main imageN'GASSI

Real Name: N'Gassi

Identity/Class: Normal human; citizen of Wakanda

Occupation: Advisor to T'Challa;
    formerly regent when T'Challa was away on a mission

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Black Panther (T'Challa), Black Musketeers (Dr. Joshua Itobo, Ishanta, Khanata, Zuni), Gentle (Nezhno Abidemi), Jiru (assistant), Storm (Ororo Munroe); briefly Deadpool

Enemies: Jakarra, Shadow King

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Wakanda

First Appearance: Black Panther I#6 (November; 1977)

Powers/Abilities: Although he has excellent leadership abilities (due to his advanced age and wisdom), N'Gassi is not a hand-to-hand combatant.

History:

(Black Panther I#6 (fb) - BTS) - While T'Challa was away on a mission with Abner Little, he put N'Gassi in charge of the nation.

(Deadpool V#20) - Thinking Deadpool to be a tourist, N'Gassi welcomed the time-jumping mercenary for a short stay in Wakanda. As the Black Panther was away, N'Gassi asked the guest to help with a mysterious meteorite strike (actually the start of a cosmic puzzle chase) at the Wakandan Vibranium mound.

(Black Panther I#6) - Soldiers came to the offices of the regent, and told N'Gassi that a coup detat had taken place, and he no longer was the regent of Wakanda, but General Jakarra was now the king of the nation. N'Gassi told Jakarra and his soldiers that none other than T'Challa could take the regent title away from him, but Jakarra and his soldiers didn't care about what N'Gassi had to say, and they gave Jakarra leadership of Wakanda.

(Black Panther I#7) - Upon learning that Jakarra had exposed himself to raw Vibranium, N'Gassi called him a fool and told him that his jealousy of T'Challa had finally destroyed him. N'Gassi watched as Jakarra was transformed into a monster, and saw as the monster rushes out of the door. The soldiers told N'Gassi that they would now follow his command, and not Jakarra's. N'Gassi told the soldiers that they needed to warn the people about not making contact with Jakarra, and said to himself that he needed to get in touch with T'Challa and the rest of the royal family. Later, Jiru came with the first of the royal family, Dr. Joshua Itobo, who told N'Gassi that he was ready to do what was needed of him.

(Black Panther I#8) - Jiru told N'Gassi that the members of the royal family awaited him. N'Gassi was a little surprised that only four members of the royal family had arrived. And although he was very loyal to N'Gassi and his opinions, Jiru still questioned if those four members were up for the task that they were about to give them. Jiru told N'Gassi that a warrior's hand might be better suited for the task, and asked N'Gassi if he could be used instead. N'Gassi told him that the offer was greatly appreciated but it was only for the royal family to handle. N'Gassi met with the four members of the royal family and tried to persuade them to take action against Jakarra. He mostly tried to persuade Khanata, whom he believed was the most suited for the task. Suddenly Jakarra attacked them all, but was driven away by soldiers, and the royal family members told N'Gassi that now they had decided to help against Jakarra.

(Black Panther I#9) - In his office talks with Jiru, N'Gassi was angry at himself for calling the royal family to help, one was too old, one was too fat, one was too much into racing, and the last one barely into manhood; N'Gassi was saddened that T'Challa hadn't come yet. After the Black Musketeers had defeated Jakarra, N'Gassi went to a room where he found them greeting the panther statue. He thought they were a bit too arrogant because they hadn't triumphed yet. He sent Itobo to examine Jakarra. When N'Gassi and Itobo told Jiru that they just couldn't kill him, Jiru said "Jakarra is no longer human."

(Black Panther I#10) - N'Gassi went to the chamber where Itobo had been conducting the examination, only to learn that Jakarra had broken free. Jiru said "we should have disobeyed the ruling family and destroyed that thing," but N'Gassi told him that it was too late now. Later he had a discussion with Itobo whether or not he felt like he made the right decision by not destroying Jakarra.

