Jiminy Jillickers, will my friend develop superpowers?
May 6, 2010 7:27 PM Subscribe
How long after you get irradiated does it take to develop superpowers?
Jiminy Jillickers, Radioactive Man! (not this Radioactive Man)
A friend of mine was recently very ill. My theory is that he was inadvertently poisoned by his ailing cat's irradiated excrement, which had to be stored in his garage for a month before it could be disposed of, or else it would have set the radiation detectors off at the dump to the horror of everyone involved. My friend disagrees with my proposed radiation theory because he has yet to develop any superhuman abilities (see Bruce Banner and Peter Parker). My retort is simply that perhaps not enough time has elapsed for his new-found superpowers to have fully matured. So what time-frame would we reasonably expect such superhuman abilities to develop based on comicbook fiction?
I'm aware that the logic here is completely absurd, I'm really just interested in knowing how much time typically elapses between the irradiation of a comic book character and the onset of their superhuman abilities.
Jiminy Jillickers, Radioactive Man! (not this Radioactive Man)
A friend of mine was recently very ill. My theory is that he was inadvertently poisoned by his ailing cat's irradiated excrement, which had to be stored in his garage for a month before it could be disposed of, or else it would have set the radiation detectors off at the dump to the horror of everyone involved. My friend disagrees with my proposed radiation theory because he has yet to develop any superhuman abilities (see Bruce Banner and Peter Parker). My retort is simply that perhaps not enough time has elapsed for his new-found superpowers to have fully matured. So what time-frame would we reasonably expect such superhuman abilities to develop based on comicbook fiction?
I'm aware that the logic here is completely absurd, I'm really just interested in knowing how much time typically elapses between the irradiation of a comic book character and the onset of their superhuman abilities.
Best answer: My friend who writes comic books for a living had this to say on the subject:
"Interesting question. Generally it takes within 24 hours with the exception of mutants like the X-Men, whose genetics are responding to increased variation in the environment but who don't actually mutate till puberty. The Hulk didn't change for the first time until the night after the accident. Spider-Man, in the comics, got his powers within minutes... the Fantastic Four, too. In the movies, they woke up with their powers developing the morning after. I'm tryin' to think of other good examples. Not as many radiation-based superheroes as I thought... though I guess the X-Men are plenty by themselves. The Atom basically noticed effects immediately...
Generally the old superhero comics-- the ones that actually introduced these characters-- tend to bull through the origin story fairly fast, just to get it out of the way so they can get to the good stuff. Whereas movies are all about letting the actors carry a lot of the weight, so they want to deal with the fear of being irradiated, then a period where everything seems normal, and then a slow discovery."
posted by Ys at 7:53 PM on May 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
"Interesting question. Generally it takes within 24 hours with the exception of mutants like the X-Men, whose genetics are responding to increased variation in the environment but who don't actually mutate till puberty. The Hulk didn't change for the first time until the night after the accident. Spider-Man, in the comics, got his powers within minutes... the Fantastic Four, too. In the movies, they woke up with their powers developing the morning after. I'm tryin' to think of other good examples. Not as many radiation-based superheroes as I thought... though I guess the X-Men are plenty by themselves. The Atom basically noticed effects immediately...
Generally the old superhero comics-- the ones that actually introduced these characters-- tend to bull through the origin story fairly fast, just to get it out of the way so they can get to the good stuff. Whereas movies are all about letting the actors carry a lot of the weight, so they want to deal with the fear of being irradiated, then a period where everything seems normal, and then a slow discovery."
posted by Ys at 7:53 PM on May 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Spiderman had to be bitten by a radioactive spider and his powers didn't start showing up until a few hours later. The spider was also radiated for only a moment before biting Peter Parker and then dying. It only took a moment for Tony Stark to have the piece of shrapnel embedded near his heart but it did take him some weeks to develop his gray armor.
So, assuming that there was no direct contact between your friend's blood stream and the cat poop, (your friend didn't eat it, did he?), then it would take longer for a low distanced dose to empower your friend - about long enough for your friend to have their current flame, crush, mate, to come over, flirt with your friend, and give your friend the opportunity to embarrass himself and ruin any chances he had at the hottest thing to walk the earth since fire. In comic book speak, that's about six panels. In real life, this would only happen at the start of the following school semester.
posted by Stynxno at 7:54 PM on May 6, 2010
So, assuming that there was no direct contact between your friend's blood stream and the cat poop, (your friend didn't eat it, did he?), then it would take longer for a low distanced dose to empower your friend - about long enough for your friend to have their current flame, crush, mate, to come over, flirt with your friend, and give your friend the opportunity to embarrass himself and ruin any chances he had at the hottest thing to walk the earth since fire. In comic book speak, that's about six panels. In real life, this would only happen at the start of the following school semester.
posted by Stynxno at 7:54 PM on May 6, 2010
Uh, Stark isn't a mutant, Stynxo. The suit is a life-support system.
posted by griphus at 8:00 PM on May 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 8:00 PM on May 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Uh, Stark isn't a mutant, Stynxo. The suit is a life-support system.
