Polite Dissent

It’s December, and that means it’s time for my fourth annual Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar. Each day, I’ll count down the number of days remaining until Christmas with another Christmas-themed comic book cover — and each day the issue number of that comic will tell you how many days remain until Santa Claus arrives.

To start us off this year, here is Jingle Jangle Comics #24, with a classic Christmas-cover tradition: “the hole in the stocking.” We’ve seen this gag in previous years, and we’ll see it again before the month is over (if you can’t read it, the bird is saying “If Santa doesn’t notice it, just think of all the presents I’ll get!!“)

Jingle Jangle Comics #24 (Eastern Color, December 1946)
24 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Liberty Meadows #24.
Two years ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge #24.
Three years ago, the cover was The Sensational Spider-Man #24
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004

The Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar Countdown continues (that’s right, I predated DC with the “Countdown” concept by three years). 23 days remaining until Christmas, and that means we need a 23rd issue of some comic that just happens to have a Christmas cover…and here it is: the 23rd issue of The Dennis the Menace Bonus Magazine Series.

Dennis the Menace Bonus Magazine Series, 23rd issue (Fawcett, October 1971)
23 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Wendy Witch World #23.
Two years ago, the cover was The ‘Nam #23.
Three years ago, the cover was Card Captor Sakura #23
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

To mark only 22 days remaining until Christmas, today’s Advent Calendar cover is Calling All Kids #22.

Calling All Kids #22 (Parents’ Magazine Institute, December 1948)
22 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was The Best of DC #22.
Two years ago, the cover was New Adventure Comics #22.
Three years ago, the cover was Hitman #22
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Another week, another Casper the Friendly Ghost PSA. Here, Casper is extolling the virtue of the United Nations Children’s Fund, better known as UNICEF.

Since UNICEF is best known for collecting money during Halloween (in the United States, at least), it really makes perfect sense for them to have a ghost as a spokesman.

More PSAs

Christmas is just a mere 3 weeks away, and today’s Christmas cover features a stocking gag again. A new gag this time — well, new for 1949, at least.

The Kilroys #21 (ACG, December 1949)
21 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Donald Duck Adventures #21.
Two years ago, the cover was Justice League Europe #21.
Three years ago, the cover was The New Archies #21
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Tonight’s House is a repeat of an episode from last season (Season 3, Episode 18 to be exact), “Airborne.” It features Wilson leading House’s team while House and Cuddy are on a flight back from a medical conference. Medical chaos, of course, ensues.

The medical review of “Airborne” can be found here. Comments are open.

Just 20 days until Christmas, and here is Little Lotta #20. Another stocking gag, and like yesterday, a full stocking showing a succesful Christmas, and not the more common cut-a-hole-in-the-stocking-to-fool-Santa gag.

Lotta’s cholesterol has to be through the roof. I’m glad I’m not her doctor.

Little Lotta #20 (Harvey Comics, February 1959)
20 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Mutt and Jeff #20.
Two years ago, the cover was Archer & Armstrong #20.
Three years ago, the cover was Hawk & Dove #20 (also mentioned here in my look back at Hawk & Dove)
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Episode Title: In Which Dell Finds his Fight

A mediocre episode of Private Practice. The writers were clearly trying to tug the heartstrings with Dell’s grandfather but weren’t able to pull it off. Frankly, they didn’t even reach maudlin.

Dr Addison Montgomery and Dr. Naomi Bennett
Cathleen and Geoffrey, the couple who were having difficulties with vaginismus is a previous episode, are back to talk with Addison. They are concerned about fertility, and even though they’ve only been trying to conceive for 2 months, Addison agrees to go ahead and run some fertility tests. Cathleen’s tests are fine, and in fact show her to be ovulating. Geoffery’s sperm count, on the other hand, is zero. Addison and Naomi suggest adoption or using a sperm donor (though it might have been a good idea to work up why Geoffrey was sterile; it might have been something correctable). Geoffrey declines adoption because he knows that Cathleen wants to experience pregnancy. They look though the “Catalog” but can’t decide on a sperm donor. Geoffrey has the bright idea to use his brother Mark as a donor since that way the baby will have genetics close to his. Just as Cathleen is ready to go through the procedure, she and Geoffrey simultaneously tell Naomi to stop — as they both realize that they don’t want to use Mark’s sperm after all (because he’s a jerk, and they seem to believe that jerkiness in an inheritable trait).

