Man-Ape

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Man-Ape first appeared in The Avengers #62 (March 1969). He was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.{{cite book |last1=DeFalco |first1=Tom |last2=Sanderson |first2=Peter |last3=Brevoort |first3=Tom |last4=Teitelbaum |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |last6=Darling |first6=Andrew |last7=Forbeck |first7=Matt |last8=Cowsill |first8=Alan |last9=Bray |first9=Adam |title=The Marvel Encyclopedia |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-7890-0 |page=229}}

M'Baku was born in Wakanda. He became one of Wakanda's greatest warriors, second only to the Black Panther. He plotted to usurp the throne of Wakanda with the help of the outlawed rival White Gorilla Cult and return Wakanda to a primitive state.{{cite book |last=Rovin |first=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains |date=1987 |publisher=Facts on File |isbn=0-8160-1356-X |location=New York |page=203 |authorlink=Jeff Rovin}}[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofsu0000rovi_h5r9/page/202/mode/2up]

M'Baku became a renegade and gains his powers by killing a white gorilla, bathing in its blood, and eating its flesh, taking the alias of Man-Ape. He fought with the Black Panther and was believed to be killed when the Panther Totem that he bound Black Panther to crumbled and buried him instead.The Avengers #62. Marvel Comics.{{cite book |last1=Brevoort |first1=Tom |last2=DeFalco |first2=Tom |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=Sanderson |first4=Peter |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |title=Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History |date=2017 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1465455505 |page=135}}

He is revived by his aide N'Gamo and goes to America to battle the Avengers.The Avengers #78 (July 1970). Marvel Comics.

He allies himself with the original Lethal Legion made up of Grim Reaper, Living Laser, Power Man, and Swordsman. He is the first member met by the Avengers. He attacks Captain America, but is beaten back by the rest of the Avengers. He then captures the Black Panther's girlfriend Monica Lynne, binding her hand and foot with metal clamps. The Black Panther is lured into a trap and knocked out by an exploding dummy of Monica. He is chained up and meets the other members. The Legion straps him and Monica to chairs before leaving, though he is able to escape and contact the other members, before the Grim Reaper defeats him. The Legion is defeated by the Avengers after Vision overcomes Power Man and frees the other members.The Avengers #78-79 (July-Aug. 1970). Marvel Comics. Man-Ape bests Black Panther again until he is defeated by Captain America.The Avengers #79 (Aug. 1970). Marvel Comics. Black Panther banishes Man-Ape from Wakanda on order of execution if he returns.

Man-Ape later joins a new Lethal Legion (consisting of the Grim Reaper, Black Talon, Goliath (Erik Josten's latest alias), Nekra, and Ultron-12) and battles Tigra,The West Coast Avengers #1-2. Marvel Comics. but abandons the Grim Reaper alongside Black Talon when the Reaper's racism became too much for him to tolerate.Vision and Scarlet Witch vol. 2 #2. Marvel Comics.

Man-Ape travels to uninhabited parts of the world before joining Crimson Cowl's incarnation of the Masters of Evil which is defeated by the Thunderbolts.Thunderbolts #24-25 (March–April 1999). Marvel Comics.

Despite his rivalry with T'Challa, M'Baku was invited to the wedding of T'Challa and Ororo Munroe (also known as Storm of the X-Men), where he gets drunk on scotch and tries to pick a fight with Spider-Man.Black Panther vol. 4 #18. Marvel Comics.

Man-Ape is next seen at the end of Heroes for Hire #6, working with Grim Reaper and Saboteur.Heroes for Hire #6. Marvel Comics.

Man-Ape is reportedly killed by Morlun while defending his people from Morlun's attack on the Man-Ape's kingdom. But before his apparent death, he sends an envoy to Wakanda to warn them of the approaching danger.Black Panther vol. 4 #4. Marvel Comics.

Man-Ape later appears alive as a member of Purple Man's Villains for Hire.Villains for Hire #3. Marvel Comics.

