Discussion:
What If in 1940 There Really Was a Superman, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olson?
(too old to reply)
Daniel
2009-10-15 18:36:56 UTC
Permalink
What if there really was a man named Clark Kent, who had superpowers?
What if
there really was a Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson?

Imagine, in 1940, a new reporter of the New York Times named Clark
Kent
is at the forefront of of a series of stories of a "phantom hero" who
has been
stopping crime in New York City? An attempted robbery is stopped
by a mysterious stranger who moves at such an incredibly fast speed
that only "a blue blur" is seen by witnesses (as in OLT is seen on
the Smallville TV program).

Perpetrators of crimes are wisked away against their will by this
blurred hero and left
inside New York City Police Headquarters. A series of attempted
shootings
are stopped by this fast-moving person- the intended victum is pushed
out of the
way before the bullet can harm them.

Mr. Kent seems to get the stories on these attemped crimes before
anyone else
at the New York Times is aware of them. As it turns out Mr. Kent is
not human-
though he appears to be one. He was found in a crashed, abandoned air
craft
which was unlike any on earth. A couple from a small town found him
as
an infant, among the wreckage of the craft. They raised him as their
own son
and named him Clark.

Back to 1940: Mr Kent has been a reporter for the New York Times for
the past five years and has won 2 majore journalism awards. He is
romantically
involved with another reporter at the Times, Lois Lane. He uses a
young
20 year old photographer, Jimmy Olson, to take the photos while Mr.
Kent
reports on the story.

In December, 1941, the Japanese military attempt a surprise attack
from their
aircraft onto the main Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. An amazing
thing
happens when the bombs fall from their airplanes. The bombs explode
in
mid-air, never hitting any of the U.S. Naval ships. A "blue blurr"
swirls in
the air, surrounding each aircraft and causing confusion to the
Japanese
pilots, who return their airplanes swiftly back to the aircraft
carrier from
which they came.

At this time, Clark Kenk was vacationing in Hawaii, on the same island
as
Pearl Harbor. He and his new wife, Lois Lane, were celebrating their
honeymoon.

President Franklin D Roosevelt, in Washington DC, is notified of
the attempted attack by Japanese forces and the mysterious
"blue blur" which seemed to thwart the attack.

Although the attack did not successfully occur, the President
addresses
the U.S. Congress to request a declaration of war, as Japan intended
to destroy the Pearl Harbor Naval Base. He also requests J. Edgar
Hoover,
the F.B.I. director, to launch a investigation into what- or who
prevented
the Japanese attack.

The police authorities are contacted about similar "blue blur"
occurances
in New York City, by Mr. Hoover, who believes this is the same "hero"
who stopped the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Would Clark Kent next do foreign correspondent reporting in Great
Britain,
representing the New York Times? If so, would a mysterious "blue
blur"
be reported as German military forces would return to Berlin, the
Nazis
abandoning all the countries they conquered?

Would, for no apparent reason, Adolf Hitler would be arrested and
executed
by German Army generals and executed- the Nazi forces then
surrendering
to the Allied forces? Would reports of a mysterious, fast-moving
"blue blur"
causing chaos in Berlin have anything to do with this?

Any feedback? (please be creative, not insulting)

-Daniel
Bucky
2009-10-16 00:05:05 UTC
Permalink
Post by Daniel
Any feedback? (please be creative, not insulting)
The PoD being that such a creature is physically possible, right? A
creature "named Clark Kent who had superpowers" isn't speculation on
the action of a human person--supposedly the basis for all history.So
first, could you specify the chronological point of departure in which
a human shaped being from another planet has (1) a dermatological
density thick enough to be impervious to bullets and even mortar fire,
(2) weight heavy enough to withstand being slammed by a careening city
bus, (3) strength enough to vault his own body's weight and density in
a leap over a multistory building, and (4) agility adequate to propel
said body weight at a velocity greater than a speeding locomotive.

What kind of being could even exist with such a supernatural
physiognomy? None in this universe within the context of known
physical laws. So please, with all due respect, elucidate me as to
what is you PoD. What is the change in physical laws of the universe
that occurred allowing this Kryptonian to exist.

