When I was nine I was haunted by one great injustice. I could not understand the plight of the Phantom Zone cats.
In Superboy (v1, #136, pg. 22), shown above, I discovered cats had been exiled to the Phantom Zone. Why would innocent cats be exiled with their evil owners? Plus Kryptonians gained super powers such as super intelligence due to being under a yellow sun. This is why Krypto could use human language. The dog equivalent of super intelligence raised Krypto’s intelligence to more or less that of a human three year old. How could Kryptonian cats in the Phantom Zone, minus a yellow sun, talk?
I also had splitting headaches when I was nine and could feel strange eyes burning into my back but whenever I turned around, there was nothing to be seen. Finally, my parents told me that if talked about the Phantom Zone cats even one more time I was going to be in big trouble and I decided that I needed to move on.
Recently the story of the Phantom Zone cats has resurfaced in Attack of the Invisible Cats(DC Super-Pets). In this version the so called Phanty-Cats have escaped from the Phantom Zone and are feline felons.
For the past week I have had strange dreams of running after mice with giant green ears in fields of purple grass under a red sun. These dreams are strange even by my standards! Last night I awoke around 2:22 am and was startled to see three spectral cats floating above my bed.
The first cat said, “I am the cat of Christmas past!”
The second cat said, “I am the cat of Christmas present!”
The third cat said, “I am the cat of Christmas future!”
The first cat talked again and said “Just kidding we are the Phantom Zone cats and we have traveled across space, time and the metaverse to allow you to interview us.
I said, “Metaverse? You are from the Internet?”
The first cat continued, “Not that metaverse. Metaverse as in metafiction. We tried to contact you when you were nine but your brain was too immature to receive our telepathic transmissions but now you are ready.”
I stammered, “Wh-, wh-, why me?”
The first cat said, “Well you are one of the prophets of the metaverse, the metafiction one not the internet one, but mostly, we love your blog!”
The first cat had a bit of a mane and said “I am Tu-Ul and my human was Faora Hu-Ul. This is Zin-Zod the cat of General Dru-Zod.
Zin-Zod nodded at the last cat and said “The ugly one is Tor-Ur of the house of Jax-Ur.”
Tor-Ur hissed at Zin-Zod and leaped at Zin-Zod but went right through the Zin-Zod.
Tor-Ur, “I hate being a phantom! If I was solid for ten seconds I would tear your throat out!”
Zin-Zod, “If you were solid for ten seconds then I would still be phantom and you would still go right through me you dumb kitty!”
Tor-Ur, “I hate you! I hate you! Hell is a cat in the Phantom Zone named Zin-Zod!”
Zin-Zod, “I thank you for the compliment!”
Tul-Ul looked at the other two cats with a bored expression and said, “My human Faora is a beautiful Kryptonian who killed 23 men with her bare hands. She is a master of Horu-Kanu that utilizes pressure points with deadly effect. I will beam an image of her into your mind telepathically.”
Tul-Ul, “We did notice that. Coincidence I am sure. The human of Zin-Zod, General Zod created an army of prototype Bizzaros to take over Krypton. The human of Tor-Ur, Jax-Ur, was building nuclear missiles in order to take over Krypton but accidentally destroyed one of Krypton’s moons along with 500 colonists during a test. We want to explain why we are in the Phantom Zone.”
I asked, “So, why are you in the Phantom Zone?”
Tul-Ul, “Cats on Krypton had been genetically enhanced and were intelligent and could talk unlike cats on Earth and dogs on Krypto. We honor humans for giving us the gift of consciousness and true free will. We asked the Kryptonian Science Council to send us to the Phantom Zone even though we had committed no crime. It was our choice!”
I said, “Your choice?”
Tul-Ul, “Our humans are evil and we acknowledge that and pray to Rao for his forgiveness of their sins but we are still bonded. Our humans even honor us with their house name unlike cats on Earth. The bond between cat and human in Krypton is one of the most sacred of Krypton and we would not break that bond even if our humans must travel a strange road.”
“Maybe I drank too much coffee before going to bed or maybe I have some sort of flu. No way am I talking to you!”, I said.
Tul-Ul, “We are real!”. Tul-Ul’s head grew to the size of a car tire.
I said, “Ok, ok, you are real. So what’s it like to be a cat in the Phantom Zone”
Tul-Ul, “Different cats adjust differently. Cats on Krypton rarely reach the age of twenty Earth years and I have already lived almost a hundred years so I am philosophical and think my state beats the alternative.”
