Problems SUPERMAN would have in the real world...

[Stupendous Man]

Here are some issues that Smallville will likely never address ...
but if Superman lived in the real world here are some
issues hed have to face :


1] Fingerprints : man doesnt wear gloves ..constantly tearing
off car doors etc. Should be a snap to figure out who
Superman is.
Assuming Kryptonians have fingerprints.

2] Blood testing: Hes married . Metropolis must not require
Blood testing for marriages. (needles break on his
invulnerable skin)

3] Random Drug Testing at the Daily Planet: If they ever
asked for a urine sample ..hed be discovered. Plus
I think Kryptonians pee blue - dead give away.

4 ] Hair cuts : Hows he cut his hair ? I know theyve explained
he shaves bouncing his own heat vision off curved metal onto
his face ... but what about his hair? Doubt he could be so
stylish w heat vision.


Anybody have any answers or additional questions?

[Toddman]

Spirit, your two threads have me ROLLIN'!

But since you're asking, yes I have a question. In the movie Superman IV, Lex Luthor wants to steal some of Soperman's DNA. He goes to a science museum or something where a strand of Superman's indestructable hair is being shown supporting a 2 ton weight. He then CUTS the hair with a pair of common household scissors. Wha---?

Toddman

[Stupendous Man]

Thanks Todd ... I was hopin people would get into
'THE SPIRIT' of my posts.

Now to answer your questions ...

TOTALLY DISREGARD THE MOVIES ..lol.

I mean that will just make your hair fall out trying to find common sense in the movies .

1] BATMAN RETURNS : Penguins in gotham sewers?
Imagine Penguins in the New York sewers ..I dont think so.
(Gotham is basically New York city Pre-Gulliani.)

Also penguins with rockets on their backs. enuff said.

2] BATMAN & ROBIN : BATMAN has a FREAKIN American Express
card . With a 5 million dollar spending limit !!!
And they dont even have a billing address for Batman !


So ...lets just try to forget the movies alltogether .

Animated Series and comic books only !

[Toddman]

Originally posted by The Spirit


2] BATMAN & ROBIN : BATMAN has a FREAKIN American Express
card . With a 5 million dollar spending limit !!!
And they dont even have a billing address for Batman !


So ...lets just try to forget the movies alltogether .

Animated Series and comic books only !

Hey you were the one that brought up "Smallville", where they use kryptonite rocks in the steam bath.

And don't forget that on the credit card listed under the name 'Batman' was the exp. date 'Forever.'

Toddman

[DerekPowers]

actually, if i remember right, in the movie luthor's hench man cuts the hair w/ like big plyers or metal cutters or something. you know, looked like those things the janators use to cut your lock off your locker. but i could be wrong, cause its been a long time since ive seen the superman movies, but it seem to remember that.

[Stupendous Man]

Actually they used huge steel gardening sheers.

I dont think superman uses that to cut his hair though....
it would be rather clumsy.

Todd , Im hoping Smallville will read our posts and
borrow our sage advice.

[Kal-el]

The haircut thing has always bothered me too. He must be pretty good with that heat vision. Maybe he has a kryptonite power Flowbee.
This is something that has been discussed and joked about for years, but what about simple human, ah, intimacy. Wouldn't he encounter a few problems with the relatively fragile nature of Lois and her human parts? Could Supes have to pee so bad it would go right though the urinal?
As I mentioned in another thread, the whole issue with his clothes and what he does with them is a big question. Also, does he happen to have a lot of time during the day when he can just take off (literally) from work at the Daily Planet and save people? Two 15 minute breaks and an hour lunch doesn't offer much time to save the world, does it? Does he use sick time or what?
Also, he says he doesn't have to eat, but it's something he's gotten used to. Not sure about that one...

[Maxie Zeus]

You wanna take these problems seriously? Then check out Larry Niven's famous "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex (http://www.blueneptune.com/~svw/superman.html)." (Age warning: PG13 at least.)

Bottom-line: Questions like this are best not asked.

[Stupendous Man]

maxie ... Are you suggesting were not taking these issues
seriously ?

By the way .. the answer is Kryptonite condoms..

[Kal-el]

Originally posted by The Spirit

By the way .. the answer is Kryptonite condoms..

...for when your man of steel is just a bit too super.

[Stupendous Man]

LOL ..KAL.
nice.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by The Spirit
maxie ... Are you suggesting were not taking these issues
seriously ?

By the way .. the answer is Kryptonite condoms..

Ok, then the first question you should ask is: How does Superman eat? If steel shears cannot cut his hair, it is difficult to believe that ordinary food can be absorbed by his digestive system. Wouldn't the super acid in his stomach obliterate anything he eats before it even has a chance to be absorbed? Assuming it did survive, how would it be able to penetrate the super-strong intestinal walls? Could Superman's blood cells pick up and transport nutrients (including oxygen), or being themselves impermeable does that condemn him to quick suffocation or slow starvation, however hard he breathes or however much he eats?

A question like "How does he cut his hair" is pretty trivial compared to that. Which is why you shouldn't let these sorts of questions spoil the fun. An ingenious answer is welcome, but it is hardly necessary.

[Calhoun07]

I am still trying to figure out how you know he pees blue? And if he had to make a urine sample, he could either do it naturally and inevitably break the sample jar, or he could do it like in Gattaca and use somebody else's pee.

And basically the same goes for the other DNA related questions. The only remaining question, who's DNA is he going to use?

[Stupendous Man]

Well Max ..

Interesting points.

However , I think we must assume that Supermans intermal organs work much the same way Humans do.

How do I justify this you may ask?

Well it is true that for most extraterrestial biengs your theories might apply... but if you were right then Superman would
have died in his infancy.

The fact the Superman is alive (relative to the DC Universe)
implies that your theories, however logical, are not true of
Kryptonians.

HA HA !

Whats more I propose to you that Jor-El having planned
and meticulously studied which world to send his only
son, would not have picked a planet on which his son
would not be able to eat or breathe !

HA HA HA !!

So therefore Maxie , good chap ..I suggest that Kryptonian
internal organs work much the same way as human internal
organs ...with the exception of skin and muscle.

Personally ..were I to have my druthers dear chap ... I would
suggest that while more durable than human hair ...krypronian
hair is not invulnerable.

The proper thing to happen for example in situations of
excessive heat or fire would be for them to burn off ...

Supes flys on the surface of the sun ...I want singed eyelashes ..
and bald scalp .

Hey - Itll grow back !


I also remind that its been established that superman needs
oxygen . He cant hold his breath forever.

Also perhaps since the process of eating is basically in humans
a way of gathering and processing energy .. that since
Kryptonians under a yellow sun become biological batteries -

That your theory may actually be correct ... he eats but
his bodie burns through the food before it can even be digested.
However since his energy comes from processing solar energy
its not relevant.

He therefore doesnt eat for energy ...just for enjoyment !

HA HA HA !

What do you think of that MAX?


