N'Kantu, the Living Mummy
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N'Kantu the Living Mummy is a fictional character appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. The character's first run was from 1973 to 1975, and was based on the popular undead mummy trope of horror fiction.


Publication history

N'Kantu the Living Mummy first appeared in ''
Supernatural Thrillers ''Supernatural Thrillers'' was an American horror fiction comic book published by Marvel Comics in the 1970s that adapted classic stories of that genre, including works by Robert Louis Stevenson and H. G. Wells, before becoming a vehicle for a sup ...
'' #5 (August
1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...
), created by Steve Gerber and Rich Buckler. It introduced the character in a standalone story set in
Cairo, Egypt Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
, "The Living Mummy". N'Kantu the Living Mummy returned two issues later in "The Return of the Living Mummy" by the same team, who brought the character to
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. With the cover logo reading "Supernatural Thrillers featuring The Living Mummy", the series ran from #7 to the final issue, #15 (June 1974 - Oct. 1975). With issue #8, the creative team became writer
Tony Isabella Tony Isabella (born December 22, 1951) is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, artist and critic, known as the creator and writer of Marvel Comics' Black Goliath; DC Comics' first major African-American superhero, Black Lightning; and as ...
and artist Val Mayerik, occasionally credited as co-plotter.
John Warner John William Warner III (February 18, 1927 – May 25, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and as a five-term Republican U.S. Senator from Virginia from 1979 to 200 ...
wrote or co-wrote the final two issues, with Tom Sutton drawing the finale.
Len Wein Leonard Norman Wein (; June 12, 1948 – September 10, 2017) was an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men ( ...
scripted #10 from an Isabella-Mayerik plot. N'Katu was revived in 1983 for an issue of '' Marvel Two-in-One'' (issue #95, January 1983), teamed up with the Thing.


