# What's the dorkiest prop used by any superhero or superheroine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-books-manga\ **Created:** [March 15, 2007, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990 "2007-03-15T02:49:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/81 "2020-07-08T17:39:35Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > It had the added advantage that it does require a key hole large enough to ride a horse through. I’m guessing that you may have left the word “not” out of that last sentence. 😀 ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/82 "2020-07-08T21:01:36Z")
But the disadvantage that if he dropped it or ever put it down, it would fall to the core of the Earth, pass straight through and return to nearly the same height on the other side, and repeat this an indeterminate number of times until the negligable friction finally halts it at the center of the Earth. Which is, you know, a problem for a key. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2020, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/83 "2020-07-09T13:54:15Z")
That idiotic key required a key hole big enough for a person to crawl through, which once happened. Some security! ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/84 "2020-07-10T13:07:05Z")
Ma Hunkel, also known as “The Red Tornado”: In the earliest stories she wore a helmet made of a COOKING POT with two eyeholes. Of course, it was a deliberate parody… ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/85 "2020-07-10T13:18:55Z")
Yes if you include parodies then you can include Bananaman > **[Bananaman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananaman)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > > Bananaman is a fictional character appearing in British comic books. Bananaman is a parody of traditional superheroes, being portrayed as a schoolboy who is transformed into a muscled, caped adult man when he eats a banana. The character originally appeared in Nutty as the back page strip in Issue 1, dated 16 February 1980 drawn by John Geering. > He has since appeared in The Dandy and The Beano. Eric transformed into Bananaman when he ate a banana however - but that is a prop. And so I suppose you could therefore also include Popeye. When you really think about it, a tin of spinach is pretty crappy. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/86 "2020-07-10T15:35:52Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > But the disadvantage that if he dropped it or ever put it down, it would fall to the core of the Earth, pass straight through and return to nearly the same height on the other side, and repeat this an indeterminate number of times until the negligable friction finally halts it at the center of the Earth. Which is, you know, a problem for a key. And here I thought something rolling to the middle of under the car was bothersome. ---
**Author:** ![ahduval](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahduval/32/11513_2.png) [@ahduval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ahduval)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/87 "2020-07-10T17:01:28Z")
For another character, Ulysses Archer (US1) Super truck driver, he has a metal cranium to pick up CB radio and a coin to remotely control his truck. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/88 "2020-07-14T03:47:49Z")
she’s not a superhero but look up a cartoon called “braceface” the early hook of the cartoon was the tween lizzie mcguire wanna be heroine had these obnoxiously big braces tand she was electrocuted or shocked by lightning i don’t remember exactly But if she clicked her teeth together fast enough she could pick up other people’s conversations like a radio which led to all sorts of “Wacky” hijinks and yeah the show got points for being one of the more realistic/edigies cartoons storyline wise (like when she “heard” a crush saying he liked mature girls … she bought an inflatable bra to get noticed which ended in tragedy but ) they did it in the most offensive/cringey way possible… ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/89 "2020-07-14T18:02:18Z")
Don’t forget, she also wore red long johns as a costume. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/90 "2020-07-14T18:23:09Z")
> [@Marisa](#): > > As for props: WW’s stupid cuffs (did they serve any purpose?), [![](https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aronBY7_460s.jpg) ](https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/aronBY7_460s.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/91 "2020-07-14T18:57:25Z")
“My bracelets are bulletproof steel. How many killers do you know that aim for the wrists?” “Everywhere I go, kids follow me around, shouting ‘Make the wings flap! Make the wings flap!’” ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/92 "2020-07-14T22:28:06Z")
Interesting comic. Where’s the laughter coming from? I think there should be a superhero really good at discovering water. With a magic divining rod. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/93 "2020-07-15T01:40:43Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Well, I know the OP said heroes but I just couldn’t pass up on “Codpiece” > > ### [Quite possibly the dumbest supervillain of all time, Codpiece, who shoots…](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/127367495691604974/) > > Oct 10, 2016 - Quite possibly the dumbest supervillain of all time, Codpiece, who shoots missiles from his, well, you know. > > One word: “Recoil”. I hope people clicked on that pin to go through to the article that details Codpiece’s history. It’s the revenge for everything male writers have done to female superheroes over the years. One of the fun points was realizing that the weapons coming out of Codpiece’s codpiece were essentially all of Green Arrow’s trick arrows somehow stored in even less space. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/94 "2020-07-15T19:00:06Z")
In the Golden Age Wonder Woman comic she was constantly getting tied up and rescued by Steve Trevor, but in the Shanna the She Devil comics it was always the guy who was being tied up. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/95 "2020-07-15T23:19:00Z")
Oh, my. The comic book Tick had a “magic” Viewmaster to help him find things. And a Hawaiian tie to disguise himself. I’m sure there were other things, but that’s what I remember off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/96 "2020-07-15T23:19:46Z")
I assume the laughter is coming from the line of goons shooting at them. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/97 "2020-07-15T23:38:58Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I’m sure there were other things, but that’s what I remember off the top of my head. There was that time he passed out while trying to intimidate a Superman expy with a drinking straw. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/98 "2020-07-16T02:31:59Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I assume the laughter is coming from the line of goons shooting at them. Yeah, if I was shooting at someone and their chest just jiggled in response - I’m pretty sure I’d giggle in terror independent of whether their chest was primarily composed of pectoral muscles or mammalian breasts. It’s funny and terrifying at the same time! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/99 "2020-07-16T04:50:40Z")
It’s hard to shoot and laugh at the same time. Guess the goons won’t be winning the skeet shooting contest this year. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990/100 "2020-07-26T14:33:16Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I assume the laughter is coming from the line of goons shooting at them. Not goons. Marksmen – er, marks_boys_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dorkiest-prop-used-by-any-superhero-or-superheroine/395990.md?page=6)