The wildest, most absurd gadgets in comic book history
Before Iron Man weaponised nanobots and Batman turned his gadgets into trauma therapy tools, comic heroes carried gear that defied science, reason, and sometimes basic dignity. We’re talking about bee holsters, limbo guns, and jet-powered pogo sticks. Gadgets are so ridiculous that they deserve a museum—or at least a lovingly sarcastic article.
So, for collectors, lore-heads, and lovers of comic absurdity, here’s a deep dive into the gadgets that made us laugh, cringe, and occasionally ask: “Was everyone high in editorial that week?”
We’ve split these by comic book age because the weird has continually evolved.
Golden Age (1938–1956): when logic took a holiday
Wonder Woman’s invisible plane
You’ve seen it. You’ve probably laughed.
But Diana couldn’t fly back then, so DC gave her a transparent jet. The result? Panels where she’s clearly visible, soaring across the sky like a levitating yoga instructor on her morning commute. Enemies could see her. Readers could see her. But somehow, it still worked.
It made no tactical sense, but it made a lasting impression. Iconic. Absurd. Peak Golden Age brilliance.
First flight: Sensation Comics #1 (1942)
Popular grade: CGC 9.6
Total Books Sold (2017–2024): 2
Highest Price Recorded: $420,000
Lowest Price Recorded: $399,100
Last Sold: April 2024, $420,000
The Red Bee’s belt bee
Rick Raleigh, AKA the Red Bee, stored a live bee named Michael in his belt buckle.
Not tech. Not a swarm. Just one heroic bee. Michael would zip into action mid-fight—stinging crooks, disrupting plots, and yes, occasionally helping Rick punch Nazis. It sounds like parody, but it’s pure Golden Age canon.
Utterly sincere. Completely bizarre. And exactly why we love this era's fearless weirdness.
First sting: Hit Comics #1 (1940)
Popular grade: CGC 7
Total Books Sold (2011–2024): 5
Highest Price Recorded: $87,000
Lowest Price Recorded: $2,151
Last Sold: Sept 2024, $4,560
Batman’s truth chamber
A literal room in the Batcave where crooks were “encouraged” to confess.
No lie detector. No lawyers. Just a chair, a light, and Batman’s looming presence. This wasn’t so much detective work as it was psychological siege warfare. It felt less like Gotham and more like a noir fever dream.
Old-school Batman didn’t just solve crimes—he extracted answers.
First interrogation: Detective Comics #134 (1948)
Popular grade: CGC 7
Total Books Sold (2002–2025): 8
Highest Price Recorded: $880
Lowest Price Recorded: $180
Last Sold: Jan 2025, $780
Silver Age (1956–1970): When science got a head injury
Bat-Radia (Zur-En-Arrh Edition)
A gadget that only worked on one specific alien planet.
Completely useless on Earth. Batman still kept it—because, of course, he did. The Bat-Radia was less a tool and more a souvenir from a mental breakdown in space. Then Grant Morrison brought it back decades later, wrapped it in multiverse madness, and somehow made it even weirder.
From obsolete tech to metafictional relic—classic Bat-strangeness.
First static: Batman #113 (1958)
Popular grade: CGC 8.5
Total Books Sold (2013–2024): 4
Highest Price Recorded: $3,200
Lowest Price Recorded: $1,225
Last Sold: Jul 2024, $1,995
Polka-Dot Man’s transforming dots
A villain who weaponised his polka dots.
Literally peeled them off his suit mid-fight. One became a buzzsaw, another a flying saucer, and somehow it all worked. Physics? Irrelevant. Style? Impeccable. Polka-Dot Man didn’t just lean into the gimmick—he danced in it.
Once a punchline, now a big-screen cult hero. Absurdity redeemed.
First throw: Detective Comics #300 (1962)
Popular grade: CGC 6
Total Books Sold (2018–2025): 10
Highest Price Recorded: $375
Lowest Price Recorded: $85
Last Sold: Mar 2025, $325
Captain America’s magnetic shield retriever
Cap wore wrist magnets to summon his shield like a patriotic boomerang.
It barely worked, looked clunky, and defied the laws of physics and good taste. The idea was ditched fast—but for one brief, shining moment, Captain America was betrayed by his own tech.
A rare misfire in a star-spangled arsenal.
First Recall: Avengers #6 (1964)
Popular grade: CGC 9.6
Total Books Sold (2010–2025): 16
Highest Price Recorded: $10,200
Lowest Price Recorded: $2,390
Last Sold: Apr 2025, $3,412
Ultimate nullifier
A tiny device said to erase everything—universes, timelines, you name it.
It looks like a Zippo lighter and has all the design confidence of a lost TV remote. No one really knows how it works. Not even Reed. But it scared Galactus into backing off, making it the most potent weapon in Marvel history… or the greatest bluff ever pulled.
Either way, it’s classic Kirby: bold, bizarre, and big on mystery.
