Bronze Age Babies: Discuss: Who Has the Coolest Tech After Iron Man?

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Discuss: Who Has the Coolest Tech After Iron Man?

23 comments:

david_b said...: It's a broad question. Are we asking who has command of the coolest technical gizmo's or who else is armored as cool..?

If the former, I'd go for Reed Richards hands down, especially in the Lee/Kirby Glory Years. Having a huge scientific contraption in his lab, solely to make the best coffee..?

Ooooh, he's got MY vote.

Also in creating the coolest fold-up Christmas Tree, despite Sue's frustration. Having worked in my inlaw's christmas tree business for last 14yrs, trust me, it's an awesome invention.

As a runner up, I always enjoyed Cyborg under the initial Wolfman/Perez NTT stint. Loved how Perez drew him leaping high into battles, as opposed to actually achieving flight.

Runner-ups would be T'Challa and Hank Pym, who both had great tech expertise, but never showed it as much (with the unfortunate exception of Ultron, of course...); December 5, 2012 at 7:29 AM
Doug said...: And we got to Hank Pym quicker than I thought we would.

During his "Dr. Pym" phase, I always questioned how a biochemist had such cool weapons. Perhaps they were all from Stark Industrial.

Galactus has cool tech -- for a so-called "force of nature", he did rely an awful lot on mechanisms.

Batman?

Doug; December 5, 2012 at 7:48 AM
William said...: As crime-fighters go Batman has the coolest tech around. He has more gadgets than James Bond. His utility belt (which is almost like Felix The Cat's magic bag at times), apparently even has compartment for Bat shark repellent. Then there's the Batcave with all it's high-tech computers and such. And let's not forget about the Batmobile, the Batplane, and etc.; December 5, 2012 at 8:40 AM
Mike said...: As a Hero, I concur with the Batman. Just the car alone is the coolest tech for me, then add the Batplane and all the "wonderful toys" in his arsenal over the 70+ years of the character, and I think I'd put him up as a contender for Iron Man's title.

For Villains: my vote goes to Dr. Doom. Doom is just as brilliant as Reed Richards, and he can even build exact robot replicas of himself so precise that nobody can tell the difference. And he does it like all the time - like its as easy as boiling water or something! Jeez, that alone would make my life so much easier. Really cool ... Doom's the man!; December 5, 2012 at 9:07 AM
Tony said...: Batman hands down. In fact, for tech stuff I would almost place Iron Man and Batman as a virtual tie.; December 5, 2012 at 10:02 AM
david_b said...: Batman and Iron Man a virtual tie..?

Sharkspray notwithstanding.., we may have some discussion here. I suppose it depends on 'what phase' of Bats we're talking here..:

1) "Interstellar Batman" with Batmite, Bathound, and forty different types of Batarangs (pre-Dozer)..?
2) The glorious Bat Shark Repellent days..?
3) The scaled back Bronze Dark Knight Detective days..?
4) The armored Tim Burton era.. or finally,
5) The current dark franchise..?

IMHO, I see his gadgets more compact focused on sleuthing, rather than world-respected weaponry and technology. Luckily Marvel didn't have nearly the revisionist past DC's had to deal with.; December 5, 2012 at 10:26 AM
J.A. Morris said...: Dethlok.; December 5, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Doug said...: How about the Vision? He IS tech...

Doug; December 5, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Edo Bosnar said...: Doug kind of beat me to it by mentioning Vision, but I was going to bring up the guys are basically ARE tech: Robotman, Machine Man and the Metal Men - I guess in the latter case you can say Doc Magnus 'has' the coolest tech.
Hawkman actually has some really cool tech: fully functional giant bird wings that you just mount to your back with a set of straps. I'd love to have a set of those...; December 5, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Doug said...: We may take the Mandarin for granted, but those 10 rings were pretty deadly. And then he went and outfitted the Swordsman's blade with similar doohickeys. Love that Avengers King-Size Special #1!

