The Same Only Different (Very Different)

September 10th, 2004

Filed under: Comics, Medicine

panel from Spider-Man Unlimited #4

This is a perfect example of what I was talking about the other day when I pointed out that too many writers can’t tell the difference between surgeons and non-surgeons. In the same panel in a recent comic, a character is first referred to as an internist and then later as a surgeon. An internist is a specialist in internal medicine – much different than a surgeon, whose speciality is (wait for it) surgery. Sure they’re both doctors, but with different roles (just like the penciler and inker are both artists, but doing different tasks).

This image is from the second story in Spider-Man Unlimited #4. Art by C.P. Smith, words by Allan Jacobson, emphasis by me.

2 Responses to “ The Same Only Different (Very Different) ”

  1. Tim O'Neil
    September 11th, 2004 at 12:54 am

    I would be more concerned about just why the dude’s right leg is so much bigger than his left, and why it is strangely suspended in space.

  2. David
    September 12th, 2004 at 4:11 am

    This is a really common irritant in soap operas, too, where doctors are masters of all specialties. Of course, there they have the excuse of not wanting to shell out the cast for another actor.

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