PR: GRESH, WEINBERG INVESTIGATE 'SCIENCE OF SUPERHEROES'

[Eric J. Moreels]

<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/science4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/science4t.jpg" align=left alt="The Science of Superheroes"></a>Exactly how powerful is the gravity on Krypton? Do mutants exist? If an ant is enlarged to the size of a human, could it push over skyscrapers? What is a gamma bomb?

If you've ever wondered about these and the many other questions raised by superhero comics, you're in luck. All the answers are in a soon to be published book, The Science of Superheroes by Lois Gresh & Robert Weinberg. The hardcover is due from publisher John Wiley & Sons on September 13, 2002. This 224-page book and features a new introduction by best-selling author, Dean Koontz. The volume will retail for $24.95 in the United States, $38.95 in Canada. The book takes a lighthearted but rigorous look at the science used in superhero and science fiction comic books, ranging from Superman to Spider-Man to Strange Adventures.

The following is a preliminary list of the book’s table of contents.

Introduction by Dean Koontz

A Word about General Relativity

Chapter 1. More Powerful than a Speeding Locomotive

A. The Superman Legend Begins

B. What Makes Superman Super?

C. Alien Visitors

D. The Drake Equation

E. Rare Earth?

F. A Question of Gravity

Chapter 2. Rays – Cosmic and Gamma

A. Humble Beginnings

B. A Fantastic Foursome

C. Frankenstein's Monster - Marvel Style

D. The Perils of Techno-Babble

E. The GFP Hulk

Chapter 3. A Dark Knight

A. A Non-Super Superhero

B. The Science of Batman

C. The Gotham City Earthquake

Chapter 4. Under the Sea

A. Undersea Heroes

B. Our Aquatic Ancestors?

C. Breathing under Water

D. Pressure

E. Fluid Breathing

F. Talking to Fish

Chapter 5. Along Came a Spider

A. With Great Power

B. The Power of a Spider?

C. Clones, Clones, and More Clones

Chapter 6. Green Lanterns and Black Holes

A. Magic, Science, and Two Green Lanterns

B. Wanted: An Unlimited Power Source

C. The Life and Death of Stars

D. The Origin of Black Holes

E. Yellow Light

Chapter 7. Of Atoms, Ants, and Giants

A. The Square Cubed Law

B. The Atom

C. The Atom Exploded

Chapter 8. Fast, Faster, Fastest

A. Introducing The Flash

B. Some Problems with Logic

C. The Speed Barrier

Chapter 9. Good, Evil, and Indifferent Mutants

A. A Victory Snatched from the Ashes

B. The Case for Evolution

C. The Truth About Creationism

D. Creating the X-Men

Chapter 10. Mysteries in Space: Science Fiction Superheroes

A. Super Science Without Super Heroes

B. The Secrets of Other Worlds, Exposed!

C. Doomsday on Earth

D. Across the Ages

E. The Grandfather Paradox

Chapter 11. The Right Stuff

A. The Real Deal

B. The Best Man

Appendix A. Who Missed The Cut

Appendix B. The Creators Speak

Bibliography & Superhero Reading List

Acknowledgements

About the Authors:
Robert Weinberg read his first comic book (Blackhawk #69, March 1953, "The Cyclone from Hell!") more than forty-five years ago and was hooked. He's collected and read comics ever since. Holding two degrees in science and mathematics, he's spent most of his life selling and writing science fiction and fantasy. Bob is the author of twenty-six books and has edited over a hundred anthologies and short story collections. For twenty years, he was chairman of the Chicago Comic Convention, the nation's second largest comic book show. During the past three years he's written comic book scripts for Marvel and DC.

Lois H. Gresh is the author of eight popular science fiction and fantasy books, including DragonBall Z, TechnoLife 2020, and the Chuck Farris action-adventure series for children. Her science fiction has been nominated six times for national awards. Her latest book, Chuck Farris and the Cosmic Storm, will be published in Fall 2002. Some of her favorite childhood memories involve Tales of the Unexpected and House of Secrets, and her home is stuffed with thousands of comic books.

Working together, Lois and Bob are the authors of The Computers of Star Trek, a detailed study of computer technology in the Star Trek universe, and The Termination Node, a high-tech thriller that the experts call "Refreshing and frightening, an early warning of 21st
century crime and terrorism."

<font size=1>(This promotional release is copyright &copy; 2002 by John Wiley & Sons. All rights reserved.)</font>

For more information on the book or any questions you might have about the contents feel free to email Robert Weinberg at Bob@robertweinberg.net.

[BeasiL]

there is also a book titled 'science of the xmen'.. its a pretty good read if your into that kinda stuff

[JimalDP]

I agree

[Zachary Palisoc]

If a certain person barely passed science in high school, would he be able to understand this? :p

[xtremexman]

Forgive me for saying this, but one of the most interesting chapters in the book seems to be Clones, Clones, and More Clones. I can't wait to see how that whole mess is going to be sorted out.

