Polite Dissent

Just so you don’t think I’m always negative, here are three recent comics that have some excellent medical scenes. The art is good. The medicine is good. Sure, there are a few very minor nit-picks, but give these writers and artists a hand for a job well done.

Nightwing #99 “Back to Life”
Devin Grayson, writer
Zach Howard, penciler

Nightwing is lying in bed at Wayne Manor, wounded and febrile. Alfred is doing his best to tend his wounds, and to update Bruce on his progress.
The care Alfred is rendering is appropriate, and his description of the injuries is fine (though “femoral arterial laceration” is a little too wordy; try “femoral artery laceration” instead.)

Swamp Thing #9 “Love in Vain, chapter 1 ”
Joshua Dysart, writer
Enrique Breccia, artist

Tefe suffers a massive upper gastrointestinal bleed. The paramedics are in the process of treating her:

Paramedic #1: We’ve got massive G.I. hemorrhaging! She was stabilized!
Paramedic #2: Place two large bore IV’s stat! Hang two bags of Ringer’s solution and let ‘em run!

The treatment here is perfect. They need to hurry up and get her to a hospital for definitive treatment, but in the meantime placing a large IV in each arm and pouring the fluid in is her best chance. Ringer’s Lactate is a common fluid used for surgeries and emergencies. (Nitpick: Calling someone with a G.I. bleed “stabilized” before starting an IV is really pushing your luck.). And let me point out that Breccia’s image of Tefe in a fetal position with blood fountaining from her mouth is eye-catching in a very grotesque way.

Witchblade #80 “Witch Hunt, part 1 of 6 “
Ron Marz, writer
Michael Choi, penciler

Sarah Pezzini is in the hospital after being beat up yet again. An IV is running (and in the right place), heart leads are on (and in the right place), and the nasal canula is drawn correctly. A nicely drawn hospital scene. (Nitpick: the butterfly bandages on her forehead are drawn bizarrely, and the heart rhythm on the monitor has an extra wave or two).