Why So Blu?

Austin Comic Con 2013: Rob Guillory’s Variant Cover of The Walking Dead #1

One of the events I’m excited for in the month of November this year besides all the turkey eating is my first Austin Comic Con put on by Wizard World events.  Gregg Senko and myself will be attending and reporting on anything we possibly can.  In the meantime, I wanted to steer your attention towards the below press announcement released today about some exciting news happening exclusively at Austin Comic Con…the debut of Rob Guillory’s Variant Cover of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead #1.  This is the Skybound and Wizard World’s Final 2013 Limited Edition Cover in the Wizard World series, which is free to Full-Price Attendees; VIPs To Receive Additional B&W Sketch Cover.  Check out the full press release below for more information!

NEW YORK, November 7, 2013 – Eisner Award-winning artist Rob Guillory will create the eighth in a series of exclusive Wizard World variant covers of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead #1 comic, provided for free to all full-price attendees at Wizard World Austin Comic Con, November 22-24 at the Austin Convention Center. Wizard World and Skybound, Kirkman’s imprint at Image Comics, have teamed to produce the line based upon the Eisner Award-winning groundbreaking comic book series and best-selling graphic novels written and created by Robert Kirkman.

Guillory will be on hand at Wizard World Austin Comic Con to sign copies of the limited-edition comic, produced in extremely limited quantities and available to fans only while supplies last, and representing the final of eight covers produced in 2013. The first seven covers, illustrated by superstar artists Michael Golden, Arthur Suydam, Julian Totino Tedesco, Neal Adams, Ethan Van Sciver, Mike Zeck and Mico Suayan, respectively, were huge hits at Wizard World events in Portland (February, Golden), St. Louis (March, Suydam), Philadelphia (June, Tedesco), New York (June, Adams), Chicago (August, Van Sciver), Columbus, Ohio (September, Zeck) and Nashville, Tenn. (October, Suayan).

Guillory is the co-creator and artist for the New York Times Best-Selling Chew, which won the Eisner Award for Best New Series in 2010 and for continuing series in 2011. The Lafayette, La., native, has also worked on popular independent projects such as Teddy Scares and Popgun Anthology and is a favorite at Wizard World events.

Independent third-party comic book grading service CGC, a leader in the industry, will accept TWD #1 variant and Signature Series submissions at its Wizard World Austin Comic Con exhibitor booth (location TBD).

The 2013 Wizard World Austin Comic Con will also feature Eisner Award Hall of Famer Stan Lee; Norman Reedus, Laurie Holden, Michael Rooker and Chandler Riggs of “The Walking Dead”; WWE® Superstar John Cena® and pop culture icons William Shatner and Ralph Macchio among a standout roster of top celebrities. The event also hosts an array of superstar comics creators including Guillory, Adams, Greg Capullo, Mark Bagley, Kenneth Rocafort, David Marquez and many others.

The Walking Dead graphic novels accounted for seven of the 10 bestselling titles of the year and were #1 overall for both 2011 and 2012.

Wizard World Austin Comic Con, produced by Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD), will bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Admission is free for kids 10 and under. Event hours are Friday, Nov. 22, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 23, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 24, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.