Noted EC historian Grant Geissman has authored a feature article celebrating the life, legacy, and impact of EC publisher and MAD magazine founder William M. Gaines for The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #52 as the Guide celebrates the 100th anniversary of Gaines’ birth. Due in comic shops on July 20, 2022, this edition will be featured in the April PREVIEWS from Diamond Comic Distributors.

The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #52 will be available in both hardcover ($44.95) and soft cover ($34.95) formats. One of the covers features the three famous EC Horror Hosts and Gaines himself as depictured by artist Aaron Lopresti. Both the hardcover and soft cover versions of this cover for the approximately 1,120-page book will be exclusive to comic shops.

Grant Geissman is the four-time Eisner Award-nominated author of several books about EC Comics and MAD magazine, including The History of EC Comics (Taschen) and FELDSTEIN: The Mad Life and Fantastic Art of Al Feldstein! (IDW). He is also an Emmy-nominated guitarist and composer with 14 albums released under his own name, the latest being the jazz trilogy Say That!, Cool Man Cool, and BOP! BANG! BOOM! (Futurism).

“I was thrilled to be asked to write the feature on Bill Gaines, the legendary publisher of the EC Comics and MAD magazine, for the new edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. The Guide has always been the go-to destination for pricing and other information, but it also has presented a number of important EC- and MAD-related specialty covers and interior features. It is quite an honor to be a part of this long tradition of celebrating Bill Gaines and his tremendously influential publications,” Geissman said.

In addition to The History of EC Comics and FELDSTEIN: The Mad Life and Fantastic Art of Al Feldstein!, Geissman also authored Collectibly MAD (Kitchen Sink), and Foul Play! The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s E.C. Comics! (HarperDesign, 2005), and co-authored Tales of Terror! The EC Comics Companion (Gemstone Publishing) with Fred von Bernewitz.

“Grant’s encyclopedic knowledge of Bill Gaines, EC, and MAD is complimented by his ability to relate the details in compelling fashion, as he’s done in so many books. We’re very pleased to have him in the Guide to celebrate the 100th anniversary of a true comic book legend,” said J.C. Vaughn, Vice-President of Publishing for Gemstone Publishing.

The Bible of serious comic book collectors, dealers, and historians since it was first published in 1970, The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is released each July by Gemstone Publishing. Compiled by founder Robert M. Overstreet with contributions from an extensive roster of Overstreet Advisors, the Guide offers insight into the complex and exciting comic book market. In addition to new prices, this edition includes new feature articles, new additions to the Overstreet Hall of Fame, and dozens of new market reports.

When it arrives, CBPG #52 will join a strong line-up of books due out this year from Gemstone Publishing. The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide To Lost Universes #1, a brand new price guide/Photo-Journal hybrid now on sale. The Guide will also be preceded by The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comics – Free Comic Book Day 2022 Edition, a special 48-page comic about collecting comics, which will arrive on Saturday, May 7, Free Comic Book Day. Following the Guide, due out October 26, will be the full book-length second edition of The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comics, a prose/comics hybrid showcasing many different aspects of collecting.

“In addition to Aaron Lopresti’s EC Horror Hosts cover, the standard editions of the Guide also are available with Butch Guice’s Winter Soldier cover and J.G. Jones’ Black Terror cover. We have The Black Hood by Rick Burchett on The Big, Big Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, as well,” Vaughn said (The Big, Big version includes only the pricing and related material with none of the articles).