The Man-Ape gained superhuman powers by consuming the flesh of a sacred white gorilla and bathing in white gorilla blood, enchanting him through the mystical transference of the abilities of the rare Wakandan white gorilla.Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #3. Marvel Comics.{{Cite web |author=C. B. R. Staff |date=2018-03-04 |title=M'Baku: 15 Things Fans Never Knew About Black Panther's Man-Ape |url=https://www.cbr.com/black-panther-man-ape-secrets/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=CBR |language=en}} M'Baku's mystically augmented powers include superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina and durability equal to that of the mystical Wakandan white gorilla.

He has extensive formal military training in hand-to-hand combat from the Wakandan Royal Militia.

• In 2018, ComicBook.com ranked Man-Ape 3rd in their "8 Best Black Panther Villains" list{{Cite web |last=Magnett |first=Chase |date=February 21, 2018 |title=The 8 Best Black Panther Villains |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/best-black-panther-villains-ranked/ |access-date=October 16, 2022 |website=Marvel |language=en}} and included him in their "7 Great Villains for Black Panther 2" list.{{Cite web |title=7 Great Villains for 'Black Panther 2' |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/black-panther-sequel-villains/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=Marvel |language=en}}
• In 2020, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Man-Ape 2nd in their "Marvel: Ranking Black Panther's Rogues Gallery" list.{{Cite web |last=Epps |first=De'Angelo |date=December 7, 2020 |title=Marvel: Ranking Black Panther's Rogues Gallery |url=https://www.cbr.com/marvel-black-panther-villains-rogues-ranked/ |access-date=October 16, 2022 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}
• In 2022, Screen Rant included Man-Ape in their "15 Most Powerful Black Panther Villains" list.{{Cite web |last=Harn |first=Darby |date=September 25, 2021 |title=15 Most Powerful Black Panther Villains |url=https://screenrant.com/most-powerful-villains-black-panther/ |access-date=October 16, 2022 |website=Screen Rant |language=en-US}}
• In 2022, CBR ranked Man-Ape 3rd in their "10 Most Iconic Black Panther Villains" list.{{Cite web |last=Eckhardt |first=Peter |date=November 30, 2022 |title=10 Most Iconic Black Panther Villains |url=https://www.cbr.com/best-black-panther-villains/ |access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=CBR |language=en}}

Man-Ape appears in JLA/Avengers as a brainwashed minion of Krona.JLA/Avengers #4. DC Comics.

An alternate universe variant of M'Baku from Earth-1610 appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe as T'Challa's older brother.Ultimate Captain America Annual #1. Marvel Comics.

• Man-Ape appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.{{cite web |title=Man-Ape Voices (Black Panther) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Black-Panther/Man-Ape/ |access-date=August 18, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. Throughout his appearances, he and Klaw kill T'Chaka and seize control of Wakanda before T'Challa and Captain America defeat them.
• M'Baku appears in Avengers Assemble, voiced by Ike Amadi. This version is a member of the Shadow Council who wears a gorilla-themed force-enhancer suit.

