Comic-Con is no stranger to surprise cameos, but last night’s (July 23) Fandom/Z2 party delivered one of its biggest yet when Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson unexpectedly joined Billie Joe Armstrong’s cover band the Coverups for a roaring rendition of Mott the Hoople’s “All the Young Dudes.”
The unannounced appearance took place at FLOAT inside San Diego’s Hard Rock Hotel, where Fandom and Z2 launched Comic-Con weekend with their now-annual celebration. Armstrong welcomed Dickinson to the stage to perform the David Bowie-penned glam rock classic, which the singer previously recorded for his 1990 solo debut Tattooed Millionaire.
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Fronted by Armstrong in 2018, the Coverups play a handful of shows per year rooted in punk, power pop, new wave and classic rock favorites with an ever-changing lineup and the occasional surprise guest. Last night’s set touched on everything from Cheap Trick, Buzzcocks and Nirvana to Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne and Poison.
The event also underscored Z2’s increasingly prominent place at the intersection of comics and music. As previously reported, the publisher has grown from a niche operation into a major force behind graphic novels and multimedia projects involving artists ranging from Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready to Blondie, Elvis Presley, Joan Jett and Gorillaz. Co-founder Josh Bernstein summed up the company’s philosophy by telling SPIN, “Comics can do what a documentary can’t: they can put you inside the memory.” That approach has helped Z2 turn rock star stories into visually immersive experiences rather than traditional biographies.
Dickinson and Z2 have teamed on several offerings around his Mandrake Project solo albums, including Year Two, which he worked on with artist John Devilman. The series will be the subject of a Comic-Con discussion today at 4:30pm PT, during which Dickinson will also reveal details about Mandrake‘s Year Three.
To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
