Leading up to The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #50 release on July 22, 2020, Gemstone Publishing will commemorate the milestone by diving into the publication’s rich history. Over the Guide’s five decades in print, thousands upon thousands of comic books have been priced, the market has been meticulously studied, and creators, characters, and publishing houses have been featured with detailed coverage. With the 50th edition comes time to revisit how comic values have steadily (sometimes astronomically) risen over the years and reflect on contributions made in crafting the Guide.

Two years before reaching its 50th edition, the Guide commemorated Planet of the Apes’ 50th anniversary with a cover and featured article. Ryan Sook, the artist who’d made his mark on Batman Beyond: Rebirth and Wednesday Comics’ Kamandi, provided the Apes cover for The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #48.

“A few years back, I was in Mark Chiarello’s office at DC and he showed me some pages from the various series featured in the wonderful Wednesday Comics project. Ryan Sook’s pages for Kamandi blew me away. I immediately had that thought that Ryan should do Planet of the Apes if he was into it. Looking at the results, I think we can agree he was indeed into it,” said J.C. Vaughn, Vice-President of Publishing for Gemstone Publishing. “We’re happy to have had the chance to work with Ryan, and with the folks at BOOM! Studios and Twentieth Century Fox to make this fantastic cover happen.”

Like many artists who’ve provided a cover for the Guide, Sook’s love for comics and appreciation for the Guide harkened back to childhood.

“When I was about 11, I began my foray into collecting comics,” Sook said. “I collected because of who drew the covers. Plain and simple. The first ‘new’ book I bought off the shelves (something for cover price and not 10¢ at the flea market) was Arthur Adams’ Classic X-Men #1. Because the cover made my jaw drop. Still does! It was and still is what grabs me and draws me to a comic. I saw my first copy of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #6 with the Will Eisner cover, at a convention in Oakland around the same time, and again, my jaw dropped. It makes sense to me now, that the cover of the Guide should have a cover as amazing as any great book you might find inside.”

After reminiscing about those early moments in comics, Sook shared his reaction to being a part of the Guide cover legacy.

“Overstreet has always had great covers by great creators. And to be honest, the offer to contribute a cover alongside such a history of greats was shocking if nothing else. But I had to do it! What a pleasure to be involved in something that has contributed so much to the history of the medium, it’s collectors and fans. More than my 11-year-old self could have ever imagined. Or maybe, it’s exactly what my 11-year-old self was hoping for, and I can be happy that I made his dream come true,” Sook said.