I know Jimmy is just providing exposition, but imagine it in-universe: it sure sounds like he's belittling Superman for not fixing Kandor. Mort Weisinger would approve.
I hadn't really thought about it, but yeah, the stronger he is under Krypton conditions, the stronger he'd be when charged up. I suppose he could just equip his weight room with red sun lamps? I think I remember an explanation at one point that said Kryptonians were pretty much genetically perfect after millennia of super-science and medicine, but I don't remember where I saw it, or if I made it up in my head.
I have a million dumb theories, and you get to hear some of mine.
Kryptonians under non-red-sun conditions are naturally muscular; Krypton's high gravity forced it into them as a fixed trait. I figure evolution was a total beast on Krypton, killing everyone who wasn't tough, strong, disease-resistant, etc.
But yellow sunlight is a different matter, IMHO. I see it as, Kryptonians all have what Marvel would call a mutation, where when they're hit by yellow sunlight, their cells warp the universal constants in their immediate vicinity. Thus, the electrostatic forces inside Kryptonian cells are much stronger than outside, which is to say, Kryptonian muscles can lift far heavier things. You know warp fields in "Star Trek" that propel a ship by bending space something like artificial gravity ... ? That's how Kryptonians fly. And so on.
But I'm not convinced that Kryptonian muscle bulk makes much difference when a yellow sun is in play. It seems like the biggest issues are how much of a yellow sun charge the Kryptonian is working with, and how experienced they are with using yellow sun energy. Superman's gotten stronger and stronger over the years, and the issue seems to be that his capacity to absorb / utilize yellow sun energy has expanded.
I think your theory is pretty much how Kryptonians work. They store yellow solar energy and that can be used in a number of ways, some voluntary, like heat vision, and others involuntary, like invulnerability. The stronger the charge, the more they can do. I tend to think of it as an energy field that permeates their bodies. I'm pretty sure there have been stories with Kryptonians where Superman says something like "I have to deal with this quickly because the longer they are on Earth the more powerful they get." So he's got the advantage because of years of exposure but that will change the longer the Kryptonians stay.
I am certain you are correct gravity and musculature makes almost no difference compared to sunlight. When the force of his sneeze blows away solar systems, and he barely feels the pull of black holes, its unfeasable that Kyptonians would be even slightly harmed by their planet exploding; except for their red sun.
I've just never been satisfied that Superman is merely channeling solar energy, because I've tried to use solar cells before, and they can't cook my morning waffles, much less give me the power to lift cement mixers over my head. But, if solar energy just flips a switch to access even more intense energies, that's a different matter.
It WOULD make sense to train in Kandor. However I am almost certain Ive seen Earth Two Kal-L have a special gym in his mountain hideout in the wedding issue.
I know Jimmy is just providing exposition, but imagine it in-universe: it sure sounds like he's belittling Superman for not fixing Kandor. Mort Weisinger would approve.
ReplyDelete- HJF1
The illustration reinforces that. Jimmy's frown makes it look like he's berating Supes.
DeleteI hadn't really thought about it, but yeah, the stronger he is under Krypton conditions, the stronger he'd be when charged up. I suppose he could just equip his weight room with red sun lamps? I think I remember an explanation at one point that said Kryptonians were pretty much genetically perfect after millennia of super-science and medicine, but I don't remember where I saw it, or if I made it up in my head.
ReplyDeleteI have a million dumb theories, and you get to hear some of mine.
DeleteKryptonians under non-red-sun conditions are naturally muscular; Krypton's high gravity forced it into them as a fixed trait. I figure evolution was a total beast on Krypton, killing everyone who wasn't tough, strong, disease-resistant, etc.
But yellow sunlight is a different matter, IMHO. I see it as, Kryptonians all have what Marvel would call a mutation, where when they're hit by yellow sunlight, their cells warp the universal constants in their immediate vicinity. Thus, the electrostatic forces inside Kryptonian cells are much stronger than outside, which is to say, Kryptonian muscles can lift far heavier things. You know warp fields in "Star Trek" that propel a ship by bending space something like artificial gravity ... ? That's how Kryptonians fly. And so on.
But I'm not convinced that Kryptonian muscle bulk makes much difference when a yellow sun is in play. It seems like the biggest issues are how much of a yellow sun charge the Kryptonian is working with, and how experienced they are with using yellow sun energy. Superman's gotten stronger and stronger over the years, and the issue seems to be that his capacity to absorb / utilize yellow sun energy has expanded.
- HJF1
I think your theory is pretty much how Kryptonians work. They store yellow solar energy and that can be used in a number of ways, some voluntary, like heat vision, and others involuntary, like invulnerability. The stronger the charge, the more they can do. I tend to think of it as an energy field that permeates their bodies. I'm pretty sure there have been stories with Kryptonians where Superman says something like "I have to deal with this quickly because the longer they are on Earth the more powerful they get." So he's got the advantage because of years of exposure but that will change the longer the Kryptonians stay.
DeleteI am certain you are correct gravity and musculature makes almost no difference compared to sunlight. When the force of his sneeze blows away solar systems, and he barely feels the pull of black holes, its unfeasable that Kyptonians would be even slightly harmed by their planet exploding; except for their red sun.
DeleteI've just never been satisfied that Superman is merely channeling solar energy, because I've tried to use solar cells before, and they can't cook my morning waffles, much less give me the power to lift cement mixers over my head. But, if solar energy just flips a switch to access even more intense energies, that's a different matter.
ReplyDelete- HJF1
It'd be cool to see a Ted's Gym open in Kandor.
ReplyDeleteIt WOULD make sense to train in Kandor. However I am almost certain Ive seen Earth Two Kal-L have a special gym in his mountain hideout in the wedding issue.
ReplyDelete