Originally posted by DarkSaint85
It's probably because I am so pigheaded, but to me it wasn't inconsistent - but then, I am obviously extremely biased, because I think I am right.Pak made it circular - a Herc measures mystical energy radiation, and the maximum energy expended when Hercules threw his best punch is 1 Herc. If your device only picks up mystical energy (because that is what you're studying), then the maximum energy you are measuring that has been expended by Herc would only be the mystical part of the punch.
Then it's applied to all the creatures splashed by the Wishing Well, as it's pretty mythological (it was the Fountain of Youth iirc). Cosimo is then able to track and measure how powerful these guys were, by tracking the mystical radiation coming off their skin. Those kids then can use her equipment, and track Baba Yaga's house down from the mystical radiation it emits.
And Pandora's Box? Incredibly mystical. It doesn't mean that it's incredibly strong, however, or that it going off in your lungs = 133.45 times Hercules' best punch. It means it was 133.45 times as magical as the MYSTICAL energy expended by Hercules' best punch.
Does that mean that, say, an Imperiex Probe wouldn't hurt Hulk's internals? No - not based on this showing. There are other Hulk durability showings to make one's case, but this is not it for non-mystical attacks.
Again, it doesn't directly measure the force of the punch, but instead it is determined that the unit of measured mystical energy is the EQUIVALENT to the maximum physical force of the punch. Thus, the physical force of the punch can be measured indirectly.
From what I read from Pr, who seems to a fairly reasonable guy, he has determined that the initial description of a herc does have it measuring the physical force of Hercules' punch, but inconsistent or contradicting events in later issues have made it unreliable. I'll have to go back and re-read those issues.