( I AM A GENIUS !! )

[Kal-el]

A possible answer may be this: Supes does have super insides and normal food would normally not have a chance. It could be possible that the ability of his insides to fight is similar to that of his outsides...lots of strength but vulnerable to skilled fighters. maybe the nutrients win out in the end somehow.
Now that I reread that, it's kinda dumb. Hmmm.
Maybe he has super control of his digestive system and can disgest what he wants to, or how he wants to.

[Stupendous Man]

I wasnt suggesting he couldnt contain the pee ...
lol .. I was suggesting that once analyzed alien
urine is different in composition than human pee.

Also who would he borrow pee from ..Jimmy Olsen
That might be awkward and hard to explain.

Plus CAl , my friend , I dont know what medical
clinics you go to ... but Ive never gone to a lab
where they let you bring your own blood.

Usually they like to draw the blood themselves.

* * *

No ones addressing the fingerprints question.
That ones a stumper , I admit .

[Stupendous Man]

Super Control of his digestive system ...

People lets try to keep this discussion reasonable !! : )

Besides Kal, he would have probably starved before he
mastered the process.

I think its quite obvious to me , that I am absolutely
correct. : )

[Kal-el]

Not sure what the deal is with the finger prints. In the real world, it seems a crime scene would be dusted for prints. If there was an object that Superman clearly touched, his prints would be matched with Clark's and the secret would be out, right? They'd question Clark and think "there's no way he's Superman. He's like 6'3" or 6'4", well built, dark hair, blue eyes...but wait! Superman doesn't wear glasses. Obviously Clark Kent is not Superman." They would attribute it to some flaw in their fingerprinting system and call it a day.
Of course, maybe he doesn't have fingerprints. I guess he would have burned them down when he was younger in some crazy heat vision accident. Maybe Kryptonians don't have fingerprints anyway.

[Calhoun07]

Originally posted by The Spirit
I wasnt suggesting he couldnt contain the pee ...
lol .. I was suggesting that once analyzed alien
urine is different in composition than human pee.

Also who would he borrow pee from ..Jimmy Olsen
That might be awkward and hard to explain.

Plus CAl , my friend , I dont know what medical
clinics you go to ... but Ive never gone to a lab
where they let you bring your own blood.

Usually they like to draw the blood themselves.

* * *

No ones addressing the fingerprints question.
That ones a stumper , I admit .

I guess you never seen Gattaca, I take it.

[Stupendous Man]

Actually bits and pieces ..
I guess they did get around the samples didnt
they ?


OK Cal.

I accept your resolution to this issue.


If ever prompted for Urine or Blood Samples
Clark would use Gattica type techniques.

Also he can rely on Oracle & Bats for tips on
subterfuge.

Good work Cal.

***

This discussion thread is making real progress...

Weve solved the spidey - boots controversy,
the genetic samples dilema and
how Kryptonians eat & breathe.

Im very proud of this entire forum !

***

No resolution yet on how Bruce got the giant penny
in the Batcave though. . .

[Kal-el]

Originally posted by The Spirit

Besides Kal, he would have probably starved before he
mastered the process.

Even though he's stated that he doesn't have to eat? If he doesn't have to eat, he couldn't starve, right? So maybe the whole question about his disgestion isn't something to worry about.

[Stupendous Man]

Read my statements on Kryptonian Digestion above Kal.

I think eating is moot with him ...its all about the flavor.
He doesnt need food for energy ...when hes hungry he
goes tanning my friend.

But even if your from a distant world from a red sun,
you can never pass on a slice of pizza.

[Toddman]

I'm not sure, but wouldn't Clark Kent's fingerprints be in a police database ONLY if he had been arrested and fingerprinted at some point? Now granted that would not stop some P.I. from dusting Supes' prints from a bent steel girder and then compare them to Clark's prints left behind on a glass (of milk no doubt). But then that P.I. would have to have suspicions about Clark's secret i.d. to begin with.

Now if I can just figure out the giant penny...

Toddman

[Stupendous Man]

Keep working on the penny Todd ..
Keep hope alive.


* * *

Im going out on a limb here and suggest that
Kryptonians dont have fingerprints.

Thats the only explanation other than Clarks a
total moron . Hes seen Batman ...is Batman working
without gloves? no.

Hell even Robin1 who worked without sleeves or
pants had gloves!!

***

Maybee his fingerprints burned of WHEN HE FLEW THRU
THE FREAKIN SUN ! ! ! GRRRRRR!

[Kal-el]

So, the food he eats for flavor (and not for energy), or maybe to satisfy some kind or oral fixation, or maybe just to fit in with the crowd, is basically pulverized by his digestive acids before digestion can take place. That is an acceptable possibility.
And would he actually be hungry when he tans, or maybe feeling sluggish or lethargic?
Bet Lex Luthor never considered Superman could be defeated by Seasonal Affect Disorder.

[Kal-el]

Clark could have been finger printed when he was a wee lad in Smallville with all the other kids in his school. Who knows? I'll just assume that kryptonians don't have fingerprints.
Though, flying through the sun could have done it. Maybe that's how he gets his hair cut...just a quick zip through the sun and he's good for another month or two.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by The Spirit
What do you think of that MAX?


To be blunt: Not much.

Eating (at least in humans) does more than supply fuel. Tissues wear out and have to be replaced. When we grow (as children, as athletes or as sedentary piles of fat), matter is added to existing tissues.

Thus, if Superman is purely a photosynthesis-machine, it would follow that he cannot "grow" or replace his tissues. Of course, you might accept this, arguing that wear-and-tear on Supes would be less than on a human, and so he would stand in less need of it. Furthermore, it would solve the problem of cutting his hair, beard, and nails: If they don't grow, they don't need to be cut. It would also solve the "urine sample" problem, because he wouldn't produce urine (or fecal matter) except when he "ate."

But then how to explain the fact that Superman was once an infant and grew up? He was once very small; now is very large. Where did the extra stuff come from? Well, either Jor-el went so far as to pack him enough Kryptonian food in that rocket to last a lifetime, or he must be able to ingest and digest terrestrial food. Also, the need for tissue replacement should still be a problem. Superman may not lose much to abrasions with the world, but most such replacements are due to the cells themselves (internal or external) simply wearing out. Certainly, Kryptonian parts grinding on Kryptonian parts would leave a need for replacements.

All of this leads back to the original question: How does he ingest food? Nor is the problem solved by suggesting that the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems of Kryptonians are as permeable as those of humans. (Though this would open up many vulnerabilities: Supes would be as vulnerable to anthrax or smallpox as any human, and if you got him to swallow a small explosive you could destroy his insides.) This is because it just pushes the problem back: How does terrestrial matter get inserted into those "invulnerable" tissues (like bones and muscles)? If the cell linings of the intestine must be permeable to explain why he can even absorb food, must it not be that the cell linings of his muscles are equally permeable to allow the insertion of oxygen and nutrients? The same puzzle remains, just located in a different physiological spot.

Worse, assume new material does get inserted. Natural, slow replacement of tissues would thus imply that the percentage of "Kryptonian" matter would degrade over time, and eventually disappear. Certainly, if Kal-el weighed 12 pounds when he landed on Earth and weighs 240 pounds as an adult, that implies that only 5% of his body is "Kryptonian." If 5% makes him a "Super" man, what would 100% have made that baby?

