While British Metal legends Judas Priest released their debut album, Rocka Rolla, in 1974, it was not until nearly a decade later, in 1982, that they attained the peak of their commercial success. A band with a deep history, the ‘70s were an interesting period, which produced such memorable records as Sad Wings of Destiny (1976), Sin After Sin (1977), Stained Glass (1978), and what Americans know as Hell Bent for Leather (1979). A very busy period for Judas Priest, some would argue it was 1980’s British Steel that really became the band’s international breakthrough, and with just cause considering the album was highest charted in the USA, which included such classics as “Breaking the Law,” “Metal Gods,” and “Living After Midnight.”
On the verge of tremendous things, 1981’s Point of Entry also found them topping charts, but again, it would be 1982’s Screaming for Vengeance that really pushed them to the top. An album many consider a quintessential Metal classic, it attained platinum status in the US alone within 9 months of its July 1982 release, reached number 17 on the US Billboard 200, and solidified them as an arena headlining act. A truly magical period for Judas Priest, it was an album that featured the major radio hit “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” fan-favorites such as “Electric Eye,” the title track, and “Devil’s Child.”
Also, including a sensationally eye-catching cover art by Canadian Artist Doug Johnson, the band essentially told him they wanted to translate the word ‘hellion’ into something visual, in the form of a screaming eagle-like bird. Taking the idea and running with it, Johnson created something so strikingly colorful and curious that one would have to think it attracted many as it sat on a record store display, regardless of whether they knew who Judas Priest were.
With art that is a fitting match to the music, Screaming for Vengeance is, without a doubt, one of the best Metal records ever released, even after forty-plus years.
Speaking of which, in 2022, when the album had a monumental 40th anniversary, Judas Priest celebrated with a dedicated Screaming for Vengeance collection, which included cool t-shirts, patch sets, and more. Also honored on the band’s 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour, 2022 continued to be an excellent year for the band, which was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame toward the tail end. On top of all of this, there was anticipation for a dedicated Screaming of Vengeance graphic novel.
A unique project announced in 2021, Judas Priest teamed with Z2 Comics to create a graphic novel inspired by the album and its lyrical themes. Employing Rantz Hoseley and Neil Kleid to handle the script, they drew up a very compelling Science Fiction story set 500 years in the future. In this story, you have a good-intentioned engineer named Chaen who accidentally threatens the power structure of the elitists above who control lower-level citizens like him. Very much a tale of imposed authoritarianism, the illustrations by Christopher Mitten (who has worked on other series such as Hellboy) create a very dystopian esetic that really immerse you as if you are transported into a lively Science Fiction motion picture storyboard.
At 120 pages, it takes a bit of time to get enthralled entirely because of a monumentally paced build-up, but once you are inside, you are in for good. With that in mind, the cool Judas Priest connection is references to tracks like “The Hellion” and “Electric Eye,” and even some lyrics carefully worked into the plot. All very cool, it is a delightful companion piece to the album Screaming for Vengeance, but it is very much an original piece of work.
Complemented by an insightful interview between original Screaming for Vengeance cover Artist Doug Johnson and Writer Rantz Hoseley, it also features a solid piece of cover art created by Jan Meininghaus, which is faithful to the original.
Altogether, this graphic novel is an excellent addition to any fan’s collection. Since its broad release in April 2023, you can find it in softcover, standard hardcover, or special packages, such as the limited Deluxe Edition (which includes an oversized hardcover press, a protective slipcase, three art prints, and a Screaming for Vengeance vinyl). There was also the super deluxe edition (which included a battery-operated Hellion resin statue) and the platinum edition (which had everything mentioned plus a hand-signed oversized book, a pin set, and a jacket patch).
At this point, with these special promotional packages all but sold out, you can try and find them second-hand on places like eBay, but if you are just satisfied with the novel itself, the soft and hard core are readily available in various retailers. So, anyway you cut it, Z2 Comics’ Screaming for Vengeance graphic novel is a killer way to remember Judas Priest’s most famous album. That is why Cryptic Rock gives this graphic novel 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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