The tell me how this universe of different physical laws allows a
rocket to travel from another star system to this one from an
exploding planet and for the passenger of that rocket not to age
beyond the development of a toddler.
Anthony Buckland
2009-10-16 21:19:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Daniel
Any feedback? (please be creative, not insulting)
The PoD being that such a creature is physically possible, right? A
creature "named Clark Kent who had superpowers" isn't speculation on
the action of a human person--supposedly the basis for all history.So
first, could you specify the chronological point of departure in which
a human shaped being from another planet has (1) a dermatological
density thick enough to be impervious to bullets and even mortar fire,
(2) weight heavy enough to withstand being slammed by a careening city
bus, (3) strength enough to vault his own body's weight and density in
a leap over a multistory building, and (4) agility adequate to propel
said body weight at a velocity greater than a speeding locomotive.
What kind of being could even exist with such a supernatural
physiognomy? None in this universe within the context of known
physical laws. So please, with all due respect, elucidate me as to
what is you PoD. What is the change in physical laws of the universe
that occurred allowing this Kryptonian to exist.
The tell me how this universe of different physical laws allows a
rocket to travel from another star system to this one from an
exploding planet and for the passenger of that rocket not to age
beyond the development of a toddler.
"Bucky" doesn't seem to be biting, so let one of strangely
similar name chime in.

The last question is the easiest, requiring only one
mother of a drive in his ship. Simple relativistic time
dilation. Get close enough to the speed of light, and
he could have gotten here between diaper changes
(self-performed). He would, however, have aged
during the acceleration and deceleration phases.
How much? Depends on how much his body, in
early development, could have stood in the way of
acceleration. A human, able to stand only about one
g over an extended period, would need a year for each
phase. Still toddler age, similar to what emerged from
the crash site in the first modern Superman movie.

High-density dermatalogical development wouldn't be
enough for the stopped bullet phenomenon. Consider
the most recent movie, with its slow motion close
focus study of a bullet not bothering his eyeball. But
consider also "Independence Day;" what he needs is
a physiologically powered force field, triggered only
by threats (otherside no smooching Lois). In ID such
a field showed an ability to stop even the radiation
from an H-bomb at point-blank range.

Stopping a bus, or locomotive, in its tracks needs
more than weight, it needs a stasis field, such as in
various Niven novels. The field absorbs the kinetic
energy, possibly storing it for later use, and the
contained body experiences nothing but the
psychological shock of a bus front suddenly
appearing at a millimetre or two in range.
The people on the bus probably die from the
deceleration. Collateral damage.

Leaping, flying, etc: use his fields for something
other than protection.

Regarding another post, sex: think of pictures
you've probably been sent multiple times in
emails, of really large dogs licking really small
kittens, non-destructively. Apply great delicacy,
and always retain enough control.

All of the above needs nothing beyond (ha!)
technology-presently-approaching-magic which
has been a staple in science fiction for a long
time. If you think _none_ of such technology
comes true, put yourself in 1930 and contemplate
the sudden arrival, from less than a century in the
future, of a MIRV individual warhead delivering
upwards of several hundred kilotons from
something that would fit in the back seat of a
Model T, plus a color camera phone about the
size of a Zippo lighter (that wouldn't be able to
call anyone), plus a laptop with a drive, containing
more knowledge than then existed, the size of
the label in the middle of a phonograph record.
Daniel
2009-10-16 23:08:45 UTC
Permalink
On Oct 16, 4:19 pm, "Anthony Buckland"
Post by Daniel
Any feedback? (please be creative, not insulting)
The PoD being that such a creature is physically possible, right? A
creature "named Clark Kent who had superpowers" isn't speculation on
the action of a human person--supposedly the basis for all history.So
first, could you specify the chronological point of departure in which
a human shaped being from another planet has (1) a dermatological
density thick enough to be impervious to bullets and even mortar fire,
(2) weight heavy enough to withstand being slammed by a careening city
bus, (3) strength enough to vault his own body's weight and density in
a leap over a multistory building, and (4) agility adequate to propel
said body weight at a velocity greater than a speeding locomotive.
What kind of being could even exist with such a supernatural
physiognomy? None in this universe within the context of known
physical laws. So please, with all due respect, elucidate me as to
what is you PoD. What is the change in physical laws of the universe
that occurred allowing this Kryptonian to exist.
The tell me how this universe of different physical laws allows a
rocket to travel from another star system to this one from an
exploding planet and for the passenger of that rocket not to age
beyond the development of a toddler.
In OLT, there has been some experiments with freezing a body of a
person
dying of a disease for which we do not presently have a cure.
You have probable read of this freezing of a body. The man or woman
does not age but is frozen in biological time.

