What to know about Iron Maiden’s graphic album
- Graphic anthology: The collection gives each of Somewhere in Time’s eight tracks its own story.
- Eddie’s story: A prologue and epilogue imagine events surrounding the album’s iconic cover.
- Deluxe editions: Some editions include 7-inch singles of “Wasted Years” and “Stranger in a Strange Land.”
- Album legacy: Released in 1986, Somewhere in Time introduced synthesizers into Iron Maiden’s sound.
Iron Maiden announced Somewhere in Time: The Graphic Album, a collaboration with Z2 Comics marking the 40th anniversary of the band’s landmark album. This article covers the anthology’s stories, Adrian Smith’s comments, the deluxe editions and the original album’s musical direction.
The graphic album adapts all eight tracks from Somewhere in Time into individual stories. According to the project’s press release, the anthology “dives deep into the menacing Science Fiction future immortalized [in the album].” It also includes a prologue and epilogue centered on Eddie, Iron Maiden’s mascot, imagining “what could have happened in the moments leading up to that iconic album cover that captured the imagination of generations of Maiden fans.”
The anthology’s structure connects each song to a separate story and frames the album-cover setting through Eddie. The collection pairs eight track-based stories with a prologue and an epilogue.
Adrian Smith praised the album-cover version of Eddie, calling it “just a great version of Eddie, my favorite version of Eddie probably.” The guitarist added: “There’s a real power there you know, a genuine power and menace. He’s very muscular isn’t he? He looks like he’s been working out. Like I say, it complements the music, which is fantastic.”
READ MORE: When Iron Maiden Got Futuristic With ‘Somewhere in Time’
An in-depth interview with Adrian Smith is also included in the collection, focusing on the creative process behind writing and recording Somewhere in Time. The interview adds the guitarist’s perspective to the graphic album’s stories.
Deluxe editions of Somewhere in Time: The Graphic Album come with rare 7-inch vinyl singles of “Wasted Years” and “Stranger in a Strange Land.” The included singles are a distinguishing feature of these editions.
Iron Maiden released Somewhere in Time on Sept. 29, 1986, expanding the band’s sound by adding synthesizers to its metal sound. The futuristic-themed album continued the band’s commercial success and earned platinum sales in the U.S.
Somewhere in Time combined synthesizers with Iron Maiden’s metal sound, while the graphic album connects the record’s eight tracks to new stories. The original album’s release date was Sept. 29, 1986.
How are Iron Maiden albums ranked?
Iron Maiden album rankings compare the band’s records across different lead-singer eras. A notable consideration is that the band succeeded despite changing lead singers on three separate occasions.
Iron Maiden changed lead singers three times and continued to succeed across those lineup changes.
Gallery Credit: Eduardo Rivadavia
What does the graphic album include?
Somewhere in Time: The Graphic Album includes a story for each of the album’s eight tracks, plus a prologue and epilogue about Eddie. The collection also features an interview with Adrian Smith.
The graphic album combines eight track-based stories with Eddie’s framing story and an interview about the album’s creation.
Which singles come with the deluxe editions?
The deluxe editions include 7-inch vinyl singles of “Wasted Years” and “Stranger in a Strange Land.”
The two included singles are “Wasted Years” and “Stranger in a Strange Land.”
When was Somewhere in Time released?
Iron Maiden released Somewhere in Time on Sept. 29, 1986. The album incorporated synthesizers into the band’s metal sound.
Somewhere in Time was released on Sept. 29, 1986.