Zin-Zod, “Mostly I miss the mice. We can look at mice all we want. We can see mice on a thousand worlds no less, but we cannot touch the mice and that’s just torture. Oh what I would give to render a mouse limb from tiny limb!”
Tor-Ur, “You kitty cats have gone crazy in the zone. The place is torture. Give me sweet oblivion. Maybe if Zid-Zod wasn’t around, then the zone could be bearable but to be tortured by Zid-Zod every minute makes it so much worse.”
Zin-Zod, “I was just thinking the opposite. The zone is bearable because I have you to tease.”
Tor-Ur, “Tease, you mean torture!”
Zin-Zod, “You know I love you for all my teasing!”
And that is when I noticed that Zin-Zod was female cat and Tor-Ur was a male cat. Zin-Zod licked Tor-Ur’s ear affectionately and Tor-Ur purred loudly. The cats did other things that decorum does not allow description.
Tul-Ul, “Anyway, we just want the humans of this Earth to know that our stay in the Phantom Zone was not an injustice but a choice and that the Kryptonians were a noble race and the universe is poorer without them.”
In exasperation, I said, “Ok I can understand why you would want to hurt Superboy since his dad created the Phantom Zone Projector but why did you try to hurt Krypto if you aren’t evil?”
Tul-Ul, “A cat trying to hurt a dog is not evil but nature. A cat trying to hurt a dog whose human is Superboy, whose father created the ray that sent our humans to the Phantom Zone, is justice!”
With that the cats faded into the blackness of the night as though they had never existed.
I would argue that the second most important category of objects in the DC and Marvel comic book universe are objects of transportation. Superheroes fight supervillains and weapons are needed to do this. Unfortunately for superheroes, supervillains are often a cowardly lot that will flee with the loot rather than fight. Some warrior supervillains like Doomsday will stand and fight Superman but many supervillains try to flee Superman. This means the superhero needs a speedy mode of transport to catch the supervillain and the supervillain wants a mode of speedy transportation to escape. Plus when a crime occurs, the superhero needs to show up at the scene of the crime in the first place. Last but not least, most superheroes patrol anything from a sector of a galaxy, Green Lanterns, to a section of city, Daredevil and Hell’s Kitchen, and need a way of getting around.
In other science fiction universe there is a “vehicle” category but comic books are more speculative fiction than science fiction and some of the most iconic and important forms of transport only vaguely fit even the most general definition of vehicle. This post will look at vehicles but also discuss other objects that provide transportation. Does DC or Marvel have the coolest objects of transportation?
DC Transportation
Below is a list of objects of transportation in the DC universe.
Adam Strange’s Jetpack
Alpha Centurion’s Pax Romana
Ambush Bug’s Teleport Suit
Batboat
Batcycle
Batmobile
Batplane
Birds of Prey – Aerie One
Birds of Prey – Aerie Two
Black Manta’s Sea Saucer
Black Manta’s Walker
Blackhawk Planes
Blue Beetle’s Bug
Blue Tracer
Boom Tube
Booster Mobile
Brains Submarine
Braniac’s Skull Ship
Braniac’s Star Ship
Brontadon (Ship)
Catwoman’s Catmobile
Catwoman’s Catplane
Challenger SST
Clockincopter
Cluster Ship
Cometeer
Craddock Carriage
Di’ib
Doomsday Ship
Eye of Zared
Fiddler’s Fiddle Car
Flash’s Cosmic Threadmill
Flying Fish
Flying Sundial
Fokker Dr. I
Gentleman’s Horse
Gibel Ship
Golden Knight Flying Horse
Gorandian Battle Tripod
Gorandian Submarine
Green Arrow’s Arrowcar
Green Arrow’s Arrowplane
Green Lantern Ring
Grumman XF5F
Gyrosub
Haunted Tank
Hawkman’s Wings
Hourman’s Timeship
Huntress Motorcycle
Javelin-7
Jokermobile
Jonah Hex’s Mechanical Horse
JSA’s Steel Eagle
Justice League Cruiser
Justice League Teleporter
Kal-El’s Rocketship
Kanjar Ro’s Spaceship
Lansarian Morphing Disk
Legion Cruiser
Legion Flight Rings
Legion of Superheroes Flying Rings
Legion of Superheroes Time Bubble
Legion of Superheroes Time Cube
Lobo’s Spacehog
LX-811 Star Cruiser
Mark 494 Star Cruiser
Mitsu-Bishi
Mobius Chair
Multipurpose Intercept/Reconnaissance Vehicle
Mustang Three
Nautilus of Earth ABC
Newsboy Legion’s Whiz Wagon
Omega Men Mothership
Orion’s Astro-Harness
Owlship
P-40 Warhawk
Paco’s Convertible
Panzer-Ship
Peacemaker Hog
Pilgrim One
Quantum Jet
Rip Hunter’s Timesphere
Robin’s Redbird
Royal Flush Gang’s Flying Cards
Sam
Samson’s Chronomobile
Sandals of Hermes
Scanner One
Scarlet Skier’s Cosmic Skis
Scorpion-Ship
Sea Witch
Sheba
Space Cab
Space Shuttle Excalibur
Star-Rocket Racer
Starhunter’s Sunrider
Steel Eagle
Super-Cycle
Superman’s Phantom Zone Projector – It transports you to another dimension!
