Leading up to The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #50 release on July 22, 2020, Gemstone Publishing will commemorate the milestone by diving into the publication’s rich history. Over the Guide’s five decades in print, thousands upon thousands of comic books have been priced, the market has been meticulously studied, and creators, characters, and publishing houses have been featured with detailed coverage. With the 50th edition comes time to revisit how comic values have steadily (sometimes astronomically) risen over the years and reflect on contributions made in crafting the Guide.
In 2007, Lindsay Dunn (now Lindsay Wallace) joined the Gemstone Publishing staff as an editor for The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide and the e-newsletter, Scoop. She did research for the Guide and wrote Scoop articles each week. When Scoop caught up with Wallace, she reflected on her time at Gemstone, what she liked about working on the Guide, and how it impacted her career since then.
Scoop: What did you do for the Guide?
Lindsay (Dunn) Wallace (LW): I helped research comic book history – I fact checked by studying the past, as well as assisted with editing and writing articles. I also remember a lot of roundtable brainstorming.
Scoop: Why did you want to work for Gemstone Publishing?
LW: Gemstone was hiring at a time when not many companies were. It was 2007 and right smack in the middle of the recession. Once I met with Jeff Vaughn and he and I began to discuss our love for writing and antique collecting, I knew I would love nothing more than to dive further down the comic collecting rabbit hole. It was all so interesting!
Scoop: What did you like about working on the Guide?
LW: I loved researching and learning. I thought I knew a bit about comics...but I quickly found I had no idea. I loved that my job was to become completely immersed in the pop culture phenomenon of comics. I greatly enjoyed reading everything I could about them. How they started, what they meant to kids – especially during the Golden era of comic books. I loved visiting the [Geppi’s Entertainment Museum] and feeling absolutely awestruck by its collection. It was truly the most enjoyable job I have ever had the pleasure of investing my time in.
Scoop: What did you find most challenging?
LW: I suppose just getting the book to the printer on time was a bit of a challenge. I remember working on the book late one night the evening before we had to ship it to the printer. I remember running it into the post office for delivery moments before they closed. We were sweating we wouldn’t make it on time! It was very close, but we got there and had it overnighted. I felt very superhero myself that day.
Scoop: How did you feel about coming into a mostly male dominated industry? Did it impact your job?
LW: I worked with a group of great guys. I never once felt out of place. I think the group of amazing women who were hired and worked in our little office building were all treated with the utmost professionalism.
Scoop: How did working on the Guide shape or change your perspective on comics?
LW: My career has not followed an editorial path after Gemstone, but I still absolutely use the knowledge I acquired during my time there. I have a vast knowledge of comics and collectibles and they always come in handy in my current profession because it allows me to connect on a personal level with a very wide audience. Everyone loves comics. It’s been a great ice breaker on so many occasions. I am always asked about my career history and having the pleasure to humble brag that I was an editor for the Gemstone Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide always makes me a vastly more interesting person to talk to...and it’s always fun discovering another comic geek in the room to nerd out with. There’s always at least one.
