I Need That In My Rumpus Room: Glowing Neon Skeleton
First of all, the glowing gas isn't actually neon, it's krypton. I just didn't want to say that in the title because then you'd all think, "Oh shit, Superman's planet didn't blow up after all?!" and then it would be a giant nerd fight and that's the last thing I need right now. This is a relatively anatomically correct glass sculpture from artist Eric Franklin. Take it away, Eric! *ahem* I said, TAKE IT AWAY, ERIC.
Every glass seal has to be perfect, and this piece contains hundreds. Everywhere one tube joins another, or a tube terminates, glass tubes were sealed together. They have to be perfect in order to preserve the luminosity of the krypton. If one rogue molecule gets inside the void of the glass tubing it can eventually contaminate the gas and it will no longer glow. There are times when the holes in the seals are so small that you cannot actually see them with your eyes without the help of a leak detector. Once the glass pieces are ready to get filled with gas, I pull a high vacuum while the glass is hot in order to evacuate any dust or water vapor from the interior surface until there are literally no molecules inside the void of the glass. Then the krypton can be introduced and the glass sealed off. It's an extremely tedious process, one I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with.
Did you read that? Of course you didn't, you were still thinking about Superman's home-world and how to locate a piece of it. Regardless, you know what's cooler than a skeleton made of glass and glowing gas? A skeleton reinforced with adamantium. You hear that, Wolverine? You don't know how good you have it!
Hit the jump for a bunch of closeups and a full body shot.
Thanks to Marie, who agrees a skeleton made out of diamonds would be pretty cool too but only if you're the one who owned it otherwise it would just make you jealous.