The Walking Dead Gallery and Auction Announced For Hero Initiative

Skybound, the Image Comics imprint responsible for Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's Eisner Award-winning series The Walking Dead, will join with the Hero Initiative on May 31 to bring together 106 "sketch variant" covers for The Walking Dead #100 for a gallery show and charity auction. The series celebrated its 100th issue last July and the issue became the top-selling comic book of 2012. Around that time, Skybound and The Hero Initiative gave dozens of leading artists and visionaries over 100 blank-covered issues of The Walking Dead #100 to create a set of remarkable artwork originals to commemorate this special issue of the groundbreaking Skybound/Image Comics series. Regular The Walking Dead series artist Charlie Adlard is among the contributors and now, for the first and last time ever, all 106 of the original sketch covers will be on display together -- but for one night only. All of the artists came together to benefit The Hero Initiative, the comic book industry's non-profit corporation helping comic creators in need. While The Walking Dead continues to break records in every form of media, it all started with the comic book and that will be celebrated at this special gallery show and auction. Original sketch cover artists Sina Grace (Not My Bag), Todd Nauck (Invincible Universe), and Jason Reeves (F-OO Fighters) will be in attendance to answer questions about their covers on Friday, May 31 at GUSFORD Los Angeles from 6:00 - 9:00 PM, 7016 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. In addition to the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing all The Walking Dead #100 original sketch covers together for the first time ever, four covers will also be auctioned to benefit the industry's favorite charity at the same time. Two covers will be auctioned via eBay during the course of the event, and attendees can bid via their own mobile devices. Another cover will be auctioned live, on-site for attendees. And in an unprecedented move, a fourth cover will be created live that night by artist Todd Nauck for auction during the event. All attendees at the GUSFORD event can watch Nauck live at work during the event as he creates the final and 106th original sketch cover. The remainder of the covers will be auctioned off via eBay starting June 4. There is no cost to attend the event. It's free and open to the public but if you feel like more celebrating, there will also be a cash bar in place and zombie-styled treats courtesy of event collaborator and neighboring shop, Golden Apple Comics. We want you to save your money to bid on the covers instead of an entrance fee. The event is a gift from GUSFORD and Skybound to benefit The Hero Initiative and the fine work they do as the first-ever federally chartered non-profit corporation dedicated to helping comic legends in need and providing a safety net for them.