The 10 best songs based on comics

Almost since the beginning of time, music and comics have had a very particular union. Ben Grimm dressed like The Beatles in a Fantastic Four comic, Kiss had their own comic (made with their own blood), and even mangas like Beck, Nana, or 20th Century Boys had rock and roll as a vital part of their structure. But what happens when it’s the other way around? When music turns its head to the pages to create true anthems? We present to you 10 songs based on comics that will have you floating between chords and panels.

Spider-Man (Ramones)

We start with a classic: the version of the 70s animated series filtered through The Ramones and whose theme song has appeared, in one way or another, in all the Spider-Man movies to date. The truth is that it was part of a tribute album called Saturday Morning: Cartoons Greatest Hits, where bands of all kinds covered the songs of Scooby Doo, Gigantor, or Speed Racer. But, without a doubt, the one that has gone down in history the most is this little pop culture masterpiece that has survived unblemished to this day.

Side Kick (Rancid)

Rancid decided to dedicate a song not to Batman, but to Tim Drake, the third Robin, who in 1994 was a very minor character. This is expressed in the lyrics (“I had a dream I was a vigilante sidekick, my name is Tim I’m a lesser known character”) before taking a turn and talking about Wolverine at one point. The song is pure nihilistic punk and, as such, couldn’t care less about having internal cohesion. The result is a marvel that perfectly frames the underground music of the time.

Nobody loves the Hulk (The Traits)

In 1969, Marvel was beginning to taste the sweetness of pop culture and decided that, of course, besides comics, it had to dip its toes into novels, television, cinema… and music. This is where ‘Nobody Loves the Hulk’ was born, sung by The Traits, an unknown high school band that played in a garage, and which was heavily promoted by the publisher (it was only sold if you responded to an ad at the back of the comics). The song, in addition to reviewing the origin of Hulk, also manages to deliver an anti-racist statement (“We don’t allow no green skin people in here!”) and although the lyricist, Rosalind Rogoff, feels embarrassed by what she did, it remains campy and very fun. However, she didn’t become a millionaire: only a few hundred copies were sold. 55 years later, it is a myth covered by dozens of people. That’s life for you.

Ghost Rider (Suicide)

The 70s marked a time of change for Marvel, where they began experimenting with new characters like Ghost Rider, a demonic motorcyclist with a flaming head (and bike) who, of course, caught the attention of a punk group like Suicide, who included a tribute on their first album, which would later be covered by hundreds of other bands. The lyrics, however, are nothing extraordinary: “Ghost Rider motorcycle hero, hey baby, baby, baby he’s a-lookin’ so cute. Sneak around-round-round in a blue jump suit, Ghost Rider motorcycle hero”. You can’t say more with less.

Flash (Queen)

Flash Gordon was born in 1934 and over the years, has influenced thousands of comics, movies, and television series. But also Queen, perhaps the most famous music group of all time – with the Beatles’ permission – who made a song for the 1980 film adaptation. Flash (inevitably, in your head, you’re singing “Uoooooh”) never reached number one on the sales charts, but inevitably, everyone can continue the lyrics without much trouble almost 45 years later. It’s not a small recognition.

The Dark Saga (Iced Earth)

In this case, it’s not just a song, but an entire album: Iced Earth dedicated ten songs to Spawn, the comic by Todd McFarlane, who, in gratitude, drew the cover. And to think that he originally rejected them when they offered to write songs for the movie based on the character. Who would have thought that ‘The Dark Saga’ would become a power metal legend? Although at the time their more melodic change was criticized, today songs like ‘I Died for You’ or the title track ‘Dark Saga’ remain essential for the band.

Slept on Tony (Ghostface Killa)

One of the members of Wu Tang Clan, the legendary rapper Ghostface Killa, did not want to miss the opportunity, in 2008, to make his own version of Iron Man taking advantage of the release in theaters of Marvel. In this song, he reviews the entire trajectory of Iron Man very faithfully to the comics (“I created an iron suit, to protect my people, escaped, bound to be Ironman the great. The billionaire Tony Starks’ll renew your fate!”) and gave a lesson on how to be an old-school fan. Wonderful.

Silver Surfer (Los Punsetes)

Let’s go for a second to Spain, because here, beyond songs based on local comics like Rompetechos or Mortadelo y Filemón, we have also looked at American comics with themes like Silver Surfer, by Los Punsetes, from their album Aniquilación, where, with some irony, they see the world from above with a “I have no destiny, space is my path. I have no skill, but laziness doesn’t defeat me”. As a curiosity, the band Veintiuno also referenced Stan Lee’s character in a great song where Diego sings “I know he flies. No one ever believed it, but he rises, leaves a mark like Silver Surfer…” Let it not be said otherwise.

Magneto and Titanium Man (Wings)

Paul McCartney has never hidden that he was a fan of comics in general, and in Magneto and Titanium Man he presents a story among three of Marvel’s greatest villains: Magneto, Titanium Man, and Crimson Dynamo, which is so fantastic that years later Stan Lee himself had to admit that he loved it. Some have wanted to see allegories of the Beatles’ breakup in the lyrics, but in reality, it seems more like a song created with psychotropic substances, I’m not going to lie to you.

Legendary Iron Hood (Mike Eagle)

And we end with a song dedicated to one of the best villains in comic book history: Juggernaut. Or as Mike Eagle calls him to avoid copyright issues, Iron Hood. He also takes the opportunity to explore the character’s mental health, who is actually Charles Xavier’s stepbrother, and, frankly, you end up having genuine compassion for him. Some people want to see in its lyrics an allegory of those who have to grow up in marginalized communities, and it might be. Because in the end, comics are that: allegories of a present and a reality that many confuse with mere punches in the air.