Iron Maiden mark 40 years of “Somewhere in Time” with a graphic novel

Iron Maiden and publisher Z2 have announced a 40th anniversary “graphic album” for 1986’s “Somewhere in Time”, combining a graphic novel with a specialty vinyl reissue, according to Loudwire. It is the second collaboration between the band and Z2, after the Eisner Award-nominated “Piece of Mind” graphic novel. Z2 has also worked with singer Bruce Dickinson on his comic series “The Mandrake Project”.

“Somewhere in Time: The Graphic Album” is built around eight chapters tied to the album’s songs, with new takes on the cyborg Eddie from the cover art. A prologue and epilogue written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and drawn by Andy MacDonald imagine what led up to the scene shown on the original front and back cover. Bill Sienkiewicz wrote the introduction, and contributors include Steve Niles, Goran Parlov, David Dastmalchian and Corin Hardy.

The book also carries an in-depth interview with guitarist Adrian Smith, sole writer of the album’s two singles, “Wasted Years” and “Stranger in a Strange Land”, about making the record. Smith calls the artwork probably his favourite Eddie, with “a genuine power and menace”.

Z2 is taking pre-orders in several packages; the Deluxe and Platinum editions include four framed Eddie cards designed by Davide Fabbri and a bookplate signed by Smith. Both singles are also being reissued on 7-inch vinyl.

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in 1975 in Leyton. Their newest studio album, according to MusicBrainz, is “Senjutsu” from 2021. In October mbuzz reported the band will headline the US festival Sonic Temple 2027.