Over the past few years, hip-hop artists have publicly indulged a wider range of interests, and in doing so, found more avenues to express their creativity. One of those is comic books; plenty of rappers, like Isaiah Rashad, have long been fans, and recently, some of them, like Flatbush Zombies, Rico Nasty, and Vince Staples, have written their own comic books.
Joining their number is one of the most fitting figures to have a comic book, Metro Boomin. His last album was called Heroes & Villains, and it did have a running theme based in the world of comic book superheroes, with samples taken from The Boys. His Zero Zero-published comic will be called The Metroverse; it’s co-written by Ryan Cady, who’s written for DC and Marvel, as well as Adventure Time, illustrated by Vasilis Lolos, and edited by Joshua Frankel. Fred Stresing is on colors, Micah Meyers does the letters, and Vincent Kings will handle design and back-up story art. The story will be about “Metro’s musical journey portrayed in an immersive comic universe.” No word yet on if Drake will appear as a villain.
The first issue will debut this week, with a special pop-up at NTWRK LA on Fairfax in Los Angeles on June 13th from 11am to 7pm PT. You can find more information about the release here.
Metro Boomin is launching his own comic book series, The Metroverse, with the first issue “The Rise” due for release later this week. He made the announcement in a press release on Tuesday. He’s working on the project with Vasilis Lolos, who will handle art, Ryan Cady on dialogue, Fred Stresing for coloring, Micah Meyers with lettering and Vincent Kings for design & backup story. Additionally, Zero Zero founder Joshua Frankel will play the role of editor. the comic comes after Metro produced the chart-topping soundtrack for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, last year.
“It’s a dream come true, to have my own comic book The Metroverse on shelves,” Metro said in a statement. “Josh and Patrick helped bring my superhero vision to life on these pages with the talented Vasilis Lolos making it pop with incredible visuals. I can’t wait to share what we’ve created with my fans.”
INDIO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 14: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY.) NAV and Metro Boomin perform at the Sahara Stage at the 2024 Coachella Valley Music And Arts. Festival weekend 1 day 3 at Empire Polo Club on April 14, 2024 in Indio, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Coachella)
“The Metroverse, a brainchild of Metro’s, has been exhilarating to work on from beginning to end,” added Frankel. “With Zero Zero’s mission to transcend boundaries, we really honed in on the most authentic storyline and visuals in each issue that complemented Metro’s raw superhero vision. I know his fans are going to go wild for this series!” Check out a trailer for the series below.
Metro Boomin Announces “The Rise”
In other news, Metro recently made headlines for partnering with the NBA for the 2024 Finals. His hit song with Future, “Runnin Outta Time,” will soundtrack ESPN’s social media channels and be run across partners for ESPN/ABC. Be on the lookout for further updates on Metro Boomin on HotNewHipHop.
World-renowned artist and music producer Leland Tyler Wayne, known professionally as Metro Boomin, is expanding his Heroes and Villains empire into the literary world by launching his new comic book series, The Metroverse. This innovative superhero comic is a collaboration between Metro, Greek comic book artist Vasilis Lolos, writer Ryan Cady, and Zero Zero founder Joshua Frankel.
The Metroverse is an extension of the visionary superhero world of Heroes and Villains, created by Metro. It embodies the duality and complexity of a world where music and mythology collide, offering fans a fresh and creative experience that brings his beats and narratives to life. This modern superhero saga serves as a visual interpretation of Metro’s musical journey, portrayed in an immersive comic universe. Each issue pays homage to Metro’s love of comics, mimicking distinct styles from different comic periods. The artwork by Vasilis Lolos, known for The Pirates of Coney Island and My Chemical Romance’s Danger Days, delivers stunning visuals and captivating storytelling.
Untitled Artwork
To celebrate the release of the first issue on June 13th, Metro Boomin and Zero Zero, in partnership with Complex, will launch an immersive ‘Metroverse’ pop-up for fans. This event will emulate the ‘Metroverse’ world as displayed in the comic’s first issue and offer fans the opportunity to purchase limited edition ‘Metroverse’ merchandise and copies of the comic. The pop-up will take place on June 13th from 11am to 7pm PT, at Complex LA, located at 433 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA. The product will drop exclusively on ComplexShop at 9am PT and will officially launch on Metroverse.Media at 9pm PT.
“It’s a dream come true, to have my own comic book The Metroverse on shelves,” said Metro Boomin. “Josh and Patrick helped bring my superhero vision to life on these pages with the talented Vasilis Lolos making it pop with incredible visuals. I can’t wait to share what we’ve created with my fans.”
Zero Zero founders Joshua Frankel and Patrick Stephens worked closely with Metro to develop a universe that deepens the journey of this modern-day superhero. With Metro embodying the superhero he dreamed up, using his creative genius and magic amulet, the tale explores creativity versus control.
“The Metroverse, a brainchild of Metro’s, has been exhilarating to work on from beginning to end,” Frankel said. “With Zero Zero’s mission to transcend boundaries, we really honed in on the most authentic storyline and visuals in each issue that complemented Metro’s raw superhero vision. I know his fans are going to go wild for this series!”
For the latest news on The Metroverse, visit Metroverse.Media or follow on social media: @enter_the_metroverse on Instagram, @enterthemetroverse on TikTok, and @EnterMetroverse on Twitter. Fans can buy the physical issue at Metroverse.Media, with only 4,000 print copies available, including an exclusive art print and enamel pin.
