October 29, 2008 

What’s That Smell?

Smells like bull:

COLORS DO NOT WORK THAT WAY!

Nor is that even what infrared (which is not hyphenated) even means.


  • Who me?

    I think what the writer meant was that infrared light is invisible to the naked human eye.
    As for the “so infra-yellow light is considered invisible yellow light.” I’m sure he meant to add, “But only to people who don’t know a darn thing about science. Or, in other words, comic book writers.” But he just didn’t have the room to write it.

  • Maniac Doc

    Just when you think they can’t get any worse at comic book science, they pull off something even more ridiculous than the last boneheaded, unresearched tidbit. I’m starting to wonder if they’re the ones responsible for the US’s sinking science education strength in the world.

  • Dierna

    Well why not…there’s Ultra Violet and Infrared so why not Ultra Green and Infrayellow.

  • Shiai

    The thing that really makes this bad science all the more galling is that editor Julius Schwartz majored in physics in college.

  • http://www.jlroberson.org JLRoberson

    Wait, infra-freakin’-yellow?

    No, seriously?

    Oh Julie. Who was also a science fiction editor back in the day. A short story writer who tried that would have had his story used as toilet paper.

  • onion3000

    Technically – As in ‘Lawyer-technically’ – it’s true. Infra-Yellow is considered invisible yellow light just as much as infra-red is considered invisible red light.
    ‘Just as much’ = nil.

  • sezaar

    I like this guy’s explanation:

    “Perceived color correlates not to light wavelength, but to ratio of
    wavelengths. Even different wavelengths in similar ratios can be
    perceived as similar color. And the perceived colors include yellow.

    Infra-yellow, then, refers neither simply to orange nor to entirely
    new spectral coordinates or exotic quantum characteristics of photons,
    but rather to different non visible radiation wavelength emissions
    within ratios similar to those in which visible light is perceived as
    yellow.

    Hence the invisible infra-yellow has the similar nullifying effects
    upon power ring energies as visible yellow light and pigments.

    That so many utterly different intelligent species are capable to
    perceive yellow, the wavelength ratios upon which power rings have no
    effect, is often cited as evidentiary support for Intelligent Design
    throughout the galaxies.”

    http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Rec/rec.arts.comics.dc.universe/2007-04/msg00665.html

  • Jon Snow

    Oh, not the intelligent design…again! By that logic, any colour could be deemed yellow, including blue, green, red, etc… It’s not about the colour name, it’s about objects property named colour. I I guess someone just told GL: “Damn, that thing is yellow. Your ring won’t work on it!” and he bought it, ignoring common sense, like with Intelligent Design theory.

  • http://slaymonstrobot.blogspot.com Brian Disco Snell

    You missed the worst part…the whole “infra-yellow” business was unnecessary because, as colored in the book, the damned monster actually is yellow!!!

    How dependent were Green Lantern stories on the stupid yellow gimmick that, just a few issues in, they have to invent even more ways for him to be powerless??

  • onion3000

    “…The damned monster actually is yellow!!!…” – Fair comment!

    If The Invisble Woman painted herself yellow, then turned herself invisible, would Hal’s ring work on her?

  • madwoman

    Off topic of infra-yellow, but “As the huge aquatic apparition spurts downward…” Am I the only one who finds that statement a little pervy?

  • sackett

    by madwoman

    Off topic of infra-yellow, but “As the huge aquatic apparition spurts downward…” Am I the only one who finds that statement a little pervy?

    madwoman found this site by googling “spurting yellow monsters”. :P

  • Powers

    Look, if unicorns can be invisible and pink, why can’t sea creatures give off invisible yellow light? After that, it’s just Mr. Jordan’s stupidity that causes him to call it “infra-yellow”. The narration box is just playing along, but secretly laughing at Hal behind his back.

  • Anderson

    GL´s neck is invisible too, because his head is stuck directly into his torso.

  • http://flickr.com/photos/sedary_raymaker/ Naked Bunny with a Whip

    Hal, stop staring at the sea creature’s ass. I don’t care if it’s fantastic, just stop it.

  • http://speedforce.org/ Kelson

    Now, let’s not get any colorless green ideas, here…

  • http://earinthefireplace.blogspot.com Daniel

    If The Invisble Woman painted herself yellow, then turned herself invisible, would Hal’s ring work on her?

    No, unless the yellow paint were composed of unstable molecules, because it would NOT turn invisible when SHE did.

    What joke?

  • Maniac Doc

    If Hal didn’t want us getting ideas, he wouldn’t spend his time chasing after presumably-nude humanoid fish creatures which he just happens to be unable to use his ring against.

  • Kyle

    “You missed the worst part…the whole “infra-yellow” business was unnecessary because, as colored in the book, the damned monster actually is yellow!!!”

    Hal was just saying that for the benefit of future “Showcase Presents” readers.

  • George C

    Black Hand Silver Age Master Plan #217:

    1) Obtain Infra-Yellow uniform.

    2) Kick Green Lantern’s Ass.

    3) Steal Power Ring

    4) Wealth and Babes!

  • Pingback: The Green Lantern Uniform is awesome but I loved it for infra-yellow « A Man With A Ph.D.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tenor-Walker/100000543102223 Tenor Walker

    What about Infra-Blue and Infra-Stupidity?