If we on Earth have been writing and experimenting with this body
freezing,
imagine a society far advanced technologically from ours having
successfully freezing or suspending bodies for many years.

A baby for such a society (on another planet) would have no problem
freezing the baby's body so there would be no aging until
being "thawed out" on a destination planet.

-Daniel
Daniel
2009-10-16 23:01:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bucky
Post by Daniel
Any feedback? (please be creative, not insulting)
The PoD being that such a creature is physically possible, right? A
creature "named Clark Kent who had superpowers" isn't speculation on
the action of a human person--supposedly the basis for all history.So
first, could you specify the chronological point of departure in which
a human shaped being from another planet has (1) a dermatological
density thick enough to be impervious to bullets and even mortar fire,
(2) weight heavy enough to withstand being slammed by a careening city
bus, (3) strength enough to vault his own body's weight and density in
a leap over a multistory building, and (4) agility adequate to propel
said body weight at a velocity greater than a speeding locomotive.
What kind of being could even exist with such a supernatural
physiognomy? None in this universe within the context of known
physical laws. So please, with all due respect, elucidate me as to
what is you PoD. What is the change in physical laws of the universe
that occurred allowing this Kryptonian to exist.
The tell me how this universe of different physical laws allows a
rocket to travel from another star system to this one from an
exploding planet and for the passenger of that rocket not to age
beyond the development of a toddler.
Most likely, there is some type of life on other planets. If there is
an earth-like planet
that is the third planet from a sun (star) similar to ours in another
galaxy in the universe
(or polyverse, if you believer there is more than one universe)-
there would be another
planet with human-like life.

If you were a Superman fan, like I am, you remember the planet Krypton
had a "red Sun" with
a different radiation shining on the inhabitants of that planet. Most
likely, the OLT stars are
not all exactly like our "yellow" sun. This What If is more
improbable than impossible-
as we do not know the facts about life on other planets.

Superman was written in the 1930's. I moved my What-If to 1940. If
some humanlike creature
could somehow make it to Earth, and if the different level of sun
affect of our sun compared to
his planet's sun may have an affect on his biology, anything is
possible.

If you watch the television program Smallville, Clark Kent moves with
incredible speed- faster than
the eyes can see, except for a blur from his blue shirt. Like I
wrote- improbable, not impossible.
If such a person existed and came to Earth, whatever powers he might
have-if any-could be
used to help people.

What If's are mostly improbable- but not impossible.

-Daniel
Daniel
2009-10-16 23:14:20 UTC
Permalink
In the first three issues of Roy Thomas' ALL STAR SQUADRON, you may find
the whole tale of World War Two's beginning  as experienced by the
Justice League heroes. Confidentially,  the whole affair is greatly
influenced by a time-traveling villain named Per Degaton who wants the
USA to follow a "Jap First" policy.  
Answering your question, what good does it do the USA to have a virtual
God as one of its citizens? Even if Superman is a decent fellow, his
level of power means our continued lives and prosperity  have become
contingent on Superman's willingness to let our good fortune continue.
If something happens like Mark Waid's IRREDEEMABLE (published this year
by BOOM! comics), that superpowered individual can easily be the worst
tyrant in history.
You are right about that. However, we would hope he would be a friend
of mankind.
By the way, what if such an individual had only a couple abilities
other than
humans on this planet? What if he could only move extremely fast and
maybe leap
a large distance?

-Daniel
Daniel
2009-10-16 23:19:35 UTC
Permalink
in history.
I find more intriguing as to what happens on Kent and Lois's wedding
night. Presumably the supersperm, beyond the control of Clark shoots
out at superspeed, through Lois's body, the bed, the floor and impacts
two floors below as supermini bullets. Does Lois survive?  (I presume
a sheath is not needed since there is a better chance of Lois
conceiving with an oak tree, Clark's and Lois's DNA being so
completely unrelated)
And what about, if intercouse had somehow been normal, what type of
an offspring would be born to this couple? Interesting speculation.

