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Spider-Man Meets Spawn to Celebrate Overstreet’s 50th

t has been mentioned more than once in this space that 2020 marks the tenure, he co-created the popular character Venom. He would stay on that
50th anniversary of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. It’s a rather title through #328, departing for a new title, Spider-Man, which he would
Isingular event in the history of price guides simply because its founder, both write and draw.
author, and publisher Robert M. “Bob” Overstreet has been handling the Spider-Man #1 (after the two main titles, Amazing Spider-Man and
pricing duties the whole time. Spectacular Spider-Man, fans dubbed it “adjectiveless” Spider-Man), cover
As the person on the Gemstone Publishing staff with the next longest dated August 1990 sold 2.5 million copies on the powerful combination of
tenure—my 25th anniversary with the company will happen shortly before McFarlane’s storytelling and the chance to be in on a new Spider-Man #1.
you read this—one of my great challenges comes each year when trying to Riding his success, McFarlane left Marvel after Spider-Man #16,
pick the cover artists for the annual book. departing with fellow artists Rob Liefeld, Jim Lee (now publisher of DC
Doing a Guide cover is considered by many comic book artists to be a Comics), Jim Valentino, Marc Silvestri, Erik Larsen, and Whilce Portacio
“bucket list” goal for their careers. There’s a good reason for this. Bob’s first to form Image Comics.
four covers that featured original art were by popular Batman artist Don His first issue, Spawn #1 (May 1992) sold a reported 1.7 million copies
Newton (The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #4), the incredible artist – still the record for a creator-owned comic. It would not be his last record.
and teacher Joe Kubert, creator of the Spirit and advocate for graphic In recent months, McFarlane’s Spawn #301 got him cited by the
novels Will Eisner (#6), and the legendary Disney artist Carl Barks (#7). Guinness Book of World Records for the longest-running creator-owned
To say that this was a gauntlet thrown down for those who would comic book ever. In between those first and three-
follow is a magnificent understatement. Kubert’s Tarzan hundred-and-first issues, he established both his own
on #5 won a poll of favorite Guide covers as comic studio, Todd McFarlane Productions, and the
recently as 10 years ago and is still the single- prolific manufacturer of detailed action figures,
most commented-upon cover we hear about in McFarlane Toys.
conversations at conventions. So, for the Guide, he certainly more than had the
As much as we all want others to not judge a credentials to be up there with Captain America co-
book by its cover, there’s simply no denying that creator Joe Simon, Robin and Joker co-creator Jerry
more people will get to the pricing, articles, Robinson, Captain Marvel/Shazam co-creator C.C.
market reports, and other material that we work Beck, and the others.
so hard to put together if there’s an appealing But we had a big ask. He hadn’t returned to
cover wrapped around it. To that end, Bob and Marvel’s Spider-Man, at least professionally, in 27
those of us who followed him in this particular years. And he’d never teamed up his own character,
responsibility have worked hard to live up to Spawn, with Spidey. Would he put the two of
that challenge. them together for the Guide’s golden anniversary?
EC Comics great Wally Wood provided one, Indeed he would. And after Marvel agreed to
and Timely (Marvel’s original name) artist Alex the cover crossover, he went to work. Both
Schomburg did two. DC Silver Age artist Murphy he and colorist Brian Haberlin absolutely
Anderson, one of the true art legends and whose delivered magic.
career spanned decades, contributed the most “I’ve been in this business for 35 years, and
covers, followed by modern artist John K. Snyder this piece of art is historic because I have never,
III, most recently known for successfully adapting ever put these two characters on the same piece
Lawrence Block’s Eight Million Ways To Die. of paper before. So, what you are seeing on this
The roster over the years of those who brought cover is a first-time look at two characters that
their A-game and top characters to the covers have never shared the same space,” McFarlane
included New Teen Titans and Avengers artist George Acclaimed artist Todd McFarlane brings his said. “I wanted to do something that nobody
Pérez, Star Wars illustrator and former DC Comics creator-owned character Spawn together with had ever seen from me before, and you’re
senior art director Mark Chiarello, the highly popular Marvel’s top-selling Spider-Man, the character that looking at it.”
Harley Quinn artist Amanda Conner, Marvel’s defin- propelled him to fame, on the golden anniversary The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #50
itive Thor artist Walter Simonson, and many others. edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. goes on sale in comic shops on Wednesday, July
And no matter how great or well-received last year’s cover was or this 22, 2020, in both softcover ($29.95 SRP) and hardcover ($37.50 SRP)
year’s cover is, our thoughts always drift to one simple thought: How are editions. The softcover edition will be available in
we going to top this? bookstores on August 4 or at gemstonepub.com.
Enter Todd McFarlane. Now we’ll just sit and wonder how long until the
Following stints illustrating back-up stories in Coyote for Marvel’s Epic thought occurs once again: How are we going to top this?
line, a run on DC’s Infinity, Inc., a pivotal Batman story in Detective
Comics, and a stint on Incredible Hulk, Todd McFarlane took over the art J.C. Vaughn is the Vice-President of Publishing for
duties on Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man beginning with #298. During his Gemstone Publishing. The Overstreet cover challenge
may be why he’s bald. He’s not saying.
60 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles