I found out this week who the real winner of Marvel’s big Civil War event actually was. It wasn’t Tony Start and the pro registration military industrial complex like we all thought it was. No sir, the real winner is the Black Panther. It seems like in the post Civil War environment T’Chall and his new bride Ororo are in every book. From the whimsical feel of Fantastic Four as they fly off in space, to the political intrigue and tense drama of Black Panthers own title to the overwritten excuse to have the sixteen billionth Wolverine/Sabertooth fight in this week’s Wolverine (though how T’Challa and his queen were in Wakanda and New York at the same time is mind boggling). That’s right folks, I took a chance and picked up the latest Wolverine and I promise I won’t do that again until someone I’ve heard of is back on the book. I’m a big fan of the Black Panther and of the non Halle Berry Storm but I felt their guest spot in Wolverine was superfluous at best. Luckily the interaction between Aunt Petunia’s favorite nephew and “T’Charlie” more than made up for it in FF. I’m looking forward to the new team taking on Silver Surfer and finding out why the giant disembodied head of Madeline Albright is stealing dead bodies.

52 this week slowed down the pace a bit. But in a good way. After three weeks of murder, mayhem and the destruction of a fictitious European country gears are shifted and we never see Black Adam (though we do “hear” him scream). Doc Magnus has become an incredibly interesting character. As the only member of the mad scientist guild who seems to not be completely crazy (or at least not evil) he is the ground wire that allows the other inhabitants of the island to run wild. I can’t wait to see what his mini Metal Men do. As for the REAL star of 52, Renee Montoya has headed back to Gotham just in time for her former lover Batwoman to once again be targeted by Intergang. I keep checking my local Barnes and Noble but they can’t seem to get me a copy of the Crime Bible. They said I can have a regular bible and the first season of Law and Order on DVD but I don’t think it would work the same. In other weird developments, we see Bruce and Tim in Nanda Parbat. Bruce is fighting something in a cave and Tim is eating soup with Wonder Woman who, out of costume, looks like 52 other female characters in the DCU. It took a few minutes to remember that she was with Bruce and Tim its been so long since we’ve seen them. Also, Animal Man is doing… uhhh….. stuff. I think it will make more sense later. Not enough Renee for me in this issue but I think that will be rectified next issue since her face is on the cover.

My pick of the week this week was not surprisingly Ultimate Spider-Man. People who know me know that I love Spider-Man, I love Bendis and I love Spider-Man. Yes I am aware that I said Spider-Man twice. I just really love him. In a totally non gay way. Ok, kind of gay. But I digress. The reason I love this book so much is the characterization of these kids. Mary Jane, Peter and now Kitty all act like teenagers. Something that is lacking in most books involving teens. Pete and MJ just survived an ordeal and now their romance is back on track. Only Peter never really managed to break up with Kitty. Now that she goes to their school it shouldn’t be awkward at all. There are teases galore in this issue. MJ might be getting powers (or dying, whatever), someone on the team is a traitor, Moon Knight is completely insane and Peter yells at Daredevil. My favorite exchange from the book was between Spidey and DD after Matt tells Peter about his plans to kill the Kingpin.

Peter: First of all- it wouldn’t do anything. Someone else would just be there to take his place.
Iron Fist: Not necessarily.
Peter: Of course there will be.
Daredevil: Not necessarily. They killed Hitler. And that was that for the third Reich.
Peter: But it eventually came back in the form of a little thing called Mtv.

I really like what Jodi Picoult is trying to do with Wonder Woman. It brings to mind some of the better “man out of time” Captain America stories. Diana has been seperated from the common man by her status as a near godlike being and because of that, simple things like using the subway and ordering at Starbucks are completely out of her wheelhouse. This would have been an incredibly interesting take on the character before Greg Rucka’s run on the book. Hell, if this had been where the book relaunched it would have made more sense. I’m one of those people who is furious with Heinburg for his lack of professionalism. I understand that this is “just comics” or whatever his excuse for lateness is but its still a business and lateness matters especially in a serialized story. I wonder how Fox would have handeled it if he came to them and said “I’m not finished with this episode of the OC. You can air it in about two months. Please, I am begging the industry as a whole. Stop hiring people who can’t deliver. I’m a HUGE Kevin Smith fan but I’ll be content if he never writes another comic. Sorry Jodi, you may be too late to make an impact. I’m pulling for you because I think this concept is very interesting. I just hope others will come along for the ride as well.

Other books I picked up this week.

Usagi Yojimbo #101 – This was my first issue of this and I will be buying it regularly from now on. I’ve heard good things for years but never bothered to read it before. Solid storytelling with a sense of fun.

Daredevil #95 – It’s too early to tell where Brubaker is taking us but as long as he’s driving I’ll be along for the ride.

Sensational Spider-Man #36 – Mr Hyde is turning homeless kids into Spider-Man. Dumb premise, surprisingly interesting story. The scenes with Reed Richards were easily the best thing in the book. I’m actually looking forward to how this turns out.

Elephantmen #8 – This book will be well served by a trade paperback. The stories are fragmented and at times hard to follow in single issues but reading a block of them makes up for it.

DMZ #17 – Every journalist in America should be made to read this book. It’ll teach them a few things about doing their job.

Silent War #3 – Pietro is going insane. It’s kind of fun to watch especially when the art is so pretty.

Ultimate Fantastic Four # 40 – Ultimate Diablo. Fun read. Not a lot else to say about it except the FF pretending to be carnies to blend in was all kinds of fun to see.