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Pantha |
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| Alias: Subject X-24 |
Titans Member
Joined: New Titans #74 [1991] |
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| Pantha Quick Bio: A result of the Wildebeest Society's macabre experiments, shy vet student Rosabelle Mendez was transformed into the were-cat known as Pantha. Suffering amnesia, Pantha long sought the truths behind her origins. Pantha's razor sharp personality was softened when Baby Wildebeest bonded with the ferocious feline as his 'mama.' Pantha and Wildebeest were later tragically killed during the Infinite Crisis. |
Pantha makes the scene in NEW TITANS #74 [1991]. |
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Pantha hunts the Wildebeests in
NEW TITANS #74 [1991]. |
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Mysterious Origins: Wildebeest Connections
Shy Rosabelle Mendez was a vet student at NYU until she was kidnapped and traded to the Wildebeest Society by Maxwell Lord, leader of the shadow group known as Checkmate.
The Wildebeest Society was a criminal organization before it was taken over by the adventurer called Jericho while he was possessed by a demon-controlled Azarathian force from another dimension.
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| Dagon and Pantha compare eating habits in TEAM TITANS #1 [1992] |
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The new Wildebeest Society began a series of genetic experiments to prepare a number of bodies for possession by the corrupted Azarathian force. They began experimenting with animals and kidnapped humans, altering the test bodies, strengthening them when they could, combining disparate DNA, and attempting to create a virtually new life form.
Their experiments all perished horribly... all but one. Dubbed X-24 by the Wildebeest scientists, Rosabelle managed to free herself from bondage while her fellow experiments died around her. With no memory of her past, Rosabelle dubbed herself Pantha and swore she would return to the Wildebeest base to destroy her former captors and torturers.
Remembering nothing about her history before her transformation, Pantha was left to wonder... was she a human turned into a cat or a biologically altered feline?
Titans Hunt: Meeting the Titans
Before she could find the answers to these questions, Pantha met and joined with a force of heroes led by Deathstroke, the Terminator. Deathstroke and the others were attempting to free the kidnapped New Titans from the Wildebeest Society before the 'beests began to experiment on them.
This battle led Pantha and this team of Titans to the Azarathian dimension where the Wildebeest Society was ultimately destroyed.
Pantha returned to our world with the newly freed Titans. Also returning from the Azarath dimension was the Wildebeests' last experiment: a genetically created Baby Wildebeest. Pantha elected to remain with the Titans for the time being. The Baby Wildebeest also bonded to Pantha as his mother, much to her chagrin. Pantha also developed an attraction to fellow Titans member, Red Star.
Pantha continued to search for the truth of her origins. As Pantha searched further, she learned that Steve Dayton's technology was involved in her creation. Beyond that, she didn't find many other leads.
Pantha becomes Baby Wildebeest's reluctant mother in NEW TITANS #88 [1992]. |
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A Pantha and Baby Wildebeest bonding moment. |
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| Pantha starts her own investigation into Steve Dayton in NEW TITANS #102 [1993]. |
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After reaching a series of dead ends concerning her origins, Pantha elected to leave the Titans. When Red Star learned that the team was to be funded by the U.S. government, he also decided to leave the team. Having established a bond, where Pantha would go, Baby Wildebeest would follow. As a rag-tag dysfunctional family, Red Star, Pantha and Baby Wildebeest decided to travel off together, leaving the Titans behind.
Meanwhile, Steve Dayton created an identity as the mysterious Crimelord, plotting against the Titans and Deathstroke. It was revealed that Steve Dayton had been going insane due to prolonged use of the Mento helmet. He became obsessed with experimentation. To this end, he continued his DNA experiments that he used to create the mutated super-group, the Hybrid. That same technology was used by the Wildebeests in their experiments – the same experiments that created Pantha. This was the only link the Titans discovered that connected Dayton Industries to Pantha's creation.
