾hat鈥檚 our guy鈥 then you have dissension. That鈥檚 so important in our country right now. If we can talk about it in a positive way, then maybe we can get back to that unity thing. Because things are a little weird in our society right now. Anytime there is a moment with something good, we have to go for it.”
For a chance to win the comic books, Stuckey asks that you draw your idea of what a hero looks like, and email it to spd_inthecommunity@seattle.gov. The winner will be selected at random. The deadline has been extended to Thursday, March 29.