Daron my dear partner it’s a light week in the email and posted questions department. We’ve got a good amount more on the Wolverine stuff as well as Kitty’s age but not much in the question department. Hopefully that changes next week.
Apparently I’ve started a bit of a phenomenon with a couple of my statements… As you said, hopefully next week we can get back on track with the regular Q&A stuff, till then, lets dive in here and see what people are saying about our current topics.
Daniel emails
According to marveldirectory.com, a very comprehensive site with regards to character bios, Wolverine’s strength is the maximum human limit.
The relevant portion is “While Wolverine may be of an advanced age, he possesses the normal human strength of a man in his prime with his height and build who engages in intensive regular exercise. While possessing the adamantium skeleton, Wolverine’s strength was increased to the human maximum, making him capable of lifting (pressing) 800 lbs.”
So could he throw an unarmored Collosus anywhere but on the moon? Probably not more than about 10 feet. But hey, that’s pretty good too.
Yep that’s a pretty good statement. That’s a good amount of weight too. So we can say it’s possible Logan could throw Colossus on Earth as well but not to far away. Thanks for looking that up.
Well I saw it here and read it on the site given…but I’m still not buying it. First I’m still not buying that Wolverine is that strong (how does metal attached to his bones make him THAT much stronger – it doesn’t make any sense?) And secondly, Piotr HAS to weigh more than the 250lbs. listed on this same site. I’m almost 6’6″ and weigh a little over 200lbs. and I’m NOWHERE near as big as Piotr is without armor. On top of that, I’d think his armored form would weigh more than 500lbs. but that’s just me. I’d like to know where this site is getting its facts.
*Shakes head* Anyone else getting a headache from arguing comic book physics? – Daron
Michael emails
“Picking up and THROWING a human being more than twice your size. The healing factor wouldn’t even come into play here…except after Wolvie throws his back out from trying to lift Pete up.
3. The Weight. There’s just no way that Logan is lifting 750lbs. 400, giving it everything he’s got…maybe.
Anyone else want to chime in on this one? – Daron”
It is a physics problem at its core. Wolverine is just under 200 lbs. Conservation of momentum says that if he throw 700 pounds forward at a velocity of x, he will incur a velocity of negative seven halfs x. That is to say wolverine would be sent backwards at over three times the speed of that or who he throws. Granted that this is a friction free model, but it would still make it entirely difficult if not impossible for Logan to perform said speedball. Even on the moon, since momentum is a function of mass, and mass doesn’t change due to gravity.
I think the best explanation for everything might be above. We’re going to debate about this for some time, I think. It’s a matter of how people want to see it. Even though we have most of the facts now it’s one of those debates we can go on and on about.
…and then there was light! Thanks for the scientific explanation. I’m glad someone agrees with me…though I think it will be hard to argue your facts based on the very ODD statistics given for Piotr and Logan… – Daron
Jason emails
Hello,
Still having fun reading the Marvel Handbook week after week. I had no idea what a firestorm I would create with my question about Wolverine throwing Colossus!
It happens. We get these types of questions where everyone wants to get their say in and we start a good debate. Actually, that’s what makes this job fun. You never know what will happen each week. Who knows, this could go on for another week or Daron or I could say something this week to start a new debate.
Agreed 100% This is the best part of the Handbook gig. Hell if not for these lively debates I wouldn’t have much to say! – Daron
One point and one question:
Point-I remember a back-up feature in a Daredevil comic where he was talking to the reader about his enhanced senses. He says that his sense of smell is really good, but Wolverine’s is even better, and that he can’t track someone by their distinctive scent like Wolverine. However, DD said, if I remember correctly, that his senses of hearing and touch are better than Wolverine’s, and of course, he has that radar sense that Logan doesn’t have. So I would say the all-around go-to guy for enhanced senses would actually be DD, but if you want a master tracker, Wolverine is your man to call.