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Red Star, Pantha and Baby Wildebeest leave the Titans and form a
unique family unit in NEW TITANS #114 [1994]. |
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Pantha is brutally killed by Superboy Prime
in INFINITE CRISIS #4 [2005] |
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Life and Death
Red Star, Pantha and Baby Wildebeest later settled in Science City, Russia. There, they lived as a fractured family unit while serving the Russian government. The trio also continued to assist the Titans when called.
When Superboy from Earth Prime ran amok during the Infinite Crisis, Superboy called on his Titans allies to subdue his Kryptonian doppelganger. The misguided Superboy-Prime inadvertently decapitated Pantha and slaughtered Baby Wildebeest before being pulled into the Speed Force by the combined might of the super-speedsters. Red Star was left to mourn his fallen friends.
Pantha has incredible agility and strength. A vicious predator who will stop at nothing to get to her prey, Pantha has no problem slaying her victims. Pantha's claws, both on her hands and feet, can cut "holds" into virtually any substance. This permits her to "shred" anything in her path, and even to climb walls and buildings with ease.
Pantha's vision is as acute as any jungle cat's. She moves swiftly and deftly through her surroundings, seemingly taking in everything in one glance. Pantha appears to be a combination of human and cat, though appearances can be deceiving.
Sources for this entry: DC Who's Who Binder Series supplemented by titanstower.com
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New Titans #73 [1991]: Deathstroke and Dayton locate Arella, whose ranch in Wyoming has been devastated by Wildebeest. A mysterious cat-creature [Pantha] lurks in the shadows, spying on Wildebeest agents; Danny Chase is seemingly killed by Wildebeest agents, and Phantasm emerges. First appearances of Phantasm & Pantha.
New Titans #74 [1991]: Nightwing is revealed to be working undercover as a Wildebeest agent. The Wildebeests discover experiment X-24 [Pantha] has escaped. Deathstroke, Dayton, Pantha, Phantasm and the Wildebeests scuffle. Phantasm invites Pantha to join the hunt against the Wildebeests. First full appearance of Pantha.
New Titans #75 [1991]: Nightwing is brought before Wildebeest Society. Deathstroke, Dayton, Arella, Pantha & Phantasm track down the Wildebeest Headquarters. The group discovers Jericho is the Wildebeest leader. Nightwing watches the monitor as a rocket containing one of the Titans explodes over the USSR. Jericho revealed as Wildebeest leader.
New Titans #86-87 [1992]: The Titans stay at Dayton Estates. Baby Wildebeest bonds with Pantha, much to her chagrin. The Team Titans continue to hunt Donna Troy while Lord Chaos, having seized control of a corporation, plots to stop them. Donna Troy learns she is pregnant. Terra II makes herself known to Changeling. Mirage kidnaps and replaces Starfire, although this is not revealed until later. Aqualad comes out of his coma in issue #87.
New Titans #88-89 [1992]: "Starfire" [really Mirage in disguise] and Nightwing develop new costumes. The Team Titans continue to hunt Donna Troy. Baby Wildebeest exhibits the ability to grow in size and strength. Despite her objections, Pantha relents to being Baby's 'momma.' Donna Troy's godlike fetus advances at an accelerated rate, putting her in her third trimester.
New Titans #109-111 [1994]: Starfire undergoes the Tamaranean ritual called Kynasf'rr. Dick searches for her in the Amazon. The rest of the Titans secure space satellite USS Argus from a group of eco-terrorists. Pantha finds evidence implicating Steve Dayton in the experiments that created her.
New Titans #114 [1994]: Arsenal agrees to the Titans under government jurisdiction. Minion's home planet is destroyed by an unseen force. Nightwing, Starfire, Pantha, Red Star, Baby Wildebeest and Flash decline membership for the time being. Only Changeling, who has been secretly corrupted by Raven, accepts membership. Continued in Damage #6, the team's last mission. First appearance of Jarras Minion.
