The Sword of Shatterstar
Swords are often associated with legendary heroes, closely linked to the development of civilizations over thousands of years. However, one particular sword designed by artist Rob Liefeld in Marvel comics is… quite impractical and has left many fans questioning its utility.
The sword mentioned here is Shatterstar’s signature weapon, which features two blades aligned parallel to each other. At first glance, it looks really cool, but experts in weaponry argue that this design is impractical as it disrupts the balance of the weapon, reduces the slicing effectiveness, and can lead to many awkward situations during combat.
Adam X’s Fireproof Suit
This character is a perfect example of a failed attempt from the 90s era of comic book creation. A flamboyant costume with fiery shoulder pads, a couple of blades… this is the fireproof suit of Adam X – The X-Treme.
In reality, Adam X – The X-Treme is a character capable of igniting the blood of anyone nearby (in the most literal sense), so the necessity of wearing such a suit is questionable. While the visual design of the character is certainly memorable, it has earned a place in this list.
Moon Knight’s Golden Key
Every superhero has their unique gadgets; Batman has the Batarang, Batmobile, and Batwing, while the Fantastic Four have their flying vehicles… Moon Knight also has his own unique gadget, which is the golden key.
The function of this key is that it heats up whenever Moon Knight is in danger, allowing him to use it to… signal his own presence (it gets hot!). It sounds more like a gimmick than a utility, especially since Spider-Man’s spider-sense does a much better job at alerting him of danger without needing to be attached to a physical object.
Paste-Pot-Pete’s Glue Gun
Glue is one of the most bizarre gadgets in the superhero realm of Marvel. There are various types of glue, capable of sticking metals, wood, fire, or just plain old sticky stuff, making it quite powerful.
As for Paste-Pot-Pete’s glue, it creates… sticky glue. Yes, it produces sticky glue in the most literal sense, as Paste-Pot-Pete created a type of super adhesive that can be used to… battle superheroes. It’s quite a ridiculous gadget.
Absorbing Man’s Metal Ball
Absorbing Man, a towering character with the ability to transform into any material he touches. This is a formidable power, but for a character like him, the creators decided to give him an additional gadget, which is a metal ball that can be thrown at opponents.
In reality, this gadget has little to do with his superpower, and it seems unnecessary for such a powerful character. Just because he can turn into metal doesn’t mean he needs a metal ball to throw at others.
Captain America’s Shield
Many fans are baffled and often wonder why a valuable artifact like Captain America’s nearly indestructible shield is included in this list. The fact is, if you look at it from a certain perspective, it is just a shield meant to defend against threats; it doesn’t necessarily belong on a gadget list.
In comics and on screen, creators have made it even more versatile for Captain America to use it as a boomerang, throwing it at foes and then bringing it back effortlessly. While this idea seems cool, the reality is it’s just a combat tool. Just look at Captain throwing the shield and Winter Soldier catching it effortlessly; if he doesn’t throw it back, Captain would lose his precious artifact.
And what about using it to attract other metals? Do you want to unintentionally draw all kinds of metal around you on the battlefield? Or just to attract Vibranium, which Black Panther also uses to make his gadgets? It’s a shield, not a gadget! Right?
Phoenix’s Energy Beam
Yes, it’s another bizarre gadget, and Marvel has once again introduced a legendary weapon with a unique power. Can you imagine a beam that can obliterate everything in its path? The Phoenix is an immense power residing within Jean Grey, capable of devastating entire galaxies.
The special feature of this beam is that it can potentially obliterate everything in a single blast, which comes at the cost of the user’s life. Yes, a beam with the potential to annihilate everything in one shot at the price of the user’s life sounds like a fair one-on-one trade, doesn’t it? If the blast is so powerful, what about the backlash?
(To be continued)