Supermobile
Swinging through the rooftops – Batman
T-Jet
T-Sub
Teen Titan’s Helicopter
Thangarian Star Cruiser
Time Bubble
Trickster’s Air Shoes
User: Bonesaw 19
Vig-Cycle
Vigilante’s Motocycle
Warehouse X Toys
Warhound
Warlord’s Plane
Whirly-Bat
Whiz Wagon
Wildcat’s Motorcycle
Wingcycle
Wonder Woman’s Invisible Plane
Some of the more famous objects of transportation are Adam Strange’s Jetpack, the Batmobile, the Flash’s Cosmic Threadmill, the Haunted Tank, Hawkman’s Wings, Green Lantern’s Ring, Kal-El’s Rocketship, Legion of Superheroes Time Bubble, and Wonder Woman’ Invisible Plane. The top two of this list, the crème de la crème, are the Batmobile and Kal El’s Rocketship. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then the Batmobile has been praised again and again. The Arrowmobile, Catmobile, Jokermobile and to some extent the Spider-Mobile, as parody, are all derived from the Batmobile. Kal-El’s Rocketship refers to the space ship that delivered Superman to the planet Earth from Krypton. The Batmobile has been the subject of schematics from the beginning and you can buy toy collections of Batmobiles from the golden age to the present.
Superman’s rocket is a very different affair and the particulars of how the ship looks have varied tremendously from the golden age to the present. This is a contest between a very visually defined vehicle and an icon. The historic significance of Superman’s rocket ship is more important than the Batmobile. The rocket ship is an integral part of the Superman mythos and that mythos in turn largely defined comic books from the beginnings to the present. On iconic grounds I would say Kal El’s rocketship is the most important object of transportation in the DC universe and the coolest.
Marvel Transportation
Below is a list of objects of transportation in the DC universe.
Asgardian Star Jammer
Avengers Quinjet
Big Wheel
Dr. Doom’s Time Machine
Dr. Strange’s Cloak of Levitation
Fantastic Four’s Fantasti-Car
Fantastic Four’s Pogo Plane
Flying Horses – Valyky, Black Knight
Galactus Ship
Ghost Rider’s Hell Cycle
Green Goblin’s Glider
Guardians of the Galaxy – Freedom’s Lady
Hawkeyes Sky-cycle
Iron Man’s Armor
Kang’s Time-Ship
Moon Knight’s Helicopter
Nextwave’s Shockwave Rider
Quasar’s Quantum Bands
Runaway’s Leapfrog
S.H.I.E.L.D. Flying Car
S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier
Silver Surfer’s Board
Spider-Man’s Spider-Mobile
Stiltman’s Stilts
Swinging through the rooftops – Spiderman, Daredevil
Thor’s Hammer Mjolnir
X-Men’s Blackbird
Some of the most important objects of transportation in the Marvel universe include:
the Fantasti-Car, Iron Man’s Armor, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Thor’s hammer and the X-Men’s Blackbird. I have to mention is the Spider-Mobile that is largely forgotten but was in Spider-Man during the seventies and was hilarious. The Spider-Mobile was a parody of consumerism. Spider-Man agreed to ride the Spider-Mobile for an ad agency. Spider-Man is about always broke. The problem was the Spider-Mobile was constantly having troubles. Webhead would have been better of sticking to his webbing and swinging through the roof tops.
