Comments on: Super Vision

By: Wanderer

Wanderer — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:59:24 +0000

A minor observation (that’s likely to spark more science discussions): Technically, Superman isn’t even partially “lobotomizing” Shrapnel. According to the comics, Shrapnel is a completely inorganic metallic lifeform; he doesn’t eat, breathe or sleep. As such, it would appear that his brain is separate from his physical essence in some fashion. Therefore, while Superman is physically damaging Shrapnel in the image, there’s no chance of causing brain damage or neural shock, as the necessary parts do not exist in the target.

By: Dagwood

Dagwood — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 20:09:35 +0000

I gave your convergance theory a thought and, bam, it hit me.

Superman has been trained in hand to hand combat. As such he knows how to hit someone. Hitting a target with your fist is easy, causing maximum damage is another.

In boxing, or any fisticuff related sport, the object is to see just beyond the actual target. A boxer isn’t looking to hit his opponent on the chin in his mind, he’s trying to hit the uvula. What this accomplishes is that the force of the blow will maximize at that point and not at the point of actual impact, making the power of the blow still have some extra substance after impact and some strength left in the arm to actually follow through.

I’m no expert, but this could also be why Supes doesn’t focus his beams. One concentrated beam might do less damage than 2 independant beams.

Just a thought.

By: TheFlash

TheFlash — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 18:50:15 +0000

I disagree with the assertion that two burn marks is wrong. Even with human physiology it is possible to look at something without automatically focusing… for example the autostereograms in the Magic Eye “3D” optical illusion books. An experienced fighter like Superman, particularly one blessed with precise muscle control and X-ray vision (no fear of innocents beyond), would have no problem focusing at a point beyond his target to produce two through and through wound channels, much more effective than a singular surface burn. Further, in the case when he lobotomizes Doomsday, obviously his target is beyond Doomsday’s forehead and to his brain behind, so two burn marks should be expected… and not necessarily close together since we do not know his specific target, he may have intentionally targeted both of Doomsday’s lobes.

By: John Nowak

John Nowak — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 06:35:22 +0000

Horrid? Calculus is fun!

But this is pretty much geometry. Blowing up the JPG in Thumbs Plus, I picked two pixels that looked like they were the rear corners of the tank. One was at 34×178; the other 77×150. A straight line between the two would be 49 pixels long. one thirtieth of that is a bit over 1.5.

To me, the impact point of the beam looks 2 pixels wide.

That would mean that because of the coarseness of the image, the impact point is large enough to represent two beams hitting 10cm apart.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 15:10:08 +0000

John,

The more I think about it, the more I think you’re probably right. The tank is probably moving toward him, and this is rapidly becoming one of the those horrid calculus problems I had to do over Christmas vacation my senior year in high school.

By: Matt B.

Matt B. — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 14:24:28 +0000

Perhaps Superman is able to direct each eye independently, at least to some small degree, like a chameleon? But I think this looking for ways to explain what is almost certainly just a simple knowledge gap with the artists and writers.

By: John Nowak

John Nowak — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 13:57:31 +0000

I can’t be sure, but to me in the scan of the card, it looks like Superman is using heat vision on a tank, and that one of the crewmen is bailing out. An M1 is 3.32m wide, and Superman’s eyes are … I dunno, maybe 10cm apart. So, if the width of the beam when it strikes the tank is less than about 1/30 the width of the end of the tank, Superman’s eyes are converging.

Afraid my calipers are packed away somewhere — I just moved.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 15:33:26 +0000

David,
Tonight’s topic just happens to be SUperman’s microscopic vision.

John,
It could be perspective, but I think the beams are converging — I don’t think th distance is great enough for perspective to become an issue.

By: John Nowak

John Nowak — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 14:16:29 +0000

Might the heat-vision beams in the Overpower game actually be parallel? Perspective would make two parallel lines going into the distance appear to converge.

By: Seth Finkelstein

Seth Finkelstein — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 07:51:16 +0000

The simple answer is that he obviously checked with Telescopic Vision that he had a “clear shot”, before firing the beams.

In fact, that’s got to be standard approved super-power operating procedure, since it’s a basic battle trick to get an opponent to shoot or zap at something, and then have them hit an unintended target.