| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Debut: | Daredevil #13 |
| Debutmo: | February |
| Debutyr: | 1966 |
| Creators: | Stan Lee John Romita Sr. |
| Type: | Metal |
| Material: | y |
| Supports: | Black Panther Captain America |
| Subcat: | Marvel Comics |
| Sortkey: | Vibranium |
Vibranium is a fictional metal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, noted for its extraordinary abilities to absorb, store, and release large amounts of kinetic energy. Mined only in the kingdom of Wakanda, the metal is associated with the character Black Panther, who wears a suit of vibranium, and Captain America, who bears a vibranium/steel alloy shield. An alternate form of the material, known as Antarctic Vibranium, or Anti-Metal, has appeared in the Savage Land.
Vibranium first appeared in Daredevil #13 (February 1966), which was written by Stan Lee and layouts by Jack Kirby with finished art by John Romita. Here, vibranium was seen to be an unusual metallic element with decidedly strange properties. Since that point in Marvel Comics continuity, it has been established that there are a few variations of this element which can be found in isolated regions all around the world. The variation first introduced in Daredevil #13 eventually became known as Anti-Metal. This variation is different in that it can cut through any known metal. In the Marvel Universe, Anti-Metal can traditionally be found only in Antarctica. Later in Fantastic Four #53 (August 1966), by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, a new variation of vibranium was introduced in the isolated nation of Wakanda. This variation had the unique attribute of being able to absorb sound. This is the variation which is most often identified in continuity as simply "vibranium".
In the Marvel Universe, vibranium was first deposited on Earth by a meteorite 10,000 years ago. In the comics, the first documented discovery of vibranium was during a human expedition to Antarctica. This particular isotope of vibranium was called "Anti-Metal" due to its property of dissolving other metals.[1]
In the comics, a different variety of vibranium found in Wakanda absorbs sound waves and other vibrations, including kinetic energy. Absorbing sound waves, vibrations, and kinetic energy makes this metal stronger. To protect this resource, Wakandans concealed their country from the outside world. Wakandan king T'Chaka funded his country's education by occasionally selling off minuscule quantities of the metal. As a result, Wakanda is one of the world's most technologically advanced nations.[2] During the early 1940s, a small amount of Wakandan vibranium came into the possession of the scientist Myron MacLain. He tried to combine vibranium with iron to form a new tank armor, but was unable to fuse the elements. One morning, he found that the two materials had bonded on their own in an unknown manner. The ultra-resilient alloy was used to create Captain America's shield. MacLain worked for decades (without success) to duplicate the accident. However, during an experiment in the 1960s, he developed the virtually indestructible metal adamantium. When T'Challa became the king of Wakanda, he strove to end his country's isolation from the rest of the world. Making the existence of vibranium known to the outside world around the mid-1980s, he sold small quantities of it to foreigners who, he believed, would not use it to harmful ends. T'Challa used the profits to enrich and modernize his nation.[3] Over the years, many have tried to obtain or affect the mound of vibranium at Wakanda, but for the most part Wakanda has kept it safe, and become quite powerful in the process.
During the Secret Invasion of Earth, the Skrulls assumed the identity of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and enslaved natives of the Savage Land to mine Anti-Metal.[4] They also invaded Wakanda.[5] The Wakandans successfully repelled the attack.[6] When Wakanda was politically overtaken by the xenophobic Desturi, they granted Doctor Doom access to the country's vibranium vaults. Fearing Doom would use it to amplify his mystical energies, T'Challa activated a failsafe he had developed that rendered all processed vibranium inert.[7]
The rumors about its alien origin had later been proven true, as while most of earth's vibranium had been all but liquidated, certain planetary systems carry an ample supply of the element deep within certain extraterrestrial biospheres, as was the case with a refugee planet that the Spartax Empire tried reclaiming during Captain Marvel's space travels.[8] In the wake of the continuity-wide spanning reboot of the Marvel multiverse chronicled in Secret Wars: Battleworld, vibranium's abundance in Wakanda and beyond has re-flourished to sizable quantities, and the mutant criminal Vanisher was absconding and selling Wakandan vibranium on the black market in New York City.[9]
When a small sub-molecular imperfection was introduced into Captain America's shield, each impact over the years spread to neighboring molecules. It grew until the molecular bonds of the shield were completely broken down, shattering the shield. The shattering effect continued to spread to other vibranium, unconnected to the shield. This created a vibranium "cancer", a shock wave propagating throughout the world. It violently detonated any vibranium it found, from mineral deposits to components of ships or equipment. The shock wave was traveling to the "Great Vibranium Mound" in Wakanda, where the resulting explosion could destroy the world. With the unwitting aid of the villain Klaw, Captain America was able to stop the cancer and restore his shield.[10]
In the Marvel Comics Universe, vibranium is a rare metallic substance of extraterrestrial origin.[11] It exists in many forms:
Wakandan Vibranium is the most common variety, and is often referred to simply as "vibranium". It is a rare substance only found in Wakanda.[12]
The Wakandan isotope possesses the ability to absorb all vibrations in the vicinity as well as kinetic energy directed at it.[13] The energy absorbed is stored within the bonds between the molecules that make up the substance. As a result, kinetic energy is dissipated within the bonds instead. There are limits to the capacity of the energy that can be stored, and although the exact limitations are not yet known, there have been a few examples. One such instance was when the Roxxon Energy Corporation discovered that a small island in the South Atlantic had a foundation composed of vibranium. Due to this, Roxxon found it necessary to destroy the island with explosives. Unable to absorb the force of the explosions, the vibranium was destroyed, but it succeeded in entirely absorbing the sound made by the explosion, preventing damage to the surrounding area.[14]
This variety of vibranium is also a powerful mutagen.[2] Vibranium exposure led to the mutation of many Wakandan natives. Its radiation has also permeated much of Wakanda's flora and fauna, including the Heart-Shaped Herb eaten by members of the Black Panther Tribe and the flesh of the White Gorilla eaten by the members of the White Gorilla Tribe. Both give superhuman abilities to whoever eats them.