First Tthreat: Fantastic Four #50 (1966)
Popular grade: CGC 9.6
Total Books Sold (2012–2025): 10
Highest Price Recorded: $28,800
Lowest Price Recorded: $7,727
Last Sold: Apr 2025, $18,000
Bronze Age (1970–1985): Bold choices were made
Lois Lane’s plastimold machine
Lois uses a machine to change her race for a day—to “experience” racism firsthand.
The intent was social commentary. The execution? Wildly off. The gadget itself—a Plastimold machine—feels like something that should’ve never made it past the pitch. Today, it reads like a time capsule of well-meaning naivety wrapped in Bronze Age awkwardness.
Collectors approach this issue cautiously, with historical gloves and a raised eyebrow.
First misstep: Lois Lane #106 (1970)
Popular grade: CGC 9
Total Books Sold (2013–2025): 20
Highest Price Recorded: $1,320
Lowest Price Recorded: $125
Last Sold: Mar 2025, $850
Spider-Mobile
Spidey got a car. A sponsored car.
It had web shooters, wall-crawling tires, and one big problem: Peter Parker didn’t know how to drive. Naturally, it ended up in the Hudson. It was meant to boost toy sales, not credibility.
Ultimately, it became a masterclass in how to turn a superhero into a brand ambassador... and a cautionary tale in automotive ownership.
First crash: Amazing Spider-Man #130 (1974)
Popular grade: CGC 9.6
Total Books Sold (2002–2025): 198
Highest Price Recorded: $384
Lowest Price Recorded: $53
Last Sold: Mar 2025, $146
Thanos-copter
The Mad Titan. Wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet. Cosmic conqueror.
And at one point… pilot of a bright yellow helicopter with “THANOS” boldly stamped on the side. No stealth. No subtlety. Just vibes. He was defeated by a child, apprehended by the police, and carted off like a shoplifter—not a god.
It’s one of the most unintentionally hilarious moments in comic history. And yes, it’s canon. Utterly legendary.
First Joyride: Spidey Super Stories #39 (1979)
Popular grade: CGC 9.6
Total Books Sold (2013–2024): 14
Highest Price Recorded: $495
Lowest Price Recorded: $187
Last Sold: Jul 2024, $331
Modern Age (1985–Present): Weird, but make it meta
Iron Man’s roller skates
Yes, Iron Man used to skate. Not fly. Skate.
Tiny retractable wheels would pop out of his armoured boots, letting Tony Stark roll into action like a high-tech figure skater. It made no sense, even for the ’60s, and has been lovingly mocked in the universe ever since.
But hey—every genius billionaire has a phase. This one just had ankle bearings.
First rollout: Tales of Suspense #45 (1963)
Popular grade: CGC 7.5
Total Books Sold (2005–2024): 32
Highest Price Recorded: $1,800
Lowest Price Recorded: $263
Last Sold: Oct 2024, $780
Deadpool’s image inducer
Leave it to Deadpool to take X-Men tech and turn it into a prop for cosplay chaos.
The image inducer was built for stealth—holographic disguises, infiltration, and subtlety. Then Wade Wilson got hold of it. Subtlety left the building. He used it to impersonate Peter Parker inside an old Spider-Man comic. Since then, it's been his go-to for pranks, celebrity impressions, and whatever fever dream requires a fake moustache or Tom Cruise disguise.
Occasionally useful. Frequently ridiculous. Textbook Deadpool.
Modern misuse: 2010s Deadpool
Popular grade: CGC 9.8
Total Books Sold (2010–2024): 29
Highest Price Recorded: $395
Lowest Price Recorded: $96
Last Sold: Nov 2024, $221
The H-Dial (“Dial H for Hero”)
Superpowers by lottery? Spin to win.
The H-Dial (Dial H for Hero) lets anyone become a superhero—twist the dial and hope for the best. You might turn into a flaming skeleton made of sound waves. Or a guy who cries people to death. One poor soul became a chalk outline. It’s pure chaos magic, wrapped in a device that looks like a rotary phone. Unpredictable. Endlessly creative. And easily one of the most delightfully unhinged gadgets in comics.
We love every confusing second of it.
Ongoing weirdness: Dial H #1 (2012)
Popular grade: CGC 9.8
Total Books Sold (2012): 1
Highest Price Recorded: $60
Lowest Price Recorded: $60
Last Sold: Aug 2012, $60
Why these gadgets matter (even if they’re ridiculous)
Not every collectible is about rarity or monetary value. Sometimes, it's about charm. About oddities that shouldn't have worked—but did, because they captured the era's energy. These gadgets are pulp history. They tell us what comics thought was cool, what readers found funny, and what toy execs demanded by Tuesday.
So next time you're deep in a CGC sales archive or flipping through a flea market find, look closer. That silly panel with a bee belt or a punching car? It’s not just absurd. It’s the good stuff.
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