What do you consider comparable LCDs? IMO my 46" Samsung A-850 LCD has a better picture than the Panasonic plasmas I looked at; more accurate color and less digital artifacts and noise. I don't think any TV "blows it away" and I looked hard at the LED backlit 950 Samsungs and XRR-8 Sonys as well as the Pioneer plasmas. Of course the Panasonic plasmas are excellent TVs but as with hi fi different people are sensitive to different flaws.
The only issue I have with the 850 is uniformity in the blacks which are pretty deep but show a little cloudiness on a pure black screen. However my 37" Samsung B650 in the den has no such uniformity problem.
On the other hand when it's just sitting there not being used the 850 is IMO the best looking set out there, for what that's worth.