Skybound and Wizard World’s Fifth Limited Edition Cover in the Wizard World series Free to Full-Price Attendees; VIPs To Receive Additional B&W Sketch Cover
NEW YORK, July 30, 2013 – Noted artist Ethan Van Sciver will create the fifth 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 Chicago Comic Con, August 8-11 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill.  Wizard World and Skybound, Kirkman’s imprint at Image Comics, have teamed to produce the line.

Van Sciver will be on hand at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con to sign copies of the limited-edition comic,  produced in extremely limited quantities and available to fans only while supplies last.  The first four covers, illustrated by superstar artists Michael Golden, “Zombie King” Arthur Suydam, Julian Totino Tedesco and Neal Adams, respectively, were huge hits at Wizard World events in Portland (February, Golden), St. Louis (March, Suydam), Philadelphia (June, Tedesco) and New York (June, Adams).  A different creator will draw the variant cover art for each of the three remaining scheduled Wizard World shows this year.

The personable Van Sciver has also drawn a second, sketch Black & White cover, which will be provided to VIP guests at the event.  His body of work includes such vaunted titles as “Green Lantern,” “Action Comics” and “Batman.”

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 Chicago Comic Con exhibitor booth.

The longest-running and highest-attended show on the Wizard World calendar, 2013 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con will also feature Man of Steel co-star Michael Shannon (“General Zod”), Zachary Quinto (Star Trek, “American Horror Story”), Eisner Award Hall of Famer Stan Lee, “Torchwood” and Zero Dark Thirty headliner John Barrowman, WWE® Superstar CM Punk®, Norman Reedus of “The Walking Dead” and Boondock Saints, and director Robert Rodriguez (Machete Kills, From Dusk Till Dawn), among dozens of top celebrities, as well as an array of superstar comics creators.

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 Chicago 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 Thursday, Aug. 8, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, Aug. 9, noon – 7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 10, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 11, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.