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		<updated>2026-05-23T20:54:49Z</updated>
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	<entry>
		<id>https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1792:_Bird/Plane/Superman&amp;diff=134496</id>
		<title>1792: Bird/Plane/Superman</title>
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				<updated>2017-01-30T17:40:37Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Gebhartj: /* Added reference to mid-ail of one A/C landing on the back of another. */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 1792&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = January 30, 2017&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Bird/Plane/Superman&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = bird_plane_superman.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = You can apply special translucent films to your windows to help keep birds/Superman from accidentally flying into them.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page.}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This comic is a logical comparison of observations to resolve the classic comic book trope of: &amp;quot;Look, up in the sky... It's a bird!... It's a plane!... It's Superman!&amp;quot;  Taking the random citizens' declarations at face value -- a quite exaggerated position -- this comic aims to help such clueless folks identify the airborne object.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The observations compared range from the mundane to the bizarre.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Notes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Mid-air sex involving planes is usually involving passengers (and potentially air crew), not the plane itself.  However, this may be referring to this incident where one plane landed atop another in mid-air:  http://avstop.com/news/plantcity.html&lt;br /&gt;
*Some planes may be able to intentionally purge their septic tanks mid-flight, depending on the design of the waste interlocks, especially assuming the controls are inside the cockpit or cabin.  As the TV show ''MythBusters'' has shown, a leaky septic disposal system can unintentionally lose liquid waste and cause a &amp;quot;blue ice&amp;quot; sighting on the ground.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
{{incomplete transcript}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| class=&amp;quot;wikitable sortable&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
! !! Bird !! Plane !! Superman&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Carries people || || ✓ || ✓&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Often flies in groups || ✓ || ✓ ||&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Created in 20th century || || ✓ || ✓&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Uses magnetic navigation || ✓ || ✓ ||&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Enthusiast community obsesses over small coloration details || ✓ || ✓ || ✓&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Preyed on by cats || ✓ || ||&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Occasional mid-air sex || ✓ || ✓ || ✓&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Eaten during seasonal feasts || ✓ || ||&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Propelled by flapping || ✓ || ||&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Sometimes loses ability to fly, needs to sunbathe to regain it || ✓ || || ✓&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Can take a punch || || ✓ || ✓&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Mating behaviour often observed by a hidden David Attenborough || ✓ || || Not that we know of&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Capable of intentionally releasing poop mid-flight || ✓ || || ✓&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Chases and eats bugs || ✓ || || Only when bored&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Gebhartj</name></author>	</entry>

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