Pam Grier Says She Inspired Black Marvel Characters

Pam Grier is considered one of the most iconic beauties of her time, and in a new interview, she dropped a tidbit that makes all the sense in the world. As a guest on the Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus podcast, Pam Grier says she inspired Stan Lee and the Marvel Comics creative teams to create the characters, Misty Knight and Amanda Weller.

Complex reports that Pam Grier was a guest on Louis-Dreyfus’ program, where she discussed her inspirational career and the impact she continues to have on culture. Naturally, the talk ranged from Grier’s early days and her stint as a box-office draw in the Blaxploitation genre, before shifting to the Marvel portion of the interview.

“Stan Lee, who wrote about Misty Knight and Amanda Waller, he based his characters on me,” Grier claimed.

Misty Knight, who first appeared in the Marvel pages in 1975, was actually created by writer Jenny Blake Isabella and artist Arvell Jones. It appears that Grier may have misspoke, but she wasn’t off base in saying that she has inspired some of the superheroines of comic lore.

In the Netflix MCU television shows Luke Cage, The Defenders, and Iron Fist, Knight was played by Simone Missick.

Monica Rambeau, also known as Photon, was inspired by Grier, according to the character’s creators, writer Roger Stern and artist John Romita Jr.

In the case of Amanda Waller, that character was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne for DC Comics, and Grier played the live-action version of the menacing character in Smallville.

Stan Lee did co-create King T’Challa, aka the Black Panther, with Jack Kirby, and he also co-created Sam “The Falcon” Wilson with Gene Colan, among others.

Check out the Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus podcast with Pam Grier below.

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Photo: Getty