Iron Maiden has teamed up with Marvel for a new collection of exclusive merchandise themed around iconic Marvel characters.
This collaboration interweaves the universes of both brands, with designs that pay tribute to characters like Wolverine, Venom, Thanos, and Deadpool. The characters will appear in variations of the band’s album and single artwork, including for Fear of the Dark, Killers, and “The Trooper.” Iron Maiden’s iconic mascot, Eddie, will also appear in the artwork.
“Eddie has long stood shoulder to shoulder with the greatest superheroes and we’re also pretty proud of the Worlds we created for his many incarnations — from battlefields to Egyptian tombs to frozen icescapes or futuristic cities,” Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood said in a statement. “Juxtaposing some of the most recognizable characters in pop art and comic book culture into planet Maiden has been an ambition of ours for years and working with Marvel and their unparalleled character-based IP is the perfect fit in this day and age.”
He added, “To see such iconic characters alongside Eddie is something our fans have discussed for years and we think that the twist of placing Venom, Thanos, Thor, or Deadpool in our Maiden worlds will excite fans of both cultures.”
“Marvel is cool and aspirational, and has inspired the greatest artists, musicians, and creators for more than 80 years,” Paul Gitter, SVP, Marvel Licensing, added. “This collaboration offers another exciting example of how the Marvel brand continues to push into lifestyle areas, with music being a top priority, and the collection allows fans to pay tribute to our iconic characters while celebrating the legendary Iron Maiden.”
The collection is available via Iron Maiden’s online store, specialty retailer Hot Topic, and German e-tailer, EMP. Items include T-shirts and a Deadpool-themed sweater.
Iron Maiden’s most recent album, Senjutsu, dropped in September. The band recorded the record back in 2019 at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris with longtime producer Kevin Shirley (bassist Steve Harris co-produced the record). The album marks the metal outfit’s 17th studio record and first since 2015’s The Book of Souls.
London four piece Keo are on course to land their first UK Number 1 album with Put A Smile On For Me. After building a loyal audience over the past two years, the London band now lead this week’s Official Albums Chart update. Their debut record explores love, guilt, and self destruction.
Nothing But Thieves are close behind at Number 2 with their fifth album, Stray Dogs. The Southend band are hoping for a second straight Number 1 after Dead Club City reached the top in 2023. Taylor Swift is at Number 3 with The Life Of A Showgirl, helped by the expanded The Encore edition. Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In sits at Number 4, while Soft Cell’s Danceteria opens at Number 5. It is the synth pop duo’s final album together following Dave Ball’s death last year.
Europe could reach Number 9 with Come This Madness, giving the Swedish rock band its first UK Top 10 album in four decades. A 30th anniversary reissue of Alice In Chains’ MTV Unplugged is at Number 13 in the midweek update, with Orbital’s Glastonbury 1994 set at Number 14. Julia Jacklin is heading for her first Top 40 album as The Gem reaches Number 18, while Suede’s Coming Up returns at Number 23 after its 30th anniversary physical release.
Also on track for Top 40 places are Nessa Barrett’s Tough Love at Number 29, the companion soundtrack to LINKIN PARK: UNSHATTER at Number 30, and Dublin band Gurriers’ Nobody’s Coming To Save You at Number 31. Blondshell, Kneecap, Tina Turner, and Leon Bridges also appear in the lower half of the midweek chart.
The official positions will be announced when the final Albums Chart is published on Friday.
