Cell phones in comics?

[anarky]

This may sound like a weird-ass question, but here goes anyway: have cell phones really "come up" in comics? I ask because, well, they've really changed the way people do almost anything. Someone in the position of, say, a Peter Parker or a Clark Kent would absolutely have to have one, and guys like Ollie Queen or Bruce Wayne would probably want one because it might seem odd, given their secret IDs, if they didn't have one.

But, theoretically, any cell phone could be traced. Technically, it's illegal, but we know that telecommunications providers illegally handed over info to the Justice Department, so it exists, and the government could get its hands on anything. What about a character like Norman Osborne or Amanda Waller, who work for fictional government agencies that have more power than any (known) real-life agency? Couldn't you have guys like that pretty much tracing every superhero anytime they wanted?

[vynsane]

ultimate spidey's has a cellphone.

in the new animated series, he was grounded for a while and had a curfew, so he had an alarm set on it. it went off when he was stalking some bad guys one time.

regular spidey has one too, i seem to remember. they've not made a big deal of it.

[anarky]

Hmm. Interesting. I figured characters were carrying them, but, especially in light of actual events with telecommunications companies, it seems odd no one's picked up on the possible tracking aspect.

[vynsane]

well, ultimate nick fury quickly took a liking to ultimate spidey, so he's kinda watching his back, as opposed to watching his movements.

but in light of the patriot act... i mean dark reign... yeah, i can see where you're coming from. they've addressed it in iron man, tapping into communications involving stark.

[Diabolical]

Superman, Spider-man and many others don't really seem to have pockets for a cell phone, so I would assume they don't carry the cell phones of their secret identities while in costume.
Batman has the pockets in his belt, but those could all be full with those wonderful toys.

Maybe Tony Stark blocks any tracking of any superhero cell phones in the Marvel U.

[anarky]

Yeah, but Peter Parker has a cell phone. Prior to One More Day, several villains knew his identity, including Osborne. It would be very difficult to hide, even in civilian duds, if you have a cell phone and don't realize it's being traced.

[vynsane]

you can get a cellphone with a fake ID or a prepaid minutes phone...

[anarky]

That's true, but wouldn't it seem weird if someone in Clark's position had a prepaid phone? True or not, there's a negative social connotation to it.

[vynsane]

i'm saying for use in-costume. out of costume he'd ostensibly have a 'normal' phone. always keep your 'everyday' and 'secret' identities separate. prepaid phone for superheroics, contractual phone for everything else.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Maybe I'm a luddite, but how would they know whose phone to track? It's not like his phone is registered to "Spider, Man"

[vynsane]

Maybe I'm a luddite, but how would they know whose phone to track? It's not like his phone is registered to "Spider, Man"

well, there is SHIELD. they can track anything, apparently.