Polite Dissent

It’s late December and that means it’s the time to look at the best (and worst) of comic book medicine over the past year. Today, the good stuff. Tomorrow, the bad stuff.

Best Depiction of Medicine:
Hands down, Metadocs #0 is the best depiction of the practice of medicine in a comic book this year*, and one of the best ever.

Best Doctor:
While not a medical doctor (not that that ever really stopped him), Hank Pym wins the Best Doctor Award this year for his incredible technobabble from Captain America and the Falcon #12:

Best Single Medical or Scientific Concept:
The Flash’s struggle with altitude illness in Flash #226, written by Immonen and Kuder. This story did a good job making Flash’s super powers an important part of his medical condition, plus it features Flash (one of my favorite super-heroes) and altitude sickness (a favorite medical subject of mine).
Honorable mentions go to Geoff Johns for Teen Titans #26 and his understanding of the various types of fractures; and Gail Simone and Birds of Prey #78 for understanding the difference between boxer’s knuckles and a boxer’s fracture.

Best Imaginary Medicine or Treatment:
The super-strong horome Medusagen from the Black Widow mini-series. was critical of the drug at first, but by the last few issues, it had become an important and medically consistent part of the plot. (Review of issue #2, #4, and #5)

Special Mention:
Disease of the Year: Botulism which played a role in both Y: The Last Man and Villains United.
Condition of the Year: Difficult Pregnancies, as featured in Fallen Angel #18, Hard Time #12, and Flash.

Tomorrow: The Worst of 2005

*The OR scene in Birds of Prey #80 was excellent as well, but since I helped a little with it, the comic is disqualified from the running (though it’s still very good — go buy it!)