At this point, Iron Maiden mascot Eddie the Head has seen and done more things than pretty much any fictional character out there. Whether he’s ruling ancient Egypt, shooting down fighter planes in WWI, or just playing soccer in Brazil, Eddie is living the life that every snarling headbanger secretly dreams of. So it’s only fitting that Eddie now has a new crop of friends to play with: the heroes of the Marvel Universe.
Iron Maiden has officially announced a new merch collaboration with Marvel, which sees Eddie squaring up next to heroes like Wolverine, Venom, and Deadpool.
“Eddie has long stood shoulder to shoulder with the greatest super heroes 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,” says Maiden’s manager Ron Smallwood. “Juxtaposing some of the most recognizable characters in pop art & 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 & age.
“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,” said Paul Gitter, SVP, Marvel Licensing. “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.”
Check out some of the designs below:
Iron Maiden’s Marvel merch is available via their webstore, and will be available via Hot Topic and EMP in time for the holidays.
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Words by Chris Krovatin
