Vibranium is an iconic metal. It is one that has been constantly referenced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and in Marvel Comic Books for decades because of its incredible qualities and for how useful it has proven to the likes of Black Panther and Captain America in their fight against injustice.
However, you might be thinking – is Vibranium real? And if it isn’t a real material and one simply invented for the purposes of Marvel Comics, then what is the closest metal to Vibranium?
This article will reveal whether or not Vibranium really is real or not and if it isn’t what the closest metal to it on Earth is.
Let’s start with the easiest question and the most straightforward one – is Vibranium real?
The simple answer is that no, Vibranium isn’t real. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1966 for the thirteenth issue of the original run of Daredevil as a plot point before becoming more important when Lee created the African nation of Wakanda;
Indeed, Vibranium appears in the comics before either Black Panther or his home country, somewhat ironically given that the two are not inextricably linked!
Now that we’ve established that Vibranium isn’t real and only exists in the Marvel universe, let’s turn to looking at the material that is most similar to is.
What Metal Is Most Similar To Vibranium?
Now that it is clear that Vibranium isn’t real, let’s move on to looking at what other metals that really do exist on Earth could be considered to be similar to it.
Scientists who are fans of comic books have looked into the issue and the real material that could be considered close enough in strength and malleability to Vibranium is somewhat surprisingly Graphene.
Whilst you might associate graphite most with pencils, Graphene has a wide range of other uses which make it a great alternative to Vibranium.
The reason for this is that like Vibranium, Graphene has the ability to be both strong and incredibly flexible. In certain states, Graphene, which is one of the thinnest materials on Earth, has been found to be stronger than steel.
This of course, like with Vibranium, depends on the state it is in when it is chemically treated as it is obvious that Graphene in pencils or in a powder form isn’t very useful for protecting yourself in the way that Vibranium protects Black Panther in the comics and movies.
However, were Graphene to be produced in sheets, similar to plastic, it could easily be used as a form of armor. Indeed, it is thought that Graphene could be used as a similar suit of armor and work in a similar way to protect its wearer from bullets or energy beams.
It is believed that the Vibranium suit uses sonoluminescence, the process by which energy rather than being simply diverted is absorbed into the suit to be used at a later stage could also apply to Graphene.
Were Graphene to be produced in full sheets it could become one of the most sought-after materials in existence. However, that day has not come – yet!
Now that we’ve explained what material is similar to Vibranium, it is worth taking the time to compare Vibranium to the other famous fictional metal of the Marvel Universe, the one that is so important to Wolverine of the X Men – Adamantium!
Vibranium Vs Adamantium
Vibranium is rightfully considered to be one of the strongest metals in existence and the substance that allows Captain America to have his incredible shield and Black Panther his stunning suit of armor.
Yet, how strong is it in comparison with another famous metal like Adamantium?
First of all, let’s make clear what exactly Adamantium is. Adamantium is the metal substance that, like Vibranium, was first introduced before its most famous user was created.
Adamantium was introduced in 1966 in Avengers issue 66 as part of the armor of Ultron, an indestructible robot created by Hank Pym aka Ant Man, who threatened to destroy both his creator and his friends in the Avengers in order to make the world a place inhabited only by robots like himself rather than anyone else.
Adamantium is well known for being, unlike Vibranium, a very stable metal that’s chemical structure does not radically change when it is moulded.
As such it is a metal that is highly resistant to pressure and can easily be sharpened and used as a deadly weapon, as it is for the character Wolverine who as part of Project X has Adamantium bonded to his bone claws in order that his claws can be used as even more powerful weapons than they were before hand.
However, which of the metals you might be wondering is the strong metal? Well in terms of resistance, Vibranium can’t be manipulated by Magneto unlike Adamantium because Vibranium doesn’t come from Earth unlike Adamantium.
However, Adamantium as a metal is in fact stronger than Vibranium because whilst it can be manipulated by the likes of Magneto it can’t really be broken and has in certain circumstances been able to cut through Vibranium – one famous case been when Wolverine was fighting Black Panther and he was able to cut through T’Challa’s suit and draw blood.
So, whilst Vibranium is an incredible metal it isn’t the strongest metal in the Marvel Universe and its powers are more limited than you might at first think.
Why It Is Important To Know About Vibranium
It is important to know about Vibranium because it is a metal that has captured the imagination. The idea of a metal suit that can not only withstand a great deal of physical stress and strain whilst also being able to absorb the energy that is being thrown at it is a fascinating concept.
Knowing that it isn’t real is in fact even more important because it means that the imagination of scientists and ordinary readers alike can be set alight in imagining how we might one day be able to create a similar metal for ourselves one day.
Therefore, it is incredibly important that we know that Vibranium isn’t real because it means that we can imagine what it would be like if it were and one day do something to make it real.
