Batman Miniatures I'd like to see

As longtime readers will know, I'm not all that keen on the Batman Miniatures Game (BMG) put out by Knight Models. There's a few reasons for this, primarily the expense and 35mm scale means none of my 28mm stuff looks 'right' next to it; but I've also never been a fan of games where every model has a list of special rules and an elaborate background, which is why I also steer clear of games like Malifaux and Wild West Exodus. I do own several Knight Models miniatures, such as Bane, Doctor Doom and, of course, Adam West Batman. 

Another element of BMG that I find off-putting is the focus on particular versions of Batman and other DC characters, this is, of course, Hardcore and Grimdark Batman takes from sources such as the Nolan Films, Arkham Video games and modern comics. I do believe that there's a place for The Batman Who Laughs, the Court of Owls and Heath Ledger Joker, but when that's about the only option in tone, I find it wears thin fast. What about the Batman the Animated Series figures, I hear you ask? Yes, they are nice, but they're of such a different style that they look out of place. 

So what would entice me to play BMG? I'm glad you asked, because I have a few suggestions of my own to make. Should any of these figures see production, you may just see some more BMG games on this blog in the future. But probably not. No one else at my club plays.

Joker and Henchmen (1989) 

I'm honestly a little shocked that anything from the 1989 is yet to make an appearance, especially the iconic Batman suit and Batmobile. My personal pick, however, would be Jack's version of the Joker and his fun gang of dancing criminals. As an entire team, the gang plus Joker would be great to see, with Boom Box Henchman, and Max, who of course, Joker could kill when behind to gain extra victory points. Money, money, money, who do you love?

 
Robin, Alfred and Aunt Harriet 

I like my Adam West Batman, but where is Robin and the rest of the cast? The lack of a Burt Ward Robin for years was frankly baffling, but I want Alfred with a disguise ability and Aunt Harriet providing extra actions through sandwiches. If that set does well, how about Gordon and Sergeant O'Hara, then Batgirl and maybe even Green Hornet and Kato from the crossover episodes? How about the villains? Louie the Lilac needs a comeback! 

Partyman 

No, I'm not done with Batman (1989) yet, get over it. Who is Batman? Who is Bruce Wayne? Who is the Joker? Are they all just reflections of the same person? The late, great Prince dared to ask these questions in his concept soundtrack for Batman, revealing in the video for "Batdance" that Batman and the Joker (AKA Partyman) are the same person and the only way to end the terror is suicide. Fuck, that's dark for a superhero film soundtrack! I love the album, love the videos, need this guy in miniature. What would Partyman do in game? Unleash the unstoppable power of the Batdance, of course.

Teen Titans GO!

I don't care, the internet is wrong, Teen Titans GO! is amazing and deserves to be represented in miniature. BMG is in desperate need, not only of some characters with a lighter tone, but also Raven's ability to perfectly crack walnuts, the hardest of nuts. Do you really want the terrible Netflix Titans? No, you want Fleshy Dude, Leprechaun Robin and the Couch to balance out when The Grim Knight drops.


Vampire Joker 

You think you know hardcore Batman characters? Try Vampire Joker on for size, bitches. From  The Batman Vs Dracula DVD film from the oft-maligned The Batman cartoon, Joker is one of many Gothamites turned by Dracula until Batman comes up with a cure and defeats the lord of the undead. This version of Joker is more about gadgets and acrobatics, which combined with a thirst for blood would make an interesting addition to BMG. 

