Today in Comics History, August 20: Happy birthday, KRS-One!

Born on this day: Lawrence "Kris" Parker, better known to y'all as rapper, actor, and producer KRS-One (Return of the Boom Bap, The Sneak Attack, Kristyles, and much more)!


from Hip-Hop Family Tree Two-in-One (FCBD 2014) one-shot (Fantagraphics, May 2014); script, pencils, inks, colors, and letters by Ed Piskor







Even more directly related to comics, though: did you know KRS-One teamed up with producer Marshall Chess and writer/artist Kyle Baker to produce a now-hard-to-find comic book for...Marvel Comics?




from Marvel Age #130 (Marvel, November 1993), by Bill Rosemann
Titled Break the Chain and accompanied by an audio cassette (remember those?) of the soundtrack and dialogue, it's a jubilant street-level tale of the power of hip hop, especially to America's Black youth.


cover of Break the Chain #1 one-shot (Marvel Music, 1994), art by Kyle Baker
As I mentioned, Break the Chain is hard to find — especially accompanied by the tape — but I highly recommend searching it out.



from Break the Chain (Marvel Music, 1994), by KRS-One, Marshall Chess, and Kyle Baker
This (very white) little bull loved it a lot, and the vitality and intensity of the music is powerfully depicted on the page by one of my favorite artists, Kyle Baker!



Can't hunt yourself up a copy? Here's the next best thing, thanks to the technological magic of YouTube!


Break the Chain (Marvel, 1994), full comic with audio by KRS-One and Big Joe Krash Hey, can YOU find KRS-ONE…no, not in the Marvel Bullpen or at the Ali fight, but among his peers of great rappers?

from Hip Hop Family Tree Three-in-One (FCBD 2015) one-shot, (Fantagraphics, May 2015); pencils, inks, colors and letters by Ed Piskor
(Click top two pictures to power-size)
A very happy birthday to you, KRS-One, and many more!