Pantha, Volume 1: The Goddess and the Dangerous Game

Pantha #1-6

by Brandon Jerwa, Pow Rodrix (Illustrations)

Leaping and roaring into the comic world from her debut in the pages of Vampirella, the mysterious crimefighter called Pantha has endured since the 1960s. This feline femme fatale has remained relatively obscure over the years, but she always returns to give horror-action fans something scary (and a little sexy) to sink their fangs into. This new story presents Pantha as the last living avatar of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet. Commanded by Ra to walk the earth for all eternity as atonement for Sekhmet's transgressions in life, Pantha seeks out evil in all its guises. With the power to transform from a beautiful woman into a feral panther, this is one super-heroine who is much more than just a pretty face. Pantha also wields the Scarab of Atum-Ra; forged from the ancient god's tears, this amulet is an object of great power that many forces would kill to possess. The Scarab can destroy cities, corrupt souls, and open doorways to other dimensions. Writer Brandon Jerwa and artist Pow Rodrix clearly enjoy playing with these characters, delivering a pulpy, Roger Corman-esque adventure that brings all the necessary action, intrigue, and characterization that comic readers crave... without forgetting that comics can be fun, too.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Ebooks

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2013

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was awful. The story is incomprehensible. You aren't given any context of who all these characters are or what's going on. I got the feeling most of the plot spun out of Vampirella but there's not any kind of recap or synopsis. The art is really generic and looks even worse due to the terrible coloring. The only saving grace to the comic are the terrific covers by Mark Texiera.

[Marcelo Soares · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eu sei, eu não aprendo.
Enfim, temos uma história meio genérica em que descobrimos que a Pantha é um aspecto da deusa egípcia Sehkmet que tenta se provar digna de alguma coisa misteriosa que aconteceu no Egito.
Egito? Certo que Set vai aparecer.
Ah, também fica claro que ela é uma pantera que vira uma mulher de botas de cano alto e biquíni camuflado azul, uma escolha prática e confortável para combater cultistas egípcios do caos.
Única e exclusivamente através da coincidência, a história envolve a Mamba - uma mulher-cobra - e a Rainha dos Corações - uma maluca que sacrifica corações para o deus do Caos - além de imigrantes ilegais, policiais incompetentes, jornalistas azarados e vários coadjuvantes da Vampirella. No final é tudo culpa do Set - um cara muito chato em qualquer universo - e do Deus do Caos que, claro, não se entendem muito bem.
Aquele gibizinho biquineiro genérico dos anos 90 na vibe Bad Girls Dynamite.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I purchased this trade paperback at a discount vendor while attending Wondercon. I picked it up because of the ancient Egyptian elements and I had read Brandon Jerwa in the past. The Egyptian gods and goddesses were gorgeously realized and their statures impressive on the pages. Regrettably, I struggled to engage with the story, always feeling as though I missed important plot points. And, while I should have cared about Pantha, I just didn't. Additionally, I felt like the last two issues were tacked on as a whole separate story arc, which did not add to my comprehension of the story.

One point I will make about my disconnect with this story: Pantha made her debut in Vampirella back in the 1960s. I haven't read any Vampirella and I was not familiar with Pantha, so maybe readers more familiar with the universe will better connect with this story.

[Johan · Rating 1 out of 5]

What was this even about? The story is all over the place with characters I had never heard about.

I got the single issues via the The Boys vs The Girls Humble Bundle.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the stories are good but others are confusing.

[Anna Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://diamondinroughcoal.blogspot.co...


Pantha is part of a living representation of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet and is forced to watch life pass her by for eternity, due to all her sins in life. She is given an ultimate weapon called the Scarab which is made of Ra's tears, can transform into a panther and Pantha is able to open portals to other dimensions. Can she and her friends from the secret organization she's part of manage to stop the other gods from destroying the world while battling for the immortal god Chaos' throne? As a straight, slightly conservative woman I felt slightly uncomfortable the entire time I was reading this comic. Now with that statement out of the way... I did enjoy the storyline. But sometimes I feel a little bit lost when I go into fantasy comics and the story/characters seem like they've already been completely established. This was one of those times for me. I still didn't understand who Mayra was supposed to actually be and why Pantha was so obsessed with finding her before something bad happened. I think maybe she was one of the incarnations of Sekhmet besides Pantha. but I'm unsure. After the focus on Chaos and the underhanded machinations of other immortals/gods (goddesses too!), the inclusion of a portal to a different dimension and the battle with the vampire-esque creatures in Vampirella's world seemed out of place and slightly jarring. It was nice to get a glimpse at the world of Vampirella, where Pantha originated, but it seemed unnecessary to me all the same. The artwork was very nice and struck a good balance between the extreme colorization of old-school comics and the darker, more serious tones of the modern 'graphic novel.' Overall it was interesting to read this, but not really my type of comic. I prefer my scantily clad female comic characters to be actual superheroes like Wonder Woman. Although, turning into a panther is extremely bad ass too! :)

VERDICT: 3/5 Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is May 7th, 2013.*

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting storyline and art, though not as well done as Vampirella. Worth a look.