Fictional character biography

Born 3,000 years ago, N'Kantu is the son of T'Chombi, a chief of a Northern
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
n tribe called the Swarili of the nation of Swarilis. At the age of 21, N'Kantu must undergo the Test of the Lion, proving himself to be worthy of being called a warrior. Succeeding in this trial also means that someday N'Kantu would be worthy to succeed his father as king. Months later, his father dies in his sleep, and N'Kantu becomes the chieftain of the Swarili tribe. Returning from a hunt, N'Kantu finds that his village has been ransacked and the entire tribe of Swarili rounded up by
Egyptians Egyptians ( arz, المَصرِيُون, translit=al-Maṣriyyūn, ; arz, المَصرِيِين, translit=al-Maṣriyyīn, ; cop, ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ, remenkhēmi) are an ethnic group native to the Nile, Nile Valley in Egypt. Egyptian ...
as slaves. N'Kantu fights to rescue his people, but is overwhelmed and captured by the Egyptian soldiers. N'Kantu and the Swarili are then taken to Egypt, and put to work building monuments to the current Pharaoh, Aram-Set. Recognized as the strongest, and most dangerous of the Swarili, N'Kantu is isolated and forced to work the hardest in an attempt to break his spirit. But at night he and the other Swarili people plot a rebellion, though unbeknownst to them their plotting is being reported to Aram-Set and his chief priest, Nephrus. At the completion of the current monument project, the Egyptians take their slaves into its catacombs in preparation for a mass execution. But N'Kantu signals for the revolt and the Swarili slaughter their would-be executioners. N'Kantu slays Aram-Set with his spear and then turns to Nephrus, but the evil priest had prepared, and he sprays N'Kantu in the face with a mysterious paralyzing liquid. N'Kantu is then strapped and bound to a special altar, his body wrapped in
papyrus Papyrus ( ) is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, '' Cyperus papyrus'', a wetland sedge. ''Papyrus'' (plural: ''papyri'') can also refer to a ...
, and his blood is drained and replaced with an unknown alchemical
preservative A preservative is a substance or a chemical that is added to products such as food products, beverages, pharmaceutical drugs, paints, biological samples, cosmetics, wood, and many other products to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by ...
. N'Kantu, who remains conscious through the entire ordeal, is then placed inside a stone
sarcophagus A sarcophagus (plural sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a box-like funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek ...
. In modern times, the paralyzing fluid finally wears off and N'Kantu escapes from his tomb. Deranged from being paralyzed in a dark tomb for several millennia, he digs himself free and goes on a rampage in
Cairo, Egypt Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
. He later recovers from his insanity and discovers Doctor Alexi Skarab, one of Nephrus' surviving descendants. N'Kantu was electrocuted into unconsciousness. His lifeless body is shipped to a New York City museum, where he is revived. He is teleported to the dimension of the Elementals, who ordered him to find the ruby scarab. While searching, he battled Professor Abdol the Living Pharaoh. N'Kantu then battled the Elementals, and vanquished them with the aid of the Scarab he had found. During later travels N'Kantu befriends Ulysses Bloodstone. Some time after that N'Kantu is kidnapped by the Grandmaster for the Contest of Champions, but the Grandmaster doesn't consider him worthy enough to be a combatant and so N'Kantu returns to Earth. N'Kantu later teams up with the Thing and his girlfriend Alicia Masters against General Hassan, another descendant of Nephrus, preventing him from obtaining the Spirit Gem. After this, he returns to the desert where he began searching for the Bloodgem. However, when
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
and his "partner"
Diamondback Diamondback may refer to: Animals * ''Crotalus adamanteus'', the eastern diamondback rattlesnake * ''Crotalus atrox'', the western diamondback rattlesnake * Diamondback moth, a European moth that has spread to North America * Diamondback terrapin ...
are after the gem as well, they convince N'Kantu to hand over the fragments he had found. Later, N'Kantu is approached to join the Shock Troop organization. They help free Quasar from the
Darkforce The Darkforce is a fictional concept appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Description Darkforce is a powerful, extra-dimensional energy that can be manipulated in slightly different ways by a handful of beings that are ...
entity known as
Quagmire A mire, peatland, or quagmire is a wetland area dominated by living peat-forming plants. Mires arise because of incomplete decomposition of organic matter, usually litter from vegetation, due to water-logging and subsequent anoxia. All types ...
, and disband afterward. Later he gets into a fight with the evil Rakses and has to team up with Elsa Bloodstone, the daughter of his old ally. After defeating this villain, N'Kantu spends some time guarding the mystic Orb of Ra. During this time, N'Kantu is approached by
Nick Fury Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
and is convinced to join his group of Howling Commandos, and they fight against the powerful
Merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
in Area 13. Soon afterward, N'Kantu was seen as one of the heroes against the Super-hero Registration Act which was forged during the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
event; it is later explained that N'Kantu began to feel his service in the Howling Commandos was slavery, prompting his rebellion. He was apprehended and transported to an extra-dimensional prison called "Fantasy Island" which is located in the Negative Zone. He was transported to his cell alongside Coldblood, Speedball, and
Typeface A typeface (or font family) is the design of lettering that can include variations in size, weight (e.g. bold), slope (e.g. italic), width (e.g. condensed), and so on. Each of these variations of the typeface is a font. There are list of type ...
. During this time, N'Kantu informs the three that he is not alive, unnerving them in the process. When
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
and
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
visit N'Kantu he is in his prison cell, secured to a slab and surrounded by flames; Iron Man stated that some detainees require special security measures. He was later released when
Hulkling Emperor Hulkling (Dorrek VIII, also known as Theodore Rufus "Teddy" Kaplan-Altman) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as a member of the Young Avengers, a team of ...
impersonated Hank Pym and used his voice to unlock all the cells of imprisoned heroes. N'Kantu then takes part in the end fight between the Pro-Registration forces and the Anti-Registration forces. In the aftermath of the Civil War storyline, N'Kantu returns to Egypt and recovers the Orb of Ra. He then summoned the spirit of Nephrus hoping to get him to restore him to full life or to let him die. Nephrus was unable to do that, but it did attract Anubis when Nephrus' spirit was drawn from his realm. N'Kantu agreed to become Anubis' agent to kill people and send their souls to him in exchange for N'Kantu moving on to the afterlife. N'Kantu later appears as a member of the Legion of Monsters alongside
Morbius, the Living Vampire Morbius the Living Vampire, real name Michael Alexander Morbius, Doctor of Medicine, M.D.,''Morbius the Living Vampire'' (vol. 1) #1. Marvel Comics. Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D., is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comi ...
, Werewolf by Night,
Manphibian Manphibian is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He has some resemblance to the " Gill Man" seen in ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''. Publication history Manphibian first appeared in ''Legion o ...
, and Man-Thing. While in Monster Metropolis, N'Kantu, Werewolf by Night, and Man-Thing pass an unmasked
Deadpool Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
where they were oblivious to his appearance. N'Kantu and Werewolf by Night try to arrest Dimensional Man, assisted by Morbius, the Living Vampire and Manphibian. Elsa Bloodstone teleports to Monster Metropolis with a dead monster that had been corrupted by an evil force. When Red Hulk encountered the Legion of Monsters, Doctor Strange places an enchantment on N'Kantu's flesh in order to restrain what was haunting Red Hulk. N'Kantu helped Red Hulk into Monster Metropolis where it was discovered that the ghost that was haunting Red Hulk was Doc Samson's bad side. N'Kantu was with the Legion of Monsters when they helped to evacuate Brownville so that Morbius can fight
Rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...
and his makeshift
Ultimate Nullifier The Ultimate Nullifier is a fictional device of immense power appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The device made its first appearance in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four'' volume 1, issue #50 (May 1966), in ...
. N'Kantu was later recruited by
Phil Coulson Agent Phillip J. Coulson ( ) is a fictional character portrayed and voiced by Clark Gregg in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise. Coulson is depicted as a high-ranking member of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. and longtime partn ...
to join his incarnation of the Howling Commandos in order to fight Dormammu's Mindless Plague. N'Kantu later joined
Dracula ''Dracula'' is a novel by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. As an epistolary novel, the narrative is related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist, but opens with solicitor Jonathan Harker taking ...
's Frightful Four, along with
Frankenstein's Monster Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compares ...
, Brood mercenary Xzax, and
Marcus the Centaur Marcus, Markus, Márkus or Mărcuș may refer to: * Marcus (name), a masculine given name * Marcus (praenomen), a Roman personal name Places * Marcus, a main belt asteroid, also known as (369088) Marcus 2008 GG44 * Mărcuş, a village in Dobârl ...
to kill
Deadpool Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
and bring Shiklah to Dracula. During the confrontation with Deadpool, N'Kantu was set on fire and torn in half when Deapool blasted him with a fire hose.