[TerryMcGuiness]

The biggest problem Superman would encounter in the real world is the same one he faces even as just a fictional character.

The simple fact that not only is there rampant cynicism in the world, but so many think its kewl to be so. :rolleyes:

Still, I thank god he's there in full form (at least in TAS anyway) because theres still some of us out there who believe in hope, admire the aspirational nobility of superheroes, and who dont view the colorful costumes as some kind of homoerotic domination statement the way so many uptight folk seem to nowdays.

I guess thats the other problem he'd face in real life to is people making fun of his suit. :mad:

You know, a skier, a bycliscist ar a prowrestler look pretty damn silly to in their gear if they were just walking the street casually or going to the store. But in action or in action in their enviorment they look awesome. Same with superhero suits. Yeah his outfit wouldn't go over at a five star reaustraunt but inflight or battling Kalibak in the streets of Metropolis, it looks totally ****ing awesome!!

Basically in the real world as either a fictional character or a real person, Superman has (or would have to) to deal with alot of jerks.

[Toddman]

I would think that li'l Kal-El ate food and processed it the same way all human children do for the first several years of his life. The current incarnation of Superman's early history as a tot now states that he was a normal human baby when he was discovered by Ma & Pa Kent. He could have very easily been dropped on his and broken his widdle neck and then POW no more Superman. As he aged and grew up on Earth he continued to absorb yellow sunlight, which led to the development of his powers and his current physiology.

That doesn't explain how his body attains nutreants for his lost cellular tissue as an adult, but it does let us know how he "grew" as a kid.

The big question now seems to be not "Does Superman eat?" but "Does Superman poop?"

Toddman

[optimal321]

Well, although it's fun to try to imagine explainations for, i gotta ask, who cares? What difference does it make? He is Superman. The point is to have a character in which all these great qualities exist, simply because he is a Superman. I'm sure back when he was created, the writers didn't think "wait a minute, how's this guy gonna crap?"

So, my answer for everything is that he's an alien, and on earth a Superman.

Since the ideas of his mass came up, you may as well think about these:

How does he fly? Is he somehow able to control his body's density, and somehow make himself less dense than air? He doesn't have wings, or any means of propulsion (but if he could pee straight through a jar...:p). The answer is just that there's something in his Kryptonian DNA that allows him to defy earth's gravity.

Also, did anyone ever think about how he is so ripped? Since Clark is super-strong, wouldn't it be almost impossible to find objects that weighed enough to give him a good work out? I'm sure there are, but how often do you think he has time to go out an bench-press LexCorp (okay, so i'm exagerrating)? It's just because he looks stronger when he's built.

His hair just looks better cut.

He just looks better w/o gloves.

He eats just when it fits in w/ the current story.

Superman is, after all, an alien, and the true logical answers are probably just to foreign for our feeble human minds to comprehend.

But that's just imo.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by Toddman
I would think that li'l Kal-El ate food and processed it the same way all human children do for the first several years of his life. The current incarnation of Superman's early history as a tot now states that he was a normal human baby when he was discovered by Ma & Pa Kent. He could have very easily been dropped on his and broken his widdle neck and then POW no more Superman. As he aged and grew up on Earth he continued to absorb yellow sunlight, which led to the development of his powers and his current physiology.

The current continuity apparently explains Kal-el on a "baked clay" analogy. That is, he is soft like us until he gets "baked" by the sun so as to turn hard. Problem: We terrestrials don't turn hard when "baked." Obvious solution: Kal-el and we are made out of different substances, such that he gets hardened while we don't.

But then why should we think that the old, "soft" Kal-el would be able to derive nourishment from our food? At some physical level he is made up of a radically different substance than we are. Now, fairly small variations in physiology and biochemistry make huge differences in what organisms can eat, as anyone who has ever tried to live exclusively on birdseed, or has tried to raise their cats on a diet of salads, can attest. Given that the the physio-chemical make up of a human would have to be much closer to that of plankton than to Superman (after all, neither we nor the plankton have anything like Superman's powers), the odds are astronomically against Superman (even in his "permeable, vulnerable" state as a youth) being nourished by our food.

If his underlying physical structure is as different as appears likely, he is as likely to find nourishment from eating rocks as from eating Cheerios.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by optimal321
How does he fly? Is he somehow able to control his body's density, and somehow make himself less dense than air? He doesn't have wings, or any means of propulsion (but if he could pee straight through a jar...:p).

Excellent question I was just about to raise.

To my knowledge, no one has ever suggested that Superman has the same specific gravity as helium. So it's not a matter of floating. Nor is he aerodynamic. So it's not lift. Nor is it propulsive. So it's not the old "action and opposite reaction" move. He is simply able to will himself through the air.

There is something like telekinesis at work, then. But of a limited kind, since apparently he cannot get other things to similarly move. This makes explanations of his flying power doubly vexatious. First, you have to explain how telekinesis works. Second, you have to explain why it has such a limited range of application.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by optimal321
Well, although it's fun to try to imagine explainations for, i gotta ask, who cares? What difference does it make? He is Superman. The point is to have a character in which all these great qualities exist, simply because he is a Superman.

So, my answer for everything is that he's an alien, and on earth a Superman.

Superman is, after all, an alien, and the true logical answers are probably just to foreign for our feeble human minds to comprehend.

But that's just imo.

I totally agree, and what you say is very much the point I want to make.

I suggested early on that if you want to take questions about his powers seriously, you are going to have to start at levels a lot more mundane than just "How does he cut his hair?" That kind of question is pretty trivial, actually. Trace out the difficulties that having "superpowers" would create on such normal life-preserving activities as eating and breathing, and it becomes clear that there are no good, respectable and logical explanations to any of these things. Start tugging at the fabric, and the whole thing unravels.

The best answer to "How is it that he eats, flies, etc." is "Because he is made up of the kind of stuff that can do those things." Not an enlightening answer, but scientific enlightenment is not the thing to look for in a story about a being with super powers. There are lots of places where you have to accept the absurdities as a given.

This doesn't mean that "anything goes." It only means the writers should be careful about giving him absurd abilities, not that they should only give him abilities that are explicable against a background of some technical jargon.

[Calhoun07]

What if Superman lives and grows on photosynthesis in combination with gaining nutrients from food? If the sun can give him super powers, perhaps there is something in his super powered body that mixes with the food before it enters his digestive tract that allows him to aborob it into his body to grow and regrow tissue. I don't see why it has to be one or the other, but a marriage of both.

[BLUE BEETLE]

I think this thread started out as something intended to
be fun and whimsical .

I got a few smiles from it.

Then halfway through people misinturpreted as a
criticism of Superman and the genre.

Maxie says its trivial to discuss how superman cuts his hair
without first wondering more meaningfull questions such as how he digests food.

I disagree .

( actually, technically its all trivial since were
talking about kryptonian biology. The complete and total
lack of the planet Krypton or one of its survivors on our planet makes this conversation trivial by default. But as I said before I
think the goal was fun and not relevance)

I suggest there should be a middle ground sought on these
type of conversations.