Thinking Out Loud: DC's Music Problem

This is something I touched on back in my Justice League (2017), but I think the DCU films have a big problem with how they approach music. Justice League is probably the prime example, with the sequences around Superman's returns (from the grave, then to the fight with Steppenwolf) using a minor-key version of the John Williams "Superman Theme" for the 'down' segment of the Justice League fighting Supes and a major-key take on Hanz Zimmer's 'Man of Steel' score when the Big Blue Boy Scout shows up to save the day. Now, is that a clever twist, on the face of it? Yes. But does it pay off in the moment? Not really. The Williams 'Superman Theme' is one of, if not the most, iconic superhero theme songs ever written, not using it has long been a point of contention with the fans, so using it in the moment where the DCU Superman finally becomes the iconic hero he 'should' be, where is that swelling, triumphant theme? Again, it just really seems like an odd choice. The use of the Danny Elfman 'Batman' theme when Batman starts his suicide run against the Parademons is pretty much perfect and an analogous moment for the character coming back from his own 'Dark Knight of the Soul'. Was this just not caught in editing, or did the producers still think they were onto a winner with Man of Steel somehow? 

Probably the worst hit across the films she's in is Wonder Woman, who leaps into the franchise for the first time in the battle against Doomsday with the iconic "Is She With You?" blaring. It's a great track, sounding like nothing else in the film, and immediately marking itself as the Wonder Woman theme for the foreseeable future. So why isn't it ever used again? Seriously, neither in Wonder Woman nor Justice League does the same track appear again. The music used for Diana is similar, works around the same themes, plays with variations on "Is She With You?", but never does that track appear again. Isn't that just a little strange? I know that composers need to stay employed, but not having the iconic track most associated with the character in films featuring that character just continues to confuse me. Speaking of iconic themes, why hasn't there been an appearance of the 1966 Batman theme or '70s Wonder Woman theme, like the Spider-Man films always tend to work in? Even The Lego Batman Movie used a sample from the 1966 theme to great effect, why is there no radio or phone ringtone quietly blasting the Shirley Walker classic? 

Those who disagree with my sentiments may make reference to the, very-popular, Suicide Squad soundtrack, but, well, that wasn't really a great work of cinematic composing either. Yes, the soundtrack is full of great songs, but all of those songs were great before they were in the film; the compiling of the soundtrack was a cynical effort to put songs that people already liked together, that's why it sounds like a mixtape. But what about The Guardians of the Galaxy? Well, for starters, the soundtrack is partly diegetic and is an ACTUAL mixtape given to the protagonist in the prologue, rather than just a bunch of songs with no real connection. Also, the 'Awesome Mix' soundtracks have some awesome deep-cuts like Redbone, Jay and the Americans and Parliament, so the comparison is really only surface-level. Both Aquaman and SHAZAM! had solid, if not overly-memorable soundtracks, but neither really has an iconic them song to begin with, so no-harm, no-foul. Much like the DCU films themselves, I think there's a great deal of potential for their soundtracks to really be something special. Acknowledging that something has come before that people really enjoyed, be it from 1966, 1975 or 1989, could really boost the emotional impact of the films and their overall appeal; because, at the end of the day, I just want to watch good superhero films. 

Miniatures Finished: 03/11/17

Still on a Supers painting kick, enjoying it while it lasts. 

 Major Lazer (kitbash), Bat-Bot and a new Storm (both clix). 

 Doombots, one can never have enough (all clix). 

Superhero Media: The Lost Boys

I fucking love this film. Yes, it's almost pure 1980s camp and glam from start to finish, but it also never aspires to be anything grander than campy vampire fun. In fact, it's pretty damn arguable that The Lost Boys is the best example of campy vampire fun to have ever hit the big screen (Fright Night being the main rival to this title in my mind). Little meta-film elements like the career trajectory of Kiefer Sutherland or the life of self-parody that Corey Feldman has fallen into have tarnished The Lost Boys somewhat in a broader popular culture sense, but, to my mind, nothing can truly diminish the visceral thrills of a vampire being pushed into a bathtub of holy water by a dog or the impact of the final line of the film. Its big, loud, gaudy, more than a little camp and a hell of a lot of fun, what more could you want? One reason I love The Lost Boys is that it usurps the Romantic/Byronic Vampire trope, in a way which few films have done, and certainly few films as good as this one. 

