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DC vs. Marvel: Transportation

The most important category of objects in the comic book universe of DC and Marvel has to be the weapons.  I look at this topic at:

http://foxhugh.com/2010/04/06/marvel-vs-dc-weapons/

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.

  1. Adam Strange’s Jetpack
  2. Alpha Centurion’s Pax Romana
  3. Ambush Bug’s Teleport Suit
  4. Batboat
  5. Batcycle
  6. Batmobile
  7. Batplane
  8. Birds of Prey – Aerie One
  9. Birds of Prey – Aerie Two
  10. Black Manta’s Sea Saucer
  11. Black Manta’s Walker
  12. Blackhawk Planes
  13. Blue Beetle’s Bug
  14. Blue Tracer
  15. Boom Tube
  16. Booster Mobile
  17. Brains Submarine
  18. Braniac’s Skull Ship
  19. Braniac’s Star Ship
  20. Brontadon (Ship)
  21. Catwoman’s Catmobile
  22. Catwoman’s Catplane
  23. Challenger SST
  24. Clockincopter
  25. Cluster Ship
  26. Cometeer
  27. Craddock Carriage
  28. Di’ib
  29. Doomsday Ship
  30. Eye of Zared
  31. Fiddler’s Fiddle Car
  32. Flash’s Cosmic Threadmill
  33. Flying Fish
  34. Flying Sundial
  35. Fokker Dr. I
  36. Gentleman’s Horse
  37. Gibel Ship
  38. Golden Knight Flying Horse
  39. Gorandian Battle Tripod
  40. Gorandian Submarine
  41. Green Arrow’s Arrowcar
  42. Green Arrow’s Arrowplane
  43. Green Lantern Ring
  44. Grumman XF5F
  45. Gyrosub
  46. Haunted Tank
  47. Hawkman’s Wings
  48. Hourman’s Timeship
  49. Huntress Motorcycle
  50. Javelin-7
  51. Jokermobile
  52. Jonah Hex’s Mechanical Horse
  53. JSA’s Steel Eagle
  54. Justice League Cruiser
  55. Justice League Teleporter
  56. Kal-El’s Rocketship
  57. Kanjar Ro’s Spaceship
  58. Lansarian Morphing Disk
  59. Legion Cruiser
  60. Legion Flight Rings
  61. Legion of Superheroes Flying Rings
  62. Legion of Superheroes Time Bubble
  63. Legion of Superheroes Time Cube
  64. Lobo’s Spacehog
  65. LX-811 Star Cruiser
  66. Mark 494 Star Cruiser
  67. Mitsu-Bishi
  68. Mobius Chair
  69. Multipurpose Intercept/Reconnaissance Vehicle
  70. Mustang Three
  71. Nautilus of Earth ABC
  72. Newsboy Legion’s Whiz Wagon
  73. Omega Men Mothership
  74. Orion’s Astro-Harness
  75. Owlship
  76. P-40 Warhawk
  77. Paco’s Convertible
  78. Panzer-Ship
  79. Peacemaker Hog
  80. Pilgrim One
  81. Quantum Jet
  82. Rip Hunter’s Timesphere
  83. Robin’s Redbird
  84. Royal Flush Gang’s Flying Cards
  85. Sam
  86. Samson’s Chronomobile
  87. Sandals of Hermes
  88. Scanner One
  89. Scarlet Skier’s Cosmic Skis
  90. Scorpion-Ship
  91. Sea Witch
  92. Sheba
  93. Space Cab
  94. Space Shuttle Excalibur
  95. Star-Rocket Racer
  96. Starhunter’s Sunrider
  97. Steel Eagle
  98. Super-Cycle
  99. Superman’s Phantom Zone Projector – It transports you to another dimension!
  100. Supermobile
  101. Swinging through the rooftops – Batman
  102. T-Jet
  103. T-Sub
  104. Teen Titan’s Helicopter
  105. Thangarian Star Cruiser
  106. Time Bubble
  107. Trickster’s Air Shoes
  108. User: Bonesaw 19
  109. Vig-Cycle
  110. Vigilante’s Motocycle
  111. Warehouse X Toys
  112. Warhound
  113. Warlord’s Plane
  114. Whirly-Bat
  115. Whiz Wagon
  116. Wildcat’s Motorcycle
  117. Wingcycle
  118. 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.

  1. Asgardian Star Jammer
  2. Avengers Quinjet
  3. Big Wheel
  4. Dr. Doom’s Time Machine
  5. Dr. Strange’s Cloak of Levitation
  6. Fantastic Four’s Fantasti-Car
  7. Fantastic Four’s Pogo Plane
  8. Flying Horses – Valyky, Black Knight
  9. Galactus Ship
  10. Ghost Rider’s Hell Cycle
  11. Green Goblin’s Glider
  12. Guardians of the Galaxy – Freedom’s Lady
  13. Hawkeyes Sky-cycle
  14. Iron Man’s Armor
  15. Kang’s Time-Ship
  16. Moon Knight’s Helicopter
  17. Nextwave’s Shockwave Rider
  18. Quasar’s Quantum Bands
  19. Runaway’s Leapfrog
  20. S.H.I.E.L.D. Flying Car
  21. S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier
  22. Silver Surfer’s Board
  23. Spider-Man’s Spider-Mobile
  24. Stiltman’s Stilts
  25. Swinging through the rooftops – Spiderman, Daredevil
  26. Thor’s Hammer Mjolnir
  27. 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.

My other website at:

Fox Superpower List

Other DC vs. Marvel Posts

Big Monsters

Fourth Wall Heroes

Funny Animals

Horror Hosts

Kids

Robots

Sidekicks

Spacemen

Superpets

Teenagers

Transportation

War Heroes

Weapons

Western Heroes

Women in Refrigerators

Working Women

WereVerse Universe Baby!

DC vs. Marvel: Weapons

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:

http://foxhugh.com/2008/03/

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.

3.2) Street Level – Marvel

Black Widow’s Gauntlets

Boomerang’s Trick Boomerangs

Daredevil’s Billy Club

Jester’s Trick Artificial Hands

Jester’s Ball Bearing Marbles

Jester’s Exploding Popcorn

Jester’s Flying Discs

Jester’s Explosive Rubber Balls

Jester’s Yo-Yo

Gladiator’s Wrist Mounted Rotating Circular Blades

Green Goblin’s Glider

Green Goblin’s Pumpkin Bombs

Hawkeye’s Trick Arrows

Paladin’s Armor

Mockingbird’s Battle Stave

Moon Knight’s Boomerang

Moon Knight’s Golden Ankh

Moon Knight’s Throwing Irons

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.

DC wins!

My other website at:

Fox Superpower List

Other DC vs. Marvel Posts

Big Monsters

Fourth Wall Heroes

Funny Animals

Horror Hosts

Kids

Robots

Sidekicks

Spacemen

Superpets

Teenagers

Transportation

War Heroes

Weapons

Western Heroes

Women in Refrigerators

Working Women

WereVerse Universe Baby!