Heres where I see the middle ground
.
How does it impact my enjoyment and understanding of the
Superman Mythos.

Personally, I dont need to understand how Superman
is able to digest or gain nurishment from Earth food.
Hell -Im not even sure I know how I gain nourishment from
Earth food !!

Im sure Clark Kent doesnt even know how he gains
nourishment from Earth food as Kryptonian Biology 101
was unlikely to be offered at Smallville High .

I do know how I get my Hair trimmed though.
I go to the Barber.

Im sure Clark Kent knows how he gets his hair cut tooo,
and thus debating how he manages this , how Clark
figured it out is relevant & amusing.

[ maybee he gets it cut while exposed to mild doses
of Kryptonite ...which he keeps in a chest of lead under
his bed ]

I think the fun is in trying to come up with logical answers to
impossible scenarios ..like how Supes cuts his hair.
Its supposed to be fun and test your own creativity.

But hey , if it gives you a headache to think about it -
you can just accept hes Superman and thats all you need to know.

Personally , I enjoy the challenge .
Now as to the Giant Penny in the Bat Cave ,
I have a theory .....

[Karkull]

This is a fun discussion--and here's my two cents:

First off, why does he even look human?

Could it be possible that Kryptonians and Terrans [us] are distantly related? That would explain quite a bit. I know that this theory is a little "Star Trekish," but what if a landing party of Kryptonians colonized the Earth millions of years ago or seeded their genetic material here? Actually, the latter is probably more accurate since it has been established that the Kryptonians were big on genetic enginnering. It would make a great story.

How does Superman dodge urine tests?

There are places you can buy powdered urine from in order to cheat drug tests. Clark Kent must buy it occasionally.

How does he eat?

You all have great theories. I agree that he gets most of his energy from the sun. However, it is also true that Jor-El and Lara must have done some research before they sent their child out into the void. They must have known about the flora and fauna and what their baby could eat in order to regenerate cell tissue. Different foods do different stuff, so just enough of the "right" food gets properly digested while the rest gets burned up in his "super" digestive acid. In the comics he does have to eat a lot of food, but that can easily be attributed to a high metabolism or to his "farm boy" roots.

And, technically, since he's been regenerating cell tissue for around thirty years now, he is more "man" than "super" at this point.

How does he cut his hair, fingernails, or toenails?

Since he's solar powered, maybe he just needs to stay out of direct sunlight for a few days in order to cut through his hair and nails. That is, of course, assuming that his hair and nails grow at a slower rate. He would have to go through scissors and clippers at an alarming rate, however.

What about his fingerprints?

This one's easy. Right before he goes out as Superman he uses his heat vision to burn off just enough of his skin in order to not leave fingerprints! He'd have to do this a lot, though.

I know that this is all just technical junk, but they could really get some neat stories out of materials like this.

[Batman's bride]

Now that I have your attention...
I really think that the fingerprints would not be an issue because Superman is really resourceful. For example he could get someone to create fingertip pads that have built in encoded fingerprints.

There is a condition that causes madness that also turns your urine blue. King George III had this condition. If you want to see a funny movie rent The Madness of King George. So he could always say it is a medical condition.

About his eating habits... I don’t really know... I guess that’s one for the ages.


--Mrs. Wayne ;)

[BLUE BEETLE]

I think the difference is some of this would make interesting
material for stories ...others wouldnt.

Your flipping through a comic ..and you see the following
scene:

Lois: hey clark you need a haircut .

Supes sits down in a chair ..lois grabs a pair of scissors
and a small lead chest .

She opens the chest and a green glow basks Supermans face as Lois trims Clarks hair. Clark begins to look somewhat sick...Lois panics ..hurrys and closes the chest.

Clark looks ill .

Lois " God I really hate doing that honey !"
Clark " Im fine Lois, thanks " kiss on forehead.


Thats a cool little subplot in a comic.

* * *

tracking a piece of corn through Clarks Kryptonian bowels...
not quite as exciting.

[Calhoun07]

I recall seeing an old cover of Action Comics, more than likely in a cover gallery in the Overstreet Price Guide, where Superman was in the barber's chair and the sissors were breaking on his hair.

[DR. BELCH]

I have seen Superman shave his beard by bouncing heat vision off the bathroom mirror. As for the hair on his head, I'm thinking special custom-made diamond-tipped scissors.
On eating: Angel doesn't need to eat either, because he claims he can't taste it. Which made me wonder about the body snatcher--could he taste his breakfast burrito or the wine he drank? I'm presuming wine would taste like water to a vampire, but would the alcohol affect him? And on that note, I figure Superman could chug a keg or two with no ill effects....

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by BLUE BEETLE
I think this thread started out as something intended to
be fun and whimsical .

I got a few smiles from it.

Then halfway through people misinturpreted as a
criticism of Superman and the genre.

Maxie says its trivial to discuss how superman cuts his hair
without first wondering more meaningfull questions such as how he digests food.

I disagree .

Well, the Spirit seems to take these questions seriously, which is why I am. (Or, at least, he accuses me of thinking that he doesn't take them seriously, so I'm doing my darndest to take them seriously.) He has two threads of them going, and in the thread http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11932 ( I wonder how the mouth works on Batman Beyonds Mask and other practical questions? he writes:


Originally posted by The Spirit
while im all for suspension of disbelief
it has to be targeted.

I will suspend disbelief that a man will dress like a bat and fight crime ....but then after that everything else should obey the laws of nature and common sense.

Well, how much disbelief do you have to suspend while swallowing "Superman"? The Spirit is perturbed by hair cuts and blood testing. I'm pointing that if you're going to be perturbed by this, there is a lot more you're going to have to worry about. If the issue is one of obeying "the laws of nature and common sense" then the idea of "Superman" falls apart pretty quickly.

In fact, I conclude that you should NOT worry about the laws of nature and common sense where Superman is concerned, precisely because he violates so many of them, and so many fundamental ones. Where physical laws and common sense get in the way of a cool superhero story, I am generally enthusiastic about ignoring them.

Basically, I think it's magic, and comics and animated cartoons shouldn't apologize for that fact. :)

Speculations about how you could make his powers work are wonderful things if you can get those explanations to work, and if they are just a cool 'add on.'" I like seeing Superman shave by bouncing his heat vision off the mirror: it shows that Paul Dini (or whoever came up with it) had a nifty idea. But I wasn't looking for a solution to that problem, and am not bothered when there's no similar explanation for his haircuts. It's an extra dividend, basically, and not something I was missing.

In other words, I totally agree with and endorse this:


Originally posted by BLUE BEETLE
I think the fun is in trying to come up with logical answers to
impossible scenarios ..like how Supes cuts his hair.
Its supposed to be fun and test your own creativity.

But hey , if it gives you a headache to think about it -
you can just accept hes Superman and thats all you need to know.

Personally , I enjoy the challenge .

Except, I also enjoy the challenge of knocking down the proposed solutions. :p :D

[Karkull]

I read the article "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" that you recommended, Maxie Zeus, and it was interesting...and disturbing.

As for who could carry Superman's baby to term--what if they gave Lois Lane some sort of superpowers during pregnancy? It can't be too hard--everyone else in comics gets them at one time or another.