-Daniel
Nirvanam
2009-10-17 08:35:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Daniel
What if there really was a man named Clark Kent, who had superpowers?
What if
there really was a Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson?
Imagine, in 1940, a new reporter of the New York Times named Clark
Kent
is at the forefront of of a series of stories of a "phantom hero" who
has been
stopping crime in New York City?  An attempted robbery is stopped
by a mysterious stranger who moves at such an incredibly fast speed
that only "a blue blur" is seen by witnesses (as in OLT is seen on
the Smallville TV program).
Perpetrators of crimes are wisked away against their will by this
blurred hero and left
inside New York City Police Headquarters.   A series of attempted
shootings
are stopped by this fast-moving person- the intended victum is pushed
out of the
way before the bullet can harm them.
Mr. Kent seems to get the stories on these attemped crimes before
anyone else
at the New York Times is aware of them.  As it turns out Mr. Kent is
not human-
though he appears to be one.  He was found in a crashed, abandoned air
craft
which was unlike any on earth.  A couple from a small town found him
as
an infant, among the wreckage of the craft.  They raised him as their
own son
and named him Clark.
Back to 1940:  Mr Kent has been a reporter for the New York Times for
the past five years and has won 2 majore journalism awards.  He is
romantically
involved with another reporter at the Times, Lois Lane.  He uses a
young
20 year old photographer, Jimmy Olson, to take the photos while Mr.
Kent
reports on the story.
In December, 1941, the Japanese military attempt a surprise attack
from their
aircraft onto the main Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  An amazing
thing
happens when the bombs fall from their airplanes.  The bombs explode
in
mid-air, never hitting any of the U.S. Naval ships.  A "blue blurr"
swirls in
the air, surrounding each aircraft and causing confusion to the
Japanese
pilots, who return their airplanes swiftly back to the aircraft
carrier from
which they came.
At this time, Clark Kenk was vacationing in Hawaii, on the same island
as
Pearl Harbor.  He and his new wife, Lois Lane, were celebrating their
honeymoon.
President Franklin D Roosevelt, in Washington DC, is notified of
the attempted attack by Japanese forces and the mysterious
"blue blur" which seemed to thwart the attack.
Although the attack did not successfully occur, the President
addresses
the U.S. Congress to request a declaration of war, as Japan intended
to destroy the Pearl Harbor Naval Base.  He also requests J. Edgar
Hoover,
the F.B.I. director, to launch a investigation into what- or who
prevented
the Japanese attack.
The police authorities are contacted about similar "blue blur"
occurances
in New York City, by Mr. Hoover, who believes this is the same "hero"
who stopped the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Would Clark Kent next do foreign correspondent reporting in Great
Britain,
representing the New York Times?  If so, would a mysterious "blue
blur"
be reported as German military forces would return to Berlin, the
Nazis
abandoning all the countries they conquered?
Would, for no apparent reason, Adolf Hitler would be arrested and
executed
by German Army generals and executed- the Nazi forces then
surrendering
to the Allied forces?  Would reports of a mysterious, fast-moving
"blue blur"
causing chaos in Berlin have anything to do with this?
Any feedback? (please be creative, not insulting)
-Daniel
Danny, I doubt if you'll get many people open enough to ride on the
fantasy. Fantasizing is a skill. Creative thinking itself need not be
random. I am an Innovation Professional and I know there are "laws"
called Fantasy Principles that we use in order to think creatively.
The field of Innovation has made creativity into a science. But, at
the very fundamental level it requires the individual to be willing to
free himself from psychological inertia. From your experience in
discussing with the group here, how many do you think have the
capability of breaking their psychological inertia? If its a decent
enough number then the post is rightly placed in this forum else you'd
be beating a dead horse.