You know what else is awesome about The Lost Boys? The soundtrack. Flexing my music nerd credentials, hearing music from Echo & The Bunnymen, Roger Daltry, Lou Gramm and INXS is pretty freaking awesome, as well as a wonderfully counter-cultural scene in which David and his vampire cronies ambush and tear apart a group of bikers blasting Areosmith. Take that Hair Metal. :D My god this is clever when it wants to be. The scene where Sam criticizes the Frog Brother's organisation of Superman comics to gain acceptance is a loving wink to geek culture and the absurdity of the film's own premise. It's glossy, it looks good, Joel Schumacher is a brilliant visual director and it shows when he gets to do the film the way he wants; yes, Batman & Robin is a train wreck, but at no point does it look bad, every detail is superbly realised. Now take that passion for visual direction and apply it to a fun horror romp filled with iconic actors and a subversive soundtrack. What's not to love? 
 

I know that more than a few of my readers have kids; get them onto The Lost Boys. It is an underappreciated classic that people never seem to remember fondly. Is there fertile ground for supers gaming to be had? Hell yes! In the climax, Michael embraces his burgeoning Vampire powers for the first time to battle David, knowing that he and Star may not survive when their curse is removed. Those are some decent stakes to break out your new superpowers on, much better than I've seen done in more than a few comics and a couple of Supers con-games I've had the misfortune of playing. If I ever get around to finishing that Modern Horror skirmish game I'm working on, you can bet "Not-" versions of Michael, Daniel and the Frog Brothers will feature somewhere. 

"Now you know what we are, now you know what you are. You'll never grow old, Michael, and you'll never die. But you must feed!" 

Superhero Media: Lost Boys - The Thirst

I really enjoy the original The Lost Boys, sure it's a bit camp, but it does teenage vampires better than than just about any other bloodsucker film. I have a soft spot for the soundtrack as well, Echo and the Bunnymen, Roger Daltry, The Cure, it's a good mix. There are fun little references to comics, Hammer Horror and even the '60s monster craze, it's a good film and you should probably go watch it, it's way better than this piece of tripe. Maybe it's the fact that Cory Felman has somehow become an even worse actor than he was in the mid-80s, or that the drab filter makes everything look bland, or maybe it's that the over-the-top elements were kind of fun back in the day, but "The Thirst" just can't hold a candle to the original. The story picks up with the Frog Brothers hunting vampires (of course), but tragedy strikes when Alan is bitten and turned! 

Flash forward and Edgar is trying to mope around and look like Snake Plissken (and failing), when a nubile scientist turns up and talks about "The Thirst" a drug that turns people into vampires, maybe, kinda, that's none too clear. Also he needs to find her brother and there's a cute comic store girl that turns out to be a werewolf, but the plot only gets in the way of Feldman wishing he had one iota of Kurt Russell's talent and masculine badarsedness. There's a terrible cover of "Cry Little Sister" that almost ruined the original for me and the main villain is so bland that he makes Richard Roxburgh's perfromance in Van Helsing look positively Shakespearean. That said, the way Edgar kills the main villain is actually pretty cool and deserves a positive mention. I'm sure you can find it on YouTube rather than having to sit through the whole film. 

To call this an obvious cash-in would be an insult to obvious cash-ins. It has none of the charm of the original, or the cleverness or even the quality of acting, whilst having two of the original actors in it. Even as a silly action-horror vampire film, it has little to offer when compared to the Blade series or Supernatural. The villains' plan, of getting a bunch of ravers turned, could be decent inspiration for an adventure featuring the Midnight Sons or MI-13, but most gamers could come up with a much better variation on that theme with that fragment to go on. Give this one a miss.

Rethinking the Wish List

Hey True Believers! Sorry that the posts have been more about writing than games or miniatures of late; I've been focusing on other games and my studies. One thing I have been doing though, is trying to get a bit more of a focus on the ongoing Ultimate Alliance project, now that I have the table looking pretty damn good. To that end, I'm going to be planning out my future goals here, so that I have something to work to other than pages of notes handwritten in the back of workbooks. 