My Marvel favorites are the Fantasti-Car and Iron Man’s armor. Both are marvels of comic book engineering. Schematics of both were provided early on and you could almost believe these machines could be created. They represent very different ideas of design. Iron Man’s armor is a sleek, streamlined, minimalist machine that is a high tech, red and yellow, hot rod of the skies. If Iron Man’s armor is a hot rod then the Fantasti-Car is a Volkswagen that is not streamlined but very practical. The Fantasti-Car has a modular design that looks goofy but allows the individual Fantastic Four members to break away from the main ship and fight more effectively as a group. Iron Man led to any number of armored imitators and again if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then Iron Man’s armor wins. However, does Iron Man’s armor deserve to win in this sort of contest? Iron Man’s armor is more weapon than transport. I think because of this the Fantasti-Car is the winner in the Marvel universe. The modular design of the Fantasti-Car might have real life applications.
The Soviet Union often used tank riders instead of trucks for transportation during WW II. Men hung onto tanks for dear life. This was done due to a lack of trucks on the part of the Soviet Union. However, later many tactical advantages came out of this experience. The men could quickly jump from the tank and provide support to the tank and vice-versa in a way troops in trucks could not.
I wonder if there is the possibility of some sort of helicopter rider system in which special forces could break away from a helicopter using some sort of individual pod rocket system attached to the outside of the helicopter allowing for greater speed in exiting than the current rappelling system used by special forces. You enter the external rocket pod using a door on the inside of the helicopter to provide maximum protection until the moment of exit. The rocket pod also allows quicker dispersal of special forces around an area and the pod also offers some extra protection upon exiting the protection of the helicopter.
Conclusion
The winner of the DC competition is Superman’s rocket ship. The winner of the Marvel competition is the Fantasti-Car. I love the sixties campiness of the Fantasti-Car but iconic value beats campiness and Superman’s object wins as the coolest object of transportation! DC wins! In the course of this study something else stood out.
What is very interesting when comparing the objects of transportation of DC with Marvel is that there is a giant difference in the number of such objects. This difference in numbers took me by surprise and is serendipitous result of this study. DC has 117 objects of transportation. Marvel has 27 objects of transportation. I have done my best to be exhaustive in the compilation of both lists but still may have missed an important object of transportation here and there but the difference in numbers is so great that one must come to the conclusion transportation, as reflected in the numbers above, is more important in the DC universe than the Marvel universe. I have my own after the fact theory about this.
I am old enough to have read comic books from the golden age to the present and let me assure younger readers that comic books have changed tremendously! The Marvel universe is a relatively new universe compared to DC whose superheroes and story line foundations were largely created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the sixties. I would argue one basic difference between Marvel and DC, especially in the sixties, was that Marvel focused a lot more on fights than the chase. For example, Superman spent way more time flying around looking for crooks than Thor. Thor quickly found his enemy and most of the issue focused on the fight. Thor fought characters like the Hulk. The Hulk does not flee from Thor that’s for sure. I actually bought the first issue in which Thor and the Hulk fought solo and even then I knew this was something different. For one thing Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created all these fight scene cartoon blurb sounds that had no equivalent in the DC universe. Jack Kirby used a lot more lines showing shock waves than anyone else. The fight looked more real and the key to this was actually using exaggerated action that is less real but interestingly looks more real due to the nature of the medium. I am into martial arts and have at least fifty books in the area with pictures that show each move of a kata and the pictures look pretty boring compared to a well done Jack Kirby punch or kick. I came to the conclusion that Marvel had better fight scenes and certainly longer fight scenes than DC. The difference in the quality and quantity of fight scenes between Marvel and DC has largely lessened over time.
I mentioned Doomsday and Superman in the introduction and their fight as chronicled in the Death of Superman storyline was generally one giant multi-issue series of fight scenes. I hate to admit it but I enjoyed the series! Remind me to grow up one of these days. For the record, Superman didn’t die despite the title of the series and I knew darn well Superman wouldn’t die and was amazed how my friends and family bought the lie hook line and sinker! And also for the record, Captain America and Batman are not going to stay dead!
The greater emphasis on fight scenes made Marvel more “modern” from their beginnings. Movies and TV were becoming more violent in the sixties and it made sense for comic books to go this route as well. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were more attuned to modern media trends than their counterparts at DC at the time and this is one reason Marvel became such a success at the expense of DC. As a side note, I do not consider comic books overly violent at all compared to other media.
Comic books have become more violent from the sixties to the present but are still much less violent than other media. I am especially amazed at some of the cutesy violent video games on Facebook that have tremendous appeal to my nieces and nephews who are in the six to ten year old age group. I would much rather my nieces and nephews were reading the most violent DC or Marvel comic book out there than playing those horrible video games. I guess I am getting old because despite the best efforts of my nieces and nephews to explain the games, I had no interest.
