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SDCC 2026: Bruce Dickinson and Z2 return with The Mandrake Project: Year Two

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In the middle of his 2025 solo tour of North America, Bruce Dickinson was simultaneously hard at work crafting the next volume in his critically-acclaimed graphic novel saga, The Mandrake Project. This next installment is sure to send readers reeling, as everything they thought they knew about the world of Necropolis and Dr. Lazarus is turned on its head as the second book descends deeper into a world of surreal and mystical madness.

Z2 has announced The Mandrake Project: Year Two as the war between magic and science for the control of immortality reaches a hallucinatory fever pitch. Starting with a near-death experience that propels Necropolis into a parallel world where he learns the dark secrets of his twisted family tree, he’s exposed to revelations that leave him shocked, wondering if he can escape the family legacy of self-destruction in the name of ambition, or if he is simply a cog in a greater cosmic machine, controlled by supernatural forces?

The 184 page volume also includes an extensive series of interviews and essays recounting Dickinson’s life on tour supporting THE MANDRAKE PROJECT album in 2025, as well as insight with the creative team into the development of this next terrifying chapter of the Mandrake Saga. With an introduction by Anvil director Sacha Gervasi, the 12”x12” Deluxe and Platinum Editions are housed in an elegant die-cut slipcase and are bound with a sealing ribbon and gilt paper edging. The oversized Deluxe and Platinum Editions also include a holder inside the back cover that contains four new foil collectors cards and a new edition of the antiqued metal Mandrake Project medallion held by Dr. Lazarus in the comic. This book is the must have item for all lovers of Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, and supernatural tales!

The Bruce Dickinson-signed oversized 12”x12” Deluxe editions and signed platinum editions both come with collector cards and Mandrake Coin in a die-cut slipcase with foil page edging, and will be available directly from Z2 at Z2Comics.com, while a 9”x9” smaller hardcover edition without slipcase will be available via Z2’s retail partners Amazon and Barnes and Noble in the United States, and at HMV UK, as well as many independent comic and music shops worldwide. 

Dickinson will be signing at the Z2 booth #1529 on Friday, July 24 from 2:45pm to 3pm.

THE MANDRAKE PROJECT: YEAR TWO

SDCC 2026: Multi-Platinum Rock Icon Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and Z2 New Graphic Novel and “Lost” Rock Opera Album: Mike McCready’s Farewell To Seasons

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Mike McCready, guitarist for Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, and Mad Season, has teamed up with Z2 to release the original graphic novel and “lost” rock opera, Mike McCready’s Farewell to Seasons. Developed over the last 20 years, McCready’s story captures the drive and sense of community that forged the powerful backbone of the Seattle music scene of the 1980s, as their world changed forever with the explosion of grunge in the ‘90s. Farewell to Seasons unflinchingly shows the brutal cost it had for so many artists and musicians as it captures the lived experience of that seminal era. The glory and the heartbreak as it asks the unanswerable question… was it worth it?

McCready will be signing at the Z2 booth on Thursday, July 23rd from 4pm to 5pm.

Deluxe editions of the graphic novel come packaged with McCready’s Farewell To Seasons, a rock opera of new and original songs. These songs were written and recorded as an artifact created by the lead character, David Williams. It will be exclusively available on Rain City Yellow vinyl as part of the deluxe edition and Translucent Elliot Bay Green vinyl within the Platinum package, and will not immediately be available on streaming services or digital platforms.Renowned for his fiery, melodic solos and electrifying stage presence, McCready draws inspiration from blues and rock icons such as Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. His signature playing and songwriting is featured on landmark hits including “Yellow Ledbetter,” “River of Deceit,” “State of Love and Trust,” and “Given to Fly”,​ songs that helped shape a generation of modern rock.

This graphic novel and rock opera will be released as a slip-cased oversized 12” x 12” Deluxe Edition, as well as a regular sized 9” x 9” standard edition. All editions of Mike McCready’s Farewell to Seasons is available exclusively at Z2’s website to pre-order, and a standard-sized edition will be available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, as well as other independent book stores, retailers and fine comic shops worldwide later this year. 

Farewell to Seasons

SDCC 2026: Marc Maron, Bruce Dickinson, Mike McCready, David Dastmalchian, and more to join Z2

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Z2 Comics San Diego Comic-Con 2026

Z2 returns to San Diego Comic-Con in a major way this year, teaming up with TalkShopLive to bring an all-star lineup of musicians, actors, authors, and creators to Booth #1529 for an unforgettable week of live interviews, appearances, and signings. Featured guests include Marc Maron, Bruce Dickinson, Mike McCready, David Dastmalchian, Charlie Benante, Spencer Charnas, and more. In addition to fan events at the booth, McCready, Dickinson, and Maron will headline featured panels celebrating their upcoming books, while Dastmalchian, Benante, Carla Harvey, the producers of …And Out Comes the Wolf, and Cage Claypool will join Z2 for special discussions about forthcoming projects. Additional panel details and schedules will be announced at a later date.

