Beware The Bug: 20 Bug-Themed Comic Book Characters

Creepy Crawlies With Powers

Although most people are absolutely terrified of bugs, from the creepiest tarantulas to the smallest ant, when it comes to comic books, they serve as great inspiration for superpowers. Whether it be a villain or a superhero, bug-themed characters always serve up the coolest looks and abilities. Need proof? Here are 20 of them!

1. Spider-Man

Arguably the most iconic and well-recognized comic book hero on this list, Spider-Man is a household name worldwide. This web-slinging, friendly neighborhood hero has swung his way into everyone's hearts, with fans loving his selfless nature and fun adventures. A majority of people may hate spiders, but no one hates Spider-Man.

2. Ant-Man

Another beloved Marvel character, Ant-Man is definitely a lesser-known mainstream hero but was brought into the spotlight thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Paul Rudd. But despite his popularity in pop culture, Ant-Man has always been an important addition to the Marvel comics, making his first appearance way back in 1962. He may shrink to be incredibly small in size, but his impact is way larger than that. 

3. Black Widow

Natasha Romanoff is an incredibly talented and deadly spy that may not have any super powers, but she knows how to get the job done just the same. In our opinion, her hero alias, Black Widow, is an incredibly apt name: when she strikes, it may be the last thing you'll ever see. Her role as an iconic and powerful female superhero simply can't go unappreciated. 

4. Blue Beetle

Doing a quick switch-over to DC Comics, Blue Beetle is another fantastic bug-themed superhero. After coming in contact with the Blue Beetle scarab, it morphed into a suit over his body granting him superhero abilities like flight, strength, and energy manipulation. Though multiple people have taken on the name before, the most familiar for fans these days is Jaime Reyes, a teenage boy who eventually joins the Teen Titans. 

5. The Wasp

Every ant needs his queen, right? Well in this case, it's a wasp. As one of the founding members of the Avengers, Janet van Dyne is an amazing hero with the ability to shrink into tiny sizes, flying around and shooting energy blasts to take down her enemies. Alongside her ex-husband, Hank Pym (Ant-Man), the two were once an unstoppable duo. 

6. Madame Web

Let's forget about the terrible blockbuster that was released not too long ago and focus solely on the comic book character. Cassandra Webb is commonly a side character seen in various Spider-Man comics known for her various psychic abilities and power to see into the future. Her body is also linked to a web-like structure, making her superhero name easier to understand. 

7. Mantis

As a beloved member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Mantis is a unique being with cool psychic powers like feeling other people's emotions and mind control. With her green skin and antennae, she definitely fits the bug-themed look too! 

8. Killer Moth

A DC supervillain by the name of Killer Moth, Drury Walker possesses no actual super power but relies on his suit and technology to be a menacing antagonist. He's often seen going up against Batman, with the two sharing a lot of surprising similarities. He definitely fully leans into having a moth-like physical appearance too.

9. Ambush Bug

We know you've likely never heard of him before, but Ambush Bug is a DC comics superhero with the ability to teleport. He has impressive agility, surprising his enemies with his flexible movement. Created by Keith Griffin back in 1982, yes, Ambush Bug aka Irwin Schwab, was designed to be intentionally comedic. 

10. Scorpion

Born from an experiment done with scorpion DNA, Mac Gargan forever changed into one of Spider-Man's most iconic recurring villains. With superhuman speed, strength, and an ability to use to his unbelievably strong tail, Scorpion is a deadly antagonist with even deadlier instincts. If one thing's for sure, one look at his appearance is all you'll need to see why he's named the way he is. 

11. The Tick

One of the few characters on this list from neither Marvel or DC, the Tick is a superhero created in 1986 by Ben Edlund. Though he began simply as a newspaper mascot, positive reception granted this character his own comic series, video game, and much more. And as a near-invincible, superpowered hero, we'd be curious to see the Tick go toe-to-toe with some of our classic favorites like Superman. 

12. Firefly

A supervillain in the DC universe, Firefly is seen as one of Batman's dangerous recurring antagonists. Though he first started out as a pretty standard criminal, the redesign of his character transformed him into an unstable man with a desire to set things on fire. Since becoming the Firefly we know today, he's added plenty of deadly weapons to his arsenal, proving himself to be a difficult enemy to beat. 

13. Bumblebee

Karen Beecher-Duncan, better known as Bumblebee, is a well-known superhero in the DC universe that's commonly associated with the Teen Titans. With her suit making her look exactly like this bug, her suit grants her the powers of strength, speed, flight, and the ability to zap electric blasts at enemies. She sure knows how to leave a sting!

14. Yellowjacket

As an alias used by multiple people in the Marvel universe, Yellowjacket was first taken on by Hank Pym during his anti-hero phase. With Hank's usual size-shrinking ability still in play, Yellowjacket allowed him to also fly and possess superhuman strength, making him a force to be reckoned with. And with a suit that yellow in color, it was an iconic look that was hard to forget, even if we love him as Ant-Man. 

15. Bug

Simple and straightforward, Bug is a Marvel comics character that is, well, a bug-like creature that was initially part of the Micronauts team. While he certainly physically looks the part, his powers match his overall aesthetic too; Bug is able to cling to walls, has excellent vision, is very agile, and has antennae that grants him superpowered sensory. He's more bug than man if anything. 

16. Tarantula

The title of two different characters from DC Comics, with one being a hero and one a villain, the name Tarantula instantly strikes fear into anyone's heart. The original character was known as John Law, who didn't possess any supernatural abilities but had a talent for acrobatics, combat skills, and a sneaky ability to fool his opponents. For example, he applied suction cups to the bottom of his boots so he could climb up walls!

17. The Termite

An Iron Man villain who just wanted to commit sabotage, the Termite was first created by Denny O'Neil and Luke McDonnell back in 1984. While he isn't the most intriguing of characters, he does possess the cool ability of dissolving objects with just a touch. Furthermore, his ability to burrow underground to escape from capture definitely helps him live up to his bug's name. 

18. Canterbury Cricket

You might think we're making this character up, but the Canterbury Cricket first made his appearance in the Flashpoint comic from DC comics. After praying for super powers, he was transformed into a giant cricket with some exceptional abilities. Sadly, not too much has been written about him. 

19. Mister Mind

We're pretty sure it doesn't get any weirder than Mister Mind from DC Comics. Serving as one of Captain Marvel's longest enemies, this tiny, highly-intelligent caterpillar is always up to no good. With crazy telepathic abilities like being able to consume other people's thoughts, you wouldn't assume this little bug is one of the greatest masterminds in the DC universe, but he is.

20. Gypsy Moth

Also known as Skein, Gypsy Moth is a supervillain you might not have heard of before. First appearing in a Spider-Woman comic, she has the unique ability of manipulating different fabrics with just her mind. On top of that, just like the bug, she has the ability to fly; however, the origin of her wings depends on the comic series you read, with one stating she wove them herself and others claiming they're part of her.