My big ol' topic-o-questions. Answer away.

[Gary Thunder]

I know, I know, flood of topics, but this is the first time I've found a group of people who actually knows of the book Nuklear Age, so I'm giddy. This topic will contain all the minor little questions I have about the book that I don't want to make an individual topic for each one. The Zeerox topic is an example of an abject lapse of sanity on my part, so ignore it if you like.

1. According to one of Brian's posts in the Atomiknight topic, the superheroes shown in the book make up most of the superheroes on Earth. Isn't that terribly convenient, that all these superheroes JUST HAPPEN to be in the same city? Although now that I think about it, only a handful of them (Nuke, Sparky, Norman) are truly super-powered. Genius, the Minimum-Wage Warriors, Angus, Shiro, these guys aren't super-powered, they just have the benefit of technology on their side. And in Genius's case, incredible intelligence.

2. The TSMSWCAOAN. What are the odds of four super-powered individuals (or mediocre-powered, in Chronotor's case) teaming up with three fairly mundane others and becoming villains? These people represent a major percentage of the superhero population. What are the odds that they all met, had similar goals, and shared a low IQ?

3. Speaking of the TSMSWCAOAN, the subject turns to Zeerox. She's easily the most powerful of any hero on Earth. She could theoretically mimic Nuklear Man's power, Superion's power, or even Nihel's power. And yet she lumbers herself with those lumps? (I know I said this already. Shut up.)

4. If Angus founded the International Dwarven Warrior's Guild and patrols the streets of Metroville, where's the American Dwarven Warrior? Is he in Scotland?

5. How, precisely, did Nuklear Man defeat Variel? I don't get it at all.

6. Is Norman alive or dead at the end of the book? Genius makes mention that he's in a Scientific: Suspension Chamber, and that "nothing will keep us apart", but does that mean she's going to resuscitate him or kill herself to join him in death?

7. Why didn't Radar attack Nihel? Was he killed by Crushtacean? I was under the impression he was just cartoon-flattened and that he would appear in the next scene. This book does not follow conventional physics, after all. (Nuke's regenerating cape leaps to mind.)

That's all I can think of, for now. More will almost certainly come later.

[Kurosen]

Isn't that terribly convenient, that all these superheroes JUST HAPPEN to be in the same city?

Yup. I believe Genius says as much at one point. "It's always Metroville," or something to that effect.

Überdyne, for whatever reason, was founded in Metroville. Since that's where Dr. Genius works, that's where she lived. Same for Dr. Menace. And when she quit, she wanted to fight Genius so why not live near enough to be a bother.. When Nuke arrived there, well, it's a somewhat natural that when he started hero-ing, people would start villain-ing nearby as well.

What are the odds of four super-powered individuals (or mediocre-powered, in Chronotor's case) teaming up with three fairly mundane others and becoming villains?

Apparently it's 100%!

the subject turns to Zeerox. She's easily the most powerful of any hero on Earth.

We're never shown the degree to which she can mimic powers. That is to say, does she get the full thing, 50%, 10%, is there a natural cap to any power she copies, can she only copy a certain number at a time, are certain powers beyond her abilities?

where's the American Dwarven Warrior?

Probably in a foreign country somewhere telling them how to run their nation.

How, precisely, did Nuklear Man defeat Variel? I don't get it at all.

Variel was a living inversion of space-time, I suppose. He was, effectively, nothingness given a form in our world. Probably an experiment in theoretical matter/space on Nihel's part. When Nuklear Man was inside of that nothingness he freaked out. In his panic, a little bit of Arel peeked through and unleashed some of his power. It effectively created space where there was none before. He gave Variel, a null-space thing, a little taste of the Big Bang, and thus created depth, length, and width within Variel. The inversion of space that was Variel came undone.

Number 6: If Norman is alive in any way, it's completely alien from anything we may understand as life.

Why didn't Radar attack Nihel?

Radar's joke was "over" in a sense. There was no need to bring him back. He probably had his hands full desperately trying to keep the peace when traffic everywhere went insane.

[Gary Thunder]

Righty-ho. That answers all of those. One other thing, though.

Why is a singularity of matter a point of infinite mass?

I may have an answer for this, though. Prepare yourself for a Physics I-borne techno-babble BS masterpiece.

A singularity is a single point. Thus, it is zero-dimensional - it has no dimensions, no length or width or height. It cannot exist in this universe - a three-dimensional (four-dimensional?) universe will have a tough time accepting a zero-dimensional object. Regardless, if one were to appear, its dimensions would be null. Given a three dimensional object, one reads its measurements according to its dimensions. Say a cube of stone, one foot to a side:

1 ft. (length) by 1 ft. (height) by 1 ft. (width).

But a singularity, having no dimensions...its measurements would read like so:



(Note: No spoiler text there, it's intentionally left blank.)
See? It has null for its measurements and thus its mass. But wait! You get the same result if you divide any number by zero! Two equations resulting in the same result equal each other. (If a=b and b=c, then a=c. That's...some dang property of math, I forget which.) Therefore, the dimensions of a singularity of matter can be expressed by the equation 1/0.