(Black Panther I#11) - N'Gassi was by T'Challa's side when Itobo examined the king. When T'Challa left his bed (not wanting to spend his time there), N'Gassi tried to make him go back to bed once more. T'Challa refused -- he had way too much to do now. When T'Challa suddenly learned that Khanata was in grave danger, he wanted to help but fell down, and N'Gassi took him to his bed once more and told him to rest.

(Black Panther I#12) - N'Gassi went to Itobo's laboratory and told him that he brought good and bad news; he informed him the good news: that he had now discovered just who Kiber was -- the well-known scientist Frederick Kiber -- and the bad news: that Kiber's matter-machine might be operational.

(Cable II#54) - When T'Challa sent Cable home, N'Gassi asked T'Challa if Cable really was as conflicted as he had lead him to believe. T'Challa told N'Gassi that Cable was indeed a conflicted man wrestling with way too many demons.

(X-Men: Worlds Apart#1) - N'Gassi welcomed his queen (Storm) back to Wakanda and informed her that the Black Panther, who had been called away to England, he specifically requeted that she looked into the murder of shaman B'Chaku at the hands of former X-Men student Nezhno Abidemi. N'Gassi brought her to the prison to see Nezhno and showed her the video footage that showed the murder. Storm noticed that Nezhno was winking at the camera in the video and confronted Nezhno about it. She soon realized that Nezhno had been possessed by the Shadow King during the murder and ordered N'Gassi to release him. Outside the prison Black Panther (T'Challa), who was now possessed by the Shadow King, sent his military to arrest Nezhno and Storm.

(X-Men: Worlds Apart#2) - N'Gassi was shocked when the Black Panther sent the Dora Milaje after Storm and Nezhno. He tried to defend Storm's actions, but the Black Panther assured him that Storm had betrayed them and N'Gassi needed to trust him. For a moment Black Panther regained control and N'Gassi noticed that something was wrong, but the Shadow King quickly reasserted his control over the Black Panther and ordered N'Gassi to come with him.

(X-Men: Worlds Apart#3) - N'Gassi mobilized the military against Storm and Nezhno when they returned with the incapacitated Black Panther to the Golden City. Storm ordered N'Gassi to stand down because she was still his queen. N'Gassi and the military conceded and kneeled before Storm after a pack of black panthers laid down around Storm. Storm and Nezhno left Wakanda to deal with the Shadow King and left Black Panther in the care of N'Gassi.

Comments: Created by Jack Kirby (writer & art).

Deadpool V#20 was like an inventory issue, showing one of Deadpool's jumps through time; this issue was meant to take place in "1968."

Profile by The Beetle. Updates by Grendel Prime (Deadpool) & Markus Raymond (X-Men: Worlds Apart).

CLARIFICATIONS:
N'Gassi should not be confused with:


images: (without ads)
Deadpool V#20, p2, pan4 (main image)
Black Panther I#6, p9, pan4 (headshot)
X-Men: Worlds Apart#3, p12, pan3 (full body)


Appearances:
Black Panther I#6 (November, 1977) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jack Kirby & Archie Goodwin (editors)
Black Panther I#7 (January, 1978) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jack Kirby & Archie Goodwin (editors)
Black Panther I#8 (March, 1978) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jack Kirby & Archie Goodwin (editors)
Black Panther I#9 (May, 1978) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jack Kirby & Archie Goodwin (editors)
Black Panther I#10 (July, 1978) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jack Kirby & Archie Goodwin (editors)
Black Panther I#11 (September, 1978) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Black Panther I#12 (November, 1978) - Jack Kirby (writer/pencils), Mike Royer (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Cable II#54 (May, 1998) - Joe Casey (writer), Jose Ladronn (pencils), Juan Vlasco (inks), Mark Powers (editor)
X-Men: Worlds Apart#1-3 (December, 2008 - February, 2009) - Christopher Yost (writer), Diogenes Neves (pencils), Ed Tadeo (inks), Daniel Ketchum (editor)
Deadpool V#20 (February, 2014) - Gerry Duggan & Brian Posehn (writers), Scott Koblish (art), Jordan D. White (editor)


First Posted: 01/05/2003
Last updated: 10/28/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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