Wu-Tang Clan, 50 Cent Notorious B.I.G. & More Get Marvel Comic Treatment

Marvel Comics has been playing up its relationship with hip-hop for some time now. There have been a number of comic books starring rappers, and the label released a pair of releases featuring Run The Jewels-tributes on their respective covers. Now the publisher has announced a series of 50 comic book covers featuring tributes to classic hip-hop album covers. The first ten were released online this week.

"For years, Marvel Comics and hip-hop culture have been engaged in an ongoing dialogue," said Axel Alonso, Marvel's editor-in-chief. "Beginning this October, we will shine a spotlight on the seamless relationship between those two unique forces."

Here's a run-down of the ten we've seen so far:

Extraordinary X-Men #1 = 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul

Wolverine, Jean Gray and Storm take the places of De La Soul's members on the classic cover, with strands of DNA criss-crossing in the background instead of flowers.

Howard The Duck #1 = Return to The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version by Ol' Dirty Bastard

The titular duck takes the place of Ol' Dirty on the cover driver's license.

Invincible Iron Man #1 = Get Rich Or Die Tryin' by 50 Cent

One of the most appropriate covers, Iron Man stands behind the glass shattered by a bullet on Get Rich's cover, seemingly impervious to bullets, as is Fitty.

Ms. Marvel #1 = The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill

Ms. Marvel appears as a branding on wood, as Hill does on her classic album cover. The title is changed to "The Education of Kamala Khan," Marvel's real name.

Dr. Strange #1 = The Chronic by Dr. Dre

There are plenty of doctors in the Marvel universe, but Dr. Strange gets the honor of appearing for Dr. Dre, on the cover of The Mystic.

Spider-Man/Deadpool #1 = Paid In Full by Eric B. & Rakim

Spidey appears as "MC Spider" and Deadpool as "D-Pool." On a humorous note, the latter hero is holding a sandwich with a bite out of it...inexplicable due to his mask.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1 = Wolf by Tyler, The Creator

A lesser known comic that we highly recommend, Squirrel Girl is seen looking longingly at her title animal in the corner of the '80s-influenced art.

Squadron Supreme #1 = Enter The 36 Chambers by The Wu-Tang Clan

Perhaps no act is more responsible for the hip-hop comics culture than the Wu, between their own albums and solo releases. The Squadron Supreme gets the honor of representing the group here.

Amazing Spider-Man #1 = Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest

Spidey gets another cover, as his friends and foes make up the background images on this mock-up of A Tribe Called Quest's third album.

Ant-Man #1 = Ready To Die by The Notorious B.I.G.

Ant-Man appears in place of the famous baby...probably because, you know, he's small.

Tags

A$AP Rocky, Notorious B.I.G., A Tribe Called Quest, The wu-tang clan, Tyler The Creator, Dr. Dre, Lauryn Hill, 50 cent, Ol' Dirty Bastard, De La Soul