1. New Roads/Pavement 

I currently have a set of cork tile roads and un-expanded foam footpaths that sit under the buildings of my city table. Together these look great, but they are easily damaged, are heavy and awkward to transport. I've seen a couple of other options, like the Hawk Wargames urban battleboards or getting a mat printed, but I'm currently discussing some lasercut MDF with a local guy, which I'm hoping will be a decent compromise. I think the Mat would be the ideal solution, but no one seems to be making a "clean" (i.e. without craters and battle-damage) urban road mats at the moment. 

2. Traffic Lights
I may finally have a lead on O-Scale Traffic lights! It's only taken four years! Still a little shocked that no one is putting this out in a lasercut. 

3. Buildings 

I'm pretty good for buildings, but I'd like to replace my abandoned building, shoe-box warehouse and foamcore skyscrapers eventually. They're nice "enough" but don't quite look up to scratch next to the Sarassia and Impudent Mortal stuff. Knights of dice are getting going locally, and my love of all things Art Deco will be having me pick up at least a couple of their things. Multiverse's Magnetic towers as well are very tempting, and Mind Games Melbourne is stocking them now, so I should have something soonish. My Cor-Sec shop that I've done up as a bank is problematic; it was warped and broken when it turned up and is slowly falling apart, even with my heavy mods to keep it together. I'm never bothering with that mob again. 

4. Heroclix 

The great thing about superhero games is that you only really need one of most characters an miniatures. The bad thing is, if you read as many comics as I do, you still want a heck of a lot of those characters. I've had a "Buy List" of heroes (mostly clix) on my desktop for a few years now, and I finally think it's getting shorter. Also, it helps that there isn't many new Clix coming out that grab my fancy; time will tell with TMNT, but we'll deal with that below. In terms of Clix, the current list is as follows:
Nick Fury (616), Ragdoll, Spiderman 2099, Batman Beyond, Cosmo, Firefly, Captain Marvel (SHAZAM), Apocalypse, Metallo, Drax the Destroyer, Prowler, Quake, Desaad, Granny Goodness, Mongul, Starlord, Gamora, Brainiac, Jackal, Vapor, Rogue, Asp, Princess Python, Sidewinder, Lizard, Calendar Man, Guy Gardner, Mojo, Doctor Bong, Cloak, Melter, Black Adam, Titanium Man, Bizaro, Baron Zemo, Mister Sinister, Taskmaster, Blood Brother, Killowog, Gabriel Air Walker, Mirror Master, Captain Cold, Gravitron, Hulkbuster and some Badoon. 
As you can see, nothing too insurmountable or too expensive on the secondary market, my main hurdle is student income. 

5. Knight Models 

I have to say, I've managed to resist the allure of Knight Models so far, but there are a few that I do plan to grab. Jim Lee Superman, Lobo, Doctor Doom and the starter set Bane are all on my radar, but I'm waiting for sale/discount stock so that I'm not dropping $100AUD on four miniatures. I have, as of this moment, no real plans to get into the Batman Miniatures game, but time may tell. 

6. TMNT 

So TMNT Heroclix are on the way. Hells to the yeah! I'm not sure how many actual boosters, I'll be buying, I'm pretty sure my focus will be more on singles, as I already have a very nice set of turtles. Basically, I'd like Bebop, Rocksteady, Shredder, Splinter, April, Casey Jones and Metalhead. You know, the secondary characters. So far, the previews only really show many variations of turtle, but hopefully there'll be common or uncommon versions of the other major characters. 

