Run The Jewels Get Marvel Comic Book Cover

Run The Jewels has inspired Marvel to parody its popular gun-and-fist logo. As Rolling Stone points out, Howard The Duck (issue two) and Deadpool (issue 45) will feature their own covers (see below) inspired by the album cover art, in which two opposing hands face each other — one pointed like a gun, and the other forming a chain. The idea came from Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso who was inspired by the Tag The Jewels graffiti project and watching his own 11-year-old son flash the sign after catching the winning touchdown in a football game. The kid’s friends responded on the sideline by yelling, “Run them jewels fast,” the chorus from the album’s “Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck).” For El-P and Killer Mike this collaboration is an organic fit. EL-P says:

“Comic books are a part of the creative world of a kid in an urban environment. You might not admit it on record, but you talk to almost every rapper — we all grew up with that shit. I guarantee you like 80 percent of any rappers that you meet probably went through a large comic book phase.”

“Thirtysomething-year-old child” Killer Mike, whose management had a conversation with Marvel, explains:

“I knew it was happening potentially,” corrects Killer Mike “but when it came all the way through, I was dancing around the room in my Polo underwear. I play with toys, comics, that type of shit, so this is like a very big deal for me.”

In addition, El-P also revealed that Meow the Jewels (aka Run the Jewels 2 but with cat sounds) is still expected to come out this year. Separately, Killer Mike said in December that work on Run the Jewels 3 will begin this month, according to NME.