Now here's an unexpected collaboration. Earlier today, Marvel Comics Editor-In-Chief Axel Alonso announced that the company will release a series of over 50 variant covers inspired by famous hip-hop album covers when they finally reboot their library of titles following the end of the Secret Wars arc this fall.
"For years, Marvel Comics and hip-hop culture have been engaged in an ongoing dialogue," said Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso in his official statement to the press. "Beginning this October, we will shine a spotlight on the seamless relationship between those two unique forces."
This isn't Marvel's first attempt at mashing up the worlds of superheroes and Hip-Hop. Earlier this year Marvel experimented with the idea, releasing variant covers of Howard the Duck and Deadpool inspired by the album art of Rap duo Run the Jewels.
The new set of covers is even more ambitious, featuring album covers from different eras of Hip-Hop. Stereogum just got a hold of 11 of the 50 planned variants. The standouts include Iron Man done in the style of 50 Cent's 'Get Rich or Die Tryin', Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic' being used as the template for Dr. Strange, and Captain America Sam Wilson draped in the American Flag like A$AP Rocky in his "Long.Live.A$AP" cover.
Other albums used include Eric B. and Rakim's "Paid in Full" Tyler The Creator's "Wolf", and Lauryn Hill's "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill". The full slate of 50 is expected to hit shelves in October.
Marvel's latest PR move is sure to fill in the gaps between movies. After Ant Man hits theatres this July 17, 2015. It will be a long wait until Captain America Civil War in 2016.
What albums covers do you want to get the Marvel treatment?