7. Dragonball/Z/GT/Super 

Did you know that there's a Dragonball Z board game and possibly collectible miniature game in the works? Jasco Games, an American company, has a card game called the Universal Fighting System that includes several Animes, Megaman and has recently picked up the rights to Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter and Dragonball Z. Last year they Kickstarted a Megaman Board Game and are set to do the same for Dragonball Z in the near future. Jasco has also announced a CMG in the works, featuring several of the properties they have access to, though specifics are thin on the ground at the moment. Unlike TMNT, Image or Dark Horse, I'd happily have just about every character from the Dragonball universe. Supreme West Kai, Bra, Mercenary Tao, Launch, Jeice, I'll take them all. Actually, almost all the main characters interest me far less than than the minor players, which will hopefully work out in my favour if the go CMG. Watch out for the Great Saiyaman mixing it up with Moon Knight at some point. 

8. Other Manufacturers 

There are a few other things out there that I'll be picking up to fill out some heroes and villains. Hasslefree do a couple of characters I'm currently without and I must pick up some Ninja at some point to serve as Hand/Foot or whatever Japanese henchmen I need access to. It's great to see that there are companies turning out the occasional knockoff for those of us that can't resist mashing their settings together. 

9. Wish List 

Because that's what it's all about at the end of the day, right? Playing all the fantasy team-ups that we'll never get to see in comics because of the crazy IP laws that the USA have created to protect Mickey Mouse. It's actually kind of amazing how many characters I've been able to find over the years from scrounging through the dark parts of the internet, but there are always more, aren't there? Here's a look at the current line-up of desire: 

 Allen the Alien (Invincible, Image Comics)

I'll cover this more with the titular character below, but Invincible is an amazing comic and you should all read it. Allen is a great secondary character from the comic with a huge fan following and an amazing back-story. I won't ruin it too much here, but Allen has some great generic "Paragon" abilities and a cool look. I'd like to see him alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy on my gaming table one day. 

 Astro Boy 

Actually, a friend is keen to sculpt up an Astro for use in my Ultimate Alliance games, so this may no longer be a fantasy in the near future. Like many born in the 1980s, I grew up with Astro Boy and his adventures are ingrained on my consciousness. Now, everybody; "Soaring high in the sky..." 

 Commander Keen (Commander Keen, ID Software) 

Yeah, still on the Commander Keen train of thought. Replaying the classic games just increased my enthusiasm, which is pretty atypical for me; what with The Maxx and Darkwing Duck falling off the Wish List pretty quick when I watched the programmes again. However, Commander Keen is just the kind of hero I'd like to see grace the table; nothing but a pogo stick, a ray gun and a bit of pluck, sounds like a winner to me. 

Doctor Dinosaur (Atomic Robo, Red 5 Comics)

I have an Atomic Robo now, so, of course, I need a Doctor Dinosaur to fight him. I thought Doctor Dinosaur was genius the minute I read his dialogue on the page and knew I must have one. In a world with Doctor Doom and Lex Luthor running their Machiavellian schemes, we need a crazy dinosaur who powers his machines with Crystals and mangles the English language. 

General Zod (As portrayed by Terrance Stamp)

C'mon, I can't be the only person that thinks this is the superior version of Zod. Modern power-armour or classic spandex doesn't do anything for me, but a widow's peak and chest hair? Brilliant. Yeah, it's camp and silly, but Silver Age Superman is camp and silly and that should be celebrated, not forgotten and shoved aside for "dark and edgy" Superman. "Kneel before Zod" is a classic line that deserves some play on the tabletop. 

Invincible (Invincible, Image Comics) 
Once again, Invincible is an amazing comic and you must read it. Go read it right now. Mark Grayson is the son of one of the most powerful heroes in the world and his powers have just kicked in. Awesome. Imagine if Superman was Peter Parker's dad and you have a vague idea of what's going on. Mark has to grow up with a great deal of "power and responsibility" and still balance his normal life. A great comic, a great character and I really want one.  

John Hours (Black Summer, Avatar Press) 

How many superheroes do you know that have murdered a sitting president? John is the leader of the Six Guns, a team of cybernetics-enhanced University nerds who took it upon themselves to clean up their city, with guns. A patently libertarian reactionary piece to the lies and crimes of the Bush Administration, Black Summer is a great read with a couple of really great characters, including John Hours, a man willing to commit the worst crime he can think of in order to set his country free. Imagine Captain America with The Punisher's morality and Mister Miracle's tech. 

