Superhero comics from publishers like DC and Marvel have always focused on characters with superpowers, but they’ve also featured a lot of advanced technology – often used to boost those powers or even replace them. It’s interesting how many of these fictional technologies, once considered far-fetched, have actually been invented – sometimes even inspired by the comics themselves. For example, readers back in the day might not have imagined Spider-Man’s tracking devices looking like modern Air Tags, but superhero comics have a knack for anticipating major technological advancements.
This technological revolution refers to the internet, which is likely the most significant technological advancement in history. It’s hard to believe now, but before the mid-1990s, when the World Wide Web became common for everyone to use, the idea seemed impossible to most people. However, as you’ll see below, a few comic book creators were already thinking about it.
5) Dick Tracy’s Wristwatch
You’d probably never guess that the comic strip *Dick Tracy*—about a determined detective fighting criminals—would foreshadow the internet. When it first appeared in newspapers, the strip was known for its exciting stories and unforgettable villains, but it didn’t seem to have much to do with technology. In fact, it was quite surprising when *Dick Tracy* later started incorporating futuristic gadgets, considering how far removed it initially was from anything like the internet.
Believe it or not, the comic strip *Dick Tracy* predicted the internet and smartphones way back in 1946! Creator Chester Gould introduced Tracy’s famous two-way wrist radio, letting him instantly communicate with others – a clear vision of mobile communication. In 1964, the watch evolved into a two-way wrist TV, offering video calls that are remarkably similar to FaceTime or Google Chat today. Though these devices didn’t connect to the internet itself, the idea of instant, on-the-go communication was spot-on. While not exactly like modern smartwatches, Tracy’s inventions imagined a future where this kind of technology would exist.
4) Batman’s Bat-Computer
Batman is consistently ranked among the best superheroes, despite lacking any inherent superpowers. He achieves his success through extensive training, keen intelligence, and a wealth of experience. However, technology plays a crucial role in his crime-fighting abilities – it’s arguably his greatest strength and often determines whether he succeeds or fails. Given this, it’s not surprising that Batman comics have often foreshadowed the development of the internet and related technologies.
The Bat-Computer is a great illustration of this idea. It first showed up in a 1940 Batman comic book around the time the internet was starting to develop. At first, it worked more like modern artificial intelligence – scanning data and providing summaries based on what it was told. Over time, though, it became a much more advanced system, one that wouldn’t function without an internet connection. It evolved into a network allowing Batman to access police, financial, and personal information from anywhere in the world, simply by asking questions in plain language.
3) Oracle’s Computer Station
Although Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl had her own way of doing things, she also relied on technology provided by Batman, as she was part of his extended team. This was especially clear after the Joker attacked her in Alan Moore’s *The Killing Joke*, leaving her with partial paralysis and requiring a wheelchair. Unable to continue fighting crime as Batgirl, she stepped away from frontline action. However, as shown in John Ostrander, Kim Yale, and Luke McDonnell’s *Suicide Squad* #23 (1987), Barbara continued her fight against crime by becoming “Oracle,” a skilled computer expert and information specialist.
Gordon’s high-tech setup in the Gotham Clocktower was surprisingly ahead of its time and would look very familiar to modern computer users. Her multi-screen computer system foreshadowed the standard workstations used in businesses, home offices, and by gamers today. More importantly, her system connected to a network – a very early idea of the internet. Gordon became the central source of information in the DC Comics world, able to send and receive data instantly from around the globe to anyone who needed it.
2) Iron Man’s Networked Armor
Iron Man perfectly represents the modern superhero whose abilities come from technology. His original suit, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39, was completely self-sufficient. But later versions needed more and more data to work their best. The suit now needs a constant flow of information – things like location, the surrounding landscape, and details about enemies. This information isn’t stored *in* the suit itself; it has to be pulled from a network that can quickly provide real-time updates.
Iron Man comics surprisingly predicted aspects of the internet’s future in several storylines. One example is the “This Year’s Model” arc (Iron Man #290-291, 1968), which featured armor Tony Stark could control remotely from his hospital bed. This foreshadowed concepts like remote access and online video, things that needed a fast, reliable internet to become reality. It even hinted at the development of drones, which rely on this type of technology. Later, in “The Iron Legion” arc (Iron Man #300, 1968), Iron Man’s modular armor communicated using real-time access to remote databases. This accurately predicted the Internet of Things (IoT) and the idea of a constantly connected internet – the armor couldn’t function without being online, a concept that’s now commonplace.
1) JLA ‘s Satellite Computer Network
It’s not surprising that comic books like The Avengers or Fantastic Four, dealing with worldwide and even galactic crises, would feature advanced communication technologies. You’d expect them to have something like the internet, given the scope of their challenges. However, it’s actually the Justice League of America that has depicted technology in a way that feels more like the real internet – accurately predicting how it would be structured and function.
The JLA Satellite Computer Network, first appearing in *Justice League of America* (1960) issues #77-78, is an early fictional example of what would become the internet. After the Joker attacked their original base, the Justice League moved into a large space station called the Satellite. This station contained a powerful computer that tracked events on Earth, let members communicate worldwide, and provided information to those in space. The computer’s ability to quickly find information about people, places, and events – along with its constant stream of global updates – foreshadowed the internet’s search engine and newsfeed features that we use today.
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2025-10-14 14:12