Kid Cudi’s Moon Man is a Comic & Album
The launch event took place at Revenge Of, an LGBTQ+ owned comic book shop which has been quickly on the rise for holding some of the best exclusive events in the city for nerds of all kinds. From the reveal of the Jaws pinball machine prototype, to tonight’s launch party for Kid Cudi’s debut into the medium of comic books, Moon Man. A panel followed the comic book signing and what you’re about to read is a summary of the many layers of information we were treated to…
Kid Cudi, the multi-talented musician, artist, producer, actor, director, and writer, has teamed up with Kyle Higgins, the acclaimed comic book writer and creator of Radiant Black, to launch a new comic book series called Moon Man. The series, published by Image Comics, follows Ramon Townsend, an astronaut who gains mysterious gravity-based powers after a lunar mission gone wrong. The first issue, which sold out on its release day, features stunning artwork by Marco Locati, Chase Conley, Eva de la Cruz, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and Michael Busuttil, as well as variant covers by some of the industry’s top artists, such as Bill Sienkiewicz, Christian Ward, Rod Reis, Erica Henderson, and Sanford Greene.
Kid Cudi, who also goes by Scott Mescudi, revealed that Moon Man has been a theme in his music for over a decade, and that he always wanted to bring the character to life in a comic book form. He said he was influenced by comics like Scud: The Disposable Assassin, which he used to draw and sell to his classmates in first grade, and that he wanted to create a character that was cool, grounded, and for the people. He also said he wanted to set the story in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, a place that is rarely seen in comics. He praised Kyle Higgins for being the perfect partner to help him realize his vision, and said he was blown away by the artwork and the reception from the fans.
Kyle Higgins, who also runs the Black Market Narrative, said he was honored and excited to work with Kid Cudi, whom he admired as a singular artist. He said he loved music and comics, and that he saw a lot of crossover between the two mediums in terms of storytelling, structure, and collaboration. He said he wanted to explore the idea of introducing power into the world, and the responsibility and consequences that come with it, especially in the 2020s. He said he wanted to take full advantage of the comic book medium, and do things that are unique, innovative, and immersive. He also said he was very happy and grateful to see the support and enthusiasm from the readers, and that he had a lot of fun putting together the team of talented creators for Moon Man.
The conversation also touched on some of the details and easter eggs of the series, such as the design of the Moon Man suit, the powers and personality of Ramon, the role of his younger brother Micah, the conflict with the mega-corporation Janus, and the influence of the American dream and the space exploration. Kid Cudi also announced that he will be releasing a new song called Black Ops, featuring Denzel Curry, on Friday, which is the first in an album titled Kid Cudi Presents: The Soundtrack of Moon Man. He said he plans to release more songs with each issue, until he has a full album’s worth of music. He also hinted at another character in their universe that they are working on. As Kyle put it, “the idea that we have one comic from Kid Cudi is really freaking cool. But would it be cooler if there were more than one” alluding possibly to another musician stepping into the comic book creation game to cross over into the world that Kid Cudi and his team are creating…
Kid Cudi and Kyle Higgins ended the conversation by thanking the fans for their love and support, and promising that they are just getting started with Moon Man. They said they have a lot of surprises and innovations in store for the future, and that they hope to make Moon Man a long-lasting and groundbreaking series that will inspire and entertain people for years to come. You can find more information about Moon Man, including how to get the digital and physical copies of the comic, at moonmancomic.com.
Halfway throughout the panel my mind was plagued with a question that I myself wanted to ask, “What album should I read Moon Man along to?” and that’s when they dropped the bombshell. As the creator of a comic/album hybrid myself (which you can find in the release of The Artech Magazine), I almost wanted to cry just with the thought that if I can come up with a similar concept as a beloved musician, then I shouldn’t stop creating. Added ontop of the feeling was that I’d have semi-regular dreams about being able to control my own gravity and how that might affect my surroundings. If I had to make a biopic about my life for some reason, Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon would definitely be in there somewhere.
What I’m trying to say is, “Holy shit, what a cocktail!”. My next piece will be reading Moon Man #1 to the single drop to come. I just wish it could be Friday right now…