To add my 2 paise to the fantasy I'd like superman to perform a more
proactive role than the current reactive one that you are describing.
For example, you point out that the bomb gets dropped in the skies of
pearl harbor and superman catches them. My superman would probably go
a little into the past and remove the condition that caused Japan to
enter the war. Similarly remove the condition that caused German's to
feel humiliated in the early 20th century for a Hitler to be born.
Maybe go back to the big bang and just for the heck of it reverse
progress of time on the space-time continuum so instead of growing old
we grow young! LOL!
Daniel
2009-10-17 22:38:49 UTC
Permalink
Post by Nirvanam
Post by Daniel
What if there really was a man named Clark Kent, who had superpowers?
What if
there really was a Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson?
Imagine, in 1940, a new reporter of the New York Times named Clark
Kent
is at the forefront of of a series of stories of a "phantom hero" who
has been
stopping crime in New York City?  An attempted robbery is stopped
by a mysterious stranger who moves at such an incredibly fast speed
that only "a blue blur" is seen by witnesses (as in OLT is seen on
the Smallville TV program).
Perpetrators of crimes are wisked away against their will by this
blurred hero and left
inside New York City Police Headquarters.   A series of attempted
shootings
are stopped by this fast-moving person- the intended victum is pushed
out of the
way before the bullet can harm them.
Mr. Kent seems to get the stories on these attemped crimes before
anyone else
at the New York Times is aware of them.  As it turns out Mr. Kent is
not human-
though he appears to be one.  He was found in a crashed, abandoned air
craft
which was unlike any on earth.  A couple from a small town found him
as
an infant, among the wreckage of the craft.  They raised him as their
own son
and named him Clark.
Back to 1940:  Mr Kent has been a reporter for the New York Times for
the past five years and has won 2 majore journalism awards.  He is
romantically
involved with another reporter at the Times, Lois Lane.  He uses a
young
20 year old photographer, Jimmy Olson, to take the photos while Mr.
Kent
reports on the story.
In December, 1941, the Japanese military attempt a surprise attack
from their
aircraft onto the main Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  An amazing
thing
happens when the bombs fall from their airplanes.  The bombs explode
in
mid-air, never hitting any of the U.S. Naval ships.  A "blue blurr"
swirls in
the air, surrounding each aircraft and causing confusion to the
Japanese
pilots, who return their airplanes swiftly back to the aircraft
carrier from
which they came.
At this time, Clark Kenk was vacationing in Hawaii, on the same island
as
Pearl Harbor.  He and his new wife, Lois Lane, were celebrating their
honeymoon.
President Franklin D Roosevelt, in Washington DC, is notified of
the attempted attack by Japanese forces and the mysterious
"blue blur" which seemed to thwart the attack.
Although the attack did not successfully occur, the President
addresses
the U.S. Congress to request a declaration of war, as Japan intended
to destroy the Pearl Harbor Naval Base.  He also requests J. Edgar
Hoover,
the F.B.I. director, to launch a investigation into what- or who
prevented
the Japanese attack.
The police authorities are contacted about similar "blue blur"
occurances
in New York City, by Mr. Hoover, who believes this is the same "hero"
who stopped the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Would Clark Kent next do foreign correspondent reporting in Great
Britain,
representing the New York Times?  If so, would a mysterious "blue
blur"
be reported as German military forces would return to Berlin, the
Nazis
abandoning all the countries they conquered?
Would, for no apparent reason, Adolf Hitler would be arrested and
executed
by German Army generals and executed- the Nazi forces then
surrendering
to the Allied forces?  Would reports of a mysterious, fast-moving
"blue blur"
causing chaos in Berlin have anything to do with this?
Any feedback? (please be creative, not insulting)
-Daniel
Danny, I doubt if you'll get many people open enough to ride on the
fantasy. Fantasizing is a skill. Creative thinking itself need not be
random. I am an Innovation Professional and I know there are "laws"
called Fantasy Principles that we use in order to think creatively.
The field of Innovation has made creativity into a science. But, at
the very fundamental level it requires the individual to be willing to
free himself from psychological inertia. From your experience in
discussing with the group here, how many do you think have the
capability of breaking their psychological inertia? If its a decent
enough number then the post is rightly placed in this forum else you'd
be beating a dead horse.
To add my 2 paise to the fantasy I'd like superman to perform a more
proactive role than the current reactive one that you are describing.
For example, you point out that the bomb gets dropped in the skies of
pearl harbor and superman catches them. My superman would probably go
a little into the past and remove the condition that caused Japan to
enter the war. Similarly remove the condition that caused German's to
feel humiliated in the early 20th century for a Hitler to be born.
Maybe go back to the big bang and just for the heck of it reverse
progress of time on the space-time continuum so instead of growing old
we grow young! LOL!
If you are a Superman fan, did you read
"When Parallel Worlds Collide"?
This graphic novel by DC Comics tells of
'parallel Earths". Maybe similar to
parallel universes theory-
There are 3 parallel Earths, each in a
parallel universe. On each is a Clark Kent,
Lois Lane and parallel for each person and
aniimal on Earth Earth One is our OLT planet.
On Earth Two, Clark Kent is editor of
the city newspaper, Supergirl of Earth One is
Power Girl and Clark Kent & Lois Lane are
married. Earth Three is one of opposites of
Earth One. President John Wilkes Booth
was assassinated in 1865 by the actor,
Abraham Lincoln, for instance.
Lex Luthor, the the villian of Earth One, is
President of the United States. Clark Kent
is a wanted criminal.
At the end of the novel, the three parallel Earths
merge, as the three universes merge also.