Max Damage (Incorruptible, Boom) 
And I though Irredeemable was good. Max Damage is the world's most dangerous Super-criminal, but when he sees the Plutonian go on a rampage, he has an epiphany and realises that it's time to be a hero. Max's motivations are somewhat puzzling to those around him, as he destroys his lair, abandons his teenage sidekick and even burns a mountain of cash that he stole. Max knows that he is the only one who can defeat the Plutonian, but can he get past his own history and reputation to do so?  

Samus (Metroid Series, Nintendo)

I used to want a fair few Nintendo characters for Ultimate Alliance, but the frankly stupid powers they give them these days makes me cringe. For some reason, Samus has escaped relatively unscathed, I'd like to not have to put that down to misogyny, but you never know with Nintendo. Samus is a bounty hunter with an awesome set of power armour with a proud history of preventing genocide. Perhaps her motivates aren't always grand, but she's on the right side when the chips are down. 

The Crow (The Crow) 

Nothing like Gothic, harlequin, undead justice tearing up the mean streets. The Crow is in indy comics icon and one I feel needs representing in miniature. I believe he'd be one of those characters like Gamera or Snake Eyes; not many people would want to play him, but those who do will be thrilled at the option. A sculpt that looked like the above art would be really great. 

The Spirit (by Will Eisner) 

The original comic hero, how could I not? Again, not a character I'd see picked up and played all the time, but a much-needed addition to Golden Age games. So long as I manged to stay away from Frank Miller and terrible film adaptations, I think The Spirit would work well in Ultimate Alliance. 

Tom Noir (Black Summer, Avatar Press) 

The only other really interesting character from the Six Guns, Tom Noir can read and see telecommunications in the air around him and hack at the speed of thought. Drunk and injured and pulled out of retirement for one last job, Tom hates the idea of corruption and is perfectly willing to fight against Government and Police in the name of true freedom. He also looks cool, which is a good thing for a miniature. 

Watchmen (DC Comics and Alan Moore) 

I can't be the only person disappointed that the only Watchmen miniatures available, both in Clix and Knight models, are based on the terrible film rather than the original comics, right? Ok, so my Rorschach doesn't matter either way and I'd never put Doctor Manhattan on the table ("God exists, and he's American"), but everyone else would be welcome. Pudgy Nite Owl II, Dollar Bill, even Moloch and Hooded Justice would be great to have mixing it up. The sooner I can consign the film to a bitter memory, the better. 

The Venture Bros. (Adult Swim) 

Man, I could write the shit out of a Venture Brothers miniature game. Seriously, I already know the basic mechanics in my head and how it would work (a little like a Pulp Alley/7TV/Pulp City mashup) and I could bash out an alpha in a weekend. Give me a call Doc Hammer. 

Andrew W.K. (A free spirit that can never truly be contained)
Yeah, Andrew W.K., seriously. I have my reasons. 

Earthworm Jim (Universal) 
Great big muscles and a really big ray gun, Jim is a hero through and through despite his general incompetence and lack of comprehension of almost everything. Another slightly-wacky space adventurer that I'd like to have alongside Allen the Alien, Ratchet and Clank and Commander Keen. 

Mewtwo (Pokemon, Nintendo) 

There are people who look at the characters they can play in Ultimate Alliance and see the Pokemon Trainer and cringe. Then there are those who realise the potential and settle in for a fun game. As I tend to like to have at least one matching hero and villain, Mewtwo is probably the best fit for my G1 Pokemon mindset. Also, he's been known to fight the good fight when he really needs to; nothing like a villain turning hero just long enough to save the day before turning on his temporary allies. 

