Ctrl + Alt + V: Why I'm sick of identical panels in comics

Note: This was originally posted at the BootCamp Comics Blog but the server seems to be on the fritz, so I thought I'd cross-post it here.

I thought I'd kick off my weekly blogging stint by discussing a stylistic trick that a lot of comic artists have been using in the past few years: The use of repeated, identical panels. You know the type of page I'm referring to. Usually there are two or more people having a conversation, and the panels are pretty much identical. Sometimes the artist has clearly copied and then pasted the same image. Here's an example from The Pulse #12, written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Michael Gaydos:



I've purposely sized the image so it was too small to read the text. That's because, without the context of the story, it's a boring page from a storytelling standpoint. Sure, there are some slight variations in the three images (mainly in Dr. Strange's eyes in the second panel) but I really had to play "spot the difference" to notice it.

Of course, there are many reasons why an artist would choose to lay out a page in this way apart from the usual knee-jerk reaction of "oh, they were strapped for time." In most cases I suspect it's a deliberate attempt to control the pacing of the story. It also gives the story a more cinematic type feel, especially when artists choose to make slight adjustments from panel to panel. But whether the decision to use this style comes from a specific request from the writer, or it's the artist's choice, I can't say.

But while I understand its purpose, I find the repetitive, identical panels trope really played out in mainstream comics. It's not so much that I think it's lazy, as I feel it's a missed opportunity for the art. Comics are a dynamic medium, which work best when the art makes your eye travel around the page. I'm not saying every page needs explosions and car chases. However, I don't think static, repetitive panels are the best way to tell a story. Scripts featuring heavy dialogue can be challenging for an artist, but I do think it can be handled well in the right hands. Here's a page from Amazing Spider-Man #569, written by Dan Slott, and pencils by John Romita Jr.:



The page is nothing but Norman Osborn talking to Harry, but the panels are still composed so that the eye moves around the page, even in the absence of the dialogue bubbles. And while Harry has a similar pose in panels 3-5, they're not exact duplicates. It accurately paces the scene for us, without stopping the action short with identical panels.

So, what do you think? Do you like repetitive panels, or hate 'em? If you're an artist, I've love to hear your thoughts as to why you would opt to use this narrative device.