As Panteras 250- A Hermafrodita -richard De Cas... May 2026

Upon its release in 1989 (estimated), A Hermafrodita was seized from several newsstands in Rio and São Paulo. The official charge: "offensive to public morals." However, underground collectors preserved copies. Today, an original issue #250 in mint condition can fetch upwards of $500–$1,000 USD on specialized forums (e.g., Guia dos Quadrinhos or Mercado Livre).

Critics at the time lambasted it as "pornographic trash." Modern re-evaluations, however, praise its nuanced handling of intersex identity—especially compared to mainstream American comics of the same era (e.g., The Dark Knight Returns had no such character).

Warning: The following contains discussion of mature themes and body horror. As Panteras 250- A Hermafrodita -Richard de Cas...

The story introduces Lena, a Panther agent investigating a series of ritualistic murders in São Paulo’s underground club scene. The killer: a mysterious, androgynous figure known only as “The Dual One.” Lena tracks the killer to a decadent mansion, only to discover that the antagonist is neither fully male nor female — but biologically both.

Rather than a simple horror villain, de Cas writes the hermaphrodite as a tragic, rage-filled creature. Rejected by society and abused by doctors as a child, the character now exacts revenge on those who fetishize or fear intersex bodies. Lena must confront not only the killer’s physical strength but her own prejudices. Upon its release in 1989 (estimated), A Hermafrodita

The climax involves a surreal, dreamlike fight sequence where the villain shifts between masculine and feminine presentations, using psychological manipulation. Lena ultimately spares the hermaphrodite, leading to an ambiguous ending where the two form an uneasy alliance.

Visually, As Panteras 250 is a masterpiece of underground Brazilian art. De Cas uses: Warning: The following contains discussion of mature themes

The most famous page shows Alex’s torso split in two—one side female, one side male—with a swirling black sun behind them. This image has since become an iconic symbol of queer representation in Latin American comics, predating mainstream awareness by over a decade.