MISSOULA, MT (09/03/2024) – Vault and Def Leppard have announced a special zero issue for Hysteria, the forthcoming graphic novel co-written by Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen and Eliot Rahal (Bleed Them Dry, The Vain, Midnight Vista), with illustrations by Alex Schlitz (Sagas of the Shield Maiden), colors by Fabi Marques (Barbaric, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), and letters by Andworld Design. This extra-special single issue offering will give readers an early look at the much anticipated forthcoming graphic novel.
Included in the Hysteria zero issue release will be a hyper-limited foil variant edition signed by Def Leppard’s Phil Collen himself. Each signed copy will come with a CGC witnessed certificate of authenticity. Only 200 copies will be available, and can only be found in local comic shops. Pre-orders are open now.
“Blending music and comics together like this is an incredible and insane dream, and I could not be more thrilled by the work Eliot, Alex, and Vault have put into Hysteria. It has been a joy and one hell of a ride. I know fans are going to love it,” said Phil Collen, Def Leppard guitarist.
Continuing the celebration of rock, the graphic novel Hysteria follows Foz, the frontwoman of indie band Darkside, after she inherits her father’s estate and discovers it comes with a half-remembered guitar from her childhood. The guitar speaks to her, promising fame and success. Soon, it delivers. But when Darkside’s equipment is stolen at a massive music venue, just before they’re set to take the stage with Def Leppard, Foz goes on the warpath to get it back. A knuckle-dusting rampage ensues, and the guitar’s true history is revealed.
Co-writer Eliot Rahal said, “From the very beginning, before we had anything, this story felt big. Phil came to us with a vision, a ton of passion, and the word ‘Hysteria’—something that has a lot of history for the band. It’s something that carries a lot of meaning. A legacy. And in many ways, that’s what this story is about. The Vault team worked with me tirelessly to help create a framework to capture that spirit. Then… as the team assembled and the art came in… I saw the idea take shape in real-time, and the weight of the project became even more real. I put everything I had into this book because it was clear to me that everyone else also had as well. I’ll be forever grateful for being a part of this project.”
Def Leppard’s Hysteria, the graphic novel, features never-before-heard music from Darkside, to be recorded in collaboration with Phil Collen, as it tells the story of the world’s most dangerous guitar. Additional details on the release of the Darkside EP will be announced at a later date.
“As a Midwestern native raised on rock and roll and a musician from a family of musicians, Foz and Darkside’s story has come to mean a lot to me,” added illustrator Alex Schlitz. ”The opportunity to work on this book with Def Leppard has been not only a huge honor, but such an exhilarating treat. I’m so grateful to be part of the team bringing this story to life, and I’ve had such a blast working with Eliot, Phil, and Fabi to create this world. I’m excited for everyone else to finally get to come on the journey with us!”
Def Leppard’s Hysteria issue #0 will hit store shelves this October.
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Def Leppard
With more than 110 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards in the U.S., 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame® inductees Def Leppard – Joe Elliott (vocals), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick Savage (bass), Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums) — continue to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic ground-breaking albums that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group’s spectacular live shows and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading Def Leppard to be heralded as the world’s greatest live rock band. Def Leppard’s influential career includes numerous hit singles and ground-breaking multi-platinum albums, including two of the best-selling albums of all time, Pyromania and Hysteria— the former of which is now celebrating its 40th anniversary — capturing the group’s legendary tracks, bringing together classic Leppard hits such as “Rock of Ages”, Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Foolin.” For the first time, in January 2018 Def Leppard debuted their full recording catalog worldwide via streaming and download platforms. As they did with the original release of their records, Def Leppard dominated the worldwide charts again, which found their albums charting in the iTunes Top 10 in more than 30 countries, including Hysteria at #3 in the US, and #5 in the UK (36 years after the album had charted at #1 in the Billboard charts). Def Leppard also had the #1, #2 and #3 records on the US catalog albums chart. The band have gone on to amass a staggering 5.5 billion streams since 2018, reaching a younger 18-44 demographic that now represents 58% of their fanbase. Additionally, the band have garnered an impressive 18 million followers across their social media platforms. In May 2022, Def Leppard released their critically and commercially acclaimed twelfth studio album Diamond Star Halos. The album debuted at #1 on the Apple and Amazon Music charts, scored a Top 10 debut on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart, marking the band’s eighth Top 10 album of their career, and garnered a #1 debut on Billboard’s Hard Rock chart. Globally, Diamond Star Halos notched numerous Top 10 chart entries including a Top 5 debut in the UK. Following this success, the band released their 13th studio album Drastic Symphonies with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2023. The album charted at #4 in the UK album charts – their highest UK chart entry in over 32 years—and spent an impressive 15 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Current Classical chart. In early 2023, the band scored a U.K. #1 Netflix film with their cameo in the acclaimed movie Bank Of Dave. The band will return for the film’s highly anticipated sequel, Bank of Dave 2, set for release in 2025. Following the close of their historic 2018 co-headline stadium and arena run in North America, Def Leppard sold more than 1,000,000 tickets, a massive feat in today’s touring world. Def Leppard & Mötley Crüe topped that number yet again with another sold out stadium run in 2022 & 2023 selling over 2.1 million tickets across the globe while performing in 27 countries and on five continents. As always, the group continues to push the boundaries with their electrifying live shows and are currently filling stadiums across North America with Journey on The Summer Stadium Tour 2024. Most recently, the band teamed up with legendary guitarist Tom Morello for their single “Just Like 73”, which soared to #1 on the Mediabase Classic Rock chart.
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