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. Each week, 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: “New Avengers #3” (2005)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Finch
The beginning of Brian Michael Bendis’ run on the “New Avengers” is just spectacular. I had to decide between four or five different panels to pick for this. I mean, in the issue prior to this one, the Sentry flies Carnage up into space and literally rips him in half. That was almost my pick, but it was his return to join the fight at the Raft that plays as the more impactful panel in my opinion.
For some context, the Avengers had disassembled after the Scarlet Witch lost her mind and lest a trail of destruction in her wake. But when Electro sparked a mass breakout at the maximum security prison, the former Avengers and a collection of other heroes were the only ones that could respond. Thanks to their combined efforts, they are able to prevent a global catastrophe.
This moment inspires the reassembly of the Avengers, as is made evident by the inner monologue from Captain America. “The team comes together. And it’s done.” The formation of this new team of heroes leads to some of the biggest stories in the history of Marvel Comics, including “House of M,” “Civil War,” “Secret Invasion” and “Dark Reign.” And it all starts with this panel.
New Favorite: “Web of Venom: Empyre’s End #1”
Writer: Clay Mcleod Chapman
Artist: Guiu Vilanova
Any time there’s a big crossover event coming up in Marvel Comics, that event tends to spill out into tie-ins and lead-ins to build anticipation for the upcoming comics. Words cannot express how excited I am for “King in Black,” so when Knull shows up in a comic that both wraps up the last crossover and teases the next, It’s going to be my pick. Full disclosure, there were some great options in “Marauders #14” as well, but I couldn’t deny Knull.
There’s a lot to love about this issue as a whole, but this particular panel is the reveal of Knull (not that we didn’t know he was coming) and it is haunting. The god of the symbiotes has now officially arrived and he is bringing all kinds of darkness with him.
The artwork in this panel is breathtaking and it perfectly accompanies the horrifying threat made by Knull as he stands over the Skrull general Talos. Knull is truly a nightmarish character and the perfect villain for a Marvel horror story, which is exactly what “King in Black” is shaping up to be.
You can check out “Web of Venom: Empyre’s End” now.
Be sure to check back next week for more of my favorite Marvel Comics panels.