Proving a point, need some help.

[MatterEaterLad]

Well, I guess the ring works on yellowish-green but not greenish-yellow...

The electromagnetic spectrum is weeping...

[dto]

I thought in the Legion of Super-Heroes stories Superboy couldn't see through Inertron, the strongest metallic substance in the 30th Century.

[Captain Kal]

I believe in the Weisinger era when inertron first appeared, it was totally impervious to any Legionnaire's powers, Kryptonian-type or otherwise.  Superboy could not see through it.

Post Weisinger era, Inertron seemed to lose much of its invincibility.  Superboy and Ultra Boy were shown cracking the Miracle Machine's inertron cube though they stated if it were an inch thicker they might not have been able to do so.  Emerald Empress broke out of an inertron coccoon Element Lad formed around her.  Mon-El blasted through LSH HQ's inertron-lined walls.  I believe Superboy once looked at the Miracle Machine through its inertron cube to ascertain it was still safe in that era.  Superboy broke through tough inertron chains albeit with extra effort.  It was stated that Superboy could punch through Legion HQ's inertron-lined walls but he'd need to exert extra effort to do so.  Manhunter 'Laurel Kent' casually flew through LSH HQ's walls.

Note that in the DCH RPG which reflected the Post Weisinger era LSH, inertron was not a limitation on the visions of Supergirl, Superboy, Ultra Boy, or Mon-El.  Ultra Boy seemed to be limited by energy fields which was probably based on The Great Darkness saga reference.  The DC Who's Who similarly did not mention inertron as an X-ray vision limitation though it did for Ultra Boy (in the same sense that Star Boy's temporary comet-induced X-ray vision couldn't see through copper instead of lead or inertron).

[Uncle Mxy]

Inertron was the General Product hull of the Pre-Crisis and the scrith of the Post-Crisis, AFAICT (for those who have read some other Larry Niven works besides Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex).

The portrayal of x-ray vision has been inconsistent enough even without throwing lead into the picture.  Does he emit x-rays or not, and would he emit x-rays as part of the "heat" that heat vision could generate even if he couldn't see through things?  How does he know that Lois' underwear is "pink", when there's no visible light shined upon it?  How does he handle depth perception in the context of x-raying -- how does he figure out how not to x-ray the eye chart in the room next door so he can serve in the Army?  

Another idea I had about how x-ray vision works from decades ago involved the Phantom Zone, where really he's "projecting" his sight into the Phantom Zone and thus it can pass through things.  Of course, how the heck does the Phantom Zone work?  

Alan Moore's Supreme captured it best -- I see, I hear, I know.  

[Captain Kal]

Re: The Phantom Zone:

The Phantom Zone miniseries, Pre Crisis, showed us what we consider the PZ is really the outermost regions of a multi-region sentient alternate universe named Aethyr.  This sentient universe basically is where mind -- esp. its own Mind! -- is the prime determining factor.  Thus, you might have something there that being able to see through things via the PZ might be an option given the Zoners seemed to be able to see and hear anything anywhere in the tactile universe if they chose to do so (mental aspect).


I believe it was Moore who penned the last Pre Crisis Phantom Zone story where Myzptlk took over the whole shebang so he could have fun torturing the Kryptonians there 'cause it's so much fun.

Natch, the Byrning occurred right after so all of the above were retconned away.

[Super Monkey]

That was from the final issue of DC Comics presents, I belive. I wouldn't use that issue as gospel.

The only good thing about that issue was the artwork.

read a review here everyone: http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/pre-crisis-reviews/pre-crisis-mmrs-intro.php?topic=c-review-pc-dccp97

[Uncle Mxy]

The Phantom Zone miniseries, Pre Crisis, showed us what we consider the PZ is really the outermost regions of a multi-region sentient alternate universe named Aethyr.

My idea on the Phantom Zone predated that miniseries, back to when Faora was kicking butt on Earth and manipulating the lovestruck human guy.  FWIW, apparently the Aethyr makes an appearance in tomorrow night's Smallville episode.  

I believe it was Moore who penned the last Pre Crisis Phantom Zone story where Myzptlk took over the whole shebang so he could have fun torturing the Kryptonians there 'cause it's so much fun.

That was Steve Gerber's "The Final Chapter Of The Phantom Zone Criminals", which came out the same month as Moore's "Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow".

[RedSunOfKrypton]

I owe you one Mxy, I forgot about Smallville tonight.