[Stupendous Man]

Wonder Woman could bear Supermans child ...
at least if you assume that Clark can impregnate someone
whose not kryptonian.

Wonder Womans uterus could do the trick ...as shown
in 'Kingdom'.

[Toddman]

Originally posted by The Spirit
Wonder Woman could bear Supermans child ...
at least if you assume that Clark can impregnate someone
whose not kryptonian.

Wonder Womans uterus could do the trick ...as shown
in 'Kingdom'.


A conversation from Kevin Smith's MALLRATS.....

"But they're engaged."

"Doesn't matter, it can't happen."

"Why not ? It's bound to come up."

"It's impossible. Lois could never have Superman's baby. Do you think her fallopian tubes could handle his sperm? I guarantee he blows a load like a shotgun right through her back. What about her womb? You think it's strong enough to carry his child?"

"Sure. Why not ?"

"He's an alien, for christ's sake! His Kryptonian biological makeup is enhanced by Earth's yellow sun. If Lois gets a tan, the kid could kick right through her stomach. Only someone like Wonder Woman has a strong-enough uterus to carry his kid. The only way he could bang regular chicks is with a Kryptonite condom, but that would kill him."

Toddman

[Stupendous Man]

Do you think Superman is faster when hes flying then when hes running?

The reason I ask is this:

Whenever there have been occassions ( and thereve been
more than a few ) where Superman and the Flash compete
for the title of 'Fastest Man Alive ' Superman always runs.

Now I wonder if this is done out of a sense of fairness ,
i.e. Flash is running supes runs.

Or If because Superman is faster flying than running ,
but handicaps himself to compete with Flash.

Or if his top speed flying matches his top speed running.

Personally it would seem to me that flying would have to be
faster than running ..but thats open to debate.

If its true that Superman is faster flying than running ...
then the flash only ever beats superman running by a nose.

Therefore technically Superman is faster than Flash, cause that
implies Supes would beat Flash if he was flying.

Personally Id rather Flash be faster than Supes ...I mean come on
its the only thing hes got going for him, does supes need to
hog all the glory ? Hes allready the man of steel - does he need to be the fasted man alive too?

But the facts are the facts ... what does Supes running against Flash imply ?

Opinions?

[Toddman]

Originally posted by The Spirit
Do you think Superman is faster when hes flying then when hes running?

The reason I ask is this:

Whenever there have been occassions ( and thereve been
more than a few ) where Superman and the Flash compete
for the title of 'Fastest Man Alive ' Superman always runs.

Now I wonder if this is done out of a sense of fairness ,
i.e. Flash is running supes runs.

Or If because Superman is faster flying than running ,
but handicaps himself to compete with Flash.

Or if his top speed flying matches his top speed running.

Personally it would seem to me that flying would have to be
faster than running ..but thats open to debate.

If its true that Superman is faster flying than running ...
then the flash only ever beats superman running by a nose.

Therefore technically Superman is faster than Flash, cause that
implies Supes would beat Flash if he was flying.

Personally Id rather Flash be faster than Supes ...I mean come on
its the only thing hes got going for him, does supes need to
hog all the glory ? Hes allready the man of steel - does he need to be the fasted man alive too?

But the facts are the facts ... what does Supes running against Flash imply ?

Opinions?

From a sketch about the Death of Superman on Saturday Night Live

FLASH (Played by Adam Sandler): "Y'know, Superman...what a great guy. He had super-strength, x-ray vision... all I can do is run fast. He could always run as fast as me, but he never mentioned that in all those years. (Breaking down) He was a real friend."

Toddman

[Maxie Zeus]

An interesting question, but I don't how we could answer it unless we knew how it is that Superman can fly. As I suggested above, his flying ability seems to be a kind of telekinesis, rather than based on any kind of propulsion. And we would have to understand what kind of principle is at work in that telekinesis, whether there is any kind of limit to how fast Superman could "think" himself into moving.

At the very least, by focusing on his flying we could narrow the question down. If we assume that Flash and Supes are of roughly equal speed on the ground (so that a race is a genuine contest), then the question would turn on whether Supes is faster flying than he is running.

I don't think it would settle things to note that Supes always flies when he's in a hurry. It might simply be that flying he's not in danger of running over people, like he would be on the ground.

Does anyone know what explains Flash's speed?


Originally posted by The Spirit
Personally Id rather Flash be faster than Supes ...I mean come on its the only thing hes got going for him, does supes need to hog all the glory ? Hes allready the man of steel - does he need to be the fasted man alive too?

I agree with this, totally. :)

[DR. BELCH]

--to reason that flying creates less friction than running, since Superman's soles don't brush the ground repeatedly. Friction is the enemy of speed. Now...how does Flashy-boy combat friction, I wonder? Extra-smooth/oily skin? Special suit? Non-serrated rubber soles?

[Stupendous Man]

Interestingly enough Max, Mark Waid started exploring what
makes the flash 'fast' in the series during his run as writer.


Supposedly there is a 'Speed Force' .. like the force for Jedi's..
that Speedsters can tap into at varying levels.

So all the Speedsters in the DC universe , the Original Flash Jay,
Barry Allen , and the current Flash all tap into this force.

The purer the connection, the faster and more powerfull you
become.

Its been implied that Wally West has the purest connection
of any speedster ... so pure in fact, he almost joined with the
speed force entirely as pure energy.. like Kenobi joined with the
force in Episode IV ..leaving no body.

However , Wally returned to flesh for his wife and friends.

The new flash also has other powers some of you may not be
aware of ..he can siphon other object inertia ...slowing things down ...like a falling plain ...or share the force ..making other objects/people go faster.

It makes for a more interesting character than just a guy who runs real fast.

So ...

Even though Clark is fast , we can assume hes not officially a speedster ...and has no connection to the 'Speed Force' then
based on that alone we can infer that the Flash has the potential to be faster than Superman.

* *
Also, I have to agree that Clark must be faster flying than running ..using the same logic Max and others have stated above.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by The Spirit
Interestingly enough Max, Mark Waid started exploring what makes the flash 'fast' in the series during his run as writer.

Supposedly there is a 'Speed Force' .. like the force for Jedi's.. that Speedsters can tap into at varying levels.

The new flash also has other powers some of you may not be aware of ..he can siphon other object inertia ...slowing things down ...like a falling plain ...or share the force ..making other objects/people go faster.

Very interesting, this. In my earlier post I was going to say something like: "I assume the Flash moves simply on the same principle as a normal person, it's just that like a hummingbird and he must consume vast amounts of energy to do it." But then I wondered if there might not be another explanation. Sounds like there is, if he can use it to control the speeds of other objects!

Since it's not clear what principles are at work with this 'Speed Force' I'm not sure what that would imply about his top possible speed. If the best possible connection would turn him into something like pure energy then I assume that he might be able to approach the speed of light. Of course, then you get into problems of relativity and close-to-light-speed travel that I have never successfully fathomed.