Addison suggests a surgical procedure to look though Geoffrey’s testes to find some viable sperm and then use that to fertilize one of Cathleen’s eggs. As luck and prime time television would have it, Addison is able to find a single sperm and when they implant it into one of Cathleen’s harvested eggs, they fuse and the egg miraculously and instantly divides. The egg is implanted back into Cathleen and she leaves the office already feeling pregnant.
Since when is Addison a Urologist? She shouldn’t be poking around down there with sharp instruments without the right training.
The fertility treatments scenes were wrong on so many levels, it makes my head hurt just to think about it. Suffice it to say, real world fertility treatments bear little — if any — resemblance to what the episode showed. It is never a waltz in, waltz out sort of treatment.
Success rates with a single implanted egg aren’t particularly high, and in fact the odds are against Cathleen having a successful pregnancy. But then again, in an earlier episode, Naomi guaranteed she could get a couple pregnant and no real world fertility specialist would ever say that.

Dr. Sam Bennett
Dell comes to Sam because he is concerned about his grandfather Wendell. Dell has noticed that his grandfather often has bruises he is reluctant to explain and suspects that he might be a victim of elder abuse in his nursing home. Sam interviews and exams Wendell and his friend Nate. He does find a few scattered bruises but his patients assure him that they are not being abused. Sam is inclined to believe them, but Dell is convinced something is wrong. Naomi tells Sam to trust Dell, so Sam checks out the medical records of Nate and Wendell and finds a suspicious number of minor injuries over the past several months.

Sam and Dell go to the nursing home (after hours, of course) to check things out, but discover that none of the residents are in their rooms. They manage to track them to the back of a storage room where the residents are holding a boxing match featuring Wendell and Nate. Dell and Sam intervene, but it’s too late. Wendell hits Sam with a strong blow and he goes down — and stays down. Sam checks him out and realizes something is wrong with Nate’s heart and calls for an ambulance.

It turns out that Nate has suffered a heart attack. He does not fare well at the hospital and eventually dies. Sam reports to Wendell and Dell that Nate had a long history of heart problems and was “living on borrowed time”; he tells Wendell that he shouldn’t blame himself for Nate’’s death (whereas I think Wendell should bear much of the blame — it was his punch that finished Nate off after all). Wendell gives an (allegedly) impassioned speech about growing older that boils down to “carpe diem.”

Dr. Cooper Freedman and Dr. Peter Finch
In order to proved to Charlotte that he can be “bad,” Cooper — with help from Pete — runs a parenting workshop for new fathers. Not only is Cooper’s seminar in direct competition with Charlotte’s, but he steals her list of participants. They are not the best teachers in the world, but that works out all right, because they don’t have the best students either.
Naomi, Miss “I-can-guarantee-you-a-baby”, lectures Cooper about the cost of insuring a parenting class. A parenting class? I guarantee they are much more likely to get sued for unrealistic promises and infertility than anything taught in a parenting class.
I can’t be the only that finds it hard to believe that Charlotte would just shrug off a loss of $27,000 and a blow to her esteem in the hospital just for sex with Cooper.

Another common theme on Christmas covers is the characters/ornaments concept. A good example of this is on today’s comic, The Strangers #19. That nineteen also means there are only nineteen days remaining until Christmas.

(Other good examples of the ornaments CHristmas cover include The Sensational Spider-Man #24, Batman and the Outsiders #19, and Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #15

The Strangers #19 (Malibu Comics, December 1994)
19 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Captain Marvel #19.
Two years ago, the cover was Comic Cavalcade #19.
Three years ago, the cover was Batman and the Outsiders #19
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

18 days until Christmas, so here’s the 18th issue of Marge’s Little Lulu featuring Lulu and Santa. I’m not 100% clear on what is going on here: Lulu appears to helping Santa back up the Chimney. I guess her presents have been delivered so she’s gotten what she wants and is happy to get him on his way. Or maybe Santa’s stuck and she’s helping him so he can deliver presents to all the other children.

