Princess Pantha | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Nedor Comics |
First appearance | Thrilling Comics #56 (October 1946) |
Created by | Art Saaf (artist) |
In-story information | |
Place of origin | Terra Obscura |
Team affiliations | SMASH |
Princess Pantha is a jungle heroine that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. The character was revived twice; first by AC Comics, and then by writer Alan Moore for his Tom Strong spin-off, Terra Obscura . She first appeared in Thrilling Comics #56 (October 1946). [1]
Princess Pantha is one of the many characters inspired by Sheena, Queen of the Jungle that appeared in the 1940s. Her origin story is told in her first appearance: Pantha is a circus performer visiting Africa to find a legendary wild gorilla for her act. She was accidentally stranded in the jungles of Africa for several months, and survived by virtue of her ability to sound like a gorilla. She soon replaces her Western clothing with her trade-mark leopard-skin bikini. Even after being rescued by adventurer Dane Hunter, Pantha decides to stay in Africa to search for the mysterious white gorilla. [2]
The adventures of Princess Pantha appeared in Thrilling Comics from issue #56 until #74 (October 1949), when she was replaced by stories about cowboy Buck Ranger. Art Saaf illustrated most of Pantha's stories, with Alex Schomburg drawing all her cover appearances.
One story, "The Land of the Black Python" (Thrilling Comics #66, June 1948), has been cited as an example of racial insensitivity: "a white Princess Pantha taught black Africans to overcome racial prejudice in a near-classic example of "blame-the-victim" mentality". [3]
During the 1990s, AC Comics reprinted the adventures of Princess Pantha, along with many other characters from the Golden Age of Comic Books. AC comics later published new adventures featuring Princess Pantha for their Jungle Girls: Wild Side series.
Princess Pantha is one of the many Nedor Comics characters revived by Alan Moore for his Tom Strong spin-off, Terra Obscura . The stories were published by America's Best Comics, originally an imprint of Wildstorm, now an imprint of DC Comics.
In Tom Strong #11 (January 2001), Strong visits the alternate Earth of Tom Strange, which he names Terra Obscura. The superhero team of Terra Obscura, SMASH, had been imprisoned in suspended animation since facing an alien menace in 1969. Strong and Strange are able to overcome the alien menace thirty years later, and free SMASH. Princess Pantha is one of the heroes freed by the duo in Tom Strong #12 (June 2001).
Pantha appears in Terra Obscura vol. 2 (October 2004 - May 2005), as an associate member of SMASH. She also begins dating Doc Strange, as her husband Dale Hunter had died while she was in suspended animation. These stories were written by Peter Hogan, based on plots provided by Alan Moore. The artwork was supplied by Yanick Paquette.
The stories featuring Princess Pantha have been collected in several trade paperbacks:
Princess Pantha has no superhuman powers. She is highly athletic, skilled in hand-to-hand combat and has mastery of jiu-jitsu. She is also an accomplished animal trainer.
Tom Strong is an American comic book series created by writer Alan Moore and artist Chris Sprouse, initially published bi-monthly by America's Best Comics, an imprint of DC Comics' Wildstorm division. Tom Strong, the title character, is a "science hero", with a wife, Dhalua, and a daughter, Tesla, both with enhanced physical and mental abilities and longevity. He lives in a building called The Stronghold in Millennium City. He is also helped by Pneuman, a steam-powered robot, and King Solomon, a gorilla with human characteristics. His greatest foe is tuxedo-clad "science villain" Paul Saveen. The series explores many different timelines and universes, which are a nod to different comic genres. The primary characters are tributes to and spoofs of early pulp heroes.
Terra Obscura is a 2003 comic book miniseries spin-off from Alan Moore's Tom Strong series. The stories are written by Peter Hogan, and drawn by Yanick Paquette and Karl Story with additional flashback sequences drawn by Eric Theriault. Each story is co-plotted by Alan Moore and Peter Hogan. It was published under Moore's America's Best Comics imprint through Wildstorm Comics, which is owned by DC Comics.
The American Crusader is a superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #19. He appeared in almost every issue until #41.
The Black Terror is a fictional comic book superhero who originally appeared in Exciting Comics #9, published by Nedor Comics in January 1941. The character was popular, and on the strength of the Black Terror's sales, Nedor made Exciting Comics a monthly magazine starting with issue #11.
Doc Strange is a Golden Age comic book superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #1 in February 1940. The character continued in Thrilling Comics until issue #64. He also appeared in America's Best Comics #1-23 and 27.
Grim Reaper is a fictional character and a superhero. Created by writer/editor Richard E. Hughes, he first appeared in Fighting Yank #7, and was quickly promoted to cover feature of Wonder Comics, beginning with #1. His origin story was told in Wonder Comics #2.
The Society of Modern American Science Heroes', or SMASH, is a team of superheroes whose adventures are published by America's Best Comics and take place on the parallel world of Terra Obscura.
America's Best Comics (ABC) was a comic book publishing brand. It was set up by Alan Moore in 1999 as an imprint of WildStorm, an idea proposed to Moore by WildStorm founder Jim Lee when it was still under Image Comics.
The Fighting Yank is the name of several superheroes, first appearing in Startling Comics #10.
Nyoka the Jungle Girl is a fictional character created for the screen in the 1941 serial Jungle Girl, starring Frances Gifford as Nyoka Meredith. After the initial film, Nyoka appeared in comic books published by Fawcett, Charlton, and AC Comics.
A jungle girl is an archetype or stock character, often used in popular fiction, of a female adventurer, superhero or even a damsel in distress living in a jungle or rainforest setting. A prehistoric depiction is a cave girl.
Standard Comics was a comic book imprint of American publisher Ned Pines, who also published pulp magazines and paperback books. Standard in turn was the parent company of two comic-book lines: Better Publications and Nedor Publishing. Collectors and historians sometimes refer to them collectively as "Standard/Better/Nedor".
Miss Masque is a fictional masked crime-fighter. She originally appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics, and was later revived by AC Comics, America's Best Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.
Pyroman is a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. His first appearance was in Startling Comics #18, with art by Jack Binder. This character was later revived by both AC Comics and America's Best Comics.
The Woman in Red is a fictional character that first appeared in the period known to comic book historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. Created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist George Mandel, she first appeared in Thrilling Comics #2, published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics. She would also be used by Dynamite Entertainment in Project Superpowers Chapter Two.
The Scarab is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Startling Comics #34, published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.
Lance Lewis, Space Detective is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Mystery Comics #3 (1944), published by Nedor Comics. The character was revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.
The American Eagle is a superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in America's Best Comics #2, published by Nedor Comics, an imprint of Standard Comics.
The Magnet is a fictional character from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in the Complete Book of Comics and Funnies #1 (1944), published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.
Captain Future is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Startling Comics #1 from Nedor Comics.