The paths of our lives can take many turns. Such is the case with Natima Ngoza who comes to find herself living in the Wakandan city of Birnin T’Chaka which provides many opportunities to ply her craft. A series of events have also led T’Challa, the former and now exiled king, to return in disguise to Wakanda, the same city in fact which is distant from the capitol. Ngoza has secrets too. Born in the neighboring country of Mohannda, she is a skilled, meticulous, and disciplined thief who occasionally operates out of a “distributing the wealth” motive. Such is the case one night when she, wearing the uniform of her Beisa identity, encounters the Black Panther for the first time. A spectacular fight high over the city’s rooftops in which each gauges the other’s capabilities plays out in a double paged spread. Beisa and T’Challa will soon discover they have mutual concerns regarding gang related activities in the city and therefore their goals are best served by working together.
Outside of her Beisa identity Ngoza employs detective skills which gives her the perfect opportunity to observe the city’s neighborhood’s and its residents. In these pursuits she has two goals. The first is to keep the city and especially its crime bosses in a delicate balance so that she may continue her thievery. The second purpose is to locate Samari, a woman who has disappeared.
Ewing provides readers glimpses into Natima’s past. The first flashback which is from issue #3 is of her family on the day that she left home. From a family photo we learn Ngoza is the oldest of two children, a sister being youngest. Her parents and sister wear bracelets on their right wrists, Natima’s on her left. It’s a small visual clue that something sets Natima apart from her family. On the following page her parents can be overheard from another room arguing about Natima while she packs only a few belongings before leaving home.
In another flashback which occurs in the fourth issue is a celebration of the Ibis Day Festival and Samari, a character to whom Ewing and Allen have alluded, presents a bracelet to Natima. In two panels Ewing conveys the two women have a deep and strong connection, one in which Natima feels safe in sharing stories of her past. Are they family? Yes, undoubtedly by choice not blood as any LGBTQA person rejected by their family understands. Are they lovers? Perhaps. In another scene Ewing has Beisa deliver a clever line of dialog spoken to T’Challa which reveals Natima to be transgender.
Ewing plants a clue in issue #8 in which Beisa and Black Panther break into the Wakandan home owned by the father of Monet St Croix of X-Men notoriety. Telepathy is among Monet’s many powers and she reads Natima’s mind to discover her pain of losing someone close. Monet uses “she” in the context of Ngoza’s memory she’d read. Ewing provides more insight in a conversation between Beisa and Panther in issue #9. T’Challa says: “But you love her still” to which Beisa replies: “…Samari taught me how to be myself. How to find myself in this city. In this world.” Thankfully Natima and Samari are reunited in the finale of this Black Panther volume.
Beisa’s character is best described by Eve L Ewing herself. The following quote was found published in this CBR article. “The quintessential moral opportunist/sexy badass/martial artist wielding dual daggers. The one who, when she enters the fight, you don’t know whose side she’s going to be on; rest assured, she’s always on her own. She’s tough, but not ruthless, living by her own moral code.” Ewing also mentions that the character’s name Beisa refers to an East African oryx. Chris Allen incorporates the oryx’s horns and tail into Beisa’s costume design.
Beisa first appeared in Black Panther #1 (2023/vol 9) and her character appears throughout the ten issue series. Cody Ziglar uses the character in Miles Morales #27 (published 12/2024). Beisa’s gender identity is mentioned in #4.
Created by Eve L Ewing and Chris Allen. Art by Chris Allen, Craig Yeung (inker), and Jesus Arburtov (colorist). Art in the flashback with Samari is by Chris Allen, Mack Chater, Craig Yeung, and Jesus Arburtov.
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