Question-In your list of Marvel’s other dimensions, you listed Limbo once. Now, I seem to recall there actually being two distinct places in the Marvel Universe called ‘Limbo’. One was the dimension accessible by Illyana Rasputin, aka Magik and late of the New Mutants. It was originally ruled by Belasco, then Magik, then Sy’m and Nastirh, and I believe Amanda Sefton aka Magik III took over ruling this Limbo. The ruler of Limbo would use the famous Soul Sword. The demonic residents of this Limbo invaded Manhattan in the ‘Inferno’ saga.
Then there is the “other” limbo. This limbo was where the Avengers foe known as the Space Phantom would send people when he assumed their form. Kang the Conqueror had a base there, and it was also the realm that Rom the Spaceknight would banish Dire Wraiths to with his Neutralizer weapon. This limbo was ruled by Immortus, and was a place where “time had no meaning”.
Now, are these two limbos separate, or are they the same place? I’ve always assumed they were separate.
That was my mistake, I forgot to list Limbo twice. There are two limbo’s, Belasco’s limbo and the one the Dire Wraiths where sent to. There is another limbo, the one Marvel fans love referencing. You know like when you ask what happened to a character who hasn’t been seen for like 5 years. You say they are in limbo. Of course that’s a figurative term and not a true dimension.
You know, you might be able to make an argument that the 3rd limbo REALLY is an actually dimension…just saying. – Daron
Abdul emails
Hi Jim just thought id chime in on the whole debate about Kitty Pryde’s current age. I live in South Carolina and i know laws vary from state to state but I would assume laws governing alchohol and its distribution here in the US are the same across the board, of course i could be wrong. With that said if Kitty were a bartender she would have to at least be 21 in order to serve alchoholic beverages right?
Most places do have the rule about being 21 to serve alcohol and logic would say she was either 21 or had a fake id to get the job.
So my question is this (cause I really can’t remember). Is Kitty a bartender or a waitress? The law for most states is thus: You have to be 21 to POUR alcohol, but only 18 to SERVE it. Either way, I still don’t think Kitty has aged equivalently with most of her piers… – Daron
David emails
Hi there.
Your column is great, it’s always been really informative, and I was hoping that you could answer a few of my questions, please?
Sure can.
I gave up reading X-Men after Zero-Tolerance, and started again with Morrison’s New X-Men TPBs and Whedon’s Astonishing, so I have a few gaps to fill (I tried reading Uncanny and X-Treme to fill those gaps, but couldn’t take it and had to stop).
A good amount of people had that problem with Uncanny and some of X-Treme. X-Treme was a separate group who left the mansion with Storm, incase you where wondering. Austin did Uncanny and he really confused the readers a lot..
When, and why, did Bishop stop being an X-Man and start being a federal agent?
Actually Bishop is still an X-Man. He’s part of Storm’s XSE group at the mansion now. District X I believe is what your talking about. You see XSE is a more law enforcement version of the X-Men. Bishop has taken on a policeman’s role in the group, often posing as an agent or officer in order to solve crimes
What’s Sinister been up to since I saw him last (trying to cure the legacy virus)? On a similar note, was anything more made of his comments that Cyclops had more than one brother (long, long time ago – right around the time Psylocke’s body / Kwannon’s mind was dying from the legacy virus, I don’t have an issue number, I’m afraid)? I always figured it would tie into Gambit’s past, but it wasn’t expanded upon before I stopped reading.
Actually the Third Summers brother plot line got phased out. They decided to leave that one alone. We don’t know who it is and there might never be an answer .
Sinister himself has actually not done too much. He had the help of the High Evolutionary who he had activate a satellite that reverted all mutant DNA to human DNA, stripping all Earth’s mutants of their mutations. He then mutated every human on Earth to use as lab rats. The X-Men stopped him in the end. Domina of the Neo started attacking Sinister’s labs and tried to kill him. Sinister went into hiding. He survived and when Colossus died he offered Night crawler a chance to bring back Peter as a clone. Kurt refused. Lately Sinister implanted himself into the reborn Weapon X Program as Dr. Windsor. He appeared to be saving mutants from the Neverland concentration camp, but in reality was bringing them to his secret lab and experimenting on them.
