Panthor vintage creature review

[Spacedust]

I'm starting this week's vintage thread a bit earlier than normal, while I get around to it.
We've already covered Battle Cat in a previous thread, so this week lets turn our focus to his evil counterpart, PANTHOR.

He-Man had Battle Cat, so it made sense that Skeletor would have his own evil version. However, unlike Battle Cat, who was prominent through most of the stories in various media, Panthor only appeared occasionally, and even then often just as background material.

Panthor used exactly the same mold (including armor, minus helmet) as Battle Cat (the cat mold had already been recycled from Mattel's earlier Tarzan line). Panthor was purple and converted in short fur (i.e. flocking).

I didn't get my Panthor until mid-way through my collection - I seem to recall buying him with some birthday money (and I had enough change that I got the little remembered Mega Laser too!).

Skeletor looked really cool riding atop Panthor. But later in my collection, I got the mighty Spydor which (especially as I didn't have spidery Webstor) I usually let Skeletor himself ride on. If I had Evil-Lyn, she may well have had Panthor as her own, which would have looked cool, but alas I didn't, so it was often left to the likes of Tri-Klops, or quite often Jitsu for some reason!

Panthor only appeared occasionally in the Filmation TV series, mostly in the early episodes. As with many other MOTU media, he seldom got much to really do.

The mighty purple cat received a 200x revamp. The 200x Panthor figure is one of the only that I don't currently have in my collection. He also appeared occasionally in the Mike Young Productions cartoon, again usually with little to do.

He's simple, and a recycling of Battle Cat's mold (which itself was recycled from Tarzan), but I really like Panthor. He looks great, especially with the Evil Lord of Destruction on his back. I'll give him a favorable 9/10.

Those are my Panthor thoughts. Now I'd like to hear your own thoughts, memories, comments and etc. And as always, rate the vintage toy in the poll!

[Bowhead Whale]

I give him 10/10, even though I think it would have been better if the under-flock plastic was purple instead of black; this way, flock wears would have been less visible.

Panthor has always been my favorite MOTU figure of all. As a child, I had him plus the incredible Stinkor (my favorite "humanoid" MOTU character).

[Uncle Montork]

I gave him a 9, only because I always thought he should have come with a green helmet to match Battle Cat's.

[Bowhead Whale]

Yeah, but putting on and off a helmet would have created flock wears on the head...

[TriKlops1971]

Mattel had this funny habit of recycling molds. I guess it was the fiscally responsible thing to do, but it got kind of cheesy toward the end of the initial He-Man craze.

Yes, it makes sense that Skeletor should have a side-kick just the same as He-Man did, but I could never get enthusiastic about Panthor. It might have been different if the big purple cat could speak (imagine the conversations between he and Battle Cat!), but alas, it was not to be. I gave Panthor a 5.

[motu77]

I gave him an 8. I wish he would have been used more in the toon.

[Bowhead Whale]

I gave him an 8. I wish he would have been used more in the toon.

ME TOO!!!!!

[The Horrorist]

I gave him an 8/10. The Filmation Panthor was way more scarier than BC, because he didn't talk.

[Bowhead Whale]

I gave him an 8/10. The Filmation Panthor was way more scarier than BC, because he didn't talk.

Yeah, but I think it was ment to be this way. The creators wanted Panthor to look more "mysterious" and scarier. Indeed, what is scarier than a being who's thoughts are known by no one but itself?

[KidRandor]

I appreciate the cats, both Panthor and Battle Cat but the playability was pretty dull since their legs had no articulation. The velvet was a nice touch.

[Evil_Horde]

For me is a great design such as Battlecat and vote 9!