Comic Book Science

So there's this concept I've been meaning to share with you lot and this is a writing concept that goes above and beyond suspension of disbelief and that is something I call "comic book science". Wanna know more, let's dive in and figure out what it's all about.

A lot of writers these days will do their due diligence when writing scientific jargon for a character who's supposed to be smart or is a scientist, but one of the major keys of being a writer is the simple fact that YOU (the writer) are in control of LITERALLY everything you write and therefore can play fast and loose with anything you choose too (even God...looking at you "Supernatural"...I've got my eye on you...). What I mean is you don't have to have a PhD or even know anything about science to write a scientist IF you appeal to Comic Book Science. What is "Comic Book Science"? Comic Book Science is the simple notion that if you can offer a semi explanation for what you present in your story then that establishes the function of science in the universe you have created. For example, if one were to get struck with a massive load of gamma radiation the last thing you'd turn into is a large green rage monster...you'd be DEAD. But in the MCU your chances of survival...eh...pretty high.

Look at what cancer does to you!

We know that getting bit by a radioactive anything won't transfer their abilities to you, we know that evolution won't result in people being able to literally control the weather, we know that being altered genetically won't be extended to the clothes you're wearing (looking at you Fantastic Four) and yet these are ideas and concepts widely accepted in comic books and literally none of it makes sense. No, it doesn't, all of it is very goofy and silly but we accept them because there is a semi sorta sciencey-sounding explanation to it...hence COMIC BOOK SCIENCE! 

Now to be completely fair, comic book science doesn't lend itself to complete and utter B.S., no, especially if you (the writer) violate the rules you established in your universe, and by that I mean Bruce Banner suddenly realizes he's been hit with gamma radiation and develops cancer, or Spider-Man develops cancer...or any character who's been in touch with anything radioactive for a prolonged period of time or somehow has it woven into their DNA develops cancer (looking at you Lex Luthor...poor bastard lost a hand to cancer). These would be violations because in the Marvel Universe radiation doesn't function the way it functions here in reality, comic book science dictates that radiation can do a number of things to you but killing you is probably #5 on that list.

So by this standard of accepting comic book science, one can't complain when a movie implements its own form of comic book science. A perfect example of this would be "Southland Tales", in "Southland Tales" the slowed rotation of the Earth (caused by the harvesting of a force that is linked to Earth's gravity) is throwing off the equilibrium in the human brain causing people to go insane...this is of course nonsense but only in reality, the realm of "Southland Tales" it's a perfectly plausible explanation for everything going on. Yet there are certain elements who think that questioning this is perfectly rational while accepting beings like The Incredible Hulk, you cannot accept one and not the other. The only time comic book science can be discarded is if the world you're presented with shows itself to be completely like our own world. For example, I wouldn't expect James Bond to start shooting laser beams from his eyes, because of the most part the Bond universe has presented itself as a world based in reality, however if the Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles travel through time, my reaction is "Okay." because we're already in a world where there are anthropomorphic turtles who are ninjas, we're passed the realm of reality with the title.

Yes, I am justifying this movie, FIGHT ME!

In a similar fashion once fantastical elements are introduced into a work the addition of more fantastical elements cannot and must not be farfetched. As I told my wife if aliens suddenly abducted Rick in "The Walking Dead" I would say "That's a stupid choice for a writer to make." but I can hardly say it makes no sense because we're in a world where there are zombies, the fantastical is already here, just the question of "How fantastical can we get?" has to be answered. Or I'll do you one better, in the most recent "Jurassic Park" film it was revealed that one character was a clone, the rationale being, if one could clone dinosaurs and genetically alter them, one can clone and genetically alter humans as well, hence the natural progression of fantastical elements came to its logical conclusion based on the "science" presented.

Comic book science is essentially a get out of jail free card for needing to explain something that you know is batsh*t crazy but you need an explanation for it, no matter how flimsy or unrealistic it may be, be it dosing of random chemicals and lightning bolt, stardust, gamma radiation, or a nibble from a radioactive insect comic book science covers all of this if you can coat it in science language and make it work. So I hope you guys take Comic Book Science into consideration next time you write something, consider the science of your universe and consider just how strange your universe is and where the line of fantastical is. Catch ya'll later.