Wizard World New Orleans Attendees To Receive 'The Walking Dead #1' Cover By Michael Cho, Jan. 9-11

NEW ORLEANS - Dec. 22, 2014 - PRLog -- Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) and Skybound, Robert Kirkman's imprint at Image Comics, today announced that cartoonist/illustrator Michael Cho will draw the first in a yearlong series of Limited Edition Exclusive Variant Covers of The Walking Dead #1 comic, to be provided free to all full-price attendees at Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, January 9-11. Skybound’s The Walking Dead created by Kirkman, the groundbreaking, Eisner Award winning comic book series, continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

The exclusive The Walking Dead #1 edition will be produced in extremely limited quantities and is available at registration to fans at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center only while supplies last. VIP attendees will receive an additional black & white sketch version of the comic.

Cho, based in Toronto, has drawn covers and stories for books like “Batman Black and White,” “Age of the Sentry” and “X-Men First Class” for Marvel and DC. His comic story “Trinity” was selected by editor Neil Gaiman for the Best American Comics anthology in 2010 and he’s won a few other awards and nominations for his comic work. Michael has also put out an art book of his drawings, “Back Alleys and Urban Landscapes” with Drawn & Quarterly and his latest graphic novel “Shoplifter” from Pantheon Books debuted in September.

“Michael Cho is an excellent choice to debut the 2015 The Walking Dead #1 exclusive variant cover series with Wizard World,” said Kirkman. “His interpretation sets a strong example for the quality fans can expect throughout 2015.”

“Wizard World is proud to be working with an artist as accomplished as Michael Cho on the first book in the series,” said John Macaluso, Wizard World CEO and President. “With Season 5 of The Walking Dead in full swing, the franchise is more popular than ever at Wizard World shows, and Michael's work is a great start to the highly collectible series.”

The artists for future books will be announced as they are selected. A similar series in 2013 featuring exclusives of The Walking Dead #1 proved to be wildly popular with fans. The full schedule of 2015 Wizard World shows is available at http://www.wizardworld.com.

Stars of “The Walking Dead” TV series scheduled to attend Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con include Norman Reedus, Michael Cudlitz, Sarah Wayne Callies, Scott Wilson, Michael Rooker and Andrew J. West. Other top celebrities on hand include Ian Somerhalder and Paul Welsey (“The Vampire Diaries”), Tom Felton (Harry Potter,Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Brett Dalton (“Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Kevin Conroy (“Batman, The Animated Series,” “Justice League”) and WWE® Divas The Bella Twins™.

In addition to Cho, Artist Alley at New Orleans Comic Con will feature Humberto Ramos (“Amazing Spider-Man,” “Impulse”), Neal Adams (“Batman,” “Green Lantern”), Billy Martin (keyboardist, “Good Charlotte,” artist, Disney), Mark Bagley (“Fantastic Four,” “JLA”), Pasqual Ferry (“Wolverine,” “X-Men”), David Baldeón (“The Amazing Spider-Man,” “Wolverine”), Phil Ortiz (“The Simpsons,” “Muppet Babies”), Ken Kelly (KISS Album Covers, “Micronauts”) and many others.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, cosplay, comics, television, sci-fi, toys, video gaming, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con show hours are Friday, January 9, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, January 10, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, January 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

For more on the 2015 Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, visit www.wizardworld.com/home-neworleans.html.