Hulk Elongated Man Lobo Punisher
on Nov 04 in General by DanOn Monday I blogged about my inability to remember the NATO phonetic alphabet. In the comments section Steve from Life Begins joked:
What you need to do is to invent your own phonetic alphabet based on comic book heroes. You’ll be fluent in minutes.
Oh Steve, you really should be more careful what you suggest to me.
So here it is, my own special phonetic alphabet created with a set of self imposed rules. The primary one being that I didn’t allow myself to look anything up, every superhero name had to come from memory.
And there lies the problem, my memory is completely shot. Some letters were dead easy (I can think of about 20 heroes for B alone), but some are frustratingly elusive. The letter I in particular is very annoying. All I can come up with is Indigo Girls, but that’s not right (despite their incredible harmonizing and dungaree wearing powers). I must admit I’m somewhat hampered by my heavy DC bias, and so have a more limited knowledge bank to chose from
So I’m calling out for help from the readers of the blog. OK, so I’m not. I’m calling out for help from Rol, Greg, Lee, and Avitable. The rest of you useless buggers probably don’t even know your Red Hood from your Joker, but I’m more than willing to be proven wrong. Help me complete my list so I can submit it to NATO for consideration to replace their ridiculous and outdated version.
Here’s what I’ve got so far:
- A – Aquaman
- B – Batman
- C – Catwoman
- D – Daredevil
- E – Elongated Man
- F – Flash
- G – Gnort
- H – Hulk
- I –
- J – Johnny Thunder
- K – Kilowog
- L – Lobo
- M – Mister Miracle
- N –
- O – Orion
- P – Punisher
- Q – Question
- R – Robin
- S – Spiderman
- T – Tick
- U –
- V – Valor
- W – Wolverine
- X – Xavier
- Y –
- Z –
Any suggestions?

Drawing by the rather excellent Lee from Quit Your Day Job
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I’m suggesting my own because some of yours are clunky
* A – Atom
* B – Batman
* C – Catwoman
* D – Daredevil
* E – Electro
* F – Flash
* G – Gnort
* H – Hulk
* I – Isis, Icicle, Iceman
* J – J’onn J’onzz
* K – Kilowog, Kent
* L – Lobo
* M – Martian Manhunter
* N – Neron, Nekron
* O – Oracle
* P – Punisher
* Q – Question
* R – Robin
* S – Superman
* T – Tick
* U – Uatu
* V – Vendetta (not a superhero, but works well “V for Vendetta”)
* W – Wolverine
* X – Xavier
* Y – Young Avengers
* Z – Zsasz
.-= Avitable´s last blog ..If I was a country music star =-.
@Avitable, Wow, that was quick, and your superhero-fu is mighty. I take your point about clunkyness – far to many ‘mans in there. However, in the age old tradition of such things I’m now going to criticize your choices, just because I’m an arse like that and i’m secretly jealous that you did a better list than me.
J’onn J’onzz? And you call me clunky. Anyhow you have him twice in that list.
I thought of Vendetta too, but not convinced. Was he ever called that?
And Young Avengers is a group, not a hero.
Who the hell is Uatu? i’ve been gone too long.
and I just thought….Zatania would be a good Z
@Dan,
Uatu is a Watcher, from Marvel.
For V, you could also go with Vigilante.
Z could be Zatanna, you’re right. (Not Zatania) Or Zauriel.
And J’onn J’onzz sounds like “john jones” so it’s not that clunky, plus it looks cool!
.-= Avitable´s last blog ..If I was a country music star =-.
@Avitable, Vigilante is better. Didn’t he turn up later on as something significant. Or I could just be thinking of peacemaker.
And she’ll always be Zatania to me (see how I covered up my atrocious spelling there? Damn I’m slick)
Dude!?!?!
I = Iron Man
N = Nick Fury
U = U.S. Agent
Y = Yellowjacket
.-= Lee Sargent´s last blog ..Mystic Ninja in Sharpies =-.
@Lee Sargent, Arg, how could i have forgotten Iron Man?!
Will you ever speak to me again?
@Dan, I mean I could, but I don’t know if there’s really any point now :P
.-= Lee Sargent´s last blog ..Mystic Ninja in Sharpies =-.
I’m no super hero buff, was gonna suggest Iceman for ‘I’ to astound you with my expert knowledge, then saw Avitable got in first.
Drat.
.-= Insomniac Mummy´s last blog ..Lost and numb =-.
@Insomniac Mummy, I remain astounded, despite your lateness.
Finally all those hours playing Superhero Top Trumps with my boy pays off!
I know you have a T, but Thing or Thor?