Deathstroke 50 [1995]: New Titans appear to stop the Crimelord. Working with Sarge Steel and Checkmate, Slade is able to prove that the assassination attempt was actually a plan of the Crimelord, Steve Dayton. Dayton wants to replace all the world leaders with clones, under his control. Also, the now-insane Dayton wants to merge his essence to cyberspace. Deathstroke thwarts his plan and clears his name. Dayton is left floating somewhere in the void of cyberspace. Wade DeFarge is revealed as the Ravager. Dayton's involvement with Pantha's origin revealed.
Titans #20 [2000]: The Titans go to Science City in Russia to help Cyborg; Red Star, Pantha and Baby Wildebeest appear. Using a DNA sample and new cloning technology, Vic Stone's Omegadrome consciousness is downloaded into a new human form.
Infinite Crisis #4 [2005] & Teen Titans #32 [2005]: Superboy-Prime attacks Superboy. Superboy calls on his Titans allies to subdue his Kryptonian doppelganger. The misguided Superboy-Prime inadvertently decapitates Pantha and slaughters Baby Wildebeest and Bushido; He then freezes Red Star into crystal ice and rips off Risk's right arm before being pulled into the Speed Force by the combined might of the super-speedsters. Death of Pantha, Baby Wildebeest and Bushido.
Booster Gold #8 [2008]: Booster Gold and the rescued-from-death Blue Beetle come face-to-face with the all-new, all-different Freedom Fighters (Hawkman, Green Arrow, Anthro, Wild Dog and Pantha) as time continues to crash down around them. Pantha's real name is revealed as Rosabelle Mendez. She was a vet student at NYU until she was kidnapped and traded to the Wildebeest Society by Maxwell Lord, leader of the shadow group known as Checkmate. Once she discovered Max's involvement, she vowed to hunt him down for revenge. Sadly, Pantha is slaughtered again in this alternate reality, along with the other Freedom Fighters. Pantha's origin and real name revealed.
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Prelude
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| NEW TITANS after Titans Hunt |
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New Titans took a radical change in direction with the controversial "Titans Hunt" storyline with issue #71. The Titans Hunt story itself ran from New Titans #71-84.
New editor Jonathan Peterson felt the book had grown to complacent. From the letter column of #71: "You see, what we all agreed on was the fact that the Titans as a group had become too settled in. Things were far too quiet. So we gleefully decided that it was time to, well how can I say it, "shake things up." And I mean A LOT. Over the course of the next few months things are not going to be what you expect. I can guarantee it. Over the course of the next few months the Titans Universe will change in ways you never thought we'd dare to change it. You'll see an entire new evolution in the characters themselves and in the debut of a new team. That's right--I said a new team. It's been ten years since the Titans debuted and to celebrate that fact we thought it was time to introduce some all-new team members. Where does that leave us? Well, in the months ahead some Titans will stay...some will go...some will die...some will get marr--oopsl Don't want to spoil all the surprises."
Jonathan Peterson later revealed more about Titans Hunt in an interview with titanstower.com: "Marv realized that while Titans had once been a lynch pin of DC...I mean, it rivaled the X-Men at one point in sales and popularity...it was now nowhere near that level. So even Marv knew changes had to be made. And to be honest, that's how I presented it to him. I literally just asked him, "Yeah, but are you REALLY having fun writing the book anymore?" And Marv replied, "No, not really. After all these years, I'm not sure I have many stories left in me to tell. I mean, what's left?" At that point I pulled out my notes and said, "Look, issue 71 (if I have the number right) is going to be the tenth anniversary issue. After 10 years there's more than enough history for us to screw with...to just jump in the pool and have fun with. So let's just stir the pot. I mean, what's the worst that can happen?"