Z2 BOOTH #1529 SIGNING SCHEDULE:

Thursday, July 23rd

Noon – 1pm: Lee Jennings of The Funeral Portrait
1pm – 2pm: Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills
4pm – 5pm: Mike McCready of Pearl Jam

Friday, July 24th

11am – Noon: Marc Maron, Brendan McDonald and Brian “Box Brown of WTF
Noon – 1pm: Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills
1pm – 1:30pm: Lee Jennings of The Funeral Portrait
1:30pm – 2:00pm: Charlie Benante of Anthrax/Pantera and Carla Harvey of Lords of Acid
2:45pm – 3:00pm: Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden

Saturday, July 25th

11am – Noon: Danny Peykoff, Jamie Neese and Jason Neese the Producer/Directors of …And Out Comes The Wolf
1:30pm – 2:30pm: David Dastmalchian
3:00pm – 4:00pm: Charlie Benante of Anthrax/Pantera and Carla Harvey of Lords of Acid

Among the highlights of Z2’s San Diego Comic-Con lineup are several major publishing premieres and exclusive releases. Fans will get their first look at Marc Maron’s WTF IS A PODCAST, Les Claypool’s Frizzle Fry, the next chapter of Bruce Dickinson’s acclaimed The Mandrake Project, and Mike McCready’s Farewell to Seasons, an alternative history of Seattle’s groundbreaking 1990s music scene. Z2 will also debut new collector’s editions of fan-favorite titles created in partnership with Ice Nine Kills and “Weird Al” Yankovic, further expanding its catalog of music-driven graphic storytelling and collectibles.

Together, Z2 and TalkShopLive are creating new opportunities for authors, musicians, artists, and creators to amplify their work through innovative publishing, fan engagement, and commerce during San Diego Comic-Con. Personalities with TalkShopLive channels include Robert Downey Jr., Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney, Jessica Secrest, Ringo Starr, Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, KISS, and many more. Through TalkShopLive, talent can simulcast live video simultaneously to Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube while also embedding shoppable content directly on their websites using TalkShopLive’s patented embeddable video player.

Bruce Dickinson and Z2 Return with The Mandrake Project: Year Two

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The Mandrake Project: Year Two

In the middle of his 2025 solo tour of North America, Bruce Dickinson was simultaneously hard at work crafting the next volume in his graphic novel saga, The Mandrake Project. This next installment is sure to send readers reeling, as everything they thought they knew about the world of Necropolis and Dr. Lazarus is turned on its head as the second book descends deeper into a world of surreal and mystical madness.

Z2 has announced the impending release of The Mandrake Project: Year Two as the war between magic and science for the control of immortality reaches a hallucinatory fever pitch. Starting with a near-death experience that propels Necropolis into a parallel world where he learns the dark secrets of his twisted family tree, he’s exposed to revelations that leave him shocked, wondering if he can escape the family legacy of self-destruction in the name of ambition, or if he is simply a cog in a greater cosmic machine, controlled by supernatural forces?

The Mandrake Project: Year Two is written by Dickinson and Tony Lee, art by Staz Johnson and Piotr Kowalski, a cover by Bill Sienkiewicz, and edited by Rantz A. Hoseley.

The 184 page volume also includes an extensive series of interviews and essays recounting Dickinson’s life on tour supporting The Mandrake Project album in 2025, as well as insight with the creative team into the development of this next terrifying chapter of the Mandrake Saga. With an introduction by Avil director Sacha Gervasi, the 12”x12” Deluxe and Platinum Editions are housed in an elegant die-cut slipcase and are bound with a sealing ribbon and gilt paper edging. The oversized Deluxe and Platinum Editions also include a holder inside the back cover that contains four new foil collectors cards and a new edition of the antiqued metal Mandrake Project medallion held by Dr. Lazarus in the comic. This book is the must have item for all lovers of Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, and supernatural tales!

Continuing the tradition of heralding the influences contained within the saga of The Mandrake Project, Year Two also contains an extensive article on Wilhelm Reich, the sociologist and mystic whose controversial work led to him being imprisoned by the FBI, where he died in jail in the 1954.

The Bruce Dickinson-signed oversized 12”x12” Deluxe editions and signed platinum editions both come with collector cards and Mandrake Coin in a die-cut slipcase with foil page edging, and will be available directly from Z2 at Z2Comics.com, while a 9”x9” smaller hardcover edition without slipcase will be available via Z2’s retail partners Amazon and Barnes and Noble in the United States, and at HMV UK, as well as many independent comic and music shops worldwide.

