A researcher in Argentina has just published a paper entitled “How to Be a Superhero” in which he analyzes the social networks of superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. Here’s the abstract:
We analyze a collaboration network based on the Marvel Universe comic books. First, we consider the system as a binary network, where two characters are connected if they appear in the same publication. The analysis of degree correlations reveals that, in contrast to most real social networks, the Marvel Universe presents a disassortative mixing on the degree. Then, we use a weight measure to study the system as a weighted network. This allows us to find and characterize well defined communities. Through the analysis of the community structure and the clustering as a function of the degree we show that the network presents a hierarchical structure. Finally, we comment on possible mechanisms responsible for the particular motifs observed.
If I had read this paper in high school, when I was knee-deep in X-Men and Avengers comics, I might have become a data analyst!
[Hat tip: Data Mining: Text Mining, Visualization, and Social Media]
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