The Titans Hunt generated excitement and interest, but editor Peterson left the book before the ambitious three-phase storyline was finished. Peterson was the driving force behind these changes, and the book was left in a state of disarray [New Titans #92 was his last]. The "Titans Hunt" had written out some long-time members and introduced new members Pantha, Baby Wildebeest, Red Star and Phantasm. The storyline also introduced the time-tossed Team Titans (also featuring a new Terra) in New Titans #79. After the smoke had cleared, the book was directionless and flooded with new characters.
The Hunt Itself
During the Titans Hunt, Golden Eagle is slain, Cyborg is nearly destroyed, Titans Tower is demolished, and Phantasm is revealed to be Danny Chase, who is himself slain along with Raven's mother Arella as the Titans defeat the Wildebeests. Raven is transformed utterly and disappears. Also, in order to defeat the society, Deathstroke was forced to slay his own son, Jericho.
One of the problems the Titans have had for many years was playing to the status quo." says Wolfman, "We weren't doing anything. I was bored with it. And so were the readers-we just weren't pushing." New editor Jonathan Peterson was instrumental in pushing for changes. When Peterson took over the book, Wolfman says artist Tom Grummett, inker Al Vey and outgoing editor Mike Carlin got together for three days to come up with the current storyline that has them all excited again.
"I was really thrilled," says Wolfman. 'Occasionally, I like my characters so much that I never want them to go through any major problems, and of course, that's what makes the stories interesting. Jonathan kept at us, and we kept coming up with new characters and a new direction. We couldn't believe how well the new stuff tied in to everything we had been doing for 11 years on Titans.
"The status quo was becoming stale, not the characters. We were following the same type of stories that we had been doing. Mike Carlin and I had been talking about changes. too, but we never got to work on it to the degree we wanted. Jonathan was Mike's assistant, so he knew of all this and was gung-ho to make the changes.
"We all sat down and came up with the ideas together. We were able to bring in things from the first issue and have them tie in precisely with what we wanted to do, so nothing came out of left field. Everything actually functions within things that have happened before, yet it's actually all brand-new. That's what makes it really exciting for us. We could have come up with anything, but this actually ties into continuity, and we very clearly set it up years ago!"
One of the best examples is Jericho, who betrayed his fellow Titans when he became the leader of the Wildebeest Society "The stuff with Jericho very specifically ties into the first five issues of the second version of the Titans, when he tries to cure Raven after she has been taken over by Trigon. Jericho tried to enter her and was horribly repelled. The ending of that particular story made the whole changeover into what we currently have. Also, the very first real storyline in Titans in years ago was a Raven storyline - why Raven assembled the whole team. So in a way. it goes right back to their origins." Although Wolfman says he obviously didn't plan the current events a decade ago, he was surprised at how many plot seeds were planted.
"We were able to pick up on threads we had left," he says. "When a writer is in this mode with continuity stories, he leaves things behind specifically unsettled, even if he doesn't know it. I've had too many situations in the past where I've been able to tap into things and go. 'Why did I leave this here?' and it was obviously an unconscious thing to be picked up on later.
"This stuff was clearly set up. Jericho's personality had drastically ~ changed over the last few years anyway. Granted, that wasn't tied in with what we were doing, but it certainly leaves it open to be interpreted as retro-continuity; you could explain some of it because of what we're doing now. I (lent think I've ever been in a series of meetings where so much was accomplished that it shocked us. We knew where we wanted to go, we knew we wanted to shake things up."
The New Team
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PANTHA
From DC Cosmic Teams Card Set, 1993 |
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Along with the deaths, Wolfman has introduced new team members Phantasm and Pantha in the last storyline. 'When the dust has settled, there will he a slightly different group of Titans." I don't want to pinpoint the competition, but unlike other books, those characters are not going to come back, with the status quo maintained and the exact same group they began with. Some of these characters are gone for good because they're dead! We've been very careful in The New Titans-when we say they're dead, they're dead!"
There still won't be a solid Titans membership roster. Instead, the team will vary.
