Silly Names, Serious Power
Some superheroes sound like punchlines, the kind you'd expect to fade into comic book obscurity. But then they show up with style, strength, and something you didn’t see coming—the fun side. These characters prove that a strange name doesn't mean a lack of edge. If anything, it makes their impact even sharper. Curious who made the cut? Here are 20 superheroes who show what it means to be cool (without a cool name).
1. Matter-Eater Lad
He may sound like a cosmic joke, but Matter-Eater once saved the galaxy by chewing through an unstoppable doomsday device. Hailing from Bismoll, where eating metal is normal, he turns digestion into a superpower. This proves that even the weirdest ability can be the universe’s last hope.
Matter-Eater Lad Powers Scenes (Legion of Superheroes) by Alex Geek
2. Arm-Fall-Off Boy
Though detachable limbs shouldn’t work in a fight, this guy makes it terrifyingly effective. Known for yanking off his own arms and using them as clubs, he later rebranded as “Splitter” for a darker edge. It’s grotesque and oddly brilliant—DC weirdness at its peak.
The Suicide Squad / Beach Fight Scene (Team 1's Death) | Movie CLIP 4K by MovieTime
3. Squirrel Girl
Don’t let her name deceive you. Squirrel Girl has taken down Thanos, Doctor Doom, and more with optimism and unmatched wit. Her squirrel sidekick Tippy-Toe is tactical gold, and her feel-good comics flip hero clichés on their heads. She's a powerhouse in a pink headband.
Squirrel Girl - All Powers & Fights Scenes (Ultimate Spider-Man) by Mr. Anybody
4. The Tick
The Tick mixes surreal monologues and city-shattering punches. Oversized, blue, and completely bonkers, he’s nearly invincible, but hilariously unaware of how strong he is. Though created as a parody, he evolved into a lovable justice-obsessed juggernaut with cult status and endless quotability.
The Tick - Official Trailer by IGN
5. Dogwelder
Yes, he welds dead dogs to criminals’ faces. Dogwelder, a silent member of DC’s unhinged Section 8, is both grotesque and grimly humorous. His eerie presence and disturbing methods make him a bizarre parody of gritty vigilantes, one you can’t look away from.
SuperFight! Dogwelder vs A Middleschool Football by PDXCarl
6. Bouncing Boy
One gulp of experimental serum turned Chuck Taine into a human superball. The character inflates like a balloon and ricochets through enemy lines. Though rubbery, he’s earned serious respect among the Legion of Super-Heroes, particularly when his love story with Duo Damsel takes flight.
7. Hit-Monkey
Hit-Monkey wears a suit, wields twin pistols, and lets his kills do the talking. After witnessing his tribe’s massacre, he trained in martial arts and became a ghostlike assassin. Debuting in 2010, he’s brutal and surprisingly emotional, earning his own Hulu series in 2021.
Hit-Monkey Season 1 Review by IGN
8. Flatman
His name screams low effort, but Flatman is a stretchy mutant with two-dimensional powers that rival Mr. Fantastic. As a member of the Great Lakes Avengers, he’s self-aware, surprisingly brave, and once beat Deadpool in poker. Flat in name, not in impact.
Marvel's Weirdest Team: Great Lakes Avengers Revealed by The Spinner Rack
9. Zeitgeist
His power? Vomiting acidic bile strong enough to melt steel. Zeitgeist wields it with precision, making him an asset to X-Force. Played by Bill Skarsgård in Deadpool 2, he dies within minutes. However, in the comics, he’s far more dangerous and morally questionable.
Zeitgeist - Gameplay Trailer by [SAMPLE TEXT] Studios ltd
10. Ambush Bug
The hero knows he’s a comic book character and isn’t shy about it. Ambush Bug breaks the fourth wall and teleports with a bug-shaped device strapped to his belt. Born as a villain, he’s now a neutral icon who turns every panel into punchline-filled anarchy.
McFarlane DC Multiverse Ambush Bug Action Figure Review & Comparison by dHunter's Reviews
11. Maggott
You don’t forget a mutant whose stomach lives outside his body. Maggott’s techno-organic slugs, named Eany and Meany, devour anything and fuel his enhanced strength. Introduced in X-Men, his tragic origin as a South African outcast gave him one of Marvel's weirdest and most haunting spotlights.
Marvel Legends MAGGOTT X-Men Action Figure Review by AnthonysCustoms
12. Color Kid
Color Kid can change the color of anything. Sounds silly, but disorienting your opponent by turning them invisible black or searing white is genius. Hailing from the equally quirky Legion of Substitute Heroes, Color Kid remains a bright spot in Silver Age absurdity.
Color Kid Powers Scenes (Legion of Superheroes) by Alex Geek
13. Ruby Thursday
A genius scientist, Ruby Thursday is as strange as she is lethal. Using her red, shape-shifting head made of organic circuitry, she’s capable of forming weapons or even illusions. Thursday is also a Headmen member and has clashed with heroes like She-Hulk and the Defenders.
Ruby Thursday - Marvel's Guardian's of the Galaxy by Late to the Game
14. Paste-Pot Pete
Pete started as a punchline with a glue gun and a ridiculous name. But after rebranding as Trapster, he got serious, booby-trapping battlefields and immobilizing speedsters. His sticky tech may sound dumb, but it’s made him a genuine threat to Marvel’s top heroes.
The Super Hero Squad Show - Paste Pot Pete by Asiandude91
15. 3-D Man
First appearing in Marvel Premiere #35 (1977), 3-D Man battled alien threats during the Cold War. He also inspired newer incarnations like Delroy Garrett in Agents of Atlas. Born from an alien fusion of two brothers, this personality has triple the ability of humans.
3D Man, America's Greatest Superhero, Goes to New York Comic Con by Chris Spags
16. Infectious Lass
As her name suggests, Infectious Lass doesn’t throw punches: she spreads disease. From mild rashes to alien flu strains, she can release any illness she’s ever encountered. Rejected by the Legion of Super-Heroes, Lass joined the Substitute Heroes, where her unpredictable pathogens have saved the day more than once.
Infectious Lass Powers Scenes (Legion of Superheroes) by Alex Geek
17. Doop
Doop floats beside the X-Men like a green jelly bean. Speaking in gibberish, he contains weapons and warzones inside his body, and once went toe-to-toe with Wolverine. Though a Cold War experiment gone weird, he’s part comic relief, part cosmic wildcard, and completely unforgettable.
Marvel Legends Deadpool with Doop Series 6 Action Figure Toy Review by SEAN LONG
18. Major Bummer
Lou Martin was meant to be a superhero, just not this one. After a botched alien experiment, he gained super strength and intelligence, but all he wants is to chill. Lazy and sarcastic, Major fights villains mostly because they keep ruining his naps.
Major Bummer Gets Fired At Benson by Quest Phillips Phillips
19. Kite Man
Gliding across Gotham with an enormous kite strapped to his back, this oddball villain seemed destined for mockery. Yet, in Batman: Rebirth, layers of loss and perseverance turned him into something more. “Kite Man—Hell yeah!” eventually became a cult favorite rallying cry for defiant underdogs everywhere.
Harley Quinn | Kite Man Character Intro | DC Universe by DC
20. Polka-Dot Man
Deadly polka dots might sound absurd until they start slicing through enemies like saw blades. Haunted by childhood trauma, this tragic misfit in The Suicide Squad achieves explosive results using his bizarre powers to. He transitioned from being a walking punchline to becoming the emotional core of the film.
Polka-dot Man- All Powers from The Suicide Squad by All Powers Explained
