10 Words Popularised By Comics
7. Bamf
Comic books haven't just coined words and phrases but also sound effects. When Wolverine pops his claws, it makes a distinctive "SNIKT" noise. When Spider-Man activates his web-shooter, it makes an onomatopoeic "thwip" sound.
But one sound effect that deserves special mention is "Bamf". This term has become so popular, it has its own wikipedia page! This word is used to describe the sound made by the indigo-coloured X-Man, Nightcrawler, when he teleports.
Interestingly, the word wasn't used during the fuzzy elf's debut in Giant Size X-Men #1. In his first few appearances, Nightcrawler appeared and disappeared into thin air, seemingly in silence. The word "bamf" was used for the first time in X-Men #95, five months after the acrobatic teleporter first appeared.
Although the word "teleport" is used to describe an object instantly moving from one place to another, "bamf" refers to the actual object in question appearing or disappearing.
If you're wondering what "Bamf" sounds like, you can hear it in the opening of X-Men #2 when Nightcrawler attacks the White House. According to the sound designer, Craig Berkley, the "bamf" sound was created by mixing the noises of dog food, a flash bulb, and air being released.