"That's one thing I like about the current set-up," says Wolfman. "Not all of the characters are going to be there. Cyborg is currently brain-dead. How long that will last hasn't been worked out. There's going to be a two-part Cyborg story appearing in DC Showcase at some point that puts the final kibosh on his easily getting back his brains. We don't have that resolution timed out-it's a long-range story, but right now, he's little more than a robot. Troia will be out of the group. Raven and a couple of the others are pretty much out. The only ones we know for sure are Nightwing, Starfire, Changeling, Phantasm and Pantha - but I may he wrong at this moment. Those are the characters who are technically supposed to stay.
"[Readers] first reaction was, 'How dare you do this? How dare you get rid of the characters that we've grown to love for 11 years?' Slowly, everybody saw that this was a major change, and they started to become interested in the book. Now, the reader reaction is 98 percent positive. incredibly so. People don't know where we're going, and they want to read it. We've done exactly what we wanted to do, and now we have to maintain that by continually shaking up the status quo."
New Faces
Jonathan Peterson: "I thought we could always "bring people back" one way or another...but first I thought we should try the whole "new blood" approach. I mean, that only made sense to me. Any way you look at it, in a revamp, you've ALREADY seen the other character. So would you rather see an upteenth revamp...or something new? Me...I vote for new."
The Titans were joined by new members: the violent Pantha, former ally Red Star, the mysteriously re-formed Phantasm (now an amalgam of Danny Chase, Arella and the souls of Azarath), and Baby Wildebeest (a leftover genetic experiment from the Wildebeest Society).
Pantha as a Titan
Titans Membership:
New Titans #74-114
Pantha was introduced in New Titans #74 and joined the Titans Hunt as a 'reluctant Titan' for her own selfish reasons. At first, Pantha was secretive, feral, violent and had her own agenda; Not the best team player. This, however, was an interesting twist. So far, with the exception of Terra, all the Titans were a tight-knit group of friends that liked each other. Initially, Pantha's volatile personality was a sharp contrast to that, making her a unique new addition in the Titans mythos.
Then came Baby Wildebeest in New Titans #85. Pantha was at first fearful of the Baby Wildebeest, which bonded with her as his 'mama,' much to her chagrin. Although she protested, it was obvious she began bonding with the creature as well [New Titans #88-90]. In New Titans #88, Baby Wildebeest also starts to demonstrate the ability to grow in size and strength to that of an adult Wildebeest. Wolfman notes Baby Wildebeest "is fun because he allows room for some comic relief and he also allows us to see a different side to Pantha." That may be true, but it also diluted Pantha's original role as the 'loose cannon' of the group.
The rest of Pantha's Titans career consisted of further 'wacky moments' with Baby Wildebeest, a blossoming attraction to Red Star, and constant attempts to discover her true origins, meeting with dead ends. As a rag-tag dysfunctional family, Red Star, Pantha and Baby Wildebeest decided to travel off together, leaving the Titans behind in New Titans #114.
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Pantha's Mysterious Origins
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Pantha discovers Steve Dayton may be responsible
for her transformation in NEW TITANS #98 [1993]. |
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Pantha's back story is still shrouded in mystery. It is unknown if the creative team had a definite plan, or were making some of it up as they went along. When Pantha was first introduced in the Titans Hunt, she searched for answers to her past. By the time she left the Titans, she had some answers, but the questions had changed...
Who am I?
Pantha is introduced in New Titans #74. The Wildebeests discover experiment X-24 [Pantha] has escaped. Deathstroke, Dayton, Pantha, Phantasm and the Wildebeests scuffle. Phantasm invites Pantha to join the hunt against the Wildebeests. She seems intent on two things: 1. Getting revenge on the Society. 2. Learning the truth behind her creation.
As the Hunt continues, the emphasis seems to be on WHO Pantha was before she was turned into a cat-human. This hinted that pre-Pantha may have been someone with connections to the Titans or the DC Universe.
What am I?