Marge’s Little Lulu #18 (Dell, December 1949)
18 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Funny Stuff #18.
Two years ago, the cover was Casper the Friendly Ghost #18.
Three years ago, the cover was Green Lantern #18
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Just 17 days until Christmas and today’s comic book cover is The World Around Us #17 which celebrates not only Christmas, but many other holidays across the globe.

The World Around Us #17 (Gilberton, January 1960)
17 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Andy Panda #17.
Two years ago, the cover was Famous Funnies #17.
Three years ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Mickey and Donald #17
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has a good comic advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

It’s been a few days since I featured a stocking-related Christmas cover, so it seems like today (with just 16 days remaining until Christmas) is the perfect time to feature Daisy and Her Pups #16.

Daisy and Her Pups #16 (Harvey, January 1954)
16 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was The Funnies #16 (And yet another example of the hole in the stocking gag).
Two years ago, the cover was More Fun Comics #16 (A humorous — yet very cruel — cover).
Three years ago, the cover was Little Audrey #16 (Would you believe it? Still another hole in the stocking gag!)
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Another stocking gag cover, though given the cover date on this comic, it was probably one of the first to use the joke. In this case, it’s a variant of the “hole in the stocking” gag — it’s the “use an enormous stocking” gag. (Now I’m no zoologist, but those stockings seem incredibly long, even for a giraffe — unless they go all the way up the neck as well).

Funny Pages #15 (Centaur, December 1937)
15 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies #15.
Two years ago, the cover was The Ren & Stimpy Show #15.
Three years ago, the cover was Classics Illustrated #15: The Gift of the Magi
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

One of my favorite aspects of reading Wildstorm’s Welcome to Tranquility has been the “classic” back-up comics and ads the writer and artist throw in. They are always drawn in the style of the time, so the Western comic that is supposed to be from the 1960s is drawn, inked, and colored to look just like a 1960s Western comic — and the psychedelically pastel colored Scooby Doo pastiche is uncannily similar to the real thing. These stories are thrown in mostly for fun, but also to fill the readers in on the characters’ back stories, as well as to give the characters a palpable sense of history, as Tranquility is a town populated by retired super-heroes and villains.

The recent Welcome to Tranquility #11 throws in a cartoon style PSA starring Minxy Millions, at the time “America’s Youngest Flyer,” an all but senile aviatrix in the comic’s current time line.

Welcome to Tranquility #11 is written by Gail Simone with art by Neil Googe. All those Ks are driving me krazy and giving me konniptions, not to mention a kluster headak.

More PSAs

Enough with the Christmas covers with talking animals, it’s time for a new direction: Christmas covers with furries (and at what point does a talking animal become anthropomorphized enough to become a furry?). Anyway, here is Shanda the Panda #14, the last issue published by Antarctic Press before the title moved to Vision Press and then Shanda Fantasy Arts.

Shanda the Panda #14 (Antarctic Press, March 1996)
14 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Dennis the Menace “Pocket Full of Fun” #14.
Two years ago, the cover was Sable #14.
Three years ago, the cover was Bloodshot #14
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

From a talking panda to a talking puppet, the Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar continues. Today’s cover is Howdy Doody #13 featuring another puppy in a stocking.

Howdy Doody #13 (Dell, March 1952)
13 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Comic Cavalcade #13.
Two years ago, the cover was Captain Atom #13.
Three years ago, the cover was Teen Titans #13
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Midnighter #14 “Life Choices”
Keith Giffen, writer
Jon Landy, penciler

Apparently, part of having super-powered implants placed by Henry Bendix must involve getting your ribcage all screwed up, because that’s the only explanation I can come up with that would explain Midnighter’s grossly abnormal skeleton.

The scene as it appears in the comic
A close up of Midnighter’s ribcage	How an actual human ribcage looks

Not only is he missing half of his ribs (I count six pair instead of the normal 12), but he has some sort of extraneous posterior clavicle, he’s lacking the normal rib cage contour (though his body still conforms to it), and he’s missing the sternum (i.e breastbone) in its entirety. These are important bones: they protect the heart (or in Midnighter’s case, hearts) and lungs as well as provide a structure for muscles to attach to. They also form the basis of the shape of the chest and back. According to the image, Midnighter should be both barrel chested and sunken chested, and have the upper body strength of a fourth-grader.

