Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Comics Review: "PANTHA Volume 2 #2" a Strong, Very Stong Second Issue

PANTHA VOLUME 2 #2
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Thomas Sniegoski and Jeannine Acheson
ART: Igor Lima
COLORS: Adriano Augusto
LETTERS: Dezi Sienty
COVER: Giuseppe Matteoni
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jorge Fornes; Vincent Aseo; Alvaro Sarraseca; Elena Pianta; Ken Haeser; Andrew Mangum
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (March 2022)

Rated Teen+

A Dynamite Entertainment, Pantha first appeared in Vampirella #30 (cover date: January 1974).  She is an ancient Egyptian queen who was cursed by the goddess, Sekhmet, because of the murders she committed.  Pantha must walk the world forever, trapped between the forms of human and panther.  She will never know home or peace, burdened by the fury of a goddess and the rage of the innocents she ordered slain.

Pantha, like Vampirella, is now belongs to Dynamite Entertainment, which gave the character her own six-issue miniseries in 2012.  Pantha returns in a new comic book series, entitled Pantha Volume 2.  It is written by Thomas Sniegoski and Jeannine Acheson; drawn by Igor Lima; colored by Adriano Augusto; and lettered by Dezi Sienty.  In this new series, Pantha must save the Egyptian pantheon from a mysterious adversary that is older than the gods and wants the gods' power.

As Pantha Volume 2 #2 opens, Sekhmet, the goddess of war, has fallen captive to the mysterious adversary, Ta'Nakht, that wants to devour the “divinity” of every god.  In Sekhmet's case, her divinity is her “wrath.”

That wrath, however, is in present day, Toortooga, Florida.  It resides as a curse inside Maatkar Samira a.k.a. Pantha, who lives at the Toortooga City Zoo in the guise of a six-hundred pound black panther.  Nick Heart, the god “Ihy” (the god of music and joy), has found Samira and is ready to bring her and her curse to where they can help Sekhmet.  With Sekhmet captured, Nick and Samira need a new plan.  Enter Set, the god who seems to keep to himself as Darian Blackwood, CEO of a munitions manufacturer.  Will Set/Darian help and what is that help worth?

THE LOWDOWN:  In July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  They recently provided me with a PDF for Pantha Volume 2 #2, which is only the second Pantha comic book that I have read.

Right now, Pantha Volume 2 is one of the best new titles of the year.  I'd never heard of the character, yet I find myself deeply engaged with Thomas Sniegoski and Jeannine Acheson riveting story featuring this new-to-me character.  It's like the perfect serial, as the writers give readers just enough to keep their appetites whet without them feeling cheated.

Artist Igor Lima's illustrations manage to be beautiful comic book art and really gripping comic book storytelling.  I find myself racing through the pages of this most excellent storytelling with its intriguing plot and strongly drawn characters.  Adriano Augusto sparkling colors and Dezi Sienty letters complete the power of this story.

I'll repeat what I said in my review of the first issue.  Don't walk.  Don't run.  Drive like a maniac (without causing an automobile accident) to your local comic shop and get Pantha Volume 2 #2.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Dynamite's dark fantasy titles will want to read Pantha Volume 2.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).


No comments:

Post a Comment