astronomy

Planet Master

Planet Master is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Planet Master rather than just read about it. In short: Planet Master is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comics published by DC Comics. The first Planet Master, a scientist called Irving Norbert and his lab assistant, who would later take on the name and costume, first appeared in Detective Comics #296 in October 1961.

Key takeaways

Planet Master belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Planet Master to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Planet Master from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Planet Master is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comics published by DC Comics. The first Planet Master, a scientist called Irving Norbert and his lab assistant, who would later take on the name and costume, first appeared in Detective Comics #296 in October 1961. The characters were created by writer Bill Finger and artist Jim Mooney.

Fictional character biography

Professor Irving Norbert is a scientist who was exposed to the gases of a meteor. The result caused him to develop a split personality, with his alternate personality turning to a life of crime. Using his knowledge of astronomy, Norbert becomes a costumed villain named Planet Master, utilizing weapons based on the nine planets. He managed to outwit Batman and Robin in the first battle. Norbert's unscrupulous assistant Edward Burke discovers the double identity of his boss and decides to either join forces with Planet Master or to use his equipment on his own. Ultimately though, the effects of the gas wear off. Norbert's criminal self is erased and Batman brings Burke to justice.

Second Planet Master When Kobra creates a strike-force called Strike Force Kobra to usurp Stagg Enterprises in his goal of world domination, one of the villains he recruits, Edward Burke, is patterned after the original Planet Master. This version is able to simulate the conditions of the other planets in the Solar System. He, alongside the other members of Strike Force Kobra, battles the Outsiders. Planet Master appears during the Infinite Crisis storyline as a member of Alexander Luthor Jr.'s Secret Society of Super Villains. He participates in the Battle of Metropolis alongside Strike Force Kobra teammates Zebra-Man and Spectrumonster.

Powers and abilities The first Planet Master uses weapons based on the planets. The second Planet Master can simulate the conditions typical to any of the nine planets in the Solar System. For example, he can use the speed of Mercury, the heat of Mars, the strength of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, and the cold of Pluto.

In other media An amalgamated incarnation of Planet Master appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Stephen Root. This version resembles Irving Norbert and possesses similar powers to the second Planet Master. Edward Burke appears in the Batman: Arkham Knight DLC "A Matter of Family" via audio tapes, voiced by JB Blanc. This version was a billionaire whose daughter was dying of cancer. He was approached by Dr. Penelope Young, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, and the Joker under the alias of Jack White, who claimed they would cure her while Burke built the Seaside Amusement Park as a favor to White, though Burke's daughter died anyway. Devastated, Burke gave ownership of the park to White and was driven to suicide, unaware that the pills he used were laced with Joker venom.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Planet Master

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Planet Master claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Planet Master before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Planet Master ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Planet Master

In research: Planet Master appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Planet Master in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Planet Master is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Characters created by Bill Finger, Characters created by Jim Mooney, Characters created by Mike W. Barr, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Planet Master outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Planet Master in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Planet Master means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Planet Master out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Planet Master in simple terms?

Why does Planet Master matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Planet Master?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Planet Master.