{{See also|M'Baku (Marvel Cinematic Universe)}}

M'Baku appears in films set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), portrayed by Winston Duke. This version is the leader of the renegade Jabari Tribe, who shun Wakanda's technological society and have a religious reverence for gorillas, such as decorating their armor with white gorilla pelts{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/07/13/black-panther-mbaku-man-ape-issue/ |title=How Black Panther solves the problem of M'Baku |last=Breznican |first=Anthony |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=July 13, 2017 |access-date=July 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715110041/http://ew.com/movies/2017/07/13/black-panther-mbaku-man-ape-issue/ |archive-date=July 15, 2017 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Kaye |first=Don |date=February 15, 2018 |title=Black Panther: Creating a New M'Baku |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/black-panther/270987/black-panther-creating-a-new-mbaku |access-date=February 15, 2018 |work=Den of Geek |language=en}} and worshiping the gorilla god Hanuman as a part of Indo-African religion rather than the Panther goddess Bast. He is introduced in Black Panther (2018),{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/black-panther-mbaku-man-ape-winston-duke-1201873246/ |title='Black Panther' Taps 'Person of Interest' Actor Winston Duke to Play M'Baku (EXCLUSIVE) |last=Kroll |first=Justin |work=Variety |date=September 28, 2016 |access-date=September 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160930163520/http://variety.com/2016/film/news/black-panther-mbaku-man-ape-winston-duke-1201873246/ |archive-date=September 30, 2016 |url-status=live }} and makes subsequent appearances in Avengers: Infinity War (2018),Pritchard, Tom (November 29, 2017). [http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2017/11/avengers-infinity-war-breakdown-everything-we-spotted-in-the-first-trailer/ "Avengers: Infinity War Breakdown: Everything We Spotted in the First Trailer"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130232641/http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2017/11/avengers-infinity-war-breakdown-everything-we-spotted-in-the-first-trailer/|date=November 30, 2017}}. Gizmodo, Avengers: Endgame (2019),{{cite web|url=https://www.etonline.com/winston-duke-on-how-avengers-will-top-itself-with-endgame-exclusive-122455|title=Winston Duke on How 'Avengers' Will Top Itself with 'Endgame'|last=Baumgartner|first=Scott|website=ET Online|date=March 31, 2019|access-date=April 1, 2019}} and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).{{Cite web |last=Gearan |first=Hannah |date=July 26, 2022 |title=Black Panther 2 Star Teases M'Baku & Jabari Tribe's New Role In Wakanda |url=https://screenrant.com/black-panther-2-mbaku-jabari-winston-duke-response/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220728163845/https://screenrant.com/black-panther-2-mbaku-jabari-winston-duke-response/ |archive-date=July 28, 2022 |access-date=July 30, 2022 |website=Screen Rant}} Duke will reprise his role as M'Baku in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday.{{Cite web |last1=Couch |first1=Aaron |last2=Kit |first2=Borys |date=March 26, 2025 |title=Marvel Unveils 'Avengers: Doomsday' Cast with MCU Mainstays and 'X-Men', 'Fantastic Four' Stars |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avengers-doomsday-cast-announced-1236172556/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326205542/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avengers-doomsday-cast-announced-1236172556/ |archive-date=March 26, 2025 |access-date=March 26, 2025 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}

• Man-Ape appears as a boss in the PS2, PSP, Nintendo DS, and Wii versions of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, voiced by Emerson Franklin.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
• Man-Ape appears as a boss in Marvel: Avengers Alliance.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} This version is the leader of the White Gorillas.
• Man-Ape appears as a boss in Marvel Heroes.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
• Man-Ape appears as a playable character in the "Black Panther" DLC for Lego Marvel's Avengers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamezone.com/news/lego-marvel-avengers-first-dlc-packs-get-release-dates-3435056|title = LEGO Marvel Avengers first DLC packs get release dates|date = 17 March 2016}}
• Man-Ape appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2,{{cite web|url=http://www.brickstolife.com/lego-marvel-super-heroes-2-character-list-from-e3-live-stream/ |title=LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 Character List From E3 Live Stream! |last=Becker |first=Daniel |work=Bricks to Life |date=June 14, 2017 |access-date=July 18, 2017}} voiced by Alexis Rodney.{{cite tweet|number=932749370172297216|user=leowyld|title=@JayShockblast I know you like to...|date=20 November 2017}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Man-Ape Man-Ape] at Marvel.com
• {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/manapembaku.htm|Man-Ape}}

{{Black Panther}}

Category:Black people in comics

Category:Characters created by John Buscema

Category:Characters created by Roy Thomas

Category:Comics characters introduced in 1969

Category:Fictional African people

Category:Fictional murderers

Category:Fictional warlords

Category:Male characters in film

Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability

Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength

Category:Marvel Comics male supervillains

Category:Wakandans