It is also believed to dramatically enhance mystical energies.[15]
Better known as Anti-Metal, this isotope is native to the Savage Land. The variation produces vibrations of a specific wavelength that break down molecular bonds in other metals, causing them to liquefy. It was first discovered by explorer Robert Plunder, the father of Kevin and Parnival Plunder.[16] [17] Wakandan vibranium can be transformed into Antarctic vibranium through exposure to certain kinds of radiation.[18] [19]
Much like Wakandan vibranium, Antarctic vibranium can cause human mutations. One person who donned an Anti-Metal full body suit for protection against Moon Knight began to emit the same radiation he had intended to weaponize.[20]
There are at least two forms of man-made vibranium created outside of Wakanda through various means. The first variant is called NuForm, which featured in the Vibranium Vendetta event of Marvel Comics imprint, created by the Roxxon Corporation for unknown reasons.[21] It possesses the properties of Wakandan vibranium but tends to degrade into Antarctic vibranium unless tempered with microwave radiation.
The second is Reverbium, a dangerous artificial brand created at Horizon Labs by Professor Sajani Jaffrey.[22] Unlike standard vibranium, it rapidly amplifies sound energy before exploding. Max Modell, head scientist of Horizon, ordered it to be destroyed, but Jaffrey held on to some of it without her team's knowledge.[23] Reverbium would turn up again in the hands of A.I.M. under the influence of Klaw, who used it to enhance his powers.[24]
Famed Wakandan scientist and Wakanda University professor Obinna Nwabueze discovered a new form of vibranium in the Echo Chamber, a cave used for training by the Dora Milaje.[25] [26] [27] This variety of Vibranium possesses limited sentience and can attune itself to the environment to cause a variety of effects.[28] [29]
Vibranium appears frequently in the Marvel Universe.
Vibranium appears in . A nanite-based artificial intelligence known as "the Fold" attempts to harvest Vibranium in Wakanda in order to construct communication towers around the world, spreading its control signal globally. While the heroes manage to thwart the invasion, they are unable to prevent the Fold from constructing enough towers to make it a global threat.
Vibranium is referenced in the 2019 single Take Me Back to London by Ed Sheeran (featuring Stormzy).[44]
It is also referenced in the bridge of the 2020 track Love Is a War by Jeremy Renner, who played Hawkeye in several Marvel Cinematic Universe films. The line is "To hit me harder, I feel nothing / And all my armor is vibranium".
In 2016, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies developed a real-world smart composite material that they named Vibranium. The lightweight carbon fiber material for the Hyperloop pods is reported to provide the passengers double protection against damage to the exterior. The company says that its Vibranium is 8 times lighter than aluminum and 10 times stronger than steel alternatives. The smart material can transmit critical information regarding temperature, stability, integrity and more, wirelessly and virtually instantly.[45]
Journalists have drawn parallels between Wakanda's vibranium reserves and the mining of coltan in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Coltan is an ore containing niobium and tantalum, two rare and valuable metals, and its exploitation is linked with child-labor, systematic exploitation of the population by governments or militant groups, exposure to toxic chemicals and other hazards; see coltan mining and ethics.[46] [47] [48] Historian Thomas F. McDow draws a parallel to uranium, found in the mine Shinkolobwe in Haut-Katanga Province, also in the Democratic Republic of Congo.[49]
The concept of vibranium as an extremely valuable material, monopolized and mastered by the African civilization of Wakanda, has been subject to scholarly analysis. Several studies have looked at it from the perspective of cultural studies and literary criticism, including tying it to the genre of afrofuturism.[50] Alessio Gerola noted in the context of the 2018 film Black Panther, that "Fundamental disagreements about vibranium’s existence and use drive the film’s plot, but the mythology and history of vibranium are even more essential to understanding how and why characters like Klaue, Killmonger, T'Challa, and Shuri treat vibranium the way they do", concluding that "Vibranium, from a narrative point of view, simply represents the power of possibilities and the disagreements that arise about the “great responsibilities” that follow from such “great powers”.
It has been also analyzed with regards to its physical properties as a type of supermaterial. In 2017 Mark J. Whiting concluded that vibranium, as described in fiction, is not unrealistic, and resembles "a high-entropy shape-memory alloy composite, reinforced with a ceramic", beyond the ability of our current material science to produce, but not beyond the ability of our current theoretical science to explain.[51] It has been suggested that the popular culture impact of this material can make it useful as a teaching-aid when attempting to interest students in material science and related fields.[52] [53]