In this review of ThunderCats #6, Pantro looks for some alone time as he takes the ThunderTank out for an excavation mission. But will he return to the ship in one piece?
ThunderCats #6
Writer: Declan Shalvey
Artist: Drew Moss
Color Artist: Martina Pignedali
Main Cover: David Nakayama
Variant Covers: Lucio Parrillo, Declan Shalvey, Jae Lee, Ivan Tao, Drew Moss
Release Date: July 17, 2024
This review contains spoilers
ThunderCats #6 begins as Panthro prepares for his mission to excavate the unknown mineral he found on Third Earth. He is preparing his ThunderTank when Wiley Kat asks if he needs help. The older warrior declines and heads out but he is being watched from a distance.
Panthro is lost in his thoughts of a young Lion-O, his losing thunder duel to Cheetara and Tigra’s injury in the last battle after Calica’s betrayal of Lion-O and the theft of the damaged Sword of Omens. He is so lost in thought that he fails to notice a swarm of Vulturemen in the skies. They attack the lone ThunderCat, but Panthro being the warrior and general he engages the attackers. He quickly captures the hooded leader but the other bird men continue their attack.
Panthro soon realizes he is not alone. Snarf stowed away and Panthro asked him to bind the captive. The battle rages on and Panthro is able to elude his pursuers in the ThunderTank. Afterwards he gives his captive a stern warning to leave the ThunderCats alone on this planet. Afterwards he releases the bird and drives off. Vultureman takes off his hood and vows to continue his battle with the ThunderCats until they are all eradicated from Third Earth.
Analysis
This is a stand alone story providing a one off character study of Panthro the general of the ThunderCat army. He is a loner in nature but he does have a big heart. He would become a playmate of the young Lion-O but now he finds himself an advisor of the grown cub. He also has to lick his wounds after his self perceived failures. He admits that he let his temper get the better of him when he struck his lord but he was then rapidly humbled by the nimble and quick footed if weaker in strength cleric, Cheetara.
He further is lost in his responsibility for the injury of Tygra that has left him in coma in the sick bay. Despite all these distractions, he moves his attention to analyzing the mineral substance he located in hopes that it can be used to power their equipment as their stores of thundrillium are rapidly being depleted.
Unfortunately this outing has led to another threat to the small colony of Thundarians. Panthro uncovers another army of Mu’tants on Third Earth. This one can attack from the skies as they are a colony of Vulturemen. Panthro is successful in escaping with his samples but now we are faced with the question, when will this new threat attack.
The art is descriptive in this issue. Never once was I taken out of the story by a strange panel or artistic decision. The sandy terrain looks just like it is, a dust cloud. It does not look like a mat painting but a dynamic scene that poses multiple dangers both on the ground and in the skies above.
This is the first time we have seen the Vulturemen. Their leader who is hooded in most of the issue, the Vultureman himself is only revealed in the end. His design makes him look very formidable unlike his original scientist design in the original animated series. Here he is a leader of an army and this is an army that will continue its attack even when their leader is down as was shown in this story as Vultureman was held captive by Panthro in most of the issue. The other vultures each have a unique design in both clothing and appearance. This is not a carbon copy army this is a dynamic army that since they can easily take to the skies will provide a formidable adversary for the ThunderCats.
Final Thoughts
ThunderCats #6 is a satisfying look into the thoughts and motivations of General Panthro and a worthy debut of the next airborne threat to the ThunderCats. It looks like this general needs to create an air force.
Dynamite Entertainment provided The Comic Book Spot with an advance copy of this comic for review purposes. Find more of our reviews here. If you would like to buy a copy of this title, and help support the Comic Book Spot at the same time, consider purchasing this book at Amazon or Things From Another World.