Z2 Announces U.S Sales and Distribution Partnership With Two Rivers Distribution

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Z2

Two Rivers Distribution, an Ingram Publisher Services LLC brand, has announced a U.S. sales and distribution agreement with Z2, the New York-based publisher known for its innovative blend of graphic storytelling and music driven collaborations.

Founded on a mission to bring musicians, creators, and fans together through visual narratives, Z2 has become a force in the graphic novel space. Its catalog spans original works and highprofile collaborations with artists across genres, including rock, hiphop, pop, and metal. With a growing list of bestselling titles and a passionate global fanbase, Z2 continues to redefine what graphic storytelling can be.

Through this partnership, Z2 will benefit from Two Rivers’ national sales expertise, operational scale, and longstanding relationships across independent bookstores, major retailers, libraries, and specialty markets.

Rancid …And Out Comes the Wolf gets a Companion Graphic Novel

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And Out Comes the Wolf

Big Newport Studios and Z2 have announced a companion graphic novel to the Rancid-inspired, …And Out Comes the Wolf. Artist and writer Kevin Mellon will adapt the graphic novel from the feature script by Danny Peykoff and Jamie and Jason Neese, bringing new layers to the powerful story about fighting for survival in the East Bay punk scene during the 90s. The book series will come in several variant covers including the brand-new Z2 exclusive cover by Dan Mumford.

Also announced are the Deluxe editions of …And Out Comes the Wolf; presented in a 12” x 12” album-sized format with slipcover art and an official flash sheet tattoo by legend Beatleguese; an “Anarchy” ski-cap inspired by the film’s main character Brixton and four (4) art prints featuring work by Travis Knight, Dan Mumford, and Felipe Sobreiro.

It was also announced today that the writers and producers of the …And Out Comes the Wolf film will be in attendance at the Z2 Booth at the 2026 San Diego Comic Con International, which takes place July 23-27th, 2026 at the San Diego Convention Center.

Both the film and graphic novel are rooted in a gritty story of dreams colliding with the limitations of reality in a world of violence and desperation. Surrounded by poverty, drugs, and danger, two best friends hunt for an escape in a city blighted with decay. But the paths are littered with predators and temptations which threaten them at every turn and the unspoken question haunts them: Who manages to get away and who will be devoured when the wolf comes out?

The 100 page graphic novel will be released in a slipcased Deluxe Edition, with four art prints, an “Brixton Anarchy” ski-cap and an exclusive Wolf set of temporary tattoo flash. All editions will be available exclusively at Z2’s website to pre-order, while a standard-sized cover edition will be available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, as well as other independent retailers and fine comic shops worldwide in the fall.

The Rancid-Inspired Film …And Out Comes the Wolf gets a Companion Graphic Novel

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And Out Comes the Wolf

Punk fans were thrilled at the announcement of a feature film in development that was inspired by the music of the band, Rancid, specifically the album, …And Out Come the Wolves. Now Big Newport Studios and Z2 have announced a companion graphic novel that will accompany the release of the recently completed film …And Out Comes the Wolf. Artist and writer Kevin Mellon will adapt the graphic novel from the feature script by Danny Peykoff and the Neese Brothers, bringing new layers to the powerful story about fighting for survival in the East Bay punk scene during the 90s. The book series will come with several variant covers by underground art sensation, Travis Knight.

And Out Comes the Wolf

Both the film and graphic novel are rooted in a gritty story of dreams colliding with the limitations of reality in a world of violence and desperation. Surrounded by poverty, drugs, and danger, two best friends hunt for an escape in a city blighted with decay. But the paths are narrow and littered with predators and temptations which threaten them at every turn and the unspoken question haunts them: Who manages to get away and who will be devoured when the wolf comes out?

The 100 page graphic novel will be released in a slipcased Deluxe Edition, with four art prints, a set of collectors cards, and an exclusive WOLF set of temporary tattoo flash. All editions will be available exclusively at Z2’s website to pre-order in the Spring of 2026, while a standard sized cover edition will be available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, as well as other independent retailers and fine comic shops worldwide in the early fall.

Get ready for summer barbecues with Drumming Up an Appetite with Vinnie Paul from Z2

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Drumming Up an Appetite With Vinnie Paul

Vinnie Paul continues to be one of the most beloved personalities in the history of metal and now his legacy can fill both our hearts and bellies with the perfect companion for your summer barbecue, Drumming Up an Appetite With Vinnie Paul, releasing from Z2. The book commemorates the memory of Vinnie’s legendary Sunday Funday dinners with this epicurean collection of his favorite family recipes. Opening with a foreword by comedian and friend Carrot Top, the book is broken into three chapters – main courses (Reinventing The Meal), side dishes (Far Beyond Kitchen) and of course, desserts (A Vulgar Display of Flour)!

