by Randy Lander

BLACK PANTHER #40 "Return of the Dragon Conclusion: Dragonslayer" Highly Recommended (9/10) Marvel Comics Writer: Priest Pencils: Sal Velluto Inks: Bob Almond Colors: Jennifer Schellinger Letters: Sharpefont Editor: Mike Marts Price: $2.50 US/$3.75 CAN The finale of "Return of the Dragon" is every bit as explosive, entertaining and potentially confusing as the first two parts have been. There's a lot of information here, and as far as accessibility goes, this might not be the best Black Panther story ever done. But despite tremendous backstory and numerous characters, I never found myself lost during this story, and in fact I thought this finale was great fun. This title is at its best when its looking at the more political side of T'Challa, but that doesn't mean Priest, Velluto and Almond can't turn in blockbuster kung-fu and explosions with the best of them. The Black Dragon is a fantastic design from Velluto, Almond and colorist Schellinger. The rampage through New York and Wakanda is simply amazing, widescreen stuff. And though Black Dragon began the arc as a manipulator, it seems that in the end he's little more than another villain who is enraged at being outsmarted by the Panther. There's a lot of story going on here. The tale of Iron Fist and Black Dragon goes back a ways, as does the story of Ross, Mephisto and Panther that tied into it. That's not even mentioning the second Panther or Nightshade, who continue their journey through the book in this issue. However, a few flashbacks and a lot of narration from Agent Ross explains everything pretty effectively, and while regular Black Panther readers will have more appreciation for what's going on, I would think any reader could enjoy the spectacle of this book. What really impressed me about this issue is how Priest tied a bunch of disparate plot threads together. Tribal warfare, which has been a running theme from several issues back, mixes quite comfortably with the grudge match between Fist and Black Dragon and still leaves room for the super-heroic staple of a second protagonist who may not be what he appears to be. The various approaches never feel jarring next to one another, instead the whole thing reads as one large tapestry. This creative team has been successfully blending humor, action and a dizzying number of subplots for quite a while now, and "Return of the Dragon" is a great start on another year for Black Panther. Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.