New Titans #98 provided more questions than answers. As Pantha searched further, she learned that Dayton technology was involved in her creation. She recognizes a manufacturers logo; it's the Dayton Industries "D". This triggers a flashback sequence during which she remembers seeing this very same logo on all the equipment in the Wildebeest lab where she was created.
Pantha continued to search for the truth of her origins and began to wonder: Was she a human turned into a cat or a biologically altered cat? This virtually ignored the mystery of who she was before her transformation.
The Dayton/Hybrid Connection
Created by the deranged Steve "Mento" Dayton, the Hybrid was meant to be his version of the Doom Patrol. But, whereas the Doom Patrol was made up of people who received their "conditions" accidentally, the Hybrid members got their powers from Dayton's experiments with Promethium, a substance which Dayton Industries perfected during the time that Mento was searching for Madame Rouge and General Zahl. Most members of the Hybrid were also involved in accidents, but it is speculated that Mento mentally engineered these accidents with his helmet. [Detailed in New Teen Titans (second series) #24-25].
In New Titans #102, Pantha gains access to an Dayton's computer files and pulls up Project Hybrid, "Dayton's genetic tampering which merged people with animals." The mystery of Pantha's origins has shifted from "Who am I?" to "What am I and who is responsible?" Signs begin to point to Steve Dayton.
Pantha receives hints from the Technis in New Titans #106, revealing new leads in her search. In New Titans #110, Pantha tracks down the woman she believes is responsible for the actual experiment that created her. She is gone, having been 'paid off' by someone. Pantha confronts Steve Dayton. Dayton confirms that he sent the woman away and asserts that he won't tolerate anyone investigating his work. When Pantha pushes the issue, Dayton uses an energy blast from his hand to repel her attack. From Dayton, we learn that the mysterious woman was his Chief Genetic Researcher on Project Hybrid, a project he cancelled after he saw how dangerous it was. Dayton insists that she must've taken her research to the Wildebeests, and they created Pantha, not him. Pantha wonders why, if he's telling the truth, why would he work so hard to keep her and the woman apart ?
in New Titans #114, after reaching a series of dead ends concerning her origins, Pantha elected to leave the Titans. When Red Star learned that the team was to be funded by the U.S. government, he also elected to leave; he didn't want to work for the government yet again. Having established a bond, where Pantha would go, Baby Wildebeest would follow. As a rag-tag dysfunctional family, Red Star, Pantha and Baby Wildebeest decided to travel off together, leaving the Titans behind.
Mysteries Solved, Questions Remain
Steve Dayton created an identity as the mysterious Crimelord, plotting against the Titans and Deathstroke. In Deathstroke #50, Dayton wanted to replace all the world leaders with clones, under his control. Furthermore, the now-insane Dayton wanted to merge his essence to cyberspace. Deathstroke thwarted his plan and cleared his name. Dayton is now floating somewhere in the void of cyberspace.
Also revealed In Deathstroke #50, Steve Dayton had been going insane due to prolonged use of the Mento helmet. He became obsessed with experimentation. To this end, he continued his DNA experiments that he used to create the mutated super-group, the Hybrid. That same technology was used by the Wildebeests in their experiments – the same experiments that created Pantha. "I used the technology to create The Hybrid -- it was used for the Wildebeests and Pantha."
Still, many questions remain concerning Pantha. Who or what was she before her transformation? Did Dayton create Pantha, or did the Wildebeests? And what further answers could the female scientist provide?
Those questions will most likely forever remain unanswered, as Pantha and Baby Wildebeest were later slain in Infinite Crisis #4 [2005]. When Superboy from Earth Prime ran amok during the Infinite Crisis, Superboy called on his Titans allies to subdue his Kryptonian doppelganger. The misguided Superboy-Prime inadvertently decapitated Pantha and slaughtered Baby Wildebeest before being pulled into the Speed Force by the combined might of the super-speedsters. Red Star was left to mourn his fallen friends.
