Posted in: Comics | Tagged: iron maiden, Punk Mambo, valiant, variants

Valiant Shocker: Punk Mambo Betrays Its Roots With Iron Maiden Variant Covers

Published Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:47:38 -0600

In a shocking turn of events, Valiant Entertainment has revealed a series of variant covers commemorating the band Iron Maiden for the upcoming Punk Mambo #1. But while variant covers are destroying the comics industry, that's not the part that's so shocking about this revelation, as Bleeding Cool can EX-X-XCLUSIVELY reveal that Iron Maiden is actually a heavy metal band and has never released a tune in either the punk or mambo genres.

Further, Iron Maiden lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson once called punk music "rubbish," saying in an interview with The Guardian in 2014:

The closest the "art establishment" ever came to embracing metal was punk. The reason they embraced punk was because it was rubbish and the reason they embraced rubbish was because they could control it. They could say: "Oh yeah, we're punk so we can sneer at everybody. We can't play our fucking instruments, but that means we can make out that this whole thing is some enormous performance art." Half the kids that were in punk bands were laughing at the art establishment, going: "What a fucking bunch of tosspots. Thanks very much, give us the money and we'll fuck off and stick it up our nose and shag birds." But what they'd really love to be doing is being in a heavy metal band surrounded by porn stars."

And while some might argue that Iron Maiden's first album, featuring superior lead vocalist Paul Di'Anno, had some punk flavor (but still no mambo), Dicksinson has even explicitly denied that in an interview with Spin in 2015:

If you look at all the old Steve Harris interviews — he hates punk rock. The first Maiden album sounded punky because it sounded like a sack of s–t. He hates that record. The first singer [Paul Di'Anno] gave it a little bit of that kind of vibe, but the punk thing was nailed to the band by the press. The band absolutely hated it, because there was no way on God's green earth Maiden were ever, even remotely, a punk band. As soon as Killers came out, which was a proper sounding record, it was obvious — where's the punk thing on Killers? You've got "Murders in the Rue Mourge" which basically could have been off of Deep Purple's In Rock, you've got "Prodigal Son," a proggy, sweet little ballad, you've got "Twilight Zone," all this kind of stuff — where's the punk thing? Don't get it.

Making matters worse, Valiant is partnering with A Sound of Thunder, another heavy metal band, to produce the variant covers. It's a complete betrayal of everything Punk Mambo stands for!

Check out the press release below. (press releases are also not punk rock)

New York, NY (March 1, 2019) – Comics publisher Valiant Entertainment and metal band A Sound of Thunder are teaming up to offer collectible comics paying homage to classic Iron Maiden cover art.

The special editions of the debut issue of Valiant's upcoming title PUNK MAMBO comic feature exclusive cover artwork by Trav Hart that pays homage to the classic album cover of Maiden's 1980 single, "Sanctuary," by artist Derek Riggs.

The PUNK MAMBO #1 Iron Maiden Homage Variants will be available in two limited editions:

– Full-Color Variant (Limited to 300 copies)
– Black-and-White Variant (Limited to 100 copies)

Both versions are available exclusively through A Sound of Thunder's current Kickstarter campaign. Visit the campaign at the following link for more information: http://kck.st/2Eff4Uv

From celebrated writer Cullen Bunn (Venom) and badass artist Adam Gorham (Black Panther) comes the hilariously horrifying PUNK MAMBO, about a hard-living voodoo priestess who grew up in London, relocates to the Bayou, and becomes a mystical mercenary for hire. In her first-ever solo comic book series, Punk Mambo investigates a series of abductions in the New Orleans Gutter Punk scene, stumbling upon a deadlier mystery that takes her to the haunted shores of Haiti. PUNK MAMBO #1 debuts in comic shops from Valiant Entertainment on Wednesday, April 24th with covers by Dan Brereton (Nocturnals), Zu Orzu (X-O Manowar), Cris Delara (Aspen Visions: Fathom: Spinning Our Fate), and interior artist Gorham.

In addition, fans who pre-order all five issues of the PUNK MAMBO series at their local comic shop by April 1st will receive a special code to download a digital file of A Sound of Thunder's "Punk Mambo" track for free. The code will appear in the Pre-order Edition of PUNK MAMBO #1. To find the comic shop nearest you, visit http://comicshoplocator.com.