(A quick look at the rest of the skeleton reveals abnormal elbow and knee joints, forearm bones that extend several inches too long, and an extra joint in the thumbs. It must be an old scan too because it shows him in full costume while in the scene in question he’s in a pair of prison scrubs.)

Today’s Christmas cover is the oldest in this year’s countdown, from January 1937 (a year and a hlaf before Action Comics #1 and the introduction of Superman) comes Popular Comics #12.

The cover gag is a little dated and a little unclear to me. Is it that he’s only buying his dad a present worth a penny (and how much is that today, seventy years later?), or is it that he’s asking the person he’s buying the present for to give him the money to buy the present? Or both? Or neither? Or maybe it’s not supposed to be funny at all…

Popular Comics #12 (Dell, January 1937)
13 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Chip ‘n’ Dale #12.
Two years ago, the cover was The New Archies #12.
Three years ago, the cover was Beavis and Butt-Head #12
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Today’s Christmas cover is a mystery…literally.

The Maze Agency #11 (Innovation, April 1990)
11 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Pogo #11.
Two years ago, the cover was Adventures of the Mask #11.
Three years ago, the cover was Critters #11
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004 David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Green Lantern #25, the concluding issue of The Sinestro Corps War, surprised me by bringing back a character I never expected to see again: Leezle Pon.

Before this, Leezle Pon — a super intelligent smallpox virus and Green Lantern — had only appeared only once — well, not really appeared so much as is mentioned in passing by Tomar Re in a throw-away line in Green Lantern #188 (Second Series), the Alan Moore penned story that introduced Mogo. This time, not only does Leezle actually appear, but he takes down one of the nastiest members of the Sinestro Corps as well.

Personally, I think you all have me to thank for this because I asked for Leezle to be brought back into continuity in a post that I made a year and a half ago. Now that I know the power of my suggestions, it’s time to turn my attention to other overlooked DC characters and get them back into mainstream stories as well. I think I’ll start with Turbeau, the redneck cyborg.

Leezle Pon’s first mention, and then his actual first appearance — 22 years later

Just 10 days to go until Christmas, and that means we need a #10 cover for the Advent Calendar…and here it is: Richie Rich and Casper #10

(How can they be “Together for the first time” when it’s the tenth issue of the title?)

Richie Rich and Casper #10 (Harvey, February 1976)
10 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #10.
Two years ago, the cover was Tiny Tot Comics #10.
Three years ago, the cover was Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

9 Days to go, and that brings today’s Christmas cover: Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies #9.

Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies #9 (Dell, December 1958)
9 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Richie Rich Fortune$ #9.
Two years ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade #9.
Three years ago, the cover was Comic Cavalcade #9
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Xombi #4 written by John Rozum with art by J.J. Birch

A great example of the psychic nosebleed from the wonderful but short-lived comic Xombi. In this scene from Xombi #4, the evil surgeon/occultist Dr. Sugarman is using his newly revealed telepathic powers to rip some information from Nun of the Above’s mind. This psychic attack — of course — cause the sister to develop an impressive nosebleed.

All previous Psychic Nosebleed Zen posts

Time to reach back once again to the Golden Age for today’s cover: Star Comics #8, meaning there are only 8 days left until Christmas!

Star Comics #8 (Centaur, December 1937)
8 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade #8.
Two years ago, the cover was Mary Marvel #8.
Three years ago, the cover was Richie Rich #8
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

In addition to his many movies, television specials, and USO shows, Bob Hope apparently took the time to stop high school bullies as well.

Of course, Bob’s basically committing an argument ad populum fallacy here (an “argument from popularity”, stating that if many people believe something, it must be true!), but since when have logical fallacies stopped a good public service ad?

(It’s not that the Golden Rule isn’t an important idea — it is — it’s just going to take more than Bob Hope and his list of four religions to convince me that it’s a “universal law.” I’d also like to point out that the Golden Rule isn’t exclusive to the religious — I’d like to think of it as a basic tenet of human morality.)

This PSA was originally included in April 1964 DC Comics (including The Adventures of Bob Hope #86) and then made an encore appearance in April 1967 comics. The script is by Bob Schiff (of course), with pencils and inks by Bob Oksner.