Finally, what was the X-Corps? I know Banshee had something to do with it, but I don’t know where to even begin in terms of finding the relevant comics (don’t even know if it was in an X-Men comic or if it had it’s own series). Where is Banshee now?
There’s actually two different groups called X-Corps or X-Corporation.
There’s Banshee’s group, which was organized to act as a global police force for keeping evil mutants in line.
This group consisted of Abyss, Avalanche, Banshee, Blob, Fever Pitch, Husk, Jubilee, M, Multiple Man, Mastermind II, Radius, Sunpyre, and Mystique
The group X-Corporation is actually part of Xavier’s group. They have groups in a few different areas of the world. Known group locations: Asia, Los Angeles, Paris, and Mumbai. It’s for mutants in times of trouble and in need or assistance or some place to stay.
Here’s all the known members in the group (many have left for other groups).
Domino, Risque, Empath, Magma, Skids, Sunspot, Cannonball, Darkstar, M, Multiple Man, Rictor, Sabra, Siryn, Feral, Warpath, Sunfire and Thornn
My buddies on the Bagged and Boarded boards asked this.
Who created the Cosmic Cube, or more precisely where did the original cosmic cube come from? I’m thinking that A.I.M created it, is that right?
The Cosmic Cube is an unimaginably powerful object capable of restructuring reality. A.I.M. manufactured the containing device but not the reality transforming energy itself. You see the power itself comes from the Beyonders a race of almost omnipotent other-dimensional beings.
There power is collected into the cubes using a process that makes the cube enter another demension, and then it absorbs the energy into it.
By holding the Cosmic Cube in their hands, the holder could do anything they wanted. They have the power of a God. Also it is possible for cubes to start developing a consciousness and personality of it’s own patterned after its holder.
Some of the cubes helped create such beings as the Beyonder, Molecule Man, Kubik, Shaper of Worlds and a few others.
Also note the full origins of the Cubes can go all the way back to the Skrull Empire. So even though the cubes we see the Red Skull holding are created by AIM the origins go back about a million years ago.
The follow up:
I have to admit that was great. One question though, was there more then one cube?
I knew about AIM but I didn’t now it goes as far back as Skrull. I always thought there was only one because it’s considered to be “Alladin’s Lamp of the cosmo’s” in a way. You find it you wish and your dreams come true.
Now I need to know more, what books can I read to research this?
That’s a good question. Here’s what I can tell you to do to get the Skrull connection.
For the Shaper of Worlds origins go to Captain America Annual # 7 where we learn more about the Cosmic cubes true creation and how his origin goes back to the original cosmic cube the Skrulls made.
If you ever wondered why he looks like a skrull you’ll find out why. Of course he’s appeared as mostly a Hulk foe but Captain America Annual #7 really explores some of the cube’s past.
Fantastic Four Vol.1 #319 explores how the Beyonder is connected to the Cosmic Cubes and we see him and Molecule Man merge into a Cosmic Cube.
They do separate but for a time the cube became alive and became Kosmos. Fantastic Four Annual #23
The Beyonders themselves actually appear in Marvel Two-In-One #63.
Also, the Red Skull has also used a Cosmic Cube numerous time in Captain America.
That’s it for today. Looks like my idea for a little top ten thing failed since no one voted for it. Ah no biggie. I’ll come up with something else. Daron would you like to sign off first?
Actually, I’d like to sign off last, but seeing as the column is already written and you wont see it again till after its up I guess I will go first…
Um…so yeah…I’m out!
Ok and now my turn:
1. Marvel.com vote of the week: Which popular alternate Marvel universe would you like to see the Exiles visit?
2. Marvels still got the cover of the Year voting going on with new a bracket. Check it out
Here
3. Wizard Fan award voting is still ongoing as well here
Now the classic sign off: Keep those emails and questions coming. Reporting from the Marvel Universe I’m Jim Trabold. Have a great week.
