Invisibility in fiction

Invisibility in fiction is a common plot device, found in both the science fiction and fantasy genres. In fantasy, invisibility is often invoked and dismissed at will, with a magic spell, a potion or a ring. In science fiction, invisibility is often conferred on the recipient as part of a complex process that is difficult or impossible to reverse, so that switching back and forth at frequent intervals is less likely to be done in science fiction.

Processes

Invisibility can be achieved by any number of different mechanisms, including perfect transparency without refraction, mechanisms that reroute light particles so that the subject is not apparent to viewers, and mind control techniques that cause the viewer's minds to simply edit out the subject. In the case of magic, often no attempt at explaining the mechanism is even used. In addition, there are many instances of imperfect invisibility such as cloaking devices in science fiction or the near-invisibility of fantastical creatures that are "out of phase" with this reality. In paranormal fiction, there can also be partial invisibility in that some people, such as psychics, may see invisible creatures or objects while others do not.

pecial effects

Strictly speaking, invisibility does not show up and so itself is not the subject of any special effects techniques, but the interaction of invisible subjects with the visible world does call for special effects, especially in the case of invisible people wearing visible clothing. Early films and television shows used wires and puppetry to simulate the existence of an invisible person, along with some scenes that used a matte process to delete certain elements in favor of the background. In "The Invisible Man" the initial shots swathed the actor's head in a black velvet hood and shot this against a black velvet background. Later, CGI techniques and green screens allowed for greater variety, such as showing rain drops on invisible man Chevy Chase in "Memoirs of an Invisible Man".

Films

*"The Invisible Man" (1933)
*"The Invisible Man Returns" (1940)
*"Invisible Agent" (1942)
*"Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man" (1951)
*"The Amazing Transparent Man" (1960)
*"Predator" (1987)
*"Predator 2" (1990)
*"Memoirs of an Invisible Man" (1992)
*"Invisible Dad" (1997)
*"Hollow Man" (2000)
*"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001) and its sequels
*"The Lord of the Rings film trilogy" (2001, 2002, and 2003)
*"The Incredibles" (2004)
*"Fantastic Four" (2005)
*"Hollow Man II" (2006)
*"" (2007)

TV shows

*"Danny Phantom"
*"Fantomcat"
*"Gemini Man"
*"The Invisible Man"
*Claude in "Heroes"
*Ord (when he gets scared) in "Dragon Tales"
*"Ea" in "Invisible Woman Ea" (Japan, 1998)

Novels

*"The Invisible Man" by H. G. Wells
*"The Invisible Detective" by Justin Richards
*"Memoirs of an Invisible Man" by H.F. Saint
*"Fade" by Robert Cormier
*"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and its sequels by J. K. Rowling
*"The Lord of the Rings"
*"The Glamour" by Christopher Priest
*"It's Magic, Charlie Brown, Charlie is turned invisible by Snoopy. That special marked the only time Charlie kicked Lucy Van Pelt's football.

Comics

*Several characters, including the heroine, in Translucent by Kazuhiro Okamoto.
*Invisible Woman of Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four
*Martian Manhunter of DC Comics' Justice League
*Calvin of "Calvin and Hobbes" imagines himself to turn invisible.

Video games

* Optic Camo soldiers, Fennek Stealth scouts and Akula MBTs in and High Treason
*Ghosts, Wraiths, Observers, Dark Templar, and Infested Kerrigan/Duran in StarCraft
*Active Camoflauge power in Halo
*Yautja Cloaking Device in Predator and AVP video games
*Cloaking device powerup in Super Smash Bros. Melee
*Spy cloak in Team Fortress
*Stealth Camo in the series Metal Gear Solid

Miscellaneous

*Dungeons and Dragons and many other Role-Playing Games use several methods of invisibilty, including magic potions, spells or devices.

ee also

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