Pantha's Post-Mortem Origin
Leave it to Geoff Johns to tidy up some loose ends in an unlikely place: Booster Gold #8 [2008]. Booster Gold and the rescued-from-death Blue Beetle come face-to-face with the all-new, all-different Freedom Fighters (Hawkman, Green Arrow, Anthro, Wild Dog and Pantha) as time continues to crash down around them. After saving Beetle, an alternate timeline was created in which Max's OMAC agents conquered most of earth's heroes.
As related in the story, Pantha's real name is Rosabelle Mendez. She was a vet student at NYU until she was kidnapped and traded to the Wildebeest Society by Maxwell Lord, leader of the shadow group known as Checkmate. Rosabelle became a failed test subject - a prototype of the real Wildebeest animal-human hybrids created later. Once she discovered Max's involvement, she vowed to hunt him down for revenge. Sadly, Pantha is slaughtered again in this alternate reality, along with the other Freedom Fighters.
This can now be accepted as Pantha's origin, even though it was an alternate reality. Too bad poor Pantha didn't learn all this before she was permanently declawed.
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Creating Pantha
Titans Editor Jonathan Peterson on Pantha [from The Titans Companion, 2005]
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| A 2005 commission of Pantha by Tim Seeley. |
TTC: Let’s talk about some of the characters that you introduced to the book. Tell us how you came up with Pantha. It seemed Pantha was originally conceived as the anti-member, a Titan who was morally ambiguous.
JP: Actually, Pantha was Marv’s creation. He created her to stir the pot. Marv is actually the sweetest guy you want to meet, but we all decided the book needed more edge, and Pantha was the first character Marv pitched. She was bitter, sarcastic and hard-edged. I think in a way Pantha became Marv’s mouthpiece of sarcasm. She was fun in that respect, and Tom Grummett then designed her. Titans became just very collaborative. I remember in an issue of Titans, Mirage had posed as Starfire to get close to Dick, and they - ahem - got together without Dick knowing it was actually Mirage. There was this page that Kevin drew - Kevin with those great [facial] expressions he draws - where we reveal that. Mirage has this very happy look on her face, and Kevin just penciled in Pantha saying, “Dick, you slut!”We all thought that was a funny line, and that was all Kevin.
TTC: What about Pantha’s mysterious origin? Was she planned to be revealed as someone the Titans knew before? Was that worked out?
JP: The idea was supposed to be that she was actually created by the original H.I.V.E. group, and I remember that the character tied back with Deathstroke. He was somehow involved. The H.I.V.E. was responsible for her creation, and at one time she was a real woman. I do remember we had it on the drawing board as something Louise Simonson would write. There would be a story where she actually turned back into a normal woman. She pulled a Hulk/Bruce Banner, and that would be the shocking reveal of seeing who she really was. I think we toyed with the idea that she was a bookworm librarian and had all this repressed anger, and that all came out as Pantha, and at the end of the story, it would be a “Ben Grimm” type story where she tragically becomes Pantha again. The emotional thing for her would be “Good, I’d rather be Pantha.”
TTC: So was human Pantha someone the Titans knew, or just Deathstroke?
JP: Just Deathstroke, as far as I recall. I do remember planning that with Weezie, and I did challenge her to be creative about it, that maybe Pantha could be some C-level character from Titans history, if that worked. It would give us the excuse to [go],”Ah-ha!” But obviously, that story never came about.
The above excerpt is from The Titans Companion by Twomorrows Publishing.
Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the New Teen Titans, The Titans Companion is a comprehensive look at the history of the ultimate teen team - over 200 pages in all! From their early days in the 1960s as a team of teen sidekicks through their best-selling days in the 1980s and beyond, this book explores the history of the team through the eyes of its creators! Interviews with Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, Nick Cardy, Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, and others reveal the evolution of the series over the years. While artwork by Cardy, Pérez, Adams, Garcia-Lopez, and many more illustrates each era of Titans history! To order the book, click here .
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