More PSAs

Tags: comics psa bob hope golden rule argument ad populum jack schiff bob oksner

Another visit to the Golden Age for today’s Advent Calendar Cover: Sparkling Stars #7. Only 1 week left until Christmas!

Sparkling Stars #7 (Holyoke, December 1944)
7 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Dell Junior Treasury #7.
Two years ago, the cover was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #7.
Three years ago, the cover was Xmas Comics #7
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Just six days remaining until Christmas, so here is the sixth issue of one of my favorite recent series, Top 10.

Top 10 #6 (America’s Best Comics, 2000)
6 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Hot Wheels #6.
Two years ago, the cover was Love Hina #6.
Three years ago, the cover was Heathcliff #6
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Thanks for stopping by from the Wall Street Journal Health Blog, and welcome to Polite Dissent, my blog that takes a look at medicine, television, comic books and how they all interact.

Here are some areas of special interest you might find worthwhile reading:

Medical Reviews of House
Medical Reviews of Comic Books
The Comic Book Drug Reference
Comic Book Public Service Ads and “Special Message” Comics
Psychic Nosebleeds (a catalog the increasing common cliche in genre fiction that nosebleeds are a sure sign of pyschic power)

With only 5 days remaining until Christmas, it’s time to turn our attention once again to the Golden Age, though this time for a visit by some super-heroes. Today’s Countdown Cover is Comic Cavalcade #6, starring the Golden Age Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern.

Comic Cavalcade #5 (DC, 1943)
5 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Holiday Comics #5.
Two years ago, the cover was Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies #5.
Three years ago, the cover was Dennis the Menace #5
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Ultimates 3 #1 “Improbable Cause”
Jeph Loeb, writer
Joe Madureira, art

The Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) has been shot with a high velocity projectile. According to the art, the bullet strikes her not from the front, but from the left side of the chest, near the shoulder. Yet somehow — despite the far left lateral location of the entry wound — blood is splattered all over her face as if a water balloon full of red Jell-O has just burst on her chin¹. When Quicksilver tried to catch the bullet, it made a huge hole in his hand, about the diameter of a golf ball, so it’s likely to cause a similarly sized wound in Wanda. Given the location of the injury, the bullet likely entered her left lung, shredded her heart, then tunneled through her right lung before exiting out her back. (At least, I’m assuming there’s an exit wound in her back because of the massive amount of blood pooling behind her. Or maybe it’s more of that red Jell-O.) This is a devastating injury — there’s no way that Wanda can survive.

Out of the blue, a Doctor D. Blake shows up and announces that he needs to start CPR. Only he never gets around to the C of CPR (the “cardio” part) and instead focuses all his attention on the artificial respiration. I hope it goes without saying that breathing is very important. After all, it is the “B” of the ABCs of emergency care, but it doesn’t do much good to supply oxygen to the lungs if the heart’s not beating to pump it around the body — or chest compressions aren’t being performed to circulate the blood². Come to think of it, Blake doesn’t do particularly well with the A (“Airway”) of the ABCs either. He correctly pinches shut Wanda’s nose, but neglects to perform the head tilt/chin lift to fully open her airway.

Dr. Blake gives Wanda all of three breaths before he announces that it’s no use and she’s dead. This is extremely poor form for a doctor who should know what he’s doing. If the patient is clearly dead (like, for instance, she has a massive bullet tract through her chest and is leaking cherry Jell-O), then he should never have started CPR in the first place. On the other hand, if he chooses to begin resuscitation, it needs to be a whole-hearted attempt. Three breaths is nothing but a joke. Blake chose to begin CPR — at the very least Blake should continue CPR until paramedics arrive.

Did I mention how awkward the art is? I think I did, but there’s more…and I’m just talking about the final scene of the book.
There’s a frame (reproduced above) where Blake appears to be holding Wanda’s head up, as if he’s Hamlet speaking to Yorick’s skull. But then closer examination shows that he’s not lifting her head up at all, it’s still resting on the ground and he’s bending over her — it’s just that the panel is drawn with a bizarre tilt that’s only evidenced by the shadow behind her head. But then even closer examination reveals that Blake’s tie (the same one that went flying when Quicksilver grabbed him a few panels earlier) is nestled against his shirt, so he can’t be bending over or it would be drooping forward. Maybe the dead/dying Wanda’s powers have somehow negated gravity in Blake’s tie?
Dr. Blake has a magical walking stick. I don’t mean that it turns into a mystical hammer (which it probably does), but I mean that when he first appears it comes up to his armpit, but in the last panel it’s only as high as his waist.