M = Mr Fantastic
H = Hawkgirl/Hellboy
G = Green Lantern/Gambit
N = Nightcrawler
And just because I can’t help myself: Inspector Gadget, Bananaman, Batfink, Ben 10.
.-= Tara@Sticky Fingers´s last blog ..We’re having that willy conversation again . . . =-.
@Tara@Sticky Fingers, Thing or Thor might well be better picks actually.
Inspector Gadget is pushing the definition of a superhero though.
I think “I” should be Ignatz Mouse. Not exactly a superhero, but a memorable character, nevertheless.
http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/ulrich-krazy_1000px.jpg
@JJ Daddy-O, is there any arcane knowledge that you don’t posses?
@Dan, It’s mostly because I am so old that, when I was a kid, they used to show Krazy Kat cartoons on TV.
@JJ Daddy-O, Ah, so it’s a case of with great age comes great wisdom. Or at least great pop culture trivia knowledge anyhow.
I’m more of a Legion of Super-Heroes guy myself…
Apparition
Brainiac 5
Cosmic Boy
Duo Damsel
Element Lad
Ferro Lad
Gates
Hykraius
Invisible Kid
Jimmy Olsen
Karate Kid
Lightning Lad
Mon-El
Night Girl
Orando
Phantom Girl
Quislet
Reflecto
Saturn Girl
Timber Wolf
Ultra Boy
Valor
Wildfire
XS
Yorrg
Zoon
.-= Dave2´s last blog ..Abduction =-.
@Dave2, now that sire is a very impressive list indeed. I am in awe of your knowledge.
I suspect you could possibly do that with Xmen too.
Jimmy Olsen? That one’s a stretch!
.-= Avitable´s last blog ..If I was a country music star =-.
@Avitable, didn’t he have an alter ego of Turtle Boy or something like that?
@Dan, yeah, he did, that’s true.
.-= Avitable´s last blog ..So you say it’s your birthday . . . =-.
I’m just going to throw out this one gem:
U = Underdog
I have contributed
.-= Seattledad´s last blog ..The Darndest Things =-.
@Seattledad, and your contribution is most appreciated
Whatever next – the warhammer alphabet? No, please no!
@Mark, even I wouldn’t go that far
You have a gap for both I and N, have you forgotten how to spell my name?
Check my bio, superhero with dodgy knees.
.-= SingleParentDad´s last blog ..What is value for money? =-.
@SingleParentDad, I said superheroes, not pathetic villains
Me and my big mouth.
.-= Steve´s last blog ..Snoring cure: £3 jab lasts a year – mirror.co.uk =-.
@Steve, you only have yourself to blame
Iron Man!
.-= Martin´s last blog ..Absolutely flabulous =-.
I- Idiot Man
N- Nancy Boy
U- Undesirable Girl
Y- You’re My Hero
Z- Zebra Woman
@Rachel Sykes, I take it you are Undesirable girl and I’m “You’re my Hero”?
I knew it all along of course.
However aren’t you “The Amezing hopping Woman”?
I have to agree with Seattle–Underdog! There is no better U.
Also a flaw–Gnort for G? (I’m reading that pronounced as nort) People with think you’re giving an N instead of a G and you’ll have hysteria in no time. (Unless of course, it’s pronounced Ga-nort. Then you’re OK) What about the Green Hornet?
.-= Ed´s last blog ..I Think I’m Gonna Take a Personal Day =-.
@Ed, I’m not sure, i always pronounce the G. But you could be right. green hornet is good, so is Green Arrow and Green Lantern.
Green is a popular colour with the superhero set.
Sorry I’m so late, I’m sure everyone else has answered this already, but without looking at their suggestions (although I know Lee must be screaming IRON MAN at you so loud we can hear from all the way from Oz), here’s my own first-thought alphabet…
A – Avengers
B – Batman
C – Captain America
D – Daredevil
E – Emma Frost (my first thought was Electro, but he’s a villain… I’ll happily provide you a villain alphabet if you want though)
F – Fantastic Four
G – Green Arrow
H – Hulk
I – Iron Man (my first thought was Invisible Girl, but then I heard Lee screaming)
J – J Jonah Jameson (he’s a hero to me)
K – Killraven
L – Logan
M – Mr. Fantastic
N – Nightcrawler
O – Ozymandias
P – Peter Parker (yeah, who says I can’t have him twice?)
Q – Quasar
R – Rom
S – Spideyman!
T – The Thing
U – U-Go Girl
V – Vision
W – Wolverine
X – X-Men
Y – Yellowjacket
Z – Zenith
Thanks for picking Spider-Man and not that other S guy though.
.-= Rol´s last blog ..Comics Come Out =-.