EXCLUSIVE: Overstreet @ 50 is a love letter to the industry bible…
2020 is big for The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide — a 50th anniversary year with no shortage of celebrations planned.
Case in point: As we’ve already reported, The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #1 Facsimile Edition — a replica of the 1970 original — will go on sale this spring. (Click here for more on that. You’ll want to.)
But Gemstone Publishing in May will also be releasing Overstreet @ 50: Five Decades of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide — a retrospective that puts a spotlight on the impact the guide and its offshoots have had over the past half-century.
It includes contributions by former DC Comics President and Publisher Paul Levitz, former Comics Buyer’s Guide editor Maggie Thompson, as well as other industry luminaries.
Not just that, it’s got a smashing cover by Joe Jusko:
Dang!
Here’s the solicitation info, to be released later this week by Gemstone — the publishing arm of Diamond:
OVERSTREET @ 50: Five Decades of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide
The 50-year history of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is documented and celebrated in this lush history of the book collectors and dealers alike have called “The Bible” of the comic book industry. This volume features an extensive interview with Bob Overstreet, commentaries from Paul Levitz, Maggie Thompson, Beau Smith, David T. Alexander, Buddy Saunders, Matt Nelson, Steve Borock, and others, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the Guide, a cover gallery, the Overstreet Hall of Fame, and more. Cover by Joe Jusko.
Available in both softcover and limited edition hardcover versions.
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The edition — which is separate from this year’s forthcoming price guide itself — is due out May 20 (June 3 for the book market).
“The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is something unique, even when considered among the other long-running price guides for various hobbies,” said J.C. Vaughn, who edited the book with Amanda Sheriff. “Unlike many or even most, Overstreet was a collector, rather than a dealer. His studious approach to pricing, however, led to the book’s acceptance by dealers and collectors alike.
“Just a few years into its lifespan, the Guide became a bucket list for the cream of the industry’s cover artists,” he added. “After Don Newton provided the first original art cover on CBPG #4, Overstreet recruited Joe Kubert, Will Eisner, Carl Barks, Bill Ward, Wally Wood, Alex Schomburg, L.B. Cole, and Norman Mingo, respectively.
“And it’s not as if Overstreet or his team let up after that. C.C. Beck, John Romita, Sr., Jerry Robinson, Carmine Infantino, Murphy Anderson, Alex Ross, Al Williamson, John K. Snyder III, Joe Simon, George Pérez, Mark Chiarello, Darwyn Cooke, Walter Simonson, Joe Jusko, Amanda Conner, Adam Hughes, J.G. Jones, J. Scott Campbell, Greg Land, Paul Gulacy, Jim Steranko, Ethan Van Sciver, Ryan Sook, Tony Daniel, Michael Wm. Kaluta and many others have covered various editions of the annual Guide.”
Overstreet @ 50, designed by Mark Huesman, will obviously be available at comics shops and booksellers. But you can already pre-order directly from Diamond itself: The hardcover edition lists for $30. (Click here.) The softcover edition lists for $20. (Click here.)
“Everyone on the Gemstone team from (Diamond chief) Steve Geppi on down realizes what a momentous event this Golden Anniversary year is for The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide,” Vaughn said. “It’s simply amazing that Bob Overstreet is still doing what he’s done for all these years. Each of us is committed to continuing his standard of excellence, and this book really captures that spirit.”
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MORE
— OVERSTREET PRICE GUIDE #1 to Be Re-Released as a Facsimile Edition. Click here.
— OVERSTREET’S BATMAN GUIDE: What It Is and How It Came to Be. Click here.