Marvel Comics has created an expansive, incredible universe filled with some of the most iconic characters and beloved stories. There are countless pages of comics for fans to enjoy but every now and then, a single panel stands out in our memories. Whether it’s the incredible artwork, a major reveal or moment in a story or even just a really funny line from one of Marvel’s more comical characters, some comic panels just deserve to be recognized.
With that in mind, I want to take a look at some of my favorite comic panels. I will select one panel from a new Marvel comic as a “New Favorite” and one panel from an older comic as a “Classic Favorite” and provide some context as to why those two panels are so great. Sometimes I might get a little loose with what I consider a “panel,” because comics tend to play by their own rules. But at the end of the day, we’ll have two glimpses of two great Marvel comics, one old and one new.
So without further ado, here are my picks for this week’s top Marvel Comics panels:
Classic Favorite: “Civil War II #3” (2016)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Marquez
Yeah, I am once again cheating just a little bit here. I had to include the first of these two panels so you can see that it is a very recognizable arrow that is hitting Bruce Banner in the chest, killing him instantly. It’s a huge moment in the popular “Civil War II” series from 2016.
The crossover event focuses on a young Inhuman named Ulysses who has the ability to get glimpses of the future. One of those glimpses sees the Hulk killing the Avengers. In an effort to be proactive, Captain Marvel, Iron Man and the rest of the heroes confront Banner. While they argue, they are shocked by the actions of Clint Barton, who hid in the trees and fired a single arrow to kill is longtime teammate and friend.
This is one of those incredibly powerful comic book moments that makes you sit up in your seat while you’re reading. It’s also a huge turning point in the comic as it serves as the final straw for Tony Stark, which leads to the second superhero Civil War actually beginning.
New Favorite: “Fantastic Four #42”
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Rachael Stott
The Thing’s eyes tell the whole story here. Like the classic favorite, this is one of those incredibly powerful panels. It’s set up with Reed Richards’ children initiating “protocol zero,” which we know nothing about. That is, until we see Reed deliver the news to the Thing.
These two friends have been through a lot of ups and downs through their long history, but this finally pushed Ben Grimm over the edge. Dealing with the apparent loss of the ones he loves was too much for the ever-lovin blue-eyed Thing.
But the thing I really love most about this panel is the haunting visual of those eyes. In the midst of an intergalactic crisis (which the Fantastic Four is more than accustomed to), this bomb gets dropped on a beloved character. His eyes are so expressive and really allow you to feel everything he feels. This is perfect storytelling from both Slott and Stott.
You can check out “Fantastic Four #42” now.