Comics Scientific proof on what killed Gwen Stacy...

[cincy74]

Was it the fall or Spidey's webbing?

Professor James Kakalios recently gave a lecture on comic-book physics at a convention in the Twin Cities, and it's entertaining, engaging stuff:

Check it out.

BONUS: Check out the science behind Electro's powers here
There is also videos on Superman and the Atom on this page as well.

For more from the Professor, check out his informative book: The Physics of Super Heroes

 

[Dragon]

This has been around for a while. What the professor ( And Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas and the Green Goblin and fandom in general) apparently failed to consider is the elasticity of Spidey's webbing. Spidey's webbing would have stretched with Gwen to slow her fall, not suddenly stop it as the theory projects. In fact, if not for the elasticity, the webbing wouldn't have been able to snag Gwen at all, due to her velocity. So in "reality" The webline couldn't have killed Gwen.

Another thing that no one seems to focus on, is the blow the Goblin inflicted on Gwen to knock her from the bridge to begin with. His glider is metal and had to be moving at great speed for Spidey to not have been able to dodge the Goblin's attack. That hit would have easily been enough to kill Gwen. So technically, the Goblin was right the first time- she was dead before the webbing reached her.

 

[Ludachris333]

This has been around for a while. What the professor ( And Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas and the Green Goblin and fandom in general) apparently failed to consider is the elasticity of Spidey's webbing. Spidey's webbing would have stretched with Gwen to slow her fall, not suddenly stop it as the theory projects. In fact, if not for the elasticity, the webbing wouldn't have been able to snag Gwen at all, due to her velocity. So in "reality" The webline couldn't have killed Gwen.

Another thing that no one seems to focus on, is the blow the Goblin inflicted on Gwen to knock her from the bridge to begin with. His glider is metal and had to be moving at great speed for Spidey to not have been able to dodge the Goblin's attack. That hit would have easily been enough to kill Gwen. So technically, the Goblin was right the first time- she was dead before the webbing reached her.

it's interesting what you said about the glider, i've never thought of that before. But i still think it was the webbing as the professor said.

 

[Dragon]

Again, think about how Spidey's webbing works. The webbing has an elastic quality to it. Far more than a car's air bags as mentioned by the professor. For it to function as it does it has to have immense flexibility. It's basically like a bungy cord, which would have stretched to slow Gwen's fall rather than abruptly stop it.

If it was a hard substance, like rope, which would have generated the whiplash effect that supposedly killed Gwen, then it wouldn't have even been able to snare her leg. The line would have broken as Gwen continued to descend, before it could get a firm hold on Gwen's leg.

 

[storyteller]

The webbing may have finished the job but she was probably dying before the snap. I mean the hit and snap.

 

[Lt. Figgnuts]

I, personally, am willing to suspend logic and disbelief in this case, because the idea that Spider-Man inadvertently killed Gwen while trying to save her has always given the story an extra layer of poignaincy, IMO.

 

[The Joker]

Heh, then Spider-Man would be responsible for the death of both Gwen and her dad.

How does Peter sleep at night??

 

[The Amazing Lee]

With a nice comfy pillow?

 

[Venomfan]

With a nice comfy pillow?

MJ's nice comfy pillows

 

[Dragon]

I, personally, am willing to suspend logic and disbelief in this case, because the idea that Spider-Man inadvertently killed Gwen while trying to save her has always given the story an extra layer of poignaincy, IMO.

The poignancy lies in that Gwen was placed in jeopardy because of Peter. The physical act is immaterial. The Goblin is the only one responsible for Gwen's death.

 

[CConn]

I like the ambiguity of it all, personally.

 

[Joker]

if Spider-Man's web is so elastic, why isnt he flying all around like he would be swinging on a bungee cord while he web-slings?

 

[Lt. Figgnuts]

The poignancy lies in that Gwen was placed in jeopardy because of Peter. The physical act is immaterial. The Goblin is the only one responsible for Gwen's death.

Personally, I disagree. It all matters. Any way you slice it, Norman is no less guilty, and assuming that Peter's webbing was the thing that killed her, it was the Goblin that knocked her off and the Goblin that was responsible for her being on the bridge in the first place. I just think it's a bit more tragic if you choose to believe that the thing that killed her was Peter's webbing, even though she would have died when she hit the water anyway.

Any way you slice it, it's still one of the most definitive and important comic book story of the 20th century, years ahead of its time. I

 

[Dragon]

if Spider-Man's web is so elastic, why isnt he flying all around like he would be swinging on a bungee cord while he web-slings?

What are you talking about?

Edit-

Oh. I see what you're asking. Simple- he lets the line go and latches on to another one.

The movies actually show how the webbing and elasticity work. Look at the scenes when he saves MJ at the Untiy festival, when he saves May from falling in Spidey 2. If his webbing weren't elastic, May would have died the same way Gwen supposedly did.

 

[Dragon]

Personally, I disagree. It all matters. Any way you slice it, Norman is no less guilty, and assuming that Peter's webbing was the thing that killed her, it was the Goblin that knocked her off and the Goblin that was responsible for her being on the bridge in the first place. I just think it's a bit more tragic if you choose to believe that the thing that killed her was Peter's webbing, even though she would have died when she hit the water anyway.

