There’s absolutely no doubt that the hottest tickets in Hollywood, are comic book movie franchises. We never have to wait too long, they’re written safe enough so kids can enjoy, but also so adults get a kick out of them as well. One of the great things about this influx of comic book adaptations has been the soundtracks, and the use of some brilliant classic rock songs. Here are some that stand out...

AC/DC in Iron Man 2

Take Iron Man for example, our man Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr) wears a Black Sabbath t-shirt in the first movie in a delicious nod to the writers of the song by the same name. Then, for Iron Man 2, the whole soundtrack is taken care of by our very own AC/DC! Not content to play with just one era of the band, they cover everything from 1975’s T.N.T. album, to 2008’s Black Ice.
Personally, I wanna shine a light on this absolute ripper, for me, Bon Scott still rules, and from Iron Man 2, "Rock ‘N’ Roll Damnation".

Led Zeppelin in Thor

Next, we move onto the franchise that made women swoon and blokes go, ‘how the hell did he get that big’? I’m talking about Thor.

Aussie Chris Hemsworth glistens and hammers his way through enemies and soon this series of movies leaving people hanging for the next edition. Needless to say, when the teaser trailer hit cinemas and featured one of the greatest bands of all time plus a song that fits the narrative perfectly, people lost their collective minds. I know it made me want to see the movie.

Gary Clark Jr in Justice League 

Next month, there’s a superheroes movie coming out that DC comics fans are salivating over and I don’t blame them. As a kid, I remember watching Super Friends religiously on a Saturday morning, and Justice League takes its cues directly from this format. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, are among an ensemble cast to fight evil. So of course, when a team like this comes together, you need a theme song, and this version of a Beatles classic by Gary Clark Jr, delivers.

Pink Floyd in Doctor Strange

Sometimes, in these comic book movies, you get but a sniff of a classic song, but it will always add to the scene and you will always (if you are a song nerd) remember and tell your friends about it because you ‘can’t believe a super hero movie used such a cool song’. About a year ago, Doctor Strange was released, and in this scene, we get a taste of Pink Floyd from their 1967 album, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.

Fleetwood Mac in Guardians Of The Galaxy 

Music is so much a part of what makes a movie great, instantly adding mood and theatre, so I always love it when a song I like is included, not just because it’s a cool song, but because it can add so much to a scene. Fans of Guardians Of The Galaxy love it for it’s quirks, and some of us love it for the soundtrack, CHOCK FULL of goodness, especially Vol 2. With that, check out this behind the scenes look into why they chose to use the Fleetwood Mac gem, "The Chain".

Soundgarden in The Avengers

In 2012, Marvel comic book nerds flipped their lids because an ensemble of their favourite superheroes were coming together for The Avengers. Great flick with Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk and more involved. What got me amped, was the fact that Soundgarden had announced on their facebook page that they would be writing and recording a song for the movie. This was NEW Soundgarden and I was stoked. Of course we got the single before the movie was released, and had to wait till the credits to see it in the film, but still, Soundgarden!

New York Dolls in Kick-Ass

I was going to try and describe this movie for those who haven’t seen it, but I like this (short) synopsis. “Not for the faint of heart, Kick-Ass takes the comic adaptation genre to new levels of visuals style, bloody violence, and gleeful profanity.” It’s a wicked film, and I mean that in the true sense of wicked, but features a GREAT soundtrack, including the New York Dolls.

I think the most important message here is, if your kids are bugging you to see one of these superhero flicks, do a quick bit of research and check the soundtrack, you might be pleasantly surprised. My favourites would definitely have to be the Guardians of The Galaxy and Iron Man 2 Soundtracks, but I’m sure you’ve discovered some hidden gems along the way, so let us know!

- Higgo