SuperSoundtracks #3: Siouxsie and the Banshees and Lady Deathstrike

WGTB has been working on this entry for a while. Usually, writing a SuperSoundtrack begins with a comic book character and then a search for a good song. This time we started with the album and had to narrow things down to a great song; only afterwards finding a matching comic book character.

The album is Siouxsie and the Banshees' 1979 debut The Scream and our eventual track is Metal Postcard. The search for the ideal comic book character was tough until it hit like a bolt of lightning: LADY DEATHSTRIKE!

Siouxsie and the Banshees were formed in 1976 by Siouxsie Sioux (Susan Janet Ballion) and bassist Steven Severin. They met at a Roxy Music show, and would eventually become part of the “Bromley Contingent” a group of fellow misfits and music fans who travelled the UK attending Sex Pistol gigs.

The Scream captures the angst of the punk movement perfectly, but also serves as a pioneering bridge into the Post-Punk movement. Post-Punk is a more introspective and experimental type of indie music that captured the energy of Punk while being more accessible to mainstream fans. The movement would also lead to a number of spin-off genres including Goth, Industrial and Synthpop.

Metal Postcard is a masterpiece. Its lyrics match the ferocity of our comic book character and, while WGTB is loath to use singles as SuperSoundtracks, ultimately we had to choose this GREAT song. That said, it wasn’t an easy decision. The album includes a brilliant cover of the Beatles' Helter Skelter and another great track, Nicotine Stain, which may yet appear in SuperSoundtracks.

So how does this SuperSoundtrack capture Lady Deathstrike so perfectly? Start by looking a sample of the lyrics. Of course, you'll be even more convinced when you hear the screaming guitars and haunting bass.

Metal is tough, metal will sheen
Metal won’t rust when oiled and cleaned
Metal is tough, metal will sheen
Metal will rule in my masterscheme

Lady Deathstrike is in so many ways a perfect foil for Wolverine, her principal antagonist. Born in Osaka to the inventor of the adamantium lacing process, she would later become a cyborg with the one motivation: to avenge the dishonourable death of her father and avenge the theft of his intellectual achievement.

She has a similar healing factor to Wolverine and her adamantium laced skeleton and razor-like fingernails are a near match for Canada’s fiercest superhero. Lady Deathstrike was invented by Denny O'Neil and Larry Hama and first appeared as Yuriko Oyama in Daredevil #197. Blog favourite Bill Mantlo and Chris Claremont would later refine her story in Alpha Flight #33 but WGTB will always remember her for her prominence in Wolverine (V.2) numbers 35, 36, 45 and 46 when we saw her in ACTION!

(From Wolverine Vol. 2 # 35 "Blood and Claws")

(From Wolverine Vol. 2 #45 "Claws Over Times Square")

SuperSoundtracks is proud to present the theme song for Lady Deathstrike: Metal Postcard by Siouxsie and the Banshees!