Monday, January 05, 2015

Wizard World Portland Comic Con Attendees To Receive 'The Walking Dead #1' Limited Edition Exclusive Variant Cover By Steve Lieber, January 23-25
Eisner Award Winner To Draw Second Cover In 2015 Series Available At Oregon Convention Center For Full-Price Attendees; VIP Fans Get Additional B&W Sketch Cover At Registration
PORTLAND, Ore., January 5, 2014 – Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) and Skybound, Robert Kirkman's imprint at Image Comics, today announced that Eisner Award winning artist Steve Lieber will draw the second in a yearlong series of Limited Edition Exclusive Variant Covers of The Walking Dead #1 comic, to be provided free to all full-price attendees at Wizard World Portland Comic Con, January 23-25. Skybound’s The Walking Dead created by Kirkman, the groundbreaking, Eisner Award winning comic book series, continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
The exclusive The Walking Dead #1 edition will be produced in extremely limited quantities and is available at registration to fans at the Oregon Convention Center only while supplies last. VIP attendees will receive an additional black & white sketch version of the comic.
Lieber, whose publishers include DC Comics, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, Scholastic and many others, The Portland resident has worked on characters like Batman, Superman, Hellboy and Road to Perdition, but he’s best known as the artist of the graphic novel Whiteout and its Eisner-winning sequel, Whiteout: Melt, which were adapted by Warner Brothers as a movie starring Kate Beckinsale. He recently completed two Alabaster graphic novels at Dark Horse, and is currently illustrating Superior Foes of Spider-Man for Marvel.
Having a local artist like Steve Lieber draw this excellent cover is a nice bonus for Wizard World Portland Comic Con fans,” said John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO and President. “His success as an Eisner Award winner shows in this design.”
The artists for future books will be announced as they are selected. A similar series in 2013 featuring exclusives of The Walking Dead #1 proved to be wildly popular with fans. The full schedule of 2015 Wizard World shows is available at www.wizd.me/PRSchedule2015.
Stars of “The Walking Dead” TV series scheduled to attend Wizard World Portland Comic Con include Steven Yeun, Sarah Wayne Callies, Michael Cudlitz, Josh McDermitt, Michael Rooker and Jon Bernthal. Other top celebrities on hand include Stephen Amell (“Arrow”), Evan Peters (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Tyler Posey (“Teen Wolf”), Karl Urban (Star Trek Into Darkness, Dredd), Ming-Na Wen (“Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), WWE® Superstar Daniel Bryan® and many others.
In addition to Lieber, Artist Alley at Portland Comic Con will feature Neal Adams (“Batman,” “Green Lantern”), Julian Totino Tedesco (“X-Treme X-Men,” “X-Force”), Chris Claremont (“Spider-Man,” “The Avengers”), Dean Haspiel (“Bored to Death,” “Billy Dogma”), Ethan Van Sciver (“Green Lantern,” “Justice League”), Arthur Suydam (“Marvel Zombies,” “Army of Darkness”) and more.
Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, cosplay, comics, television, sci-fi, toys, video gaming, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Wizard World Portland Comic Con show hours are Friday, January 23, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, January 24, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, January 25, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more on the 2015 Wizard World Portland Comic Con, visit http://wizd.me/PortlandPR.
About Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is the creator of many popular comic books, including the Eisner Award-winning The Walking Dead, long-running Invincible, all-ages Super Dinosaur, and the new exorcism comic, Outcast which was released in June 2014 and recently received a pilot pickup for CINEMAX with Fox International.
Since entering the comics scene with his self-published cult-hit Battle Pope in 2000, the Kentucky native has risen to fame as one of the most successful names in comics and entertainment. In 2008, Kirkman became a partner at Image Comics, and in 2010, he opened Skybound, his own imprint at Image, which publishes his titles as well as other original work.
That same year, Kirkman continued to expand his presence in the entertainment industry, becoming a creator, executive producer and writer on The Walking Dead television show. The show is in production on its fifth season and has become the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time. To date The Walking Dead is the #1 on television among the coveted 18-49 demo.
Kirkman is also slated to executive produce AMC’s upcoming The Walking Dead companion series.
Under the Skybound Entertainment umbrella Kirkman wrapped production on his first feature film, Air, starring The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus and Academy Award-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou.
About Skybound Entertainment
Since opening its doors in 2010, Skybound Entertainment has grown into a multiplatform entertainment company. Skybound CEO Robert Kirkman is creator of the award-winning The Walking Dead comic book series, the inspiration for the hit TV show of the same name where he serves as creator and executive producer. To date The Walking Dead is the #1 on television among the coveted 18-49 demo.
Skybound Entertainment and Kirkman just wrapped production on their first feature film, Air, starring The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus and Academy Award-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou. The film is slated to be released in the spring of 2015.
Skybound released Kirkman’s new exorcism comic, Outcast, in June 2014 which recently got the green light for a television pilot with CINEMAX and Fox International. Kirkman will serve as creator and executive producer of the series.
Skybound Entertainment and digital entertainment company Maker Studios recently announced a deal for the studio to produce and air four digital series based off Skybound IPs.
Comic book titles published by Skybound include The Walking Dead, the superhero-comic Invincible, all-ages comic Super Dinosaur, the revenge drama Dead Body Road, and heist comic Thief of Thieves.
Skybound also creates a wide range of merchandise, including video games, apparel, board games, and action figures.
For more information, please visit Skybound online at www.skybound.com and www.thewalkingdead.com.
About Wizard World
Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD) produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, the Wizard World Film Festival, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World also produces socialcon featuring social media stars and will be launching ConTV, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ: CIDM).
Wizard World 2015 schedule available at: http://wizd.me/PRSchedule2015.

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