Notes:
¹ Look at the panel. It looks much more like Jell-O than blood. Or maybe strawberry jelly.
² Quicksilver may be performing chest compressions while Blake is giving Wanda artificial respirations, once again the art is hard to interpret, but if he is doing compressions his hands are about a foot and a half south of the heart. Just a little hint, but uterine compressions are not a key part of CPR.

A DC comics super-hero Christmas cover! For the second day in a row! And just 4 days until Christmas! Anyway, here is Batman Family #4 which, in addition to stars Robin and Batgirl, features such luminaries as Fatman and the Phantom General. At least it’s got the Elongated Man in it, too.

Batman Family #4 (DC, 1976)
4 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Fantastic Four #4 (creepy variant cover).
Two years ago, the cover was Jingle Belle #4.
Three years ago, the cover was Street Fighter #4 (also a variant cover)
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

A change of pace for today’s Advent Calendar cover — no super-heroes, no Golden Age funnies. Instead, just a couple of cats. Oh, and geeks too, apparently.

Geeksville #3 (Three Finger Prints, 1999)
3 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Archie’s Christmas Stocking #3.
Two years ago, the cover was Batman: The Long Halloween #3.
Three years ago, the cover was The Goon #3
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

What would the Christmas Comic Cover Countdown be without a visit from Jingle Belle, Santa’s delinquent daughter? To mark the fact that only a mere two days remain until Christmas, here is Jingle Belle #2.

Jingle Belle #2 (Dark Horse, 2004)
2 Days until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Chrissie Claus #2 (featuring fur lined bikinis. Really).
Two years ago, the cover was Tomb Raider #2 (alternate cover).
Three years ago, the cover was Alf Holiday Special #2
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

It’s Christmas Eve! Just one more day until Christmas, and the penultimate cover of this year’s Advent Calendar is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #1.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #1 (DC, December 1950)
Just 1 Day until Christmas!
click on image for larger view

The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far) in traditional calendar format.
One year ago, the cover was Jingle Belle #1.
Two years ago, the cover was Santa Claus Funnies #1.
Three years ago, the cover was Christmas with the Super-Heroes #1
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter always has another good comic book advent calendar over at Yet Another Comics Blog

Merry Christmas everyone!! To celebrate the holiday and close out this year’s Advent Calendar, I give you the Hellboy Christmas Special.

Hellboy Christmas Special (Dark Horse, December 1997)
Christmas Day!
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The entire 2007 Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar.
One year ago, the cover was The Vampire’s Christmas.
Two years ago, the cover was Saved By The Bell “Special Holiday Issue”.
Three years ago, the cover was The Legends of NASCAR Christmas Special
Previous Comic Book Cover Advent Calendars: 2006 2005 2004
David Carter has another good advent calendar at Yet Another Comics Blog

Every year, I take a handful of the Free Comic Book Day comics — the all ages ones I can get my hands on — and bring them in to the clinic. I can usually sweet talk the local comic shop into giving me some extras, and this past year each of my three exam room got a matching set of eight FCBD comics.

In general, the comics last about six months before they’re worn to pieces. Some comics are so popular they wear out in no time, while others stay pristine for months. This year, three of the comic were by far the most popular, four moderately popular, and one barely touched:

Most popular (by a long shot): The Simpsons
A distant second and third (tie): Spider-Man and Justice League of America.
Moderate Interest: Legion of Super-Heroes, Peanuts, Sonic, Marvel Adventures
Dead Last: The Little Archies

Kids of all ages love the Simpsons comic, though not many adults. Older kids liked Spider-Man and Justice League (and many adults too), though Justice League was so cryptic and continuity heavy that I doubt it won many converts. Kids liked Legion, Sonic, and Marvel Adventures and more (ahem) “mature” adults seemed to gravitate towards Peanuts. No one seemed interested in the Little Archie comic. I’m guessing the kids didn’t recognize him, and the adults who might have known him weren’t interested in “Little” Archie.

