CONANcover-2-10.jpgMedia Release -- The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, the comic collector's Bible since 1970, celebrates its landmark 40th edition with its debut at Comic-Con International: San Diego and in comic shops nationwide on Wednesday, July 21, 2010. The Guide's founder, author and publisher Robert M. Overstreet will be a special guest at Comic-Con and will be the focus of several signings and a panel discussion, and will participate in a fundraiser for The Hero Initiative.

This year's release includes all new market insights, features and data, along with the most comprehensive listing of comics available. Perfect for both new collectors and seasoned enthusiasts, the Guide includes new entries in the Overstreet Hall of Fame, a comprehensive article on price variants, a look at how comic books are actually produced, a revised look at the history of the modern comic book, a remembrance of a pioneering retailer, a look at the first three million-dollar comic books, and much more.

At Comic-Con, Diamond Comic Distributors will host a signing with Overstreet and Guide staffers from 10:30 to 11:30 AM on both Thursday, July 22, and Friday, July 23, 2010 at Booth #2401. On Thursday afternoon, from 2:30 to 3:30 PM in Room 3, the Guide's history, its impact, and its future will be the subject of a panel with former CGC president and primary grader Steve Borock, CBG's Maggie Thompson, historian Jon McClure, Guide staffers J.C. Vaughn and Mark Huesman, and special guests. At 4:30 PM on Thursday, Overstreet will participate in a private fund-raiser for The Hero Initiative.

The standard editions of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #40 feature a choice of two covers, both of which feature popular, iconic characters that like the Guide itself have stood the test of time. Both cover images will be published in hardcover and soft cover at the same time. The Batman cover was created by Mark Chiarello, the award-winning artist of Batman/Houdini: The Devil's Workshop, and cover artist for Two-Face: Year One. Chiarello serves as DC Comics' Editorial Art Director and is also noted for his work highly regarded on Star Wars, the Negro Leagues, and elsewhere.

The Captain America cover is illustrated by Darwyn Cooke, the award-winning writer-artist of DC: The New Frontier and adapter of Richard Stark's The Hunter, which became a media sensation. He is also known for his work on Catwoman and his run on Will Eisner's The Spirit.

There is also a limited edition hardcover created exclusively as a fundraiser for The Hero Initiative. Illustrated by pencil artist John Romita, Jr., inker Klaus Janson, and colorist Dean White, the special edition features a recreation of 1970's Conan The Barbarian #1. This is the first time an exclusive edition of the long-running industry institution has ever been issued, and all proceeds from its sale will go to the publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3). Limited to 500 hardcover copies, the Hero Initiative edition of the 40th anniversary Guide will go on sale on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at the Hero booth at Comic-Con International: San Diego, the same day the regular editions of the Guide go on sale nationwide.

Chiarello, Cooke, Romita, Jr., Janson, and White join the ranks of Guide cover artists that include comic art legends such as Joe Kubert, Will Eisner, Carl Barks, Bill Ward, Wally Wood, Alex Schomburg, Norman Mingo, C.C. Beck, Jerry Robinson, Murphy Anderson, Carmine Infantino, and Joe Simon, as well as a younger generation represented by the likes of Tony Harris, John K. Snyder III, Alex Ross, George Pérez, Mark Sparacio, Jim Lee and Billy Tucci, among others.