I mean, both universes’ Earths seem at least a little more advanced than the Earth. What with the laser pistols, sentient robots (good and evil), spaceships, etc.
But…how much of this advanced tech makes it’s way to the public? And does either Earth have higher technology than the other? If I walked into a Circuit City in Gotham, would I be able to buy a holographic big-screen TV?
What about the stuff that’d still be available, but is just out of the price range of the average joe? Could the Marvel Bill Gates get an android butler, for enough cash?
And…what about military technology—the stuff that’s not top secret, and in Area 51? Do the grunts in Marvel’s 82nd Airborne get to carry laser rifles? Does the National Guard on the DC Earth get hover-tanks?
Well, thanks for your patience,
Ranchoth
I’d wager that DC has the edge based on the fact that they’ve got messes of technology from the future lying around, and quite likely a number of items capture from alien races in the aftermath of 1989’s “Invasion!” series. The biggest example is the Braniac 13 technology that subsumed Metropolis in 2000; the implication is that the technology was from the 853rd century, giving Metropolis a severe edge.
…and I think Lex Luthor has the patent rights, to boot.
I would have to say, however, that Marvel has the edge in one respect: it’s got Reed Richards, who seems to have invented, well, everything. I don’t think DC has anyone (heroic, anyway) on par with his intellect.
In most places in either world, I think people live and die with the same tech we have now. However, various supervillains and such can equip whole armies with and build cities full of super-technology. And there are private organizations that have super tech, like SHIELD in Marvel comics. If you really want to buy something advanced, you need to first know what you want. After that, you can probably find someone, somewhere to make it for you. And thereafter, you will find yourself increasingly involved in a humongous battles between the forces of good and evil.
Well, Intergang (DC Universe, Metropolis mainly) have those weapons supplied by Apokilips, and they’re not much more than a bunch of thugs and hoodlums. So whilst I acknowledge they are villains, they’re always portrayed as common crooks with super-tech, not super0villains, is this an example of that advanced (alien) technology making its way to the level of the common man (such as it is).
But I’ve never seen evidence of all that super tech making it’s way into normal people’s lives. Even Bruce Wayne, with all that money, and all the tech backing from Waynetech sems to live a very run-of-the-mill life in his stately manor! (Lex Luthor has a very high tech abode, but that’s an example of Bill Gates-type-money giving access).
Since every inventor and scientist and secret government agency seems to have his, her, or its own individual technological level, it would seem that those who have technical knowledge must keep it a closely-guarded secret.
How are scientists and engineers trained, if knowledge is hoarded so zealously? Apprenticeship? How do certifications work? How about patents?
What about reverse engineering? Of course, the really advanced stuff tends to get blown up in battle, so maybe not enough is LEFT to reverse-engineer!
This sort of situation would explain the drastic disparity between “supervillain tech”, “secret government ops tech”, and “consumer tech”, but imagine the incredible, all-encompassing, multi-generational paranoia that must exist to keep such a system in place!