PANTHA #4, from Dynamite Comics on August 24th, 2022, finds Samira and the gods taking refuge in the House of Woe to heal and rest. Unfortunately, the current caretaker may not be a benevolent host.
The Details
- Written by: Thomas Sniegoski, Jeannine Acheson
- Art by: Daniel Maine, Igor Lima
- Colors by: Adriano Augusto
- Letters by: Dezi Sienty
- Cover art by: Giuseppe Matteoni (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: August 24, 2022
Is It Good?
It’s been a hot minute since we last saw an issue of Pantha from Dynamite, and we’re glad to see the series hasn’t fallen off the face of the Earth. PANTHA #4 picks up where the last left off with the collective of gods running scared after Ta-Nakht’s bug soldiers attacked Set’s compound, and the issue, in terms of writing and art quality, hasn’t missed a beat.
The highlight of this issue is the seamless way Sniegoski and Acheson integrate the concept of ancient gods into a modern context, this time focusing on Ba-Pef as the god of fear and anguish. Ba-Pef is portrayed as a type of fear vampire who uses the terror of humans and gods as a food source, and you couldn’t ask for a less trustworthy god to help you out in a time of crisis. Ba-Pef is the perfect antagonist in this issue since the very thing that drives the gods to run (fear) is the very thing that makes Ba-Pef so dangerous.
The next positive that comes up as a close second is the full reveal of Ta-Nakht. Sniegoski and Acheson deliver an entity that’s imposing, grotesque, and powerful enough to take on all the gods, including the one who made them all, Atun. There’s nothing subtle about Ta-Nakht’s appearance or entrance, so the tease has paid off.
Of course, the success of Ta-Nakht’s big reveal is also due to Maine and Lima’s excellent art delivery. Ta-Nakht is huge and horrifying, and you could easily imagine the fear he would generate among the other gods. Also, the nightmare sequences created through Ba-Pef’s use of cats will put anyone’s creepy crawly nerves on edge. This issue may be about ancient gods, but it nicely doubles as a haunted house creature feature.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
It has been a while, so refresh your memory on where we left off with Samira in our PANTHA #3 review.
We begin with a look at a simple artisan named Ahmed who works out of a small shop in modern-day Egypt. Ahmed is really Atum, the creator god who created all the other gods and Ta-Nakht. When Ta-Nakht has gathered enough power to hatch from his egg, he pays Ahmed a visit.
Elsewhere, Samira and the gods pay an unexpected visit to the House of Woe, a refuge between reality. Ba-Pef is the house’s caretaker, and he offers sanctuary and rest for as long as they can hide from Ta-Nakht’s bug soldiers. What the gods don’t know is that Ba-Pef feeds on fear, and the gods’ arrival is the perfect opportunity to feed. He sends out his cats, avatars who funnel nightmares back to Ba-Pef from the dreaming gods.
We conclude the issue with Sekhmet providing a wake-up call, a cat fight, and another unexpected visitor.
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Final Thoughts
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PANTHA #4 is an excellent entry in the series as the creators lean into the horror with a chapter set in a haunted house run by a god who feeds on fear. The writing is excellent, and the art complements the story beautifully.
Related Information
Who are the 9 main gods of Egypt?
In the mythology of Osiris, there are nine gods who make up the tribunal tasked with deciding whether Set or Horus should rule. Those gods are Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, and Set.
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