Writer: Steven Grant Artists: Patrick Zircher(p), Gary Martin (i) Publisher: Harris
The story continues in Pantha. First, Mr. Grant reacquaints the reader with Vamp's origin. Normally, I balk at such recaps, but Mr. Grant's choice of words makes the narration more than just exposition. It reveals Vamp's love for her world, exposes her sense of humor, catches up the reader without glazing over one's eyes and whets the appetite for the next issue.
Patrick Zircher and Gary Martin continue the tradition of awesome, anatomic artwork. Vamp's stance and artistic continuity on the opening page is near perfect. The use of multiple camera angles and Mr. Zircher's ease at depicting emotion transfuses depth.
The creative team shifts for the star of the book. Usually that's the scratch of death, but David Conway prowls a cunning Pantha through an interesting flashback involving Egyptian mythology and Nazi occultism. This previous engagement allows Mr. Conway to evoke a story without contriving a means of meeting for the two enemies. The Nazis were all over Egypt, so naturally they would incur Pantha's wrath. The Joy Division was a sad historical fact, so naturally, it gives Pantha the opening with which to gut the Nazi war-machine.
Through Mike Mayhew's serious artwork, the Nazi's retaliation emulates the horrors of the real thing, but he counters the stone faced, unwavering killers with sinewy Pantha who possesses a deadly, alien beauty.
