Rob Guillory Variant Cover of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead #1 Debuts at Wizard World Austin Comic Con

Skybound and Wizard World’s Final 2013 Limited Edition Cover in the Wizard World series Free to Full-Price Attendees; VIPs To Receive Additional B&W Sketch Cover

Eisner Award-winning artist Rob Guillory will create the eighth 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 Austin Comic Con, November 22-24 at the Austin Convention Center. Wizard World and Skybound, Kirkman’s imprint at Image Comics, have teamed to produce the line based upon the Eisner Award-winning groundbreaking comic book series and best-selling graphic novels written and created by Robert Kirkman.

Guillory will be on hand at Wizard World Austin Comic Con to sign copies of the limited-edition comic, produced in extremely limited quantities and available to fans only while supplies last, and representing the final of eight covers produced in 2013. The first seven covers, illustrated by superstar artists Michael Golden, Arthur Suydam, Julian Totino Tedesco, Neal Adams, Ethan Van Sciver, Mike Zeck and Mico Suayan, respectively, were huge hits at Wizard World events in Portland (February, Golden), St. Louis (March, Suydam), Philadelphia (June, Tedesco), New York (June, Adams), Chicago (August, Van Sciver), Columbus, Ohio (September, Zeck) and Nashville, Tenn. (October, Suayan).

Guillory is the co-creator and artist for the New York Times Best-Selling Chew, which won the Eisner Award for Best New Series in 2010 and for continuing series in 2011. The Lafayette, La., native, has also worked on popular independent projects such as Teddy Scares and Popgun Anthology and is a favorite at Wizard World events.

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 Austin Comic Con exhibitor booth (location TBD).

The 2013 Wizard World Austin Comic Con will also feature Eisner Award Hall of Famer Stan Lee; Norman Reedus, Laurie Holden, Michael Rooker and Chandler Riggs of “The Walking Dead”; WWE® Superstar John Cena® and pop culture icons William Shatner and Ralph Macchio among a standout roster of top celebrities. The event also hosts an array of superstar comics creators including Guillory, Adams, Greg Capullo, Mark Bagley, Kenneth Rocafort, David Marquez and many others.

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 Austin 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 Friday, Nov. 22, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 23, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 24, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.