Kapow! The top 15 bands named after comic book superheroes (and supervillains)

"Holy ridiculous lists, Batman!"

With the new Batman movie packing in the crowds in cinemas around the country, and the Avengers Assemble film soundtrack containing all manner of fine rock’n'roll toons, it occurred to us to exploit the link between music and comics in a bit of light-hearted website banter. So here’s our list of the top 15 rock bands who also happen to share their names with comic book characters… be they superheroes, superheroines or supervillains. Let the countdown begin!

15. W.A.S.P. / The Wasp

Music:

W.A.S.P. are Blackie Lawless’ infamous combo, natch. No superpowers as such, although Blackie’s chainsaw codpiece comes close.

Comics:

The Wasp (aka Janet van Dyne) is a founding member of The Avengers. She first appeared in Tales To Astonish No.44 (June 1963) as the partner of Ant-Man. She had a longstanding relationship with Ant-Man’s alter ego, Henry Pym, later known as Giant-Man, Goliath and Yellowjacket. The Wasp can shrink to a tiny size, fly by means of insectoid wings and fire energy blasts.

14. Thunder / T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents

Music:

Luke Morley and Danny Bowes’ popular beat combo.

Comics:

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents were team of superheroes that appeared in a series of issues originally published by Tower Comics in the 1960s. Great artwork by the legendary Wally Wood, who would go on to illustrate early Daredevil issues for Marvel Comics. One of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, called Noman, had an invisibility cloak – thus preceding Harry Potter by, oh, ages. Incidentally, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. stands for ‘The Higher United Nations Defence Enforcement Reserves’.