Look at a graph of 1/X for a minute. See? It asymptotically curves towards infinity if you approach zero from the right, and it asymptotically curves towards negative infinity if you approach zero from the left. Which explains why 1/0 is undefined and not infinity or negative infinity. But negative mass is impossible! Even more impossible than a singularity! (Going back to our block of stone that's 1 cubic foot, cut 2 cubic feet of stone away from it. What do you have? Nothing that can be reasonably expressed as existing.) Therefore the domain of our 1/X graph is now X is non-negative. It must be either positive or zero.

Since we're taking this at 1/0, let's look at our graph now. Great Scott! 1/0 is infinity!

Thus, a singularity of matter is a point of infinite mass.

But what's a singularity of energy? Other than a Nova Rage?

[Thought]

If I might take a crack at question # 6...

We are told that Norman is solid metal. That is, he doesn't have metal bones, a metal heart, etc. Just metal. Nihel melted him, but it isn't like there were any internal structures that were damaged. That is, if we may extract the lack of metal bones to a lack of a metal brain. So even though Norman was melted, whatever contains his conciousness would reasonably still be there. Presumably, Dr. Genius hopes to be able to re-order Norman's body so that it allows him free movement again. Of course, he has undergone a whole lot of pain and, probably, sensory deprivation, so who knows what mental condition he'll be in when/if he is returned to active status.

Of course, I doubt we've seen the last of Angus either. Oh, I doubt he will be back in an active sense, but Brian DID introduce, through reference, Odin and Ragnarok. So, logically, there is also a Valhalla and if there was ever a warrior who deserved to go there, it is Angus.

[Gary Thunder]

I agree, pretty much. But being that Angus already VISITED Valhalla on his drinking spree with Shamus, I'd say he'd end up there. He did die in battle, after all.

[Kairamek]

Originally Posted by Kurosen

When Nuklear Man was inside of that nothingness he freaked out.

That was a tactical expansion burst of solar plasma energy. Heroes do not "freak out."

Originally Posted by Gary Thunder

But what's a singularity of energy? Other than a Nova Rage?

If a singularity of mass is the center of a black hole, than a singularity of energy is center of a white hole. Which would probably be the other side of a black hole. And for clarification, a singularity is formed when the density of an object goes to infinity (density = mass / volume, as volume aproaches 0).

[Gary Thunder]

Originally Posted by Kairamek

That was a tactical expansion burst of solar plasma energy. Heroes do not "freak out."

No, that was a random freak-out. Heroes don't? Nuklear Man does. I don't think he knew quite what he was doing, even while he was doing it.

Originally Posted by Kairamek

If a singularity of mass is the center of a black hole, than a singularity of energy is center of a white hole. Which would probably be the other side of a black hole.

But that makes no sense. Other side? Aren't black holes the same from all angles? Or do you mean "other side" as in they're wormholes which open up elsewhere as white holes? It's just a glob of really, really, REALLY dense matter. Why would it be a transport system? And what could survive the transit? Bearing in mind this is all purely theoretical.

Originally Posted by Kairamek

And for clarification, a singularity is formed when the density of an object goes to infinity (density = mass / volume, as volume aproaches 0).

Infinite density implies infinite mass. Infinite mass would have infinite gravity, which would inhale the universe. I find myself doubting that actual zero-dimensional objects exist in this universe.

[Kairamek]

Ask Dr. Hawking. He's the man. But yes, my limited knowledge tells me that the theory is a black hole dumps somewhere. It has something to do with moving at the speed of light and gravitational curvitures of space. As for the implied infinite mass, look at your own bullshit explination. D=M/V as V=>0 is the same as y=1/x as x=>0 It doesn't matter what constant is on top, as the bottom number goes to 0 the function goes to infinity. (For the record 1/0 does not equal infinity, it is undefined) Ergo mass does not have to infinite because the volume of that mass is getting close to 0, thus compacting the mass into a single point. And how would you know if something with negative dimentions existed here. We probably wouldn't be able to see it. On a side note, have you heard of a "Suspention of Disbelief?" Makes Sci-Fi alot easier to read.

Lastly, that "Hero's don't freak out," thing was from the book.

[Gary Thunder]

Originally Posted by Kairamek

It doesn't matter what constant is on top, as the bottom number goes to 0 the function goes to infinity.

Or negative infinity, if the constant on top is negative. But you can't have negative mass, volume, OR density; so we can assume the constant is positive. However, when you're talking about zero-dimensional objects existing in a three-dimensional universe, maybe negative mass is feasible.

Another question: If Shiro's suit has the ability to change reality, why doesn't he just run up to Nihel and, say, turn him into a kumquat? Likely Nihel would be amused enough at his presence to allow him one attack, and if he can really change reality the way Nihel can, that's the ball game.

[Kurosen]

Well, Shiro's super special attack/power just gives him a special affinity with machines. He kind of unlocks what they ought to be or could be. Sorta. Hard to explain.