The games are kind of Hello Kitty meets the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. You have these very cute cartoon characters wielding knifes or whatever and doing terrible things to other cute cartoon characters with blood and guts pouring out. I like my genres purer than that. I like Hello Kitty and I like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre but I really don’t care for Hello Kitty acting like Leatherface, the bad guy in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The games are very similar to Ren and Stimpy of The Simpsons fame but again are video games rather than a cartoon within a cartoon. I do think the interactive nature of a violent video game as opposed to a violent cartoon on TV is worrisome. Back to the topic of this post!
Another example of fight versus chase, many fifties Batman issues were reprinted in 80 page Giants in the sixties that I read when I was young and in many ways I grew up with this version of Batman. The fifties Batman is all about the chase! The Batman of the fifties invariably ended up in some sort of scenario with giant objects. Batman chased and fought crooks in an almost surrealistic landscape. Batmite was introduced at this time and used his reality warping powers not to fight Batman but to make the chase more interesting. There is no Marvel counterpart to this sort of chase.
I would argue the greater number of objects of transportation in the DC universe is due to DC having a golden age inheritance in which the chase was more important than the fight. Marvel does not share this inheritance and presumably would have more weapons than DC. Counting weapons is much harder than counting objects of transportation. I spent hours compiling lists of weapons in the DC and Marvel universe for my last post and am still not happy with the result. Weapons are ubiquitous in comic books. Objects of transportation are much smaller in number and easier to count definitively.
In this installment of DC vs. Marvel, I compare the weapons of the DC universe with the weapons of the Marvel universe. The weapons are broken into three power levels. Each universe will have a winner declared in each category and the universe that wins in the most categories is the overall winner. The weapons will be judged in the areas of aesthetic, conceptual and/or utilitarian design. In other words, which universe has the coolest weapon in each category? This is not a “which weapon is more powerful” contest.
The weapons in the top power category are called (1) Cosmic Weapons. These are the really powerful weapons of the DC or Marvel universe. A person with this sort of weapon can take on a team of superheroes such as the Justice League or the Avengers or perhaps even shake the foundations of the universe. A good example on the high end of a cosmic weapon would be the Infinity Gauntlet of the Marvel universe. With the Infinity Gauntlet you can take on an army of superheroes and more. Thanos used the Infinity Gauntlet to challenge the combined might of Galactus, the Stranger, the titan Epoch, Love and Hate, two Celestials, Master Order, Lord Chaos, Kronos, Death and Epoch. An upper end Cosmic Weapon can alter reality. The range of the weapon can vary from global, at least, to galactic. A cosmic weapon is even difficult to conceptualize using pseudo science. This is part of the attraction of a cosmic weapon.
A good example of a weapon on the low end of this category would be the Sun Eater used in the DC Universe. The Sun Eater can give the Legion of Superheroes a hard time but it will take forever to eat enough suns to change the foundations of the universe. I wouldn’t try to take on even Galactus alone with a Sun Eater. Galactus might eat the Sun Eater!
The next power level would be (2) Super Weapons. These weapons enable the wielder to take on a heavy duty superhero such as Superman on the upper end of the power scale. Green Lantern’s ring would be a good example of a super weapon on the upper end. You might be able to defeat Superman with a Green Lantern ring, probably not, but you would have a chance at least. On the low end, Captain Cold’s cold gun can let a super villain take on a hero like the Flash. I would strongly urge any potential super villains out there not to try to take on Superman with something like a cold gun. A Super Weapon cannot be constructed in the real world but can be conceptualized with pseudo science.
The last level is what I call (3) Street Weapons because they are the type of weapons you see used on the streets. Often they are normal weapons that have been enhanced with some tinkering. On a good day, you might be able to take on a half a dozen street crooks with one of these weapons but you probably need some special martial arts skill to do this. A good example of this type of weapon would be Daredevil’s Billy Club or Batman’s Batarang. A street weapon could be constructed in the real world but probably would have to be adapted considerably due to real life technical constraints.