Ratchet and Clank (Insomniac) 
The galaxy's greatest heroes are due their own film next year and it actually looks pretty good. I guess that's what happens when Sony goes the Marvel Studios route and gets people who actually worked on the games to work on the film. I think a gravity-feed clix set of the film may be a bit much to hope for, but maybe some mircofigs? Come hell or high water, one day Ratchet and Clank are going to kick some arse on my table. 

Superhero Media: Big Trouble In Little China

Yo, this James Wright on the Lead Capes Express, talking to anyone who's listening on this dark and stormy night. It's a pretty darn amazing planet we're living on here and you have to be crazy or a communist to think that Big Trouble In Little China was anything short of a masterpiece. As I told my last wife, I never paint faster than I can see, and other than that, it's all in the reflexes. So let me tell you about David Lo Pan and his quest to please an ancient daemon, he started out as a basket case on wheels and he ended up an eight feet tall maniac; like nothing you can understand... Mister Burton. 

I love this film, but who wouldn't? John Carpenter does Wuxia, with a big Western vibe and Kurt Russel channeling the Duke to a comedic extent, great action and classic practical effects that still look great. Lo Pan would make a great villain for any Magic or Martial Arts hero and the whole adventure would translate well to a street-level hero campaign like Gotham City or Heroes for Hire. On the other hand, crank up Lo Pan and the three Storms and have Doctor Strange and John Constantine battle up a Pagoda to face off in a battle of mystic might! 

If you're one of the few wargamers/roleplayers who hasn't enjoyed Big Trouble In Little China yet, check it out. The Carpenter/Russel team is always worth a look and it's one of the few American films that manage to get Chinese cultural tropes more or less right and the representations of Race are pretty tasteful. 

Also, there's this: 

Until next time! 

Superhero Media: Supers Music

Promised something a bit different, and here it is; a quick list of songs inspired by Superheroes and Villains. And take a look, there are no Soundtrack songs of symphonic Themes here, only guitars, drums and vocals, just like dad used to make. Without any further ado: 

Freeza - Maximum Hormone (Frieza, Dragonball Z) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxm2FxhJOEs

First things first, I can't stand Metal. Sound and fury signifying nothing as far as I'm concerned. Music for time-signature geeks. However, I have a soft spot for one of the most reviled Dragonball Z characters; reviled that is, by the casual fans who got sick of the seemingly-endless fight between Frieza and Goku. A super-powerful alien creature, born to a dynasty of despots, able to survive in vacuum, transform and wield incredible power. Frieza could stack up pretty well against Annihilus or Darkseid or anyone suitably powerful, plus the whole "your arrogance will be your downfall" thing ties perfectly into comic-style mythos. 

The Hammer - The War Horsemen (Thor, The Avengers) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWSI005e3qI

Bet you'd never thought you'd hear a Hip-Hop song about a walking White-Power icon like Thor, but this is pretty awesome. With the legendary Chuck D as MC, The Hammer is not only about Thor, but specifically about the Chris Hemsworth portrayal of the character in the Marvel Studios Films. As a song, the novelty can wear off pretty quick with repeated listening, but still makes a nice little treat. This is the kind of song that I imagine would exist within the Marvel Universe itself, where Thor is real and flying around. 

Ghost Rider - The Rollins Band (Ghost Rider, Marvel Comics) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCjG95sNoP8

Although technically a cover of an older Suicide song, the Rollins Band version is drastically different and "feels" more in-keeping with the tone of the Ghost Rider comics. A hellish dirge about a flaming figure driving through the desert on a motorcycle meting out justice. Oddly, this song was featured on The Crow soundtrack, but I can imagine Eric Draven reading early Ghost Rider comics and getting a kick out of the imagery. 

Of course, these aren't the only songs that work with heroes, just a few that people are less likely to be aware of. Deadpool and Dragonball get a lot of references in Hip Hop, and who could forget the Ramones cover of the Spider-man theme? Anything you like or want to see get a bit more play? I'm a music nerd at heart so I'd love to hear them.