The Science of Superheroes

227 Pages·2002·1.8 MB·English

by  Lois H. Gresh, Robert Weinberg

THE SCIENCE
OF SUPERHEROES

Lois H. Gresh
Robert Weinberg

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
THE SCIENCE
OF SUPERHEROES
THE SCIENCE
OF SUPERHEROES

Lois H. Gresh
Robert Weinberg

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Copyright © 2002 by Lois H. Gresh and Robert Weinberg. All rights reserved.
Introduction copyright © 2002 by Dean Koontz. All rights reserved

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada

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As always, dedicated in loving memory to Big Daddy Sam,
who will always be my Superhero. Special thanks to Dan
Gresh, who told me about the 1993 “Death of Superman”
plot. Many thanks to our agent, Lori Perkins, and to Stephen
S. Power of John Wiley & Sons for letting us write this book.
—Lois H. Gresh

To Larry Charet, who opened the first full-time comic book
shop in Chicago thirty years ago and who cofounded the
Chicago Comicon in 1976. A pioneer in the comic book
marketplace and good friend for three decades.
—Robert Weinberg

On the internet at:
www.sff.net/people/lgresh
and
www.robertweinberg.net
Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Preface xi
A Word about the Law xix
Introduction Men of Steel, Feathers of Fury
by Dean Koontz xxi
More Powerful than a Speeding Locomotive:
Superman 1
The Superman Legend Begins
What Makes Superman Super?
Alien Visitors
The Drake Equation
Rare Earth?
A Question of Gravity 1
3
4
8
12
15
Rays—Cosmic and Gamma: The Fantastic Four
and the Incredible Hulk 19
Humble Beginnings
A Fantastic Foursome
Frankenstein’s Monster—Marvel Style
The Perils of Technobabble
The GFP Hulk 19
21
22
25
29

vii