After this, there is one Earth, the one with
the Superman of the Golden Age of Comic
Books. If you get a chance, read this
graphic novel. It is very creative.

-Daniel
Daniel
2009-10-19 01:51:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by Daniel
Post by Nirvanam
Post by Daniel
What if there really was a man named Clark Kent, who had superpowers?
What if
there really was a Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson?
Imagine, in 1940, a new reporter of the New York Times named Clark
Kent
is at the forefront of of a series of stories of a "phantom hero" who
has been
stopping crime in New York City?  An attempted robbery is stopped
by a mysterious stranger who moves at such an incredibly fast speed
that only "a blue blur" is seen by witnesses (as in OLT is seen on
the Smallville TV program).
Perpetrators of crimes are wisked away against their will by this
blurred hero and left
inside New York City Police Headquarters.   A series of attempted
shootings
are stopped by this fast-moving person- the intended victum is pushed
out of the
way before the bullet can harm them.
Mr. Kent seems to get the stories on these attemped crimes before
anyone else
at the New York Times is aware of them.  As it turns out Mr. Kent is
not human-
though he appears to be one.  He was found in a crashed, abandoned air
craft
which was unlike any on earth.  A couple from a small town found him
as
an infant, among the wreckage of the craft.  They raised him as their
own son
and named him Clark.
Back to 1940:  Mr Kent has been a reporter for the New York Times for
the past five years and has won 2 majore journalism awards.  He is
romantically
involved with another reporter at the Times, Lois Lane.  He uses a
young
20 year old photographer, Jimmy Olson, to take the photos while Mr.
Kent
reports on the story.
In December, 1941, the Japanese military attempt a surprise attack
from their
aircraft onto the main Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  An amazing
thing
happens when the bombs fall from their airplanes.  The bombs explode
in
mid-air, never hitting any of the U.S. Naval ships.  A "blue blurr"
swirls in
the air, surrounding each aircraft and causing confusion to the
Japanese
pilots, who return their airplanes swiftly back to the aircraft
carrier from
which they came.
At this time, Clark Kenk was vacationing in Hawaii, on the same island
as
Pearl Harbor.  He and his new wife, Lois Lane, were celebrating their
honeymoon.
President Franklin D Roosevelt, in Washington DC, is notified of
the attempted attack by Japanese forces and the mysterious
"blue blur" which seemed to thwart the attack.
Although the attack did not successfully occur, the President
addresses
the U.S. Congress to request a declaration of war, as Japan intended
to destroy the Pearl Harbor Naval Base.  He also requests J. Edgar
Hoover,
the F.B.I. director, to launch a investigation into what- or who
prevented
the Japanese attack.
The police authorities are contacted about similar "blue blur"
occurances
in New York City, by Mr. Hoover, who believes this is the same "hero"
who stopped the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Would Clark Kent next do foreign correspondent reporting in Great
Britain,
representing the New York Times?  If so, would a mysterious "blue
blur"
be reported as German military forces would return to Berlin, the
Nazis
abandoning all the countries they conquered?
Would, for no apparent reason, Adolf Hitler would be arrested and
executed
by German Army generals and executed- the Nazi forces then
surrendering
to the Allied forces?  Would reports of a mysterious, fast-moving
"blue blur"
causing chaos in Berlin have anything to do with this?
Any feedback? (please be creative, not insulting)
-Daniel
Danny, I doubt if you'll get many people open enough to ride on the
fantasy. Fantasizing is a skill. Creative thinking itself need not be
random. I am an Innovation Professional and I know there are "laws"
called Fantasy Principles that we use in order to think creatively.
The field of Innovation has made creativity into a science. But, at
the very fundamental level it requires the individual to be willing to
free himself from psychological inertia. From your experience in
discussing with the group here, how many do you think have the
capability of breaking their psychological inertia? If its a decent
enough number then the post is rightly placed in this forum else you'd
be beating a dead horse.
To add my 2 paise to the fantasy I'd like superman to perform a more
proactive role than the current reactive one that you are describing.
For example, you point out that the bomb gets dropped in the skies of
pearl harbor and superman catches them. My superman would probably go
a little into the past and remove the condition that caused Japan to
enter the war. Similarly remove the condition that caused German's to
feel humiliated in the early 20th century for a Hitler to be born.
Maybe go back to the big bang and just for the heck of it reverse
progress of time on the space-time continuum so instead of growing old
we grow young! LOL!
If you are a Superman fan, did you read
"When Parallel Worlds Collide"?
This graphic novel by DC Comics tells of
'parallel Earths".  Maybe similar to
parallel universes theory-
There are 3 parallel Earths, each in a
parallel universe.  On each is a Clark Kent,
Lois Lane and parallel for each person and
aniimal on Earth  Earth One is our OLT planet.
On Earth Two, Clark Kent is editor of
the city newspaper, Supergirl of Earth One is
Power Girl and Clark Kent & Lois Lane are
married.  Earth Three is one of opposites of
Earth One.  President John Wilkes Booth
was assassinated in 1865 by the actor,
Abraham Lincoln, for instance.
Lex Luthor, the the villian of Earth One, is
President of the United States.  Clark Kent
is a wanted criminal.
At the end of the novel, the three parallel Earths
merge, as the three universes merge also.
After this, there is one Earth, the one with
the Superman of the Golden Age of Comic
Books.  If you get a chance, read this
graphic novel.  It is very creative.
-Daniel
This is the graphic novel I was writing about. CRISIS ON INFINITE
EARTHS is the correct title.
From website: http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=1332

