Joan Jett‘s iconic debut album, Bad Reputation, celebrates its fortieth anniversary this year, as does her first album with band The Blackhearts, I Love Rock ‘n Roll. To commemorate the occasion, publisher Z2 Comics has assembled an array of female creators for Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – 40×40: Bad Reputation/I Love Rock ‘n Roll, a new anthology of twenty stories themed around the twenty tracks from the two albums.
Edited by Rantz Hoseley, the book will feature cover art by artists Tara McPherson (‘I Love Rock ‘n Roll’) and Clara Tessier (‘Bad Reputation’), and feature stories by Amanda Deibert, Jazzlyn Stone, Cat Staggs, Liana Kangas, Evgenia Vereli, Jamaica Dyer, Wiktoria Radkiewicz, Cat Mihos, and Annie Zaleski, among others. 40×40 appears to have an A Side and a B Side, with one side dedicated to Bad Reputation and the other to I Love Rock ‘n Roll. As with past Z2 releases, the book will be available in a standard softcover or hardcover edition, as well as three different deluxe editions with extras ranging from prints (the Deluxe Edition), to stickers and an exclusive 7″ record (the Super Deluxe Edition), all the way up to an Epiphone guitar and case (the Platinum Edition).
In a statement announcing the anthology, Blackheart president Carianne Brinkman discussed the impact Joan Jett had on the music world, and how 40×40 came about:
“When we began working with Z2 Comics on Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 40 x 40 for the 40th Anniversary of I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll and Bad Reputation, we reflected on all the rejection and opposition Joan faced from the industry as a woman with a guitar, especially at the beginning of her career. Luckily, she blocked out the noise and showed the doubters she could do it herself. The comic world, much like the Rock ‘n’ Roll world, is fairly underrepresented in terms of women, particularly in the mainstream. We thought this was a great opportunity to celebrate comic writers and illustrators who happen to be women, and who, like Joan, are constantly being asked what it’s like to be “a WOMAN….” in their respective industries. We are so excited to bring these amazing artists and writers together to celebrate this milestone anniversary.”
McPherson also described the impact Jett had on her life:
“Joan Jett is the epitome of a rock ’n’ roll icon and a powerful force of a woman. When I was young and teaching myself how to play bass and starting bands, she was such an inspiration to me, and I know to so many other girls as well. She’s a fierce woman making no apologies, showing females they have a place in rock!”
Check out the full cover art below, and head over to the Z2 website for full details on the various editions of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – 40×40, all of which are available for pre-order now. Look for the book to arrive in stores in November of 2021.