The book, as well as the cover art by Erik Rodriguez, was a lifelong dream of Vinnie Paul’s, who said in 2015… “My cookbook will be called ‘Drumming Up an Appetite With Vinnie Paul’. How clever is that? It’s got a picture of me sitting behind a drum set. I’m holding two turkey legs, which are otherwise known as drum sticks!”

The recipes are captured through the photography of Justin Borucki, with illustrations by Danny Hellman, Steve Chanks, and Rob Schwager. The book is rounded out by an afterword from Vinnie’s best friend and personal assistant Brian “Bridog” Jones who added “Vinnie’s BBQ action was most definitely not your average line up whether it be at his Texas or Vegas casas, or on the road prepping and cooking for all the bands and crew and even the local venue personnel, his spread was legendary! Lots of very hard work from myself and many others made this book possible. Vinnie’s recipes are now being offered to the world!”

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the drummer’s seat! Vinnie Paul, beloved drummer best known for his tasty rhythms in Pantera, Damageplan, and HELLYEAH, had another passion that fueled his days — incredible eats and delicious treats! He began writing this book over 15 years ago, this book contains his favorite recipes, written by Vinnie before his passing, and Z2 are honored to present them so that the cooking hostile tradition is carried on.

Through the loving support of his family and estate, the joy of Vinnie Paul’s spirit towards cooking lives on through these dishes. Now, getcha’ apron on!

Drumming Up an Appetite With Vinnie Paul will be available in hardcover via Z2 for a list price of $29.99 (ISBN: 9798886561234) at retailers everywhere on March 11th. There is a Deluxe Edition available exclusively for preorder at the Z2 online store, featuring One (1) Hardcover Mass Market Edition, One (1) Butcher-paper protective dust jacket, One (1) Vinnie Paul “Cooking Hostile” apron, One (1) Vinnie Paul “Hellyeah!!!” 25-piece Napkin set, One (1) Hellyeah University Vinnie Paul Cooking Diploma available for $79.99. There will also be limited amounts of the Vinnie Paul “Cooking Hostile” Aprons available for $34.99.

Exclusive Preview: The Blues Brothers: The Escape of Joliet Jake

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​The beloved Blues Brothers universe will come roaring back to life over the next few years with forays into television, film, live events, music, and much more with the first offering being a brand new original Graphic Novel: The Blues Brothers: Escape of Joliet Jake being published by Z2.​ Written by Stella Aykroyd, Luke Pisano, and James Werner with artist Felipe Sobriero, The Blues Brothers: Escape of Joliet Jake is both a love letter and sequel to the original Blues Brothers film. With editorial oversight by Dan Aykroyd, the utmost care has been taken to ensure this new chapter is true to the classic skits, legendary film, and iconic albums. The result is a wild and entertaining ride for both the longtime fans, and those new to the world of Jake and Elwood Blues. The project was originally conceived with the architect of The Blues Brothers, Judy Belushi Pisano, who sadly passed away during the book’s production.

It’s 1997, almost two decades after the events in The Blues Brothers and Chicago law enforcement is once again in pursuit of the notorious musical criminal, Jake Blues, after a mysterious jailbreak. On the case is Robert, an up and coming detective, whose world is turned upside down… While investigating, Robert receives a little help from Elwood Blues, and an unlikely partnership forms between Robert and Wolfie, an orphan from the Blues Brother’s alma-mater, St. Helen’s of the Blessed Shroud. Together, they unravel a web of mysteries tied to Blues Brothers adventures with Jake and Elwood that we’ve never seen before! Get back to the heart of recidivist mischief, soul and bombastic chases.

We have an exclusive look at the graphic novel which comes to shelves this November. The Blues Brothers: Escape of Joliet Jake is available for pre-order via Bookshop, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, as well as bookstores, comic shops, and record stores.

The Blues Brothers: Escape of Joliet Jake

He’s Not Gonna Take It reminds us to keep fighting for what’s right and our rights

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The name of Dee Snider is synonymous with the battle for freedom of expression in the arts. This new graphic novel will follow the impact of it throughout Dee’s life. From a childhood where he was frequently silenced, through the early efforts to stifle his band’s music, to the open warfare of the PMRC hearings in Washington DC, and his current efforts on social media, HE’S NOT GONNA TAKE IT tells the story of why free speech is so important to this man who has fought for it. Even when it endangered everything that was important to him.

Story: Dee Snider, Frank Marraffino
Art: Steve Kurth
Cover Art: Erik Rodriguez
Print Art: Roy Brudine, Javier Aranda, Carlos Olivares
Color: Giada Marchisie, Alessandra Alexakis, Valerio Alloro, Paolo Raiteri, Nicola Righi
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Foreword: Tom Morello

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Amazon

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