Passionate about superheroes, Eminem didn’t always plan to become a rapper. His career could have taken a different direction.
Before conquering the hip-hop scene, Eminem dreamed of a very different future: that of a comic strip artist. Long ignored, his superhero sketches have now been rediscovered on the internet. These were published in 2009 in his autobiography ‘The Way I Am‘. There are representations of Marvel superheroes like Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk or Iron Man, but also portraits of rap figures like Tupac and 50 Cent.
This little-known facet of the artist shows to what extent comic book culture influenced his career. Indeed, Eminem has never hidden his love for superheroes. From the beginning, he has sprinkled his clips and lyrics with references to this universe. His character ‘Rap Boy’, reminiscent of Robin from Batman, has become a symbol in his career. He even revealed that Spider-Man was his favorite character.
Eminem’s ties to Marvel didn’t stop at his teenage drawings. In 2009, he collaborated with Marvel for a special comic book called ‘Kill You’, where he appeared alongside the Punisher. More recently, for the twenty anniversary of the film 8 Mile in 2022, he worked again with the publishing house for an alternative cover featuring Spider-Man, drawn by the artist Salvador Larroca.
This passion for superheroes and the world of comics has left a lasting imprint on his music. Pieces like ‘Rap God‘ or ‘Venom’ are full of references to iconic Marvel characters.
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