Doug; December 5, 2012 at 10:46 AM
Edo Bosnar said...: Also, Steve Ditko's updated Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) - he had all kinds of cool gadgets, plus that cool beetle-craft that flew and functioned as a submarine.; December 5, 2012 at 10:49 AM
lordjim6 said...: I think someone has to mention Jim Hammmond a.k.a. the first Human Torch. The fact that he's Marvel's first Android kind of gives him an important spot on any tech list....; December 5, 2012 at 5:14 PM
Tony said...: david b: I just wanted to stir the pot a bit :) Frankly, Shellhead probably wins, but me being more of a DC guy I had to stick with Batman. You gotta love how it was Bat-Everything with neato labels in the TV show, made with the Bat-Label Maker. It's tough to say what I would rather have, the suit or the car? I'm thinking the suit. BTW I love Iron Man, reading the Essentials right now.; December 5, 2012 at 6:59 PM
MattComix said...: I'm inclined to say Batman. Some iterations really want to play down the tech but I think ideally, Batman is in his own way a science-ninja.

Though the important difference here is that while Batman utilizes tech, Iron Man has literally forged his power and abilities from it.

But both have something in common in the sense of being men of wealth who motivated by personal tragedy decide to use that wealth to bring justice and protect people.; December 5, 2012 at 8:41 PM
david_b said...: Tony (and Matt), great to read your comments.

Pot-stirring..? It's what makes the blog wonderful.; December 5, 2012 at 8:50 PM
Anonymous said...: Off the top of my head I'd mention Reed Richards of the FF - his lab up there in the Baxter Building probably beats ol'Shellhead's in terms of 'techiness' - Reed might have an interdimensional portal open with gravitons floating around the place! The Fantasticar was cool when it was introduced, although some people still call it the flying bathtub! Stark's main focus (excluding the work of Stark Industries) is usually on his armor and its refinements/upgrades.

Also, Professor Xavier of the X-men has that cool mutant locating computer Cerebro in his school. What about that awesome Danger Room?

A previous post reviewed Iron Man vs. Doctor Doom. While Doom's suit is not as aesthetically pleasing as the Golden Avenger's armor, Doom is a genius who managed to stuff a vast array of lethal devices into it.

It would be interesting to see Henry Pym's lab too!

- Mike 'mad scientist' from Trinidad & Tobago.; December 5, 2012 at 9:46 PM
Dougie said...: I'm not really a fan of the Atom but the Tiny Titan harnessed the potential of dwarf star matter and used it for size manipulation and electronic transportation. The latter feat was beyond Pym and Stark.

For a gawky teenage wallflower, Peter Parker developed web-shooters in his suburban bedroom, as well as two-way plastic lenses.; December 6, 2012 at 12:02 AM
Rip Jagger said...: Ted Kord as Blue Beetle. He was all about the tech, especially his extremely cool "Bug", the ultimate transport/partner.

Rip Off; December 6, 2012 at 1:36 AM
Pat Henry said...: I seem to recall Richie Rich and Li'l Dot had some pretty cool tech.; December 6, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Doug said...: If you're going there, Pat, then I'd offer up the Flintstones. There is some seriously imaginative "gadgets" on that show!

And to be honest, how much sci-fi on the Jetsons is actually a reality now?

Doug; December 6, 2012 at 1:37 PM
Tony said...: Yeah, as far as I know, we are still waiting for flying cars that fold up into a briefcase; December 6, 2012 at 3:34 PM
Doug said...: Whoa, Tony -- you don't have one of those? Brother, you need to revise your holiday wish list!

Did you ever, when you were a kid, think face-to-face telephone conversations would be possible? I used to think that would be awesome! And it is...

Doug; December 6, 2012 at 3:36 PM
Anonymous said...: STINGRAY!!!!!

Okay, his tech doesn't even make sense since he wears a skin-tight suit----but i love that costume!
Best costume ever!

starfoxxx; December 6, 2012 at 8:15 PM

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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Discuss: Who Has the Coolest Tech After Iron Man?

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