John Tyler Christopher Covers Overstreet with Red Sonja for Hero

[Los Angeles, California and Hunt Valley, Maryland] – John Tyler Christopher, the master of negative space comic book illustration, has turned his attention to Red Sonja for the cover of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #53’s exclusive Hero Initiative edition.

Christopher, a Harvey Award-nominated illustrator from Lafayette, Indiana, is known for his covers on Marvel’s Avengers Solo: Hawkeye, Star Wars, Figment, New Mutants, Annihilators: Earthfall, Dark Avengers, Spider-Man, Venom, and the 50th Anniversary Spider-Man Encyclopedia, as well as Top Cow’s Witchblade and Artifacts as well as DC’s Voodoo. As an Overstreet cover artist, he joins a roster of incredible talent that runs from Joe Kubert to George Pérez to Alex Ross, and from Murphy Anderson to Walter Simonson to Amanda Conner.

Gemstone Publishing and the Hero Initiative, the first 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to helping comic book creators in need, have teamed up every year since 2010 for the exclusive Hero Initiative limited edition of the Guide. The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #53 goes on sale July 19, 2023.

As with past collaborations between Gemstone and Hero, this version will be available only in a special hardcover edition, limited to 500 copies. There will be no soft cover edition of this version, and it will retail for $44.95.

The Hero Initiative Edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #53 will be available through Hero’s web store and on Hero’s store on the Graham Crackers Comics website and from selected Hero-supporting local comic shops. Owing to shipping costs, Hero encourages Canadian orders through https://www.dragonguelph.com/.

“We’re very happy to continue our long association and fundraising efforts with the Hero Initiative and their great work on behalf of creators in our industry with this stunning Red Sonja cover by John Tyler Christopher,” said J.C. Vaughn, President of Gemstone Publishing. “In a politicized age, Hero continues to be a good cause we believe everyone in our industry should get behind.”

Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith, Red Sonja first appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics’ Conan The Barbarian #23 in 1973. She appeared in additional issues of Conan and her own title from Marvel through 1995. Since 2005, the character has appeared in numerous titles from Dynamite Entertainment.

Beginning with John Romita, Jr., Klaus Janson, and Dean White on CBPG #40, the industry’s top talent have provided covers for the Hero Initiative fundraiser edition of the Guide. This has included John Romita, Sr., Tom Palmer, and Dean White (#41), Matt Wagner and Ryan Brown (#42), Terry Moore and Brian Miller (#43), Herb Trimpe, Tom Palmer, and Laura Martin (#44), Dave Johnson (#45), Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, and Tanya Horie (#46), Rob Liefeld and Ivan Nunes (#47), Joe Jusko (#48), Alan Davis (#49), Kevin Nowlan (#50), Joseph Michael Linsner (#51), and Mike Grell (#52).

The standard editions of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #53 feature Kevin Nowlan’s stunning interpretation of Jack Kirby’s original cover for The Avengers #3 and a new take on Frank Frazetta’s immortal Death Dealer by Dan Lawlis. These are available in soft cover ($34.95) and hardcover ($44.95). The oversized limited edition, The Big, Big, Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #53, features a powerful illustration of the almost-forgotten Golden Age hero Blackout by David Michael Beck. This edition will retail for $54.95.

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About The Hero Initiative

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment. Hero is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) charity. The Hero Initiative Limited Edition Hardcover version of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #53 is scheduled to go on sale Wednesday, July 19 through the Hero Initiative web store on the Graham Crackers Comics site and at a limited number of Hero affiliate retailer stores. This version will be available in hardcover only and is limited to 500 copies. The retail price is $44.95.

About Gemstone Publishing

Best known as the home of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Gemstone Publishing was formed by Geppi Family Enterprises Chairman Stephen A. Geppi as a conduit for his efforts in preserving and promoting the history of the comics medium. Gemstone’s product line includes The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide To Lost Universes, The Overstreet Guide To Grading Comics, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comics, and The Overstreet Price Guide To Star Wars Collectibles, among others, Gemstone also publishes Scoop, a free weekly e-newsletter which looks inside the world of pop culture with a focus on auctions, toys, comics, posters, art and anything and everything pop culture.

Contact:

J.C. Vaughn

President

Gemstone Publishing, Inc.

vjeff@gemstonepub.com

www.gemstonepub.com