Reddit reviews The Physics of Superheroes: More Heroes! More Villains! More Science! Spectacular Second Edition

The Physics of Superheroes: Spectacular Second Edition by James Kakalios

>Description
>
>Since 2001, James Kakalios has taught "Everything I Needed to Know About Physics I Learned from Reading Comic Books," a hugely popular university course that generated coast-to-coast media attention for its unique method of explaining complex physics concepts through comics. With The Physics of Superheroes, named one of the best science books of 2005 by Discover, he introduced his colorful approach to an even wider audience. Now Kakalios presents a totally updated, expanded edition that features even more superheroes and findings from the cutting edge of science. With three new chapters and completely revised throughout with a splashy, redesigned package, the book that explains why Spider-Man's webbing failed his girlfriend, the probable cause of Krypton's explosion, and the Newtonian physics at work in Gotham City is electrifying from cover to cover.
>
>About the Author
>
James Kakalios is a professor of physics at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He has published more than one hundred physics papers and has conducted research on a variety of obscure physical phenomena. He serves as a science consultant on the adaptation of the graphic novel Watchmen into a major feature film.

There's also The Science of Superheroes.

>Perhaps movie director Kevin Smith said it best when he commented that it was a touch of the impossible that makes superheroes so appealing: "Nobody's built like superheroes are in the comics, women or men. If you were really as ripped as The Hulk, you couldn't leap from building to building -you'd barely be able to stretch enough to put on your socks."
>
>Gresh and Weinberg address this and many other blatant impossibilities in an absorbing collection of real-world science lessons that dissect, piece by piece, some of the central plotlines of most superhero comic book stories. Beginning with the "is there intelligent life on other planets?" question that revolves around Superman's origins, the book points out the many and varied examples of "pseudo-science" and assorted technobabble that form many a backstory.
>
>Each chapter begins with a well-known superhero's origins, along with a brief history of the storyline and developments along the course of that character's emergence as a popular genre icon. After this summary, a thorough (and merciless) scientific or technical debunking follows. The true nature of cosmic radiation and gamma radiation (the supposed genesis of Marvel's Fantastic Four and the Incredible Hulk) are explained. A brief history of the legend of Atlantis and some basic marine biology follows (erasing the likelihood of characters such as Aquaman and the Sub-Mariner). A lesson on arachnid physiology and behavior is examined, making Spider-Man's powers seem pretty far-fetched. A few fundamental premises about mass-energy conservation are reviewed, putting the idea of fifty-story giants or microbe-sized superheroes firmly outside the realm of believability, as well as the premise of high-speed heroes such as The Flash and The Avengers' Quicksilver...

Go pick up Physics of Superheroes if you're really interested, but the fact is that if you're suspending disbelief, doors are the least of the Flash's worries

For an interesting read on the subject, check out the book “The Physics of Superheroes” it is written by a Univ of Minnesota professor- see https://www.amazon.com/Physics-Superheroes-Villains-Science-Spectacular/dp/1592405088 for details.

(I am not affiliated with the link. Just found the book to be pretty good.)

Edit: replaced the short link with full-sized one. Thank you, /u/mynameisnotdoug, for the heads up!

Here’s a book suggestion:

https://www.amazon.com/Physics-Superheroes-Villains-Science-Spectacular/dp/1592405088/ref=asc_df_1592405088/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312061076565&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3382162951770719245&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011101&hvtargid=pla-432422731886&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62837065140&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312061076565&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3382162951770719245&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011101&hvtargid=pla-432422731886

Is it any good? I've been wanting to read that ever since I read The Physics of Superheroes

(Which is a very fun book)

Ah.. I recently found a book and have been reading and eventhough its catered to beginners it was quite interesting read. The name of the book was 'Physics of Super Heroes'.