"Written by Marv Wolfman; Art by George Pérez and others

This is the story that changed the DC Universe forever. A mysterious
being known as the Anti-Monitor has begun a crusade across time to
bring about the end of all existence. As alternate earths are
systematically destroyed, the Monitor quickly assembles a team of
super-heroes from across time and space to battle his counterpart and
stop the destruction. DC's greatest heroes including Superman, Batman,
Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, assemble to stop the menace,
but as they watch both the Flash and Supergirl die in battle, they
begin to wonder if even all of the heroes in the world can stop this
destructive force"

-Daniel
troll
2009-10-19 04:59:17 UTC
Permalink
The problem with superpowers, supernatural forces,
and magic in alternate history is that you have
to clearly specify how and under what conditions
these phenomenon will and will not work, for
one to be able to predict the course of human
actions and history when such changes to the
hypothetical universe are made.

One person might say that Superman could
not melt lead from laser vision coming from
his eyes in a room filled with 5% Krypton
gas.

Another person might say that a mixture
of 1% Krypton and 1% Xenon would work
just as well, whereas the first person might
deny that this mixture will work properly.

No one will say what will happen to
Superman if he is put in a basement filled
with Radon gas.

Since it is likely that persons in this
alternate universe might be vastly
affected by the nature of the superpowers
that are introduced, and they may
react accordingly based upon that
nature, then the what if, generally
becomes meaningless since the
nature of the activities of the persons
in that universe ,could be highly
different based upon specific factors
concerning those superpowers that
are not mentioned.

What if Luke could have destroyed
the Death Star? What if Luke
could not have destroyed the Death
Stare because his tie fighter did
not have the proper range to get to
it?

In these two different universes there
may be something called 'tie fighters',
and they might have slightly different
range, potentially producing different
outcomes.

If you go so far as to modify the entire
nature of the universe or give someone
supernatural powers, but then don't
even bother to mention what those
supernatural powers are, or how
the universe is actually modified,
and to what extent it remains the
same, then the speculation becomes
meaningless because vast factors in the
nature of the alternate universe which could
be described as different by different
persons, because they are unspecified,
will vastly affect the way that persons
in it will act and the way that history
will unfold there.

I say that Superman can simply
snap his fingers and make you
disappear. You say that he has
to pick up a mountain and toss
it at you before he can do that.
Someone else says that Superman
can not do either. Who is to say what is
right? If you clearly give a specific
modification to the universe and
then say no more than that,
then at least there is a basis to
speculate on what may happen
in that universe.

If the whole situation degrades into
a child like shouting match involving
something on the order of 'my Superman
is stronger than your Superman', then
it is meaningless. The two Supermans
are not the same Supermans. And they
are not even capable of interacting, because
they are in two different universes. One in
the mind of the first person, and one in
the mind of the second.

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