After a tumultuous 2020 that included our milestone edition, The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #50, Gemstone Publishing is deep in the process of creating the Guide #51. From compiling comic prices to choosing cover artists to designing the book, each edition of the Guide is a complex process. Since the Guide #51 is just months away from release, we thought now would be a good time to check in with Gemstone’s Vice-President of Publishing, J.C. Vaughn.
Scoop: What stage of the process is the Guide in now?
J.C. Vaughn (JCV): Bob Overstreet is neck-deep in pricing and the rest of us are neck-deep in putting the book together. As you might imagine, a 1,200-page book has a lot of moving parts. So far, things are coming together nicely.
Scoop: Will you preview some of the featured articles readers can look forward to?
JCV: Frequent contributor Ed Catto has a very interesting piece about Dick Tracy’s 90th anniversary – doesn’t that seem incredible? – and our Amanda Sheriff has a great story about how characters with disabilities have been portrayed in comics over the years. Aside from that, there are some excellent market reports that offer a ton of insight into the industry at this time.
Scoop: Have the Overstreet Hall of Fame nominees been chosen? How do you decide who to include?
JCV: Yes. They’re normally selected well ahead of time. Initially, I talk with Bob, then the rest of the staff offers suggestions. It’s always about the same standards, which are included on our introductory page each year. It reads, in part, “The Overstreet Hall of Fame was conceived to single out individuals who have made great contribution to the comic book arts. This includes writers, artists, editors, publishers, and others who have plied their crafts in insightful and meaningful ways.”
Scoop: Has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the Guide?
JCV: Without a doubt, yes, though in many cases not in the ways that people might have predicted at the outset of the pandemic. It has been a robust period for collectors and dealers of back issues. A stunning level of activity.
Scoop: Are there any aspects of completing the Guide that you think readers would be surprised to learn about? If so, what are they?
JCV: I think most people have jobs that would surprise the people who don’t do those jobs, in particular jobs that others dismiss as “easy.” As I mentioned, a 1,200-page book has a lot of moving parts. There is a tremendous amount of planning and there’s even more follow-up involved in getting the book done to Bob Overstreet and Steve Geppi’s satisfaction (as well as our own).
Scoop: When will the Guide be available?
JCV: The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #51 and The Big, Big Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #51 are scheduled to hit comic shops on Wednesday, July 21, 2021.
Editor's note: CBPG #51 is featured in the April edition of PREVIEWS from Diamond Comic Distributors. You can order a copy at your local comic shop. The Daredevil & Echo hardcover and the Static & Hardware hardcover editions will each retail for $37.50, while the Daredevil & Echo soft cover and the Static & Hardware soft cover editions will each retail for $29.95. The oversized, limited edition, The Big, Big Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, retails for $49.50.