Actually, if Flash can approach the speed of light, then there might be a pretty good argument to be made that he must be faster than Superman, flying or on the ground. After all, if Superman could with relative ease hit the speed of light (or thereabouts) wouldn't we see him doing it regularly? The fact that it apparently takes a great deal out of him to even get up to the sound barrier would suggest that there's a pretty good chance he can't go very fast, at least not for anything like a sustained period of time. (I assume that we're still ignoring the various movies, so that Supe's globe-spinning trick in 1 doesn't count.)


Originally posted by The Spirit
The purer the connection, the faster and more powerfull you become.

LOL! This has certain implications when you link it to the concept of "speed." :p

[Stupendous Man]

I always disregard the movies Max ..lol.

I agree with you that Ive seen several stories where
theyve shown Superman strain to break the sound
barrier.

I also think that your telekinesis explanation for
Supermans ability to fly is a strong one.
Its actually the only one that makes sense.

Its also been implied that Superman has latent mental
abilities that hes not aware of or in control of.

It this mental ability which has been implied that keeps
people from making the connection between Clark Kent
and Superman ... a little Kryptonian Mind Trick that Clarks
not in control off .

[TerryMcGuiness]

Fah! We dont need something that convoluted.

Look, Superman flies because Krypton had a red sun and Earth has a yellow sun.

People dont make the connection between Clark and Superman because no ones got a reason to think Clark Kent *is* Superman and as Superman he doesn't hang out on the streets or in the Planet offices.

The only person you have to stretch your imagination for is Lois because shes the only person that sees both men upclose alot, and even that is saved by the fact that she's so stubborn and bullheaded (and I mean that in a goodway. I'm not a member of the Lois is a B**ch club) rube hayseed she works with could be Superman of all people.

Look, I think its safe to say that even in real life people can be oblivious to the obvious.

Superman is a perfect example of hiding out in the open. He doesn't tell jokes at the water cooler or go to the office parties. He's just that nice quiet guy who's a good reproter and has the balls to put up with being Lois's partner. Nothing special. Nothing super about him.

[Stupendous Man]

Although I appreciate your hiding in the open theory, and
agree with it ....

I dont see how telekenisis is more complicated an explanation
for the power of flight, than the fact that our sun is yellow and therefore he flies.

I appreciate the fact that earths yellow sun provides energy
that Clarks Kryptonian biology can apparently process more
efficiently than the energy given off by a red sun.

Its to be supposed that the abilities that Clark displays are
inherent to all kryptonians ...they were just never able to
utilize them based on the fact that they were in a red sun
system.

His ability to fly though should have a better reason than the
sun is yellow. If our sun had been blue , by this logic would he
have the power to teleport?

No .. The yellow sun powers him , yes, but how does that power
of flight work? I agree with Max Z. : focused telekenisis.

[Karkull]

Originally posted by The Spirit
Its to be supposed that the abilities that Clark displays are
inherent to all kryptonians ...they were just never able to
utilize them based on the fact that they were in a red sun
system.

But the sun that Krypton orbited was yellow at one point. That begs the question: would Kryptonians have had those abilities then too? If they did, it must have made Kryptonian history and mythology very interesting.

Come to think of it: do we have powers that could be brought out by a different colored sun? We have myths full of otherworldly characters.

[Stupendous Man]

In answer to your first question ... I am absolutely positive that
Humans wouldnt get super powers if they were on a planet
with a different colored sun.

The other statement you make is interesting though .
Im forgetting my college astronomy ...are you saying that all
red stars were yellow before they became red?
Im not sure if thats true . Are there any Astronomy Nuts on the
forum who could answer that question ?

It would seem that though that life would have had to evolve on krypton after the star became red (if its even true that red stars
are first yellow before converting ), because its unlikely that
life on Krypton would have been able to survive the cataclysmic
changes that would have happened on that world during such an
evolution of a star.

I'll have to investigate this whole star issue tonight.
Anybody have any facts?

[TerryMcGuiness]

I believe he's basically like a living solar battery and its this solar energy that allows him to fly.

No unlike an energy character like Captian Atom can. Only with superman the energy isn't visible or tangible enough to be something that burns when people touch him.

I also believe that its this same energy that heightens his senses, strengthens him and is why he has heat-vision. He proably could channel it through his hands like Captian Atom or Firstorm type guys do, but since channeling through his eyes was how he first did it, he's simply sticking with it. Its easy for him and he doesn'thave to concentrate that hard to pull it off.


Now this doesn't explain super-breath at least in so much as he can freeze things. I always thought that was a bit wonky anyhow. His lungs being capable of generateing gale force wind I dont mind.

[Stupendous Man]

I just dont follow how bieng a solar battery allows you
to fly ?

I have duracells ...there not zooming around my kitchen.

While its true that Clark is a human battery storing up energy
from a yellow sun - thats not what gives him his superhuman
abilities its just what powers them.

The human equivalent would be .. you live off food.
But steak & mash potatoes dont make you walk - your
legs do. To be simplistic, the steak and mash potatoes
give you the energy to move your legs .


In Supermans case ..he feeds off the rays of earths yellow sun.
But the energy he absorbs from the yellow sun doesnt
make him fly ...it simply powers whatever biological mechanism
makes flying possible for him.

In my theory it would be that the rays from earths yellow sun
give him the energy to power his telekenetic abilities.
Abilities that were dormant in all kryptonians ... but living under
a red sun on krypton they didnt have sufficient power to trigger
those abilities.

[Stupendous Man]

Actually ...the telekenisis is a theory first proposed by Maxie Zues
on this forum , which Im now sold on and elaborating.

I think it makes good sense ...and theres no other possible scientific explanation on how a man could propel himself through
the air at will.

[Maxie Zeus]

The question about flying comes from wondering what sort of mechanism is at work. Superman does not fly because he glides (like a kite) or flaps his arms (like a bird) or because he is jet-propelled (no nasty comments about where the jets would be shooting out of, please :D ). So, given that he can fly (and given that this ability is somehow conferred by the yellow sun) what kind of explanation could we give for that fact--what mechanism is at work.

I proposed telekinesis because he just seems able to move himself, the way people with telekinesis are portrayed as being able to move other objects. If so, it is, oddly, an ability that only focuses on himself. Granted, it's a "mysterious" answer--mostly just descriptive of what this strange power looks like, rather than how it works. And if you don't think questions like this are worth bothering over, you can safely ignore it.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by The Spirit
The other statement you make is interesting though .

Im forgetting my college astronomy ...are you saying that all red stars were yellow before they became red? Im not sure if thats true . Are there any Astronomy Nuts on the forum who could answer that question ?

Not all red stars evolve from other stars. There are "red dwarfs," stars smaller and cooler than our sun that develop as red dwarfs and continue that way for most their entire life. Red giants and red supergiants (like Betelguise) are the later stages of larger stars, like our own sun.

So, was Krypton's sun a red giant or a red dwarf?


Originally posted by The Spirit
It would seem that though that life would have had to evolve on krypton after the star became red (if its even true that red stars are first yellow before converting ), because its unlikely that
life on Krypton would have been able to survive the cataclysmic changes that would have happened on that world during such an evolution of a star.

