Comments on: Conclusion to “A Week of December 18 Story”

By: Michael Suttkus, II

Michael Suttkus, II — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 07:34:20 +0000

It’s probably WAY too late to post this here, but I thought I’d point out that nuclear radiation does not, in general, glow. Well, not to the degree that it would be detectable to the human eye. The idea that it glows does, indeed, come from the use of combined radium/phosphorous paint to make pleasingly glowing clock faces. It is the phosphorous that is glowing, though, the radiation is just exciting the phosphorous atoms so that they do. If you don’t know the story of how we discovered this was a terrible idea and don’t know the meaning of the phrase “Radium Girls”, you should look the later up on Wikipedia. Seriously, It’s horrible and ugly, but you owe it to yourself to read about this.

The blue glow mentioned is called Cherenkov radiation, and, again, it’s not really the radiation that’s glowing but the water around a highly radioactive source. Well, technically, any light is radiation, but that’s not what non-scientists mean when they say radiation. That is, Cherenkov radiation isn’t nuclear radiation and won’t harm you. Though the radiation causing the Cherenkov radiation may well harm you if you’re close enough to see it.

By: Arturus Magi

Arturus Magi — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 07:07:18 +0000

In reply to sloebote. That is still the most common orientation for electrical outlets, despite recommendations otherwise.

By: sloebote

sloebote — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 10:37:12 +0000

Um. You drew the wall outlet upside down. In the commonly shown *smiley face orintation*. It is possible for a very young Helen to begin her electrical studies by slightly yanking on a cord, exposing the upper two prongs, and laying a fork, screwdriver or other implement across them…

By: Amy Fiori (amy82986)

Amy Fiori (amy82986) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:37:45 +0000

I think the green glow thing is because, before it was known to be dangerous, radium was used to make glowing green paint for watch faces. Since radium was among the first-discovered and best-known radiation sources, the green glow was associated with radiation in general.

By: ribbles (ribbles)

ribbles (ribbles) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:37:44 +0000

I honestly did not realize that was the same Mell until right now.

By: Pete (westrider)

Pete (westrider) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:37:43 +0000

OK, I can't find it right now, but I read somewhere that when your eyes get burned out by a too heavy burst of radiation, the last thing you see is a green flash. Something about the way your brain compensates for that particular type of overload.

Most radioactive sources in fact glow blue, but you're only gonna get to see that from the other side ofa couple of meters of water, most of a foot of heavily leaded glass, or the grave.

By: Leon Arnott (l)

Leon Arnott (l) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:37:42 +0000

"Man, if there's anything I enjoy more than drawing little-kid versions of Helen, it's drawing little-kid versions of Dave."
And yet, the spinoff you inevitably produced was Li'l Mell. (Seemingly, your attempt to insert li'l versions of all three protagonists into later storylines exceeded even your considerable abilities?)

I wonder, was the first occasion where glowing green was associated with radioactivity? Superman, or earlier than that?

Did Dr. Narbon really need the pistol in page 2 panel 1? Surely her reputation precedes her!

And thus ends the mandatory holiday parody arc. The Narbonic comic would never veer any closer to transforming into Sluggy Freelance, except for that Insanity Claus arc this time next year.