It’s that time of year again: time to look back on the absolutely worst examples of comic book medicine, both real and imaginary, over the past year. I thought it was going to be a light year (tomorrow’s “Best Comic Book Medicine of 2007″ certainly is), but it turned out to be a very good year for bad medicine after all…

Worst Depiction of Medicine:
The last six months or so of The Amazing Spider-Man have managed to contain horrible medicine in every single issue, starting with Back in Black and continuing through One More Day. It’s gotten to the point where I was too sick of the multiple errors and basic misunderstandings of medicine to even comment on every single issue…though at some point I’m still going to need to vent over Amazing Spider-Man #544 (the first part of One Day More, with that whole “move Aunt May to the charity ward.”)

Worst Doctor:
Henry McCoy is by far the worst medical doctor of the year. His biggest mistake was suggesting a lethal dose of the chemical pyridine to treat a coma (in reality, not a treatment at any dose), but he also showed confusion over the difference between genes and chromosomes. I also noticed that he showed a strange predilection for recommending medications that are common in the UK, but not in the U.S. — but I suspect that has more to do with the writer being British (and it’s not an error, I just find it amusing).
Doctor Strange takes second with his “homeopathic” spell casting in New Avengers #28.

Worst Single Medical or Scientific Concept:
Black Adam’s transfusion in the recent Black Adam #4 showed a misunderstanding of blood types, and how they function.
A close second was Nocturne’s stroke in New Excalibur. There’s a distinct difference between an embolic stroke and a hemorrhagic stroke, with different causes and different treatments. Each issue — at time, each page — flip-flopped on the type of stroke she had. It was explained one way once, a different way later, and neither matched her treatment.

Worst Imaginary Medicine or Treatment:
Iron Man wins this one for his technobabble in Iron Man #14 about how he managed to fool Spider-Man’s spider sense.

Dishonorable Mentions:
Bad CPR was a theme this year, most prominently in The Initiative #3 and The Ultimates 3 #1.
Another overused theme was the unscrupulous testing of pharmaceuticals on unsuspecting patients.
The return of the Magic Cast.
The seemingly magical rib-penetrating dagger in 52 #48.

Tomorrow, the “Best Comic Book Medicine of 2007″.

Previous “Worst of the Year”: The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2005 The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2005 The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2004

After looking at the Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2007 yesterday, today I’m going to celebrate the Best Comic Book Medicine of 2007. I’m afraid it was a fairly light year for good comic book depictions of medicine, so it will be a shorter award list than usual.

Best Depiction of Medicine:
New Warriors #5 wins hands down for its depiction of the treatment of a patient with blunt-force trauma to the head and a subsequent cardiac arrest.

Best Doctor:
Soranik Natu, thanks to her role (official or otherwise) as the preeminent physician of the Green Lantern Corps, saw the most action this year and acquitted herself very well. She is rapidly becoming my favorite Corps member (well, maybe second to Killowog).
Doctor Mid-Nite also had another good year with another excellent JSA Classified story arc, but couldn’t come close to Soranik in terms of lives saved.
Will Magnus (technically not a medical doctor) gets a nomination for best spoken line.

Best Single Medical or Scientific Concept:
Slender pickings in this category this year, so I guess I’ll award it to Sue Richards using her powers to cause a heart attack (or at least threatening to) in Fantastic Four #549.

Best Imaginary Medicine or Treatment:
Leezle Pon, the sentient smallpox virus who also happens to be a Green Lantern, finally saw some action (after a 20+ year wait) in the concluding chapter of the Sinestro Corps War. His counterpart Despotellis, the evil Sinestro Corps virus, also gets a nod (and this week’s Green Lantern Corps/Sinestro Corps Secret Files explains a little better how he functions).

Special Mention:
Best Nod to Real-World Science: Blue Beetle #19, which acknowledges that the square-cube law would affect giant-sized characters, but then manages to explain it away in regards to Giganta.
Best Medically Accurate Art: Jamal Igle in 52 #36.
Best Technobabble: The late Bob Haney, in the reprinted Showcase Presents Brave and the Bold, Volume 1.

Previous “Best of the Year”: The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2006 The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2005 The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2004