Polite Dissent

OMAC #7 “And One Alone Shall Rise”
Bruce Jones, writer
Renato Guedes, artist

This comic gives us a perfect example of an error caused by a disconnect between the writer and artist. Vienna, an “exotic dancer,” has been injured and is in a coma at a hospital. The doctor is talking to a police officer about her:

Doctor: How’s our comatose athlete, nurse?
Cop: “Athlete”?
Doctor: We assume — or dancer. Look at the pulse rate — like a rock.

The doctor (and by extension, the writer) are absolutely correct. Athletes, particularly endurance athletes, have a pulse rate that is much lower than average. Basically, because of their regular exercise, an athlete’s heart is much more efficient and doesn’t need to pump as often to move the same amount of blood. While the “normal” adult heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute, I’ve known marathon runners whose resting heart rate is in the 30-40s.

Unfortunately, the art doesn’t match what the doctor is saying. The handy little monitor next to Vienna shows a heart rate of 144. Not quite the rock the doctor mentioned.

To nitpick a little, the nasal canula is drawn incorrectly, and the IV site on the hand as well. The rest of the scene looks accurate though.