Agreed. For starters, when the star expanded the "habitable" zone would have shifted radically outward. If Krypton was in the habitable zone during the red giant phase then it was well-outside that zone during its main life-cycle (probably about where Jupiter is now) and that's a very cold neighborhood. Even if life had evolved there, it would have evolved in a niche that would have been destroyed when the star entered the red giant phase.

Also, the life-sequence of a red giant is comparatively very short--only a fraction of its lifetime in the main sequence. Krypton's ability to evolve complex (and intelligent) life in such a short period would require it to hit all the right steps in a sequence perfectly and very quickly. Not impossible, but pretty damn amazing.

[Stupendous Man]

Theyve actual explained Superboys powers as bieng
tactile telekenisis.

Superboy is, if youll recall a clone (more or less - they
couldnt clone him exactly ) of Superman.

What theyve described with Superboy is that its his
tactile telekenisis which allows him to fly .
Also what allows him to lift heavy items as long as hes
touching them ( thus the tactile in tactile telekenisis).

Since DC has adopted this as an official explanation for
Superboys powers ...and Superboys powers are an
attempt by human scientist to recreate kryptonian powers-
I think its concievable that this tactile telekenisis is a viable
explanation on how Superman is able to fly.

[Karkull]

What we'd really need is a star chart of the Kryptonian solar system in order to settle this.

:D

From what I remember, stars start out as young white stars, which is the hottest that it can be. Then they go through a period of cooling into blue stars, then yellow, then orange, then, finally, red stars; after which they die out by either burning out or by expanding outward (then collapsing upon itself).

If I'm mistaken please correct me, it's been a while.

It could be possible that the Kryptonian people just evolved during their star's orange or red period.

[Stupendous Man]

Originally posted by KARKULL

What we'd really need is a star chart of the Kryptonian solar system in order to settle this.





I think it might be a little difficult for us to get our
hands on a kryptonian star chart this week.

We shall have to rely on solid conjecture for now.

I think its safe to say now that Kryptonians evolved
under a red star. That the red star was stable throughout
all of Kryptons history.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by The Spirit
I think its safe to say now that Kryptonians evolved under a red star. That the red star was stable throughout all of Kryptons history.

If so, then the star would have to have been a red dwarf. The red giant phase of a star's life is far too short for complex life to develop. Red dwarfs, on the other hand, apparently are a even more long-lived than yellow stars like our own--burn at a lower temperature, apparently.

[Stupendous Man]

Originally posted by Maxie Zues

Red dwarfs, on the other hand, apparently are a even more long-lived than yellow stars like our own--burn at a lower temperature, apparently.



That would explain why Krypton is always depicted as
an ice covered planet.

[Stupendous Man]

*

[Stupendous Man]

bump !

[Karkull]

Originally posted by The Spirit
That would explain why Krypton is always depicted as an ice covered planet.

:confused:

Is it? Seemed pretty temperate to me in the pilot.

[Calhoun07]

I don't recall Byrne depicting it as an ice covered planet. I don't know how it was depicted in the original comic books from the 30s and 40s, but it's also not depicted as an ice world in the animated series either.

[Maxie Zeus]

A planet circling a red dwarf would not necessarily be ice-covered. True, a planet orbiting at the distance that the Earth is from the Sun would be very cold, but it might be that Krypton lies much closer to its sun.

[X-human]

Some "food" for thought about why supes is so beefcake even if it takes extreme weight to build muscle:

It follows that if Kal was a normal boy to begin with on Earth, he would eat food and that he could exersise and pump some iron to build muscle. Since he's now building up energy from the Sun, as with any kid on a sugar rush, he needed some form of an outlet for his energy, that's why he was constantly working out. Since he slowly relied less and less on food his body fat would not be maintained and decrease, while weights would increase his muscle tone (even if it required more and more weight, in Kansas I think you can find an empty field where you can bench a tracktor. He's afterall, not entirly the man of steel yet, so it could still be a challenging weight). When he no longer needed food, he wouldn't have a trace of fat on his body and a very nice six pack. Now, muscles (if I remember freshman Health) only really need to be maintained because your body breaks down your muscles for energy since it's no longer stored as fat. Since his body gets all of it's energy from the sun (where it's stored, god knows) he no longer needs to break down his muscles for energy. Therefore, his muscles no longer need upkeep and what li`l exersion does extend his muscles (like traveling the sound barrier for instance) would slowly beef him up even more over time.

As with the Kevin Smith Mallrats quote, where if Lois were the get a tan the baby would kick right through her, I doubt even 9 months would give him the strenght to perform such a feat, since the sunlight is especially filtered through Lois's skin.

Also, I think Oracle takes good care of all the super hero's identifies by computer hacking (hey, she was trained by the best) the FBI or what have you. Any evidence is most likly then "misplaced" somewhere in the evidence room and then picked up and destroyed. Although constantly doing this may raise questions ("HOW COME EVERY FREAKIN` BATMAN EYELASH WE TAKE GET'S LOST?"), I think the departments respect the heros enough to let it all slide.

(Hey, doesn't Superman have long hair now anyways? Must be such a pain to cut he just keeps it long.)

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by X-human
Some "food" for thought about why supes is so beefcake even if it takes extreme weight to build muscle:

Ingenius reflections, X-human. By emphasizing that Supe's powers are a function of stored solar energy, I think you manage to overcome many of the problems I've seen discussed about Superman's abilities.

As for storing the energy, I think it's pretty clear that it could not be stored in tissue structures for chemical release, so we might have to postulate something strange going on at the sub-atomic level--which would not be incredible given that it is solar radiation that he is absorbing.

That would still leave the following question: If Superman is able to store this energy because he is made up of a kind of matter which stores solar energy in this way, how does he metabolize terrestrial matter so that it turns into Kryptonian tissues with this potential to store solar energy? It must be some strange transformative power in his digestive system.

Holy entrails, Batman! Does that mean that Superman also has a . . . super colon?! :eek: :D

P.S.: Welcome to the boards! And I love the avatar!

[X-human]

Originally posted by Maxie Zeus
which would not be incredible given that it is solar radiation that he is absorbing.

P.S.: Welcome to the boards! And I love the avatar!

Which would mean Superman is walking around as practically pure radiation. (Which would be horrible for Lois's skin care to say the least.) Maybe it's stored in his bones (like exposing a metal to radiation), which are far more denser than any other part of his body, and would be able to store heavy amounts of radation and would also slowly give off radation as opposed to say just his simply blood cells, therefore he wouldn't spontanousely burst into flames when he isn't using up the radation fast enough (Like when he sat down to read all the praise of his latest escipades in the world news colum of the daily planet and drinking his steamin` hot cup of joe). Also, since his tissue is still rather dense, all the radation pacipitates by the time it reaches the top of his skin, so he doesn't expose the tax paying citizens to leathal doses of radiation.

Now although the saying, "you are what you eat" stands true on many accounts, it only stands true chemically. If you went to Mars and ate a clump of dirt or two (forgetting that the human body can't digest soil) you're not suddenly part martian in the truest sense because despite levels of chemical exposure on Mars, elements are elements. So what if you ended up with less oxygen and more carbon in your belly, it's all the same. Therefore, only Superman's DNA is what makes him Superman. A dog's a dog no matter what it eats. A human is human no matter what he eats. Superman is Superman no matter what he eats. His DND was still making the same protein strainds as if it were back under the red sun. The DND just has some extra juice to kick around.

