Bruce Dickinson

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OutwardFeller said:
Seriously... I wonder how the comic books are selling...
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I wonder that myself. I think Issue 3 is out (or soon), and with all the Instagram promo Bruce does, he doesn't hype the comics at all anymore. I don't even remember him pimping Issue 2 when it came out. So, it's either selling well enough on its own to justify the cost, or it'll be cancelled before the super-optimistic 12-issue plan is done.

Personally, I've never seen the book in comic shops. The only place around me (Midwest US) I've heard it's been spotted is a local record store, at $20 a pop. Love Bruce, but even the Issue 0 that came with the Deluxe Mandrake didn't give me any reason to keep going with the comics.
 
CA Bryers said:
I wonder that myself. I think Issue 3 is out (or soon), and with all the Instagram promo Bruce does, he doesn't hype the comics at all anymore. I don't even remember him pimping Issue 2 when it came out. So, it's either selling well enough on its own to justify the cost, or it'll be cancelled before the super-optimistic 12-issue plan is done.

Personally, I've never seen the book in comic shops. The only place around me (Midwest US) I've heard it's been spotted is a local record store, at $20 a pop. Love Bruce, but even the Issue 0 that came with the Deluxe Mandrake didn't give me any reason to keep going with the comics.
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Well, the Deluxe Mandrake was a huge waste of money. I pre-ordered all three formats = vinyl, normal CD & deluxe CD. The deluxe version had a few comic pages plus a hard paper cover, but at a ridiculous high price.

Anyway.

After the whole turn of things regarding Roy Z allover the past months, I seriously doubt yet that the planned re-releases of Skunkworks and BTP will ever come to happen.
 
Dick Brucinson said:
After the whole turn of things regarding Roy Z allover the past months, I seriously doubt yet that the planned re-releases of Skunkworks and BTP will ever come to happen.
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I would kind of assume they will, there's probably interest in remastering and re-releasing some of the back catalogue since Bruce now has newfound interest in his solo career. I wouldn't put money down on Roy Z being at the helm for those, however. I have a feeling that they'll probably have sorted their shit out when it's time to write and record another album, but not any sooner.
 
Starblind said:
no one plays legacy of the beast phone game and no one reads mandrake project, someone should tell the Maiden camp : p
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no one plays legacy of the beast phone game…and they don't care because they use this bloody thing as excuse to go out on tour for 5 years that after all I think it was their best successful tour.
Mandrake Project comic book ? I don't know if it's working or not in Maiden fan base but I think it has tried to attract the comic fans who usually spend a lot of money in illustrated comics and all the stuff related, figures, merchandise…

Look Steve's West Ham football equipment business…well maybe in Maiden camp knows how fail is it actually.
 
Ruflux said:
I would kind of assume they will, there's probably interest in remastering and re-releasing some of the back catalogue since Bruce now has newfound interest in his solo career. I wouldn't put money down on Roy Z being at the helm for those, however. I have a feeling that they'll probably have sorted their shit out when it's time to write and record another album, but not any sooner.
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Btw, what was ever wrong with the original sound of both Skunkworks and BTP? To me they sounded great, especially BTP.

When it comes to remastering them ones, I suppose the result will hardly be noticable anyway since I don't see many aspects that could become improved or pimped in senseful ways and the spirit of the albums.

However, just in case the reissue won't be coming along with at least a few comic pages, there will be irritation from my side.
 
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Dick Brucinson said:
Well, the Deluxe Mandrake was a huge waste of money. I pre-ordered all three formats = vinyl, normal CD & deluxe CD. The deluxe version had a few comic pages plus a hard paper cover, but at a ridiculous high price.
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I have buyer's remorse for my deluxe Mandrake as well, mainly because it's too large to fit with my other CDs, and the cover isn't noteworthy enough to display in any fashion. So, I wish I'd have just bought the standard CD.
Dick Brucinson said:
Btw, what was ever wrong with the original sound of both Skunkworks and BTP? To me they sounded great, especially BTP.

When it comes to remastering them ones, I suppose the result will hardly be noticable since I don't see many aspects that could become improved or pimped in senseful ways and the spirit of the albums
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The main impetus for re-releasing his back catalogue seems to be putting them out in Dolby Atmos mixes. Apparently, the Skunkworks mix is finished (or near completion), since the Skunkworks bassist, Chris Dale, has heard it and raved about it. Balls to Picasso is the only one that I've heard Bruce mention is getting any significant changes other than the Atmos mix. They're adding in unused guitar tracks recorded back in the day to beef up the sound, and otherwise making it heavier-sounding.
 
