The Beatles Song That Inspired the Creation of a Beloved Marvel Character
The Beatles have had an impact on many aspects of pop culture. From their iconic songs to their unique fashion, demonstrated in their Sgt. Pepper’s era, it’s hard to find any medium that the band didn’t have an imprint on. The Beatles even influenced the world of comic books, as one of their songs led to the creation of a fan-favorite Marvel character.
Paul McCartney grew up a fan of comics
Before joining The Beatles, Paul McCartney grew up in Liverpool, where he learned to develop and hone his passion for music. When he wasn’t practicing the piano or the guitar, McCartney spent some of his free time reading a comic book series called The Dandy. The Dandy was one of the best-selling comics in the U.K. during the 1950s and was in publication until December 2012.
In a 1963 interview with NME, McCartney shared that it was one of his goals to be featured in an issue of The Dandy. Shortly after the comic announced it would be switching to digital, the former Beatle sent a letter asking to be included in an issue. McCartney’s dream came true when he was included in the final print edition of The Dandy, leading the characters in a sing-along of “Hey Jude.”
Marvel named Rocket Raccoon after a song by The Beatles
In 1968, The Beatles released “Rocky Raccoon” as a part of The White Album. The song isn’t one of the band’s biggest hits, but it impacted Marvel comic book creators Bill Mantlo and Keith Giffen. The two created Rocket Raccoon, named after The Beatles’ tune. References to the song were included in the character’s early appearance in The Incredible Hulk #7 (1982), where Rocket and the Hulk stop a villain from stealing “Gideon’s Bible.”
Rocket Raccoon wasn’t a beloved Marvel character until the early 2000s when he became a part of the Guardians of the Galaxy. The character’s popularity skyrocketed in 2014 after appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since then, Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper, has become a fan-favorite and has made several appearances within the MCU and is set to return in 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
McCartney created a song based on 2 Marvel villains
McCartney’s love for comics didn’t end with The Beatles as he continued it into his solo career with a song based on Marvel characters. After buying comic books for his kids on a trip to Jamaica, McCartney wrote a song called “Magneto and the Titanium Man.” The song debuted in 1976 as the B-side on the Wings’ single “Venus and Mars/Rock Show.” The track is a story that features the titular villains pulling off a bank robbery.
The song caught the attention of Marvel fans and even Marvel icon Stan Lee, who called the song “terrific.” The Ram singer had the opportunity to meet Lee and reflected on their meeting after Lee’s death in 2018.
“He came to my office, and we sat around chatting about comic books and my admiration for his work,” McCartney shared in a Facebook post. “He was suggesting making a superhero who would wield a Hofner bass guitar. The guitar would have superpowers, and we spent some time imagining what those could be. He had a great sense of humor, and I must say that becoming a guitar-wielding superhero in one of his comic books was very appealing.”