[Zachary Palisoc]

Originally posted by xtremexman
Forgive me for saying this, but one of the most interesting chapters in the book seems to be Clones, Clones, and More Clones. I can't wait to see how that whole mess is going to be sorted out.

Maybe it'll explain why George Lucas chose that title.

[xtremexman]

Originally posted by Zoner


Maybe it'll explain why George Lucas chose that title.

Come on! It's only obvious why George Lucas chose that as the title for the next Star Wars film. The movie is going to be based on the Clone Wars, the event that saw the end of the Jedi Knights and the emergence of Darth Vader. It was briefly brought up in the original Star Wars, but rarely ever talked about since. Anyway, when I was referring to the "mess" what I meant was the whole Spider-Clone saga.

To this day people such as myself still can't figure out what happened. I don't know a lot about that particular crossover, but I know enough. Still, I want to know more and this book is perhaps the best opportunity for me to do so.

[Zachary Palisoc]

Originally posted by xtremexman


Come on! It's only obvious why George Lucas chose that as the title for the next Star Wars film. The movie is going to be based on the Clone Wars, the event that saw the end of the Jedi Knights and the emergence of Darth Vader. It was briefly brought up in the original Star Wars, but rarely ever talked about since.

Yes, but I just can't help poking fun at the title. :)

I missed the whole Spider-clone saga thing. Should I be glad for that?

[xtremexman]

Originally posted by Zoner


Yes, but I just can't help poking fun at the title. :)

I missed the whole Spider-clone saga thing. Should I be glad for that?

I understand where you are coming from. I used to poke fun at the title myself, but then I decided to respect George Lucas' decision to go with it. As for your question, there is both a yes and no answer to it. Yes, you should be glad for missing it because it was without a doubt one of the most complex and confusing story lines in Marvel Comics history. No, you shouldn't be glad because that very same story line introduced two unforgettable characters - Ben Reilly, a.k.a. the Scarlet Spider, and Kaine, a rejected clone of Peter Parker with a seriously bad attitude.

[Brian Wilkinson]

this is a really interesting project... in fact, if you go to the Marvel.com webpage there is an article there that scientists in spain are working to prove that the marvel universe does, in fact, exist.

perhaps not in the traditional sense, but in a mathematical one. You should go check it out.

These sorts of things, while not necessary, provide an interesting glimpse into a world many of us believe in... fantasy or not.

[xtremexman]

Originally posted by The7thParallel
this is a really interesting project... in fact, if you go to the Marvel.com webpage there is an article there that scientists in spain are working to prove that the marvel universe does, in fact, exist.

perhaps not in the traditional sense, but in a mathematical one. You should go check it out.

These sorts of things, while not necessary, provide an interesting glimpse into a world many of us believe in... fantasy or not.

Whoa! You have got to be kidding me! People are actually trying to prove that? I can hardly believe it. And you said this was on Marvel's website?

This I have to see.

[xtremexman]

I just took a look at Marvel's website, and let me just say that I was thouroughly impressed. Such a concept never occurred to me, that a group of scientists would actually get together in order to prove that the Marvel Universe was real. That's just simply amazing! I do believe that alternate realities exist, but that is another story altogether.

[tyran80]

Originally posted by The7thParallel
this is a really interesting project... in fact, if you go to the Marvel.com webpage there is an article there that scientists in spain are working to prove that the marvel universe does, in fact, exist.



I guess some people have nothing better to do.


But what does it matter what i have to say on the matter? Just by coming here every day i'm doing virtually the same thing!!! :(

[xtremexman]

Originally posted by tyran80



I guess some people have nothing better to do.


But what does it matter what i have to say on the matter? Just by coming here every day i'm doing virtually the same thing!!! :(

I would jump at the chance to be part of that scientific study seeing as how I have some interesting theories of my own. Just because those people happen to do actually be part of it doesn't mean that's all they do, though. I'm sure everyone involved with the project has a life of their own to worry about.

[ScaryBob]

As anyone who reads terry pratchet will tell belief in something is a very powerful thing, and since so many people belive(and i mean in the back of your minds cause i know you do) in the marvel universe it must therefore exsist

[xtremexman]

Originally posted by ScaryBob
As anyone who reads terry pratchet will tell belief in something is a very powerful thing, and since so many people belive(and i mean in the back of your minds cause i know you do) in the marvel universe it must therefore exsist

Proving that the Marvel Universe does indeed exist is going to be hard work though, not to mention the fact that there is going to be a lot of skepticism along the way. Hopefully the scientists running the show will take every step necessary to make their research look as legitimate as possible. I'd hate to see all that hard work go down the drain as a result of someone's skepticism.