1.0) COSMIC WEAPONS
1.1) Cosmic Weapons – DC
Some of the cosmic weapons in the DC universe include the
Anti-Life Equation
Book of Eternity
Miracle Machine
Spear of Destiny
Sun-Eater
Warworld
The Spear of Destiny is the spear used to pierce the side of Jesus Christ. Hitler used the Spear of Destiny in the DC Universe to keep the American superheroes from liberating Europe. Superman was given the task of killing the Spectre with the Spear of Destiny in one issue. The Spectre is the most powerful being in the DC Universe and anything that can kill him has to be pretty powerful. The Spear of Destiny gives the wielder the ability to control the minds of super powered individuals, massive reality warping and extremely powerful holy abilities
The Book of Eternity is a book that contains the story of existence. If absolute knowledge can lead to absolute power then does absolute corruption follow…? The wielder of the book also is granted vast magical powers.
This idea that knowledge is power is also explored in the concept of the Anti-Life Equation that will destroy all life. Darkseid is obsessed with the equation and according to him in one issue the equation is:
loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x guilt x shame x failure x judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side
If Darkseid says the equation then the victim has mathematical certainty that all life and existence are futile and that serving Darkseid is the only point in existence. This is mind control but mind control that can be shared via the internet and presumably even intergalactic communication systems that advanced races would possess. A master of this equation could rule the cosmos with but a sentence and a good media outlet. Those controlled could be asked to repeat the message to even more beings so the equation would spread exponentially. In short, the equation has metamemetic properties. For a definition of metamemetics please read:
Someday I will master the science of metamemetics and use this blog to rule the world!
Bwa-ha-ha-haaaa!
Two of the DC Cosmic Weapons are from the Legion of Superheroes storyline. The Sun-Eater is a living nebula with the ability to snuff out whole stars. The Sun-Eater was created by the Controllers to destroy unworthy worlds. The Miracle Machine was also created by the Controllers. The machine can convert thoughts into reality and was given to the Legion of Superheroes as a reward for destroying the Sun-Eater controlled by a renegade Controller. Braniac 5 used the machine to repel an alien invasion of Earth. The combined armed forces of Earth and the Legion of Superheroes were losing the war so this is a good weapon to have on your side. Warworld is a whole world filled with weapons not just on the surface but from the surface to the core. Superman was barely able to stop even one skyscraper sized missile launched at Earth and the Warworld presumably has countless missiles and all sorts of weapons. Presumably even a team of superheroes could not even begin to shield Earth from an attack from Warworld but I doubt you could change the cosmos with this weapon.
1.2) Cosmic Weapons – Marvel
Some of the cosmic weapons in the Marvel universe include
Casket of Ancient Winters
Cosmic Cube
Evil Eye of Avalon
Infinity Gauntlet
Serpent Crown
Odinsword
Ultimate Nullifier
Wand of Watoomb
The most powerful weapon in the Marvel universe is probably the Ultimate Nullifier. The Ultimate Nullifier is generally in the possession of Galactus. Korvac used the Ultimate Nullifier to destroy a universe in the multiverse. The drawback is that use of the weapon is suicidal. Whoever wields the Ultimate Nullifier is also destroyed!
A close second in the Marvel universe in terms of power might be the Infinity Gauntlet. You can take over the universe with the Infinity Gauntlet. Whether or not you could destroy a universe with the Infinity Gauntlet has not been determined. The cosmic cube was the most powerful weapon in Marvel universe for years and years since it could alter reality with a thought but later the range of this weapon was set at a global level.
Before the appearance of the cosmic cube the most powerful weapon in the Marvel universe was the largely forgotten Odinsword that even graced the cover of Thor #156. The Odinsword was supposed to end the universe if drawn from its scabbard and this idea really struck my imagination when I was a youth in the sixties. Later, Odin absorbed the life force of all Asgardians, blew up the enchanted armor known as the Destroyer, to gigantic size, and grabbed the Odinsword to take on the Celestials and got blown up for his troubles so this event shows this sword is not in the same league as the Ultimate Nullifier or the Infinity Gauntlet. Thanos was able to defeat two celestials and heavy-duty company with the Infinity Gauntlet. Korvac was able to destroy a whole universe despite the Celestials.
Dormammu once used the Evil Eye of Avalon to merge his dimension with that of Earth. The Eye of Avalon was hexed by the Scarlet Witch and the ensuing energy disaster temporarily destroyed Dormammu and drove Loki mad. Maybe the Evil Eye of Avalon is third in terms of power in the Marvel Universe.