Hrm, I think I was a little aggresive here, and instead of just rewritting it all, I'm just going to say that I don't work at N.A.S.A so this is all just off the top of my head and there are most likly countless holes I hope you have fun explointing.

And thanks, I only watch the three other Supermans (after 1979) for Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor, he's entirly the reason I give a damn about Superman.

[X-human]

DND = DNA

I guese Kal must had done all his growing as a child, and his stomach can not destory matter (that's a law of physics), so yes when he eats he would need to have a BM. Speaking of which, The Tick was rescently reveal to have no... "privates" so to speak... He must use every element he digests and that's what gives him his strength. I don't want to think of other possibilities. :rolleyes:

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by X-human

Now although the saying, "you are what you eat" stands true on many accounts, it only stands true chemically. If you went to Mars and ate a clump of dirt or two (forgetting that the human body can't digest soil) you're not suddenly part martian in the truest sense because despite levels of chemical exposure on Mars, elements are elements.

And thanks, I only watch the three other Supermans (after 1979) for Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor, he's entirly the reason I give a damn about Superman.

Ah. Points very well-taken. I should have been clearer about what I meant when I referred to "terrestrial" vs. "Kryptonian" matter. The long and short of it is, I'm not sure how any of the elements we are familiar with could store energy at the subatomic level in the hypothesized way. Basically, I was suggesting that Superman may not be made out of carbon, etc., and his body may be made out of some exotic matter. So by "terrestrial" I meant "the stuff on the periodic table we know about" and by "Kryptonian" I meant "whatever Superman is made out of that functions so differently."

Hmmm. I'm still not sure that's clear. Put it this way: If Superman is made out of the same elements we are, but can store energy which gives him these powers, why is it that we terrestrials (made of the same stuff) can't? Answer: It must be that he is NOT made out of the same stuff we are. And if this is so, he must have some way of metabolizing our familiar matter into his unfamiliar matter.

I still really like your explanation, though!

And, yeah, Hackman's Lex is the greatest. :D

[X-human]

Originally posted by Maxie Zeus
Basically, I was suggesting that Superman may not be made out of carbon, etc., and his body may be made out of some exotic matter. So by "terrestrial" I meant "the stuff on the periodic table we know about" and by "Kryptonian" I meant "whatever Superman is made out of that functions so differently."

Ah, yes, well, inventing elements is the easy way out. :D You do bring up a very good question though, but most likly Jor-El wouldn't have shipped Kal off to a planet that was unable to fully support his life.

There are some chemical reactions our bodies simply can't reproduce, yet exists elsewhere freely in our world using elements our bodies use for other funtions. Chlorofill (man did I butcher that spelling, so I'll just do how it sounds) is used every day by plants and yet we do not have access to this process (directly). I'll bet ten to one that every element needed for chlorofill to be produced is already coursing through our veins, but our DNA ain't smart enough to do anything about it. Same thing for Superman with the Sun. Our DNA just isn't as smart as Superman's.

I wouldn't doubt for a moment that Kal could not be carbon based. Jor-El was a smart cookie, and if need be, may have sent a bunch of elements Earth doesn't have over for the ride and released sufficient amounts to earth that would satisfy Kal's needs. We're always discovering new elements, stuff that's been sitting on our planet longer than the human race, but we just discovered them now anyways. It's highly possible Superman's taped into that as well.

It's proven that for certain functions certain elements are required. For instances, iron is used by the brain for mathmatics. The use of iron for math is at it's peak when doing Geometry. Since menstration depleats iron resources in the female body, Geometry becomes somewhat of a more difficult math for women to follow. These same principles can be applied to Superman, and maybe in the opposite direction. Maybe a lack of certain elements (terrestrial or other wise) allows more natural parts of Kal's body to work with less restraint. Perhaps because elements he needs are not found combined with others that would make it difficult to seperate on Krypton, yet on Earth these elements float more freely and are easily accessable.

I don't like the explaination of telekenisis for flight. It sorta takes the fun out of it because it's such a sloppy answer (for me) when you simply can't come up with something better, but if it was printed by DC I guess it's law and I'll wash my hands of it. :)

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by X-human


Ah, yes, well, inventing elements is the easy way out. :D

Yeah, I know, but at some point I think you're just going to have to cheat this way. I like your proposals because at least it puts the cheat at a "deep" level.


There are some chemical reactions our bodies simply can't reproduce, yet exists elsewhere freely in our world using elements our bodies use for other funtions. Chlorofill (man did I butcher that spelling, so I'll just do how it sounds) is used every day by plants and yet we do not have access to this process (directly). I'll bet ten to one that every element needed for chlorofill to be produced is already coursing through our veins, but our DNA ain't smart enough to do anything about it. Same thing for Superman with the Sun. Our DNA just isn't as smart as Superman's.

The only reason I was resisting this sort of solution is because photosynthesis is a chemical reaction, whereas the suggestion (my own, I guess) that the energy storage was taking place at the subatomic level would not (and maybe could not) be a chemical reaction. On the other hand, if we postulate that Kryptonians are born with a permanent set of "fuel cells" that are able to absorb and store tremendous amounts of energy from the sun, then the problems I was worried about would go away. Superman would be made of the same elements as we are, but would have a set of "extras".

Yeah, I like it. :)

[X-human]

Originally posted by Maxie Zeus
energy storage was taking place at the subatomic level would not (and maybe could not) be a chemical reaction.

Yeah, you're right. Chemical and nuclear/atomic reactions are not the same. Don't know enough about atomic reactions to really talk about that. But I wasn't comparing what Superman does to photosynthesis directly, I was just stating any process that I knew of off the top of my head that exist that human's can't do. I don't think Kal really needs "Kryptonian" elements to perform whatever process it is that he does, but I also see no reason why he can't use Kryptonian elements (besides the lack of resources) so that's fine.

Any other questions brought up in this forum that we've missed? ;)

[Stupendous Man]

@

[Mynd Hed]

Regarding Batman's giant penny, which was brought up way way way back on the first page of the thread:
I don't get why this is such a big problem-- he's apparently got a door somewhere in the Batcave big enough for a JET.

Regarding Superman's hair maintenance:
Maybe Kryptonian hair only grows so long and no longer. This might have something to do with the reason why he doesn't need to eat. After all, hair and fingernails are made up of dead skin cells-- if Supes' skin cells don't die (or die at an extremely slow rate) then it would make sense that his hair and fingernails would grow very, very slowly if at all, and that would also explain why he would need to replace the matter in his body at a much slower rate than humans. My guess is that Supes doesn't need to eat, but does need to drink, and that he replenishes the matter in his body through trace elements present in his drinking water.

[Bird Boy]

Stupendous Man...I don't know why you feel the need to bump these threads of yours after almost 2 years, but please stop. I'm moving and closing this one as well (mainly as to avoid confusion...).

-BB