The runaway success of “Black Panther” has had unexpected side effects north of Chicago. The titular Panther hails from Wakanda, a fictional nation in Africa with technological advancements far beyond our imagination. It’s also home to the Marvel Comics substance known as vibranium, a rare metal of extraterrestrial origin.
The problem with Wakanda is it sounds just like Wauconda, the Lake County town in between McHenry and Mundelein. Variety reports the village has been getting calls and emails inspired by “Black Panther”: Requests for vibranium. Loud proclamations of “Wakanda (er, Wauconda) forever!” You get the idea.
Here’s hoping we learn that one of the characters in the upcoming “Avengers: Infinity War” is from the fictional town of Karpantersville or Lgonequinn.