N'Kantu, the Living Mummy
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N'Kantu the Living Mummy is a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Supernatural Thrillers #5, August (1973), and was created by Steve Gerber and Rich Buckler.
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[edit] Fictional character biography
[edit] Origin
N'Kantu was born over three thousand years ago, son to T'Chombi, a chief of an African tribe called the Swarili. When he became 21 years old, N'Kantu had to undergo the Test of the Lion, proving himself to be worthy being called a warrior. Succeeding in this trial also meant that someday N'Kantu would be worthy to succeed his father as king.
Returning from the trial, N'Kantu found that his village had been ransacked and the entire tribe of Swarili rounded up by Egyptians as slaves. N'Kantu fought to rescue his people, but was overwhelmed and captured by the Egyptian soldiers.
N'Kantu and the Swarili were 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 was isolated and forced to work the hardest in an attempt to break his spirit. But at night he and the other Swarili people plotted a rebellion, unbeknownst to them their plotting was reported to Aram-Set and his chief priest, Nephrus. At the completion of the current monument project, the Egyptians took their slaves into its catacombs in preparation for a mass execution. But N'Kantu signaled for the revolt and the Swarili slaughterered their would-be executioners.
N'Kantu slew Aram-Set with his spear, and then turned to Nephrus, but the evil priest had prepared, and he sprayed N'Kantu in the face with a mysterious paralyzing liquid. N'Kantu was then strapped and bound to a special altar, his body wrapped in papyrus, and his blood was drained and replaced with an unknown alchemical preservative. N'Kantu who was somehow conscious through the entire ordeal, was then placed inside a stone sarcophagus.
[edit] Later adventures
Thousands of years later now 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. He later recovers from his insanity and discovers Doctor Alexi Skarab, one of Nephrus' surviving descendants. 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, 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 and his "partner" Diamondback 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 entity known as Quagmire, and disband afterward. Later he gets into a fight with the evil Raksus 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 and is convinced to join his group of Howling Commandos, and they fight against the powerful Merlin in Area 13.
[edit] Civil War
Soon afterward, N'Kantu was seen as one of the heroes against the Super-hero Registration Act which was forged during the Civil War event. He was apprehended and transported to an extradimensional prison, "Fantasy Island", which is located in the Negative Zone.
N'Kantu has since been seen in his prison cell, secured to a slab and surrounded by flames. Iron Man, when questioned about this, stated that some detainees require special security measures. He was later released when Hulkling impersonated Hank Pym and used his voice to unlock all the cells of imprisoned heroes in Civil War #6.
[edit] Powers and abilities
- N'Kantu has superhuman strength and durability. He is highly resistant to many forms of attack.
- Although his skin in 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. It is possible that he is immortal.
- The Living Mummy can go thousands of years without food or water. This may be due to the alchemical preservative eliminating his need for sustenance.
- He is able to sense mystical energy and the use of magic, he can also sense and recognize Nephrus' descendants.
- N'Kantu can only speak with great difficulty and discomfort due to the dryness of his mouth and throat. He is proficient with ancient Swarili, Egyptian and English.
[edit] Bibliography
- Supernatural Thrillers #5, 7-15
- Marvel Super Heroes: Contest of Champions #1-3
- Marvel Two-In-One #95
- Captain America vol. 1 #361
- Quasar #45-46
- Bloodstone #2-3
- Nick Fury's Howling Commandos #1-6
- Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror 2005
[edit] Resources
- Mavel.com Marvel Universe: Living Mummy
- Marvel Directory: Living Mummy
- Marvel Universe Appendix: Living Mummy
