The Blood (or is it Ink?) of Life

December 28th, 2004

Filed under: Comics, Medicine

I’m going to take an idea that Rose suggested and run with it. Comic books are filled with numerous transfusion scenes — some are good, most are horrible. Along with my usual medical reviews (and other miscellaneous posts), I will be taking a closer look at these transfusion scenes.

I’ve already taken a swipe at Spider-Man in the Amazing Spider-Man #10-33 and the Sins Past storyline.

Later this evening, I’ll post a review of the well done “What’s the Color of Your Blood?” from Our Army at War #160.

Future reviews will include the Superman gang in Superman #6, Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane #17, and Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane #106 (the infamous “I am Curious (Black)” issue). The Banner family and friends will also be examined closely in the Incredible Hulk #420 and the Savage She-Hulk #1.

As my knowledge of Silver and Golden Age comic stories is quite limited, I’ll be happy to take any other suggestions (Bronze Age and modern comics are fine too.) Just post a story in the comments or e-mail it to me at the address in the right-hand corner.

5 Responses to “ The Blood (or is it Ink?) of Life ”

  1. Dave Lartigue
    December 29th, 2004 at 8:13 am

    And, right on schedule: http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2004/20041229l.jpg

  2. Scott
    December 29th, 2004 at 9:05 am

    Great! I wish I was clever enough to plan something like this, but it’s purely coincidence…

  3. Rose
    December 29th, 2004 at 3:17 pm

    Yay, Scott! I’m really excited about this.

    I don’t know of any other books you should be looking at, but I think it’s fascinating how often blood transfusion here is viewed as some sort of mystical communion. I can understand its importance in a WWII story, but having it in Spider-Man with all the gravity and import we’d usually save (at least on the donor end) for giving up a kidney or some bone marrow is an interesting storytelling choice. And it will be fun to see the medical side of things! Thanks for following through on this potentially hare-brained scheme.

  4. Anonymous
    January 4th, 2005 at 9:11 am

    Speaking of transfusions, my dad says he knew a doctor who had O- blood and kept a tube with needles on both ends with him whenever in the veldt. This way, if he met someone bleeding too much then he could do a transfusion on the spot. How well do comic authors tend to handle *that*?

  5. Orville
    March 18th, 2012 at 11:47 pm

    There is a comic (Flash (Volume 1) 219) that features the writers getting the RH factor wrong for dramatic reasons. (It’s more of a MacGuffin to get a character (Green Arrow) to return long enough to help someone (Black Canary).) I’ve spoiled much of the plot, but it’s been reprinted several times, most recently in the O’Neal/Adams GL/GA collection. The last panel even shows Ollie with his blood being transfused into Dinah.

Leave a Reply

« Monday’s Guily Pleasure: Sleuth House – Episode 7: “Fidelity” »