Yes but I was ignoring the "irradiation" word in the 2nd part of the question.
posted by Stynxno at 8:11 PM on May 6, 2010
Yes but I was ignoring the "irradiation" word in the 2nd part of the question.
posted by Stynxno at 8:11 PM on May 6, 2010
Hm. Going out on a limb, I'd say it depends on whether we're looking at a puberty-analogue set of superpowers, like the X-Men or Spiderman, or some sort of evils-of-industry set of superpowers. The latter seem to happen pretty much instantaneously; the former can take anywhere from overnight to up to a month.
posted by KathrynT at 8:46 PM on May 6, 2010
posted by KathrynT at 8:46 PM on May 6, 2010
The X-Men's powers aren't due to radiation at all, so they're unsuited for consideration here. The answer really seems to be "Pretty quickly, but it's different for different people."
The Hulk, as has been mentioned, didn't change until the evening after being exposed to radiation. But Daredevil, who was hit in the face by a canister containing radioactive material, was blinded by it instantly, and got his super-heightened other senses at the same time. Weirdly, Bruce Banner was subjected to considerably higher amounts of radiation than Matt Murdock was, but logic doesn't need to apply -- these are comic books!
posted by cerebus19 at 9:35 PM on May 6, 2010
The Hulk, as has been mentioned, didn't change until the evening after being exposed to radiation. But Daredevil, who was hit in the face by a canister containing radioactive material, was blinded by it instantly, and got his super-heightened other senses at the same time. Weirdly, Bruce Banner was subjected to considerably higher amounts of radiation than Matt Murdock was, but logic doesn't need to apply -- these are comic books!
posted by cerebus19 at 9:35 PM on May 6, 2010
Actually, Doc Manhattan was (SPOILER) ripped apart in the intrinsic field machine in August, 1959 and did not fully re-assemble himself until November 22, 1959. (Why those dates? Kennedy, of course, was shot on Nov. 22, 1963, and, more speculatively on my part, the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan in August of 1945.) Though the Watchmen universe is about as aytpical is it gets when it comes to superpowers, since Doc Manhattan was sui generis.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:20 PM on May 6, 2010
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:20 PM on May 6, 2010
The Fantastic Four's powers manifested after they landed their spaceship. Hard to say how long that was after they were exposed to cosmic rays, but at least a couple of hours.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:42 PM on May 6, 2010
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:42 PM on May 6, 2010
I think the real question here is "does your friend REALLY want to develop Cat Poop Man powers?". Because...uh...
posted by biscotti at 4:20 AM on May 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by biscotti at 4:20 AM on May 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
I had two cats irradiated within an 18 month period. Not only did the litter get stored in a small apartment, not a distant garage, I caved to the whining and let the glow in the dark little beasts sleep with me after a couple of nights.
That was over 6 years ago and I still have no superpowers. Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?
posted by maudlin at 6:08 AM on May 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
That was over 6 years ago and I still have no superpowers. Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?
posted by maudlin at 6:08 AM on May 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
Best answer: DC has a bunch too:
Firestorm -Accident at nuclear plant. I seem to recall that Ronnie and the Professor integrated pretty quickly. Firehawk, I don't remember the details for.
Captain Atom -Created by military expeiments at the centre of an atomic bomb (DC version), which transports him 18 years into the future. From the perspective of the character thought, he gains his powers instantly (otherwise he would have died). Major Force was created through the same process.
So, in the DC universe it seems to happen pretty quickly.
posted by bonehead at 6:40 AM on May 7, 2010
Firestorm -Accident at nuclear plant. I seem to recall that Ronnie and the Professor integrated pretty quickly. Firehawk, I don't remember the details for.
Captain Atom -Created by military expeiments at the centre of an atomic bomb (DC version), which transports him 18 years into the future. From the perspective of the character thought, he gains his powers instantly (otherwise he would have died). Major Force was created through the same process.
So, in the DC universe it seems to happen pretty quickly.
posted by bonehead at 6:40 AM on May 7, 2010
Why are all these people irradiating their cats? (besides trying to get super powers)
This isn't how cat scans worked. Is this an example of hospitals cutting corners on diagnostic costs?
posted by jrishel at 10:47 AM on May 7, 2010
This isn't how cat scans worked. Is this an example of hospitals cutting corners on diagnostic costs?
posted by jrishel at 10:47 AM on May 7, 2010
Well, according to Cloris Leachman's character in Sky High (starting at 0:55): the kids who get bit by radioactive insects or fall into a vat of toxic waste, their powers usually show up the next day. Or... they die. Best part of that movie.
posted by Barry B. Palindromer at 1:02 PM on May 7, 2010
posted by Barry B. Palindromer at 1:02 PM on May 7, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks everyone for chipping in.
But then why don't the cat's themselves get superpowers? Or is their superpower to excrete radioactive poop that bestows superhuman abilities on any humans within their danger-radius?
posted by Cody's Keeper at 6:46 AM on May 10, 2010
But then why don't the cat's themselves get superpowers? Or is their superpower to excrete radioactive poop that bestows superhuman abilities on any humans within their danger-radius?
posted by Cody's Keeper at 6:46 AM on May 10, 2010
Cody's Keeper asked: But then why don't the cat's themselves get superpowers?
For the same reason that the spider who bit Peter Parker didn't develop ubergeek Chemistry knowledge, and the power to alienate chicks at a 3-mile radius.
posted by IAmBroom at 6:59 AM on May 12, 2010
For the same reason that the spider who bit Peter Parker didn't develop ubergeek Chemistry knowledge, and the power to alienate chicks at a 3-mile radius.
posted by IAmBroom at 6:59 AM on May 12, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by box at 7:41 PM on May 6, 2010