Powers and abilities

As a result of the transfusion of an unknown embalming fluid by the Egyptian high priest Nephrus, N'Kantu has superhuman strength and durability. He is highly resistant to many forms of attack. Although his skin is almost rock-hard in consistency, his wrappings are extremely vulnerable to fire. His blood has been replaced with an alchemical preservative that has allowed him to exist for over three thousand years. He also has no need for food, water, oxygen, or sleep. N'Kantu is able to sense mystical energy and the use of magic. He can also sense and recognize Nephrus' descendants. His body no longer produces saliva, which makes speaking difficult and painful for him. He is nevertheless proficient in ancient Swarili, Egyptian and English. He is extremely sensitive to any dehydrative process which interferes with the preservative fluid in his veins. He has the combat skills of the Swarili warrior class. Some of these abilities are enhanced by his mummified condition, while others are diminished.


In other media


Television

* N'Kantu the Living Mummy appears in '' The Super Hero Squad Show'' episode "This Man-Thing, This Monster! (Six Against Infinity, Part 3)". This version leads an army of mummies on Dracula's behalf. * N'Kantu the Living Mummy appears in the '' Ultimate Spider-Man'' two-part episode "Blade and the Howling Commandos", voiced by Oded Fehr. This version is a member of the Howling Commandos and is depicted as having the ability to use his bandages to constrict anything. * N'Kantu the Living Mummy appears in ''
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. ''Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.'' is an American animated television series based on the superhero character by Marvel Comics. The series premiered on August 11, 2013, on Disney XD as part of the ''Marvel Universe'' block, and ended on June 2 ...
'', voiced again by Oded Fehr. This version is a member of the Howling Commandos.


Video games

* N'Kantu the Living Mummy makes a cameo appearance in Jill Valentine's ending in '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds'' and ''
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom in collaboration with Eighting. It is an updated version of '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds''. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and comic book se ...
. * N'Kantu the Living Mummy appears as a
boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, a ...
and an unlockable playable character in ''
Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 ''Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One on 14 November 2 ...
''.


Reception

N'Kantu, the Living Mummy was ranked #18 on a listing of Marvel Comics' monster characters by Den of Geek in 2015.


References


External links


N'Kantu the Living Mummy
at Marvel.com * {{Steve Gerber Characters created by Steve Gerber Comics characters introduced in 1973 Fictional ancient Egyptians Fictional characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Fictional kings Fictional mummies Fictional slaves Fictional soldiers Fictional special forces personnel Howling Commandos Marvel Comics characters who use magic Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics mutates Marvel Comics superheroes