Panel of the Week 6/23/10

Every week here at Techland we pull out the best panels from all our favorite comics. This week we have mouse on bear action, Bats gets punked, WWII nostalgia, Logan attempts a figure four, and Killer Croc literally bites the hand(s) that feed him. Here it is, your Panel of the Week!


Secret Warriors #17
There’s not much to say about this issue of Secret Warriors. Basically an old World War II unit called the Howling Commandos gets together to drink and congratulate themselves on being wonderful. It makes for a good excuse to have Allesandro Vitti draw a splash page of the unit taking Normandy. By this point in the war it looks cap had already lost the old shield for the newer circular one? Depends on who is drawing him. Still, if I had a ‘stache like Dum Dum I would probably choose a career in bad assery as well.


Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard
If there’s a common theme to take away from the Mouse Guard universe it’s that wee little meeces can fight and kill just about anything. It started off with rattle snakes. Then it moved on to crabs and a particularly brutal fight against an owl. Now we are to believe that a lone Guardsmouse can take down a bear? Well, let me rephrase that. He takes down a bear with a blade that couldn’t be longer than an inch. I have no problem with these mice fighting huge adversaries I just wish they would use some of the ingenuity they clearly have to build larger weapons or traps.


Wolverine Weapon X #14
He’s the best he is at what he does. Today what he does is shoulder zombie cyborgs in the crotch. This is my problem with Logan. He’s got these claws that can cut through anything and writers and artists constantly have him shouldering and kicking and backhanding enemies because it’s simply not convenient to have him lopping off body parts all over the place. (Coincidentally I have a similar gripe with lightsaber battles.) If logan is close enough to tackle a guys thigh he’s close enough to cut off that entire leg. Or worse.


Joker’s Asylum II: Killer Croc
The particularly heavy handed commentary on human nature aside, this one shot features an example of one of the most common occurrences in and around Gotham: inmates escaping from Arkham. This has been going on for years and years and years. Even in the latest Batman fan film City of Scars it’s made clear that Harley helps Joker escape but they never say how. At least here we know Croc pulls it off by biting off his own hands. Bravo. Two stars for guts. At this point don’t you think Bruce would simply buy Arkham and privatize the whole deal? The institution is a necessary evil but maybe it’s time these villains did some time in gen pop.


Superman #700
In what was an overwhelming snore of an issue it’s not surprising that the one decent moment featured Batman, not Superman. The joke wasn’t even that great. Here’s what gets me, what is Dick Grayson doing in the JLA satellite? Sure, Bruce Wayne is the world’s greatest detective, an engineer, a very capable scientist, and a world class strategic mind. Isn’t Dick just an acrobat with a chip on his soldier? The JLA giving Dick the keys to the car doesn’t seem right.

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Related Topics: Bear Fights, Howling Commandos, Panel of the Week, Superman #700, Worst Manicure Ever, Gaming & Culture
  • http://figerrific.wordpress.com/ figerrific

    I’m concur that Wolverine has ups and downs when it comes to being the best at what he does. If he’s going to punch you in the face, there better be claws popped.

    And Nightwing’s my favorite character, so here’s my concise defense for him being anywhere at any time: He’s one of the best field commanders in the DCU, a good detective in his own right, friendly with everyone in the hero community, and an all around great guy. Don’t kill him, Dan Didio!

  • http://frankspulllist.wordpress.com fsarnie

    Who says that’s Dick Grayson? “Grounded” may take place after the return. That’s not Grayson’s bat on the costume. I kinda thought that this might have given away the return of Bruce.

  • Mike Williams

    I generally go by the gauntlets. If the gauntlets have two distinct bands and only two spikes coming off them then I assume it’s Grayson in the suit. If the gauntlets are smooth with three spikes then it’s Bruce.

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