# Silly but logical questions about comic characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256 "2009-11-12T01:46:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/1 "2009-11-12T01:46:13Z")
It just occurred to me to wonder: is Oliver Queen (a.k.a. Green Arrow) any good with a sniper rifle? Would there be at least some overlap of innate skills (eye-hand coordination, etc.) or is his zen limited to being the Buddha of archers? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/2 "2009-11-12T05:59:14Z")
No evidence, but odds are he’d be pretty good, as his ward, Speedy, ‘grew up’ to be Arsenal, who was shown to be extremely good with all sorts of guns. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/3 "2009-11-12T06:13:30Z")
What happens if Magneto fights Electro? ---
**Author:** ![VanillaGorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@VanillaGorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanillaGorilla)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/4 "2009-11-12T10:00:13Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > What happens if Magneto fights Electro? Instant death to all, via black hole. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/5 "2009-11-12T10:24:22Z")
A sniper rifle’s kind of a different beast than a bow and arrow. Some of the talents could transfer over, but he doesn’t need nearly as steady a hand to keep an arrow mostly on target at the ranges he usually deals in, for instance. Do Green Lanterns often use their rings to conjure up items for…intimate use? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/6 "2009-11-12T12:09:54Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > It just occurred to me to wonder: is Oliver Queen (a.k.a. Green Arrow) any good with a sniper rifle? Would there be at least some overlap of innate skills (eye-hand coordination, etc.) or is his zen limited to being the Buddha of archers? FWIW, on Smallville he occasionally breaks out his crossbow instead of using regular archery and does just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/7 "2009-11-12T12:27:55Z")
One I asked a _loooooong_ time ago…can Daredevil drive a car? I mean, even aside from the technical problems (does vehicle speed effect his ability to “see”? What about the windshield?), does he even know _how?_ I mean, he’s blind, _and_ a New Yorker—where would he learn? And do they actually try and treat anyone at Arkham Asylum? You’d think a couple of Haldols and a Valium nightly would do _some_ good in a few cases. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/8 "2009-11-12T14:38:10Z")
It often occurred to me that many arch-fiends like Lex Luther employed ultra high-tech weaponry that must cost more than the GNP for most small nations - just to rob a bank! How much does the average bank hold in cash? A few hundred thousand? Why bother resorting to robbery when you have access to the kind of cash that can finance death-rays and the like? Where did Galactus get the raw materials to build his worldship? Every planet he comes across, he consumes. Why does **Dr.** Reed Richards use **Mr.** Fantastic as a code name? Why use code names at all when none of the FF actually hide their civilian identities? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/9 "2009-11-12T14:44:56Z")
Galactus is a survivor of the previous universe. Clearly, his ship came with him. ---
**Author:** ![Textual\_Intercourse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Textual\_Intercourse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Intercourse)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/10 "2009-11-12T14:56:57Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Do Green Lanterns often use their rings to conjure up items for…intimate use? Would you? Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/11 "2009-11-12T14:59:57Z")
Why does no one recognize Clark Kent as Superman? Just because he wears glasses? Please. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/12 "2009-11-12T15:00:41Z")
What the hell kind of superhero is Aquaman? Why did they put him on any Super-team? He really adds nothing to the table. How does superman shave? I wonder if there are any paparazzi photos of superheros adjusting their junk in their spandex. How’d superman get the idea to wear his undies _outside_ of his pants? And who told him that it looked cool and he should keep doing it? He should really super-heat-laser-vision their doors shut, that was mean of them. ---
**Author:** ![Levolor\_the\_Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc8723/32.png) [@Levolor\_the\_Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Levolor_the_Blind)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/13 "2009-11-12T15:12:27Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > What the hell kind of superhero is Aquaman? Why did they put him on any Super-team? He really adds nothing to the table. He brings the seafood course. > [@Todderbob](#): > > How does superman shave? He reflects his heat vision off of a piece of the Kryptonion rocket that brought him to Earth and burns off the whiskers. At least that’s how I remember from the reboot in the 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/14 "2009-11-12T15:14:01Z")
Super Friends has so very much to answer for. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/15 "2009-11-12T15:26:29Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > What the hell kind of superhero is Aquaman? Why did they put him on any Super-team? He really adds nothing to the table. He is KING of ALL THE OCEANS. He not only “talks to fish” but can COMMAND any sea creaure to do his bidding. He is tough and strong enough to go to the deepest parts of his realm without any ill effects. HE CUT OFF HIS OWN HAND TO SAVE HIS SON. He acts like an aw-shucks surfer dude because he has NOTHING to prove to _you_. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/16 "2009-11-12T15:28:11Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > He is KING of ALL THE OCEANS. He not only “talks to fish” but can COMMAND any sea creaure to do his bidding. He is tough and strong enough to go to the deepest parts of his realm without any ill effects. HE CUT OFF HIS OWN HAND TO SAVE HIS SON. > > He acts like an aw-shucks surfer dude because he has NOTHING to prove to _you_. Right, but the Super-Teams don’t meet under water. And crime never really happens under water. And… the best he can really do is help the coast guard rescue ships… he can’t do anything to help superman fight Lex Luther unless we come up with some weird convoluted plot development to make Lex Luther want to take over Metropolis – in Kansas – via the ocean. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/17 "2009-11-12T15:35:37Z")
Bah, you are thinking within a box of your own making. Next time the Sharkadian Harvesting Fleet comes to this solar system, are you going to call Green Arrow? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/18 "2009-11-12T15:44:02Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > And… the best he can really do is help the coast guard rescue ships… he can’t do anything to help superman fight Lex Luther unless we come up with some weird convoluted plot development to make Lex Luther want to take over Metropolis – in Kansas – via the ocean. Please don’t give Lex any ideas 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/19 "2009-11-12T15:46:56Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > How does superman shave? > > How’d superman get the idea to wear his undies _outside_ of his pants? And who told him that it looked cool and he should keep doing it? He should really super-heat-laser-vision their doors shut, that was mean of them. As Levolor mentioned, Supes reflects his heat vision to his own face. I remember this not from the TV series, but from an actual comic book, and I don’t recall if it was reflected off a piece of his ship or just a regular mirror. The outfit he wears, IIRC, is according to the traditional fashion stylings of Krypton. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256/20 "2009-11-12T15:50:33Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > As Levolor mentioned, Supes reflects his heat vision to his own face. I remember this not from the TV series, but from an actual comic book, and I don’t recall if it was reflected off a piece of his ship or just a regular mirror. I remember that comic, or at least a comic with that happening… I think it was a coloring book comic… It was Superman and that little evil elf guy, getting him to say/write his own name backwards. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silly-but-logical-questions-about-comic-characters/517256.md?page=2)