The creator of the comic Iron and the Maiden calls the trademark-infringement lawsuit filed by heavy-metal band Iron Maiden "outrageous" and "completely without merit."

The band wants to prevent Iron and the Maiden LLC from using the "confusingly similar" name to sell comic books, video games and other merchandise. It also seeks undisclosed damages.

"The Iron and the Maiden legal team believes that this case is completely without merit," a spokesperson for creator Jason Rubin said in a statement. "It is outrageous to claim ownership of the well-known term 'Iron Maiden,' a medieval torture device that predates rock and roll by centuries and is part of world culture, legend and lore."

Released through Aspen Comics in 2007, Iron and the Maiden centers on the characters Michael Iron and Angel Chase, who are caught in the middle of a war between the government, a religious sect and a criminal organization in an alternative-universe 1930s.

"The title is a play on the torture device," the spokesperson said. "Any rational person who looks at the property at www.ironandthemaiden.com will immediately understand how ridiculous the assertions made in the complaint are."