Creator, Creation Team Up for the Guide and Charity!

[Los Angeles, California and Timonium, Maryland] – Many of the top creators in the comics industry have taken a turn or more with Marvel’s Deadpool, but none have the association with him that Rob Liefeld does.

Now, Gemstone Publishing and the Hero Initiative, the first 501 (c)(3) charity dedicated to helping comic book creators in need, have teamed up with Liefeld, colorist Ivan Nunes, and Marvel Comics for a spectacular Deadpool cover that also features Cable and Domino for a limited edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #47. All funds raised from the sales of this volume go to Hero.

As with past collaborations between Gemstone and Hero, this version of the Guide will be available only in the special hardcover edition limited to 500 copies. It will go on sale at Comic-Con International: San Diego on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at the Hero Initiative booth, #5003. There will be no soft cover edition of this version, and it will retail for $35.

“There are few characters more popular at the moment than Deadpool and there is no artist more associated with Deadpool than his creator, Rob Liefeld. He’s been a force in the industry since almost his earliest days in the business, and all it takes is a trip to any convention he attends to see that his impact continues today,” said Steve Geppi, President and CEO of Gemstone Publishing and Diamond Comic Distributors. “We’re very happy to have Deadpool and Rob on the cover of The Hero Initiative edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #47. Purchasing a copy is a great way for fans to raise much-needed funds for this wonderful charity.”

Following work on DC’s Hawk & Dove and Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man Annual #23 among other efforts, Liefeld landed a regular assignment on Marvel’s New Mutants, where his artwork quickly made him a superstar. When the title morphed in X-Force, he parleyed its million-selling success to become one of the co-founders of Image Comics. His Youngblood #1 was the first comic Image released. Along with a host of his own creations, he handled Captain America and The Avengers for Marvel’s “Heroes Reborn” initiative. Most recently returned to Image for multiple new projects, including the recent relaunch of Youngblood, and produced a highly successful Deadpool original graphic novel for Marvel.

The Hero Initiative edition will be available exclusively from Hero. An extremely limited number of copies will be available from Hero’s webstore on the Graham Crackers site, and through a select group of participating Hero Initiative retailers.

“There’s almost no way to overstate this: Rob Liefeld’s Deadpool cover just rocks,” said Hero President Jim McLauchlin. “As always, our thanks to Steve Geppi, Bob Overstreet, and their team at Gemstone Publishing, who continue to deliver the Guide year in and year out, but who also keep supporting Hero with their exclusive, limited editions,”

Liefeld and Nunes join a roster of celebrated artists who have contributed covers for the special Hero Initiative limited editions including John Romita, Jr., Klaus Janson and Dean White (#40), 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), and Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund and Tanya Horie (#46).

The standard editions of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #47 feature Batman by Jim Steranko and ROM by Gabriel Rodriguez. Additionally, there is a limited edition Hall of Fame cover which features Walter Simonson’s Star Slammers. All are available in soft cover and hard cover. The Hall of Fame/Star Slammers editions are limited to 1,000 copies each.

###

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 #47 is scheduled to go on sale at The Hero Initiative booth at Comic-Con International: San Diego on Preview Night, Wednesday, July 19, 2017 and afterward through a limited number of Hero affiliates. This version will be available in hardcover only and is limited to 500 copies. The retail price is $35. Information on special signings during the show will be released soon.

About Gemstone Publishing

Best known as the home of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Gemstone Publishing was formed by Diamond Comic Distributors President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen A. Geppi as a conduit for his efforts in preserving and promoting the history of the comics medium. Gemstone’s product line includes publications such as The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comics, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comic & Animation Arts, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Movie Posters, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Video Games, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Concert Posters, The Overstreet Guide To Grading Comics, The Overstreet Guide To Cosplay, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Horror, The Big, Big Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Hake’s Price Guide To Character Toys and Comic Book Marketplace. 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

Vice-President of Publishing

Gemstone Publishing, Inc.

[email protected]