So this morning it was confirmed that Eminem will be headlining Reading and Leeds festival. But did you know that when he was younger, he actually wanted to be a comic book artist?
He's been passionate about comics for a long time, which goes a long way to explaining the 'Mosh' video and The Slim Shady Show series.
Credit: The Slim Shady Show
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If you're unaware of The Slim Shady Show, it's basically a series which was uploaded to the Internet (and later to DVD) which feels kind of like South Park. In fact, in the first episode, Eminem visits the town and it's all kinds of weird.
Each episode is around five minutes long, and features Eminem himself, as well as Paul Rosenberg and Xzibit.
However, I think the most interesting thing has to be that Marvel featured Eminem as a character in one of their Punisher comic books. And it's very strange.
It came out back in 2009, just after Eminem finished his five-year hiatus and was about to release Relapse.
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Complex managed to get hold of these images which effectively tell the story. But I'll talk you through it.
So it all starts off with Eminem performing in Detroit (where else?!) and doing a classic mic drop.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Punisher kills all of his entourage. Rude.
Em manages to avoid being shot (luckily) and crouches down. Suddenly, he bumps into Barracuda. He's basically one of Punisher's villains.
Weirdly, Eminem knows him from the 'battles back at the hip-hop shop'. Small world, ay? Em tells him that they should run as Punisher is after them.
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Anyway, at this point Punisher and Eminem have crossed paths again. Punisher calls Em 'rock star' and he gets really pissed off for some reason. He then pistol whips him while quoting 'Kill You' from The Marshall Mathers LP. It's kind of cringey but we'll allow it.
He then shoots him. Then, Barracuda shoots Eminem. Weird.
It cuts to a few hours later, where Eminem and Punisher are both still alive (somehow) and tied up on a boat while Barracuda steers and sings 'Mockingbird'.
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Yeah, I told you it was weird.
Eminem's understandably upset as he and Barracuda grew up together and he probably didn't expect him to tie him up on a boat. Well, who would?!
Turns out it's all to do with 'business' as he's been hired by the 'Parents Music Council' to assassinate him. Seems like a bit of a dig.
Rather than shooting him, he goes 'classic bad guy' and comes up with a long-arse plan about dumping his body in the ice so 'no-one will find him' and then buy loads of 'Eminem Junk' to sell it on eBay because it'll shoot up in value once people realise he's disappeared. I swear I'm not making this up.
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So he chucks him overboard.
So he survives because he lands on ice. He gets up and walks off and bumps into a little guy who's ice fishing.
He's listening to Relapse on his iPod so it's pretty lucky that he knows who Eminem is. And there's a little reference to 'Stan' too, which is nice.
The fisherman gives Em a chainsaw. It's fitting, because of the whole 'Eminem/chainsaw' thing. Remember?
Em goes back to the boat and saves Punisher, but uses the chainsaw on Barracuda's fingers because it's a comic book and that's what happens.
Before Em can get back on the boat, Punisher uses a machine-gun to break the ice all around him, leaving him stranded on a little island. He apologises for killing Em's 'homies' and throws him a military satellite phone which Barracuda had.
He says he'll be able to call for rescue. But how can he be so sure? Didn't Em just save his life? Why did he kill his homies to begin with?
He promises to pay the Parents Music Council a visit though, so that's nice.
He then leaves Em stranded on a little ice island and that's that.
All credits: Marvel
So there you go. Eminem's love of comic books is pretty well documented, he's got his own comic and apparently quite an extensive collection.
Anyone else kind of want to buy this comic? Just me? Okay.
Featured Image Credit: Marvel