In addition to being a brilliant astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson has developed a reputation for “ruining” beloved sci-fi movies by way of pointing out any scientific flaws. Films like Prometheus, Interstellar, Gravity, and even Titanic have come under Tyson’s scrutiny over the years. Because comic book movies tend to play fast and loose with science fact, one might think the genre would regularly find its way into his pedantic crosshairs. However, Tyson is a comic book fan himself. And when it comes to the age-old debate of Marvel vs. DC, he actually thinks one superhero universe is more scientifically sound than the other.
“It’s obvious,” Tyson recently told ComicBook.com. “Marvel wins that contest hands down over DC Comics if for no other reason that almost, minus Thor and maybe one or two others that I’ve lost track of, almost everyone with powers in Marvel Comics, those powers are derived from something scientific that happened to them.”
Tyson went on to name-drop the origins of specific Marvel heroes in order to back up his argument.
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“[Spider-Man is] bitten while he’s in a biology lab where there’s a radioactive spider,” added Tyson. “There’s the Hulk, who… it was gamma rays. Everybody’s got a science-based story behind their superpowers, and that creates a fertile landscape that you can go back to if you need to. Plus, Banner was a medical doctor, for goodness’ sake. So, this has value.”
Despite his preference for Marvel, Tyson has shown up in the DC Universe on multiple occasions. He appeared in an issue of Action Comics in 2013, where he gave Superman a better idea of where Krypton was located.Tyson also had a cameo appearance as himself in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016. Tyson can currently be seen on National Geographic’s Cosmos: Possible Worlds; which premiered its second season last night.
What do you think about Neil deGrasse Tyson’s assessment of Marvel’s scientific accuracy? Let us know in the comment section below!
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