Cosmic weapons in the Marvel Universe that allow you to take on a band of superheroes, but probably not take over the cosmos directly, include the Wand of Watoomb and the Serprent Crown. The Wand of Watoomb enables the wielder to mentally project and absorb mystical energy, create force fields, control weather, open dimensional portals, observe events in other locations, and heal wounds. The Serpent Crown gives the user superhuman strength, telepathy, mind control, telekinesis, the ability to cast illusions, the power to project destructive bolts of mystical energy and even the mental ability to manipulate matter and energy. The Casket of Ancient Winters is Asgardian and allows the wielder to control infinite cold. A very specialized weapon but anything of infinite power belongs in the cosmic range.
1.3) Winner
For sheer originality the Anti-Life Equation wins! The ultimate cosmic weapon would not be concrete but abstract. This confirms what you always knew in your heart, algebra can end all life in the universe! E=MC2 is an equation that has changed the world more than just about anything. I think of the Anti-Life Equation as a super advanced version of E=MC2. I am sure just such an equation is just around the corner in real life.
2.0) SUPER WEAPONS
2.1) Super Weapons – DC
Adam Strange’s Ray Gun
Aquaman’s Hook
Black Lantern Ring
Black Manta’s Battlesuit
Blue Beetle’s Scarab
Blue Devil’s Trident of Lucifer
Blue Lantern Ring
Braniac’s Space Ships
Braniac’s Force Field
Calculator Battlesuit
Captain Boomerang’s Trick Boomerangs
Captain Cold’s Cold Gun
Copperhead’s Armor
Deadshot’s Wrist Mounted Firearms
Disintegrator Sphere
Dr. Fate’s Helm of Nabu
Emerald Eye of Ekron – Emerald Empress
Entropy Aegis Armor
Exectutioner’s Atomic Axe
Fiddler’s Fiddle
Golden Girdle of Gaea
Golden Glider’s Iceskates
Green Lantern Power Ring
Hawkgirl’s Dart Gun
Hawkman’s Protonic Lance
Hawkgirl’s Wings
Hawkman’s Wings
Heat Wave’s Gun
HERO Dial
Icicle’s Cold Gun
Indigo Power Ring
Kanjar Ro’s Gamma Gong
Kinetic Hammer
Lasso of Lightning
Mageddon
Mega-Rod
Mirror Master’s Trick Mirrors
Mr. Freeze Cold Gun
Orange Lantern Ring
Orb of Ra
Orion’s Astro-Harness
Phantom Zone Projector
Piped Pipers flute
Psi-Scimitar
Psycho Pirate’s Medusa Mask
Qwa-Bolts
Red Power Ring
Sandman’s Sand of Sleep
Sandman’s Dreamstone
Sandman’s Helm of Dreams
Sargon the Sorcerer’s Ruby of Life
Sonigun
Soultaker Sword
Spear of Lonea
Star Man’s Cosmic Rod
Star Sapphire
Steel’s Apokolips Armor
Toastmasters
Trident of Neptune
Trident of Poseidon
Trident of Triton
Weather Wizard’s Wand
Webgun
Wonder Woman’s Bracelets of the Aegis
Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth
Xantha Charge
Yellow Power Ring
The two most famous weapons in the DC list are probably Green Lantern’s power ring and Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth. Recently, DC decided to add a whole rainbow of power rings to their universe and I think this is diluting the brand. What’s next a purple Hulk? The creator of Wonder Woman also invented the lie detector! The Lasso of Truth is the ultimate lie detector! I think both weapons are great but slightly prefer the Lasso of Truth due to its interesting origins.
