PANTHERUS

Real Name: Pantherus

Identity/Class: Changeling (panther-human hybrid)

Occupation: Soldier for Leoninus

Group Membership: Leoninus' faction of Changelings

Affiliations: Elephantine, Fury, Leoninus, Viperus

Enemies: Centauria, Centaurio, Hulk (Bruce Banner), Rick Jones, Minotaurus, Neptunus, Betty Ross, Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, Leonard "Doc" Samson, Siren, Fred Sloan, Woodgod

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA

First Appearance: Incredible Hulk I#252 (October, 1980)

Powers/Abilities: Pantherus possesses enhanced strength, endurance and durability. He was genetically spliced with aggressive panther characteristics and less so with human traits. Pantherus can leap at least three times his humanoid body length with his tail affording extra balance, and he has sharpened claws from every digit on his hands and feet. Like a panther, he has sharpened incisors and is incredibly fast in attacks. Like all Changelings, he gives off a virtually imperceptible radioactive aura, which can be tracked using the right equipment.

Height: 6'6"
Weight: 350 lbs.
Eyes: Red
Hair: Black fur

History:

(Incredible Hulk I#252 (fb) - BTS) - Woodgod had been artificially created by gene-splicing human and animal DNA to create a new hybrid species in the hope of combining human intellect with animals' proclivity toward peaceful coexistence. However, conflict from suspicious and aggressive humans drove him north into a hidden valley in the Rocky Mountains. In solitude, he created more hybrids (dubbed Changelings), including the devious Leoninus, who secretly created his own Changeling faction of the feline Pantherus, bulky Elephantine, winged Fury and serpentine Viperus.

(Incredible Hulk I#252) - "Thunderbolt" Ross, along with Hulk's friends Betty Ross, Rick Jones and Fred Sloan, were captured and taken to the hidden Changeling village for their part in the grievous wounding of Changeling Centauron. Further connivance by Leoninus resulted in Centauron's death and Leoninus defied Woodgod by invoking vengeful Changeling law. Woodgod had since mellowed and no longer sought blood retribution, so Leoninus brought in his Changeling faction to support his leadership challenge.

(Incredible Hulk I#253) - Woodgod shrewdly deduced Leoninus' insidious machinations and attacked the villain; Leoninus was quickly defended by his soldiers, who beat Woodgod to the ground. The other Changelings did not intervene as they saw it a challenge by combat. However, the Changeling Siren also realized Leoninus' villainy and convinced nearby Hulk and Doc Samson to help stop the injustice. With their arrival, Siren told the others of Leoninus' perfidy. Having lost the other Changelings' support, Leoninus' soldiers lashed out; Pantherus lunged at Doc Samson, who knocked him away down a well. Fish-human Changeling Neptunus was below and knocked him out, then brought the villain to the surface. Woodgod declared that he already intended to step down from leadership and let Changelings rule themselves.

(Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. I#37/1 (fb) - BTS) - The armed forces of Trinity Base tracked down the Changelings, apparently slaying all but Woodgod.

Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo & Sal Buscema.

He was very likely slain by Trinity Base Armed Forces, as shown in the aftermath in Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. I#37/1. However, the only Changeling of Leoninus' faction seen among the corpses found by Nick Fury and Psi-Borg was Elephantine. Given they were newer Changelings not among those created by Woodgod, perhaps they escaped Trinity Base's murderous cull?

This profile was completed on 11/09/2025 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Pantherus has no known connections to:

• BLACK PANTHER (T'Challa of Wakanda) - Avengers member, peak physical abilities enhanced by mystic herb--Fantastic Four I#52
• Any other BLACK PANTHERs linked to Wakanda or alternate Earths
• PANTHER of the Old West - posed as traveling medicine man, wore costume, agile, used cat call to frighten cattle--Two Gun Kid#77
• PANTHER (Corinne Walton) - S.T.O.R.M., Gene Dogs, double agent for Mys-Tech, slain by Banzai--Gene Dogs#1
• PANTHER GIRL - Earth heroine, sought after to be manipulated by Sparkitects Chipp & Jho--Howard the Duck V#10
  
• PANTHER LADY - trained black panthers as weapons during Korean War, fought Combat Casey & Combat Kelly--Combat Casey I#8/2
  
• PANTHERA of Earth-Amalgam - Puma? + Panthera--Tales of the Amazons
  
• or any other "Panther-" characters

images: (without ads)
Incredible Hulk I#253, p15, pan2 (main image)
   p1 (headshot)
   p14, pan3 (standing upright)
   p17, pan2 (falling down well)

Appearances:
Incredible Hulk I#252 (October, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (art), Al Milgrom (editor)
Incredible Hulk I#253 (November, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Sal Buscema (art), Al Milgrom (editor)

First posted: 09/23/2026
Last updated: 11/09/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
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