Any way you slice it, it's still one of the most definitive and important comic book story of the 20th century, years ahead of its time. I

Exactly as you say- whether Spidey acted or not, she'd be dead (At least, that was the goal of the creative crew). So the fact that his webbing may or may not have caused her physical death is immaterial. The Goblin is the only person responsible for Gwen's death.

But- for Peter his personal guilt lies in that his life-choice placed Gwen in the line of fire. That's what keeps him up at night. That's why he says in ASM#122 that "Spider-Man killed her".

 

[freemadison]

I KNEW IT!!!!! I'LL HAVE THAT EXASPERATING WALL-CRAWLER SMEARED ON A WALL!!!!! I can see it noooow: SPIDER-MENACE MURDERS INNOCENT WOMAN!!!!

WHERE'S PARKER!?!?! HE ALWAYS SEEMS TO GET PICTURES!!!!

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Scientific proof on what killed Gwen Stacy...[/url]

There's no science behind Gwen's death, the yellow brick road or lightsabers. It's a story. It's fiction. What the author/artist creates is what happened.

 

[Captivated]

This has been around for a while. What the professor ( And Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas and the Green Goblin and fandom in general) apparently failed to consider is the elasticity of Spidey's webbing. Spidey's webbing would have stretched with Gwen to slow her fall, not suddenly stop it as the theory projects. In fact, if not for the elasticity, the webbing wouldn't have been able to snag Gwen at all, due to her velocity. So in "reality" The webline couldn't have killed Gwen.

Another thing that no one seems to focus on, is the blow the Goblin inflicted on Gwen to knock her from the bridge to begin with. His glider is metal and had to be moving at great speed for Spidey to not have been able to dodge the Goblin's attack. That hit would have easily been enough to kill Gwen. So technically, the Goblin was right the first time- she was dead before the webbing reached her.

There you go. I have always thought the same thing.

I had a doctor friend tell me that the way Gwen's neck was drawn was innacurate. As she was yanked upwards her neck would have snapped forward, hitting her chest, NOT backwards breaking it. He, like I, never considered the webbing wouldn't GIVE some when her fall was stopped.

The video on comic-book physics was funny though...

 

[Roachman]

she was dead already.

 

[Traveller]

This has been around for a while. What the professor ( And Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas and the Green Goblin and fandom in general) apparently failed to consider is the elasticity of Spidey's webbing. Spidey's webbing would have stretched with Gwen to slow her fall, not suddenly stop it as the theory projects. In fact, if not for the elasticity, the webbing wouldn't have been able to snag Gwen at all, due to her velocity. So in "reality" The webline couldn't have killed Gwen.

Another thing that no one seems to focus on, is the blow the Goblin inflicted on Gwen to knock her from the bridge to begin with. His glider is metal and had to be moving at great speed for Spidey to not have been able to dodge the Goblin's attack. That hit would have easily been enough to kill Gwen. So technically, the Goblin was right the first time- she was dead before the webbing reached her.

It was very interesting and convincing, thanks Dragon. ;-)

 

[Lt. Figgnuts]

So the fact that his webbing may or may not have caused her physical death is immaterial.

You make a good point, sir. I'm sold.

 

[ragingdemon155]

You know, the webbing has always been inconsistent. At time's its been shown to stretch but at other times Spider-man has latched it on to someone running away or a car trying to speed away and its come to a direct stop suddenly.

like someone else mentioned earlier, I personally always felt it added much more to the story that Peter could have been responsible for her death as the "snap" pretty much stated.

The best thing is the fact that Peter will never truely know and no one will. Was Gwen already dead or did Peter have a chance to save her but instead delivered the finishing blow himself?

That's the best part of the entire story to me.

 

[hulkamania85]

50kg? Where did he get his numbers from, Vicki Vale? According to:

http://www.spiderfan.org/characters/gwen_stacy.html

it would be more like 59 kg, meaning...her neck would have probably snapped even moreso. I have no idea how to do the rest of the math though. 1 kilogram =2.2 pounds is about all I got.

Not to mention with the retcon of Sins Past she would have had pregnancy weight too, despite that one time they were in the jungle (I can't remember who first brought up the idea that her in a bathing suit in the jungle in issue 100 something negates the idea that she was pregnant), and...well Sins Past just screws this all up JMS it's all your fault what the heck.

 

[Kahoot]

Those were quite funny...

 

[spideylover89]

Again, think about how Spidey's webbing works. The webbing has an elastic quality to it. Far more than a car's air bags as mentioned by the professor. For it to function as it does it has to have immense flexibility. It's basically like a bungy cord, which would have stretched to slow Gwen's fall rather than abruptly stop it.

If it was a hard substance, like rope, which would have generated the whiplash effect that supposedly killed Gwen, then it wouldn't have even been able to snare her leg. The line would have broken as Gwen continued to descend, before it could get a firm hold on Gwen's leg.

I agree with Dragon, the webbing isn't rigid enough to create the sudden stop that would have snapped Gwen's neck. If it were possible for spidey's webs to do that consider how many times he would have dislocated his soldiers trying to save himself from a close fall.