2.2) Super Weapons – Marvel
Beetle’s Armor
Black Blade of Baghdad
Black Knight’s Ebony Blade
Black Knight’s Ebony Dagger
Black Knight’s Power Lance
Black Knight’s Shield of Night
Blacklash’s Whip
Blizzard’s Suit
Bloodaxe
Big Wheel
Caliburn
Captain America’s Shield
Chorus Sentry
Cobalt Bomb
Controller’s Slave Discs
Convincer
Cosmic Control Rod
Crimson Dynamo’s Armor
Crimson Gem of Cyttorak
Cyclone’s Suit
Destroyer (Enchanted Armor)
Doctor Octopus Tentacles
Dr. Doom’s Armor
Dragonfang Sword
Eagle Shield
Electroplasmic Wand
Energy Shield
Excalibur
Exorcist Gun
Eye of Agamotto
Firebrand Suit
Firepower’s Armor
Firesword
Fiver Fingers of Annilation
Gamma Bomb
Ghost Rider’s Chain
Ghost’s Battlesuit
Golden Mace of Hercules
Grim Reaper’s Scythe
Guantlets of Ares
Hofund
Hurricane’s Wings
Iron Man Armor (Earth-200151)
Iron Man’s Armor
Iron Monger’s Armor
Jet Parlyzer
Justiciar
Kurokaze
Mandarin’s Ten Rings
Mandroid Armor
Megingjord
Mirage’s Holographic Suit
Mysterio’s Helmet with Holographic Projector
Mysterio’s Gloves and Boots that Emit Hallucinogenic Gas
Odin’s Thrudstok
Polestar’s Magnetic Gauntlets
Pyro’s Battlesuit and Flamethrowers
Quantum Bands
Ringmaster’s Top Hat with Portable Mind-control Device
Rhino’s Polymer Armor
Ronan the Accuser’s Universal Weapon
Sakki
Scell
Scorcher’s Suit and Flamethrowers
Shocker’s Gauntlets
Silver Surfer’s Surfboard
Son of Satan’s Trident
Spymater’s Battlesuit
Staff of Polar Power
Star-Blazer
Star Shield
Stilt-Man’s Armor
Stormbreaker
Streamsword
Sun Shredder
Sunbeam Ray Gun
Surtur’s Twilight Sword
Sword of Bone
Sword of Fangs
Sword of Frey
Sword of Kamnu
Sword of Light
Sword of Might
Sword of Night
Sword of Ultimate Shadow
Swordman’s Sword
Taskmaster’s Solid Energy Weapon
Thor’s Hammer Mjolnir
Titanium Man’s Armor
Ulik’s Pounders
Ultra-Diode Ray
Unicorn’s Power Horn
Vulture’s Wings
Whiplash’s Gauntlets and Battlesuit
Wizard’s Power Gloves
Wrecker’s Crowbar
The three most famous weapons in the Marvel list are Thor’s hammer, Captain America’s shield and Iron Man’s armor. Captain America, Iron Man and Thor are all members of the Avengers so you often get to see these incredible weapons together in one great comic book.
2.3) Winner
I loved Iron Man the movie! One of the major subplots of the movie is the creation of Iron Man’s armor. Could you do this with any other weapon in the DC or Marvel universe? I don’t think so. Iron Man’s armor is the coolest super weapon because of its story line and plausibility. DC and Marvel are tied at this point and the next weapon decides which universe has the coolest super weapons.
3.0) STREET LEVEL WEAPONS
3.1) Street Level – DC
Azrael’s Armor
Batman’s Batarang
Batman’s Utility Belt
Catwoman’s Cat o Nine Tails Whip
Catwoman’s Retractable Claws
Deathstroke’s Staff
Green Arrow’s Trick Arrows
Hawkman’s Claw of Horus
Huntress’ Crossbow
Joker’s Acid Squirting Flower
Joker’s Cyanide Pies
Joker’s Electrified Joy Buzzer
Joker’s Exploding Cigars with Nitroglycerine
Joker’s Razor Sharp Throwing Cards
Lobo’s Chain and Hook
Penguin’s Trick Umbrellas
Robin’s Battle Staff
Sandman’s Gas Gun
The three coolest street level weapons in the DC universe all come from the Batman family and include the batarang, utility belt and the Joker’s squirting flower. Joker’s Squirting flower doesn’t squirt water but squirts Joker venom or acid.
The coolest street level weapon in the Marvel universe is Daredevil’s Billy club. A close second might be the Green Goblin’s equipment that led to the Hobgoblin who used the same equipment. The Green Goblin glider probably belongs in the super weapons category. The pumpkin bombs definitely belong in the street level category since they are basically grenades with a gimmick.
3.3) Winner
The Batman family sets the standard for street weapons in comic books! The difficult choice is trying to decide which Batman family weapon is the coolest. I actually created a utility belt! I was living in Taiwan at the time and Taiwan is beset with typhoons, earthquakes and the threat of invasion from mainland China. More as a conceptual exercise than anything else, I made a utility belt designed to facilitate survival in all three of Taiwan’s scenarios. My buddies got a real kick out of the belt and made various suggestions. The emphasis of the belt was survival rather than military usage so my belt had totally different stuff than Batman’s belt. I actually think the belt I created would be semi useful. I vote Batman’s utility belt as the coolest street weapon since it is actually possible to create to some extent.
Conclusion
The Anti-Life Equation is the best cosmic weapon. Iron Man’s Armor is the best super weapon. Batman’s utility belt is the coolest street level weapon. DC wins two out of three categories.
