Bruce Dickinson and Z2 are bringing together music and comics with the release of “The Mandrake Project: Year One.” This exciting comic series, based on Bruce’s solo album, will be available starting August 5, 2025. Inspired by over ten years of ideas from Bruce himself, this project has been praised for its great storytelling and supernatural themes that blend well with his music.
Z2 is about to release special collection that includes the first four issues of the series and a prologue originally found on “The Afterglow of Ragnarok” single. Staying true to Z2’s style, this deluxe edition is presented as an impressive 12″x12″ book with 184 pages. It’s packed with bonuses like interviews, essays and an introduction by Kurt Sutter who created Sons of Anarchy. The collector’s edition stands out with features such as a rotating embossed dial case, ribbon seal, gold-colored paper edges, plus four exclusive foil cards and a special medallion from Mandrake Project—perfect for fans of Iron Maiden or supernatural tales involving Dickinson.
This edition is interesting because it’s linked to the famous poet and artist William Blake. Remarkably, soil from Blake’s grave has been mixed into the ink used for printing this Deluxe Edition, which is important to the story. This shows Dickinson’s great respect and inspiration from Blake as he recently supported the William Blake Cottage Trust.
“The Mandrake Project: Year One” is the latest endeavor from Dickinson, inspired by his varied career. He was not only Iron Maiden’s lead singer but also a solo artist and explorer in fields like aviation and writing. For this project, he’s teamed up with talented individuals: Tony Lee, known for working with big publishers such as DC and Marvel; Staz Johnson, famous for drawing superhero comics; Piotr Kowalski, who has an extensive background in horror comics; and Bill Sienkiewicz—a highly acclaimed artist recognized for revolutionizing comic art.
Z2, called the “hottest brand in music” by Forbes, keeps combining music with graphic novel stories. This new volume aims to raise the bar again, just like their past works. Rantz Hoseley, Z2’s Editor-in-Chief, described making this exciting and visually stunning book as a thrilling challenge sparked by Dickinson’s limitless imagination.
For dedicated fans and collectors, “The Mandrake Project: Year One” can be found in different formats. A smaller 9″x9″ hardcover edition is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. There’s also a special version with unique covers and a trading card that you can get from HMV UK or various independent comic and music stores around the world.
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