As relentless as the living dead can be, humans are still more dangerous in the world of The Walking Dead. That belief is mirrored in Skybound's new edition of The Walking Dead #1 that will be available to Wizard World Raleigh attendees later this month. The cover features new artwork from Billy Dogma creator Dean Haspiel and showcases a familiar face for fans of both the comic book series and the TV show, though what's thrust in front of him is something only the former may recognize.

Press Release - "RALEIGH, N.C., March 2, 2015 -- Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) and Skybound, Robert Kirkman's imprint at Image Comics, today announced that Billy Dogma creator Dean Haspiel has drawn the sixth 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 the inaugural Wizard World Comic Con Raleigh, March 13-15. 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 Raleigh Convention Center only while supplies last. VIP attendees will receive an additional black & white sketch version of the comic.

Emmy award winner and Eisner Award nominee Haspiel created Billy Dogma , illustrated for HBO’s “Bored To Death,” was a Master Artist at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, is a Yaddo fellow, a playwright of the critically acclaimed “Switch To Kill,” and the co-founder of Hang Dai Editions. Haspiel has written and drawn many superhero comic books, including The Fox, Spider-Man, Batman, X-men, The Fantastic Four, Deadpool, Godzilla, Mars Attacks , and semi-autobiographical collaborations with Harvey Pekar, Jonathan Ames, Inverna Lockpez, and Jonathan Lethem.

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 www.wizd.me/PRSchedule2015 .

Stars of “The Walking Dead” TV series scheduled to attend Wizard World Comic Con Raleigh include Soneque Martin-Green (Sasha), Sarah Wayne Callies (Lori Grimes) and Addy Miller (“Teddy Bear Girl”). Other top celebrities on hand include David Tennant ("Doctor Who"), William Shatner (“Star Trek,” “Boston Legal”), Ian Somerhalder (“The Vampire Diaries”), Tyler Hoechlin (“Teen Wolf”), Liam McIntyre (“Spartacus: War of the Damned”), WWE® Diva Eva Marie™, John Schneider (“The Dukes of Hazzard”) and many others.

In addition to Haspiel, Artist Alley in Raleigh will feature Shane Pierce (“Judge Dredd,” “The Other Dead”), Arthur Suydam (“Marvel Zombies,” “Army of Darkness”), Michael Golden (“Batman,” “Spider-Man”), Sandy Jarrell (“Meteor Man,” “Batman '66”), Tom DeFalco (MARVEL editor), Rob Liefeld (“Deadpool,” “X-Force”) 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 Comic Con Raleigh show hours are Friday, March 13, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, March 15, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

For more on the 2015 Wizard World Comic Con Raleigh, visit http://wizd.me/RaleighPR."

  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.