With the approach of Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War summer blockbuster comes anticipation of the biggest and blackest superhero, Black Panther. Civil War will be the first theatrical appearance of T’Challa, the one-time Wakandan prince, ushered into Kingship with the untimely demise of his father to an enemy.

The importance of the appearance of this costume (as depicted in pictures) is immense, because not only does it draw on the tribal nature of Wakandan politics, but it draws on the clothes created by actual African people themselves. Though the Vibranium weave is fictional, the appearance of the weave is built to resemble the cloth attire of T’Challa, not only a symbol of Wakanda, but a shining example to moviegoers that African aesthetics make for beautiful set pieces.

Black Panther is ostensibly the most pro-black character in the Marvel universe, so it only makes perfect sense that his costume reflects his commitment to his people and their culture as a whole. This importance of theme extending from character to costume is vital for the audience to get an idea of who the reclusive leader of the isolated and stunning country known as Wakanda is, even before the character speaks a word onscreen. It is doubly important for black diasporans that this is communicated on a grand scale, because even though we know that our culture is beautiful, it is vibrant, and it makes for good art, those who are foreign to our cultural imports are being introduced to that idea.

The irony in the importance of the African-inspired aesthetics of Black Panther’s costume is that it’s not most important for those of African descent, but it’s perhaps more important for those who are not of African descent. They have to reckon with the fact that they have missed so much beauty and so much glory by not telling stories that center us and our history and our artistic contributions.

They have to deal with that. We just get to enjoy it being placed front and center for once.