My days of buying the same album in many different formats are long gone, so I decided to buy the (very) expensive deluxe CD edition with the comic. It looks nice, but I am not sure it is worth the money I paid for it, especially considering how weak the album is.

The comic does look good, but I found the story so dull that I have no interest in knowing what happens next. I also think that it goes on to show that being (arguably) the best metal singer and frontman of all time does not necessarily mean that you are good at other art forms, as Bruce’s forays into the worlds of film and literature clearly show.
 
GhostofCain said:
I also think that it goes on to show that being (arguably) the best metal singer and frontman of all time does not necessarily mean that you are good at other art forms, as Bruce’s forays into the worlds of film and literature clearly show.
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The idea for the mandrake project was great, but it required a lot more work. Comics are a tough market right now.

If I were to assess the situation, I would say that Bruce is unnecessarily moving into artistic directions that sound cool but are not his strong point.

He is an incredibly good lyricist and I think that a book/album with (poetry / poems etc.) and, for example, a bit of building the world around them (for example a bestiary and graphics in the style of e.g. Zdzisław Beksiński such as in the attached screenshot) would be of better quality and, paradoxically, - a greater chance of success because it would play to his strengths and passions.
 

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Dick Brucinson said:
After the whole turn of things regarding Roy Z allover the past months, I seriously doubt yet that the planned re-releases of Skunkworks and BTP will ever come to happen.
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Not sure now. I assume there's interest (especially if they improve some of the songs with added parts) and they've already started work, but who knows when they'll be out. Especially if Bruce continues to work with Roy. And Roy has some upcoming projects, so there's that.
CA Bryers said:
and the cover isn't noteworthy enough to display in any fashion.
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I think the main art (not the whole cover ofc) is a bit underrated. It works for the theme, although something else like a dark lab would fit too.
 
CA Bryers said:
I wonder that myself. I think Issue 3 is out (or soon), and with all the Instagram promo Bruce does, he doesn't hype the comics at all anymore. I don't even remember him pimping Issue 2 when it came out. So, it's either selling well enough on its own to justify the cost, or it'll be cancelled before the super-optimistic 12-issue plan is done.
…
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But if the comics are selling well, why not continue to promote them anyway? You could use their popularity so far to draw even more attention to them.
 
For anyone who is interested: In "Gitarre & Bass Das Musiker-Fachmagazine" 7/2024, Roy Z explains his gear.

I don't know whether I'll buy this issue, as there was nothing else in the table of contents that was relevant to me.
 
Melony said:
For anyone who is interested: In "Gitarre & Bass Das Musiker-Fachmagazine" 7/2024, Roy Z explains his gear.

I don't know whether I'll buy this issue, as there was nothing else in the table of contents that was relevant to me.
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cool, thx!! will try to get it tomorrow.
 
The_7th_one said:
no one plays legacy of the beast phone game…and they don't care because they use this bloody thing as excuse to go out on tour for 5 years that after all I think it was their best successful tour.
Mandrake Project comic book ? I don't know if it's working or not in Maiden fan base but I think it has tried to attract the comic fans who usually spend a lot of money in illustrated comics and all the stuff related, figures, merchandise…

Look Steve's West Ham football equipment business…well maybe in Maiden camp knows how fail is it actually.
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Generally many decisions of Maiden camp seem to be wrong nowadays. Rod Smallwood is out of tune since so many years. Everything is based on auto - pilot strategy running of fans' loyality. But how long? If they don't prepare something really interesting for next year (as a part of 50 Anni) it would be a proof of completely burning out and bacome a reason for Iron Maiden’s popularity decline in fact. Their management sucks as usual.
 
Nomadd said:
Generally many decisions of Maiden camp seem to be wrong nowadays. Rod Smallwood is out of tune since so many years. Everything is based on auto - pilot strategy running of fans' loyality. But how long? If they don't prepare something really interesting for next year (as a part of 50 Anni) it would be a proof of completely burning out and bacome a reason for Iron Maiden’s popularity decline in fact. Their management sucks as usual.
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Whilst I agree that they run on autopilot and many decisions seem to be based on milking their fans’ loyalty, what would you really expect them to do at this stage in their career? A tour playing 2 dates in each city with completely different setlists? A night with Maiden type of show playing two sets with an intermission without support bands?
 
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