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FCBD Interview: J.C. Vaughn Discusses Overstreet's Comic Book Marketplace

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The Free Comic Book Day 2015 issue of Overstreet's Comic Book Marketplace from the team behind The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide and the new Overstreet "How To" series is a perfect introduction to the fun and history of comic book collecting.

Free Comic Book Day talked with Gemstone's Vice President of Publishing J.C. Vaughn about the issue and the big day happening on May 2, 2015!


Free Comic Book Day: For those who might be new to your comic book, give a quick rundown.

J.C. Vaughn: Our Free Comic Book Day edition of Comic Book Marketplace includes quick looks an industry highlights from the last year -- such as the $3.2 million sale of a CGC 9.0 copy of Action Comics #1 and more -- and things coming up in the near future. We take a look at the comic book inspiration for Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, who of course are now movie characters, and the huge presence DC has developed on television. We showcase the dynamic duo behind the incredible resurgence of Captain Action. We spotlight top comic books, top collectors, and answer the question "When is a crossover not a crossover?" We also shine a light on an incredible year at Geppi's Entertainment Museum. All this, and comics legend Jim's Shooter's comments on Overstreet Hall of Famer Neal Adams. And it's free!

Free Comic Book Day: What has been your favorite part of the book to tackle?

J.C. Vaughn:
 There has been so much going on in the world of pop culture and so many record prices in different niches, it's actually difficult to decide what to include. Making the choices is part of the fun, though.

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Free Comic Book Day: Tell FCBD fans why they should pick your book first on Free Comic Book Day!

J.C. Vaughn
: There are so many great offerings for so many different personal tastes, but in the end I think we're the ones covering the past, present and future of comics. Seriously, though, it's hard to go wrong with so many great publications from which to choose.

Free Comic Book Day: What are you most looking forward to for Free Comic Book Day?

J.C. Vaughn:
It's always a fun day, and there's always a few surprises. We'll have signings at a few different places around the country.

Free Comic Book Day: What other titles would you associate with your FCBD book? “If a comic reader likes _______ , they should pick up my title"?

J.C. Vaughn:
This is probably the easiest and hardest question at the same time. There aren't many FCBD offering like ours, but if you like comics and want to know more about them, we're your choice.

Free Comic Book Day: What do you think is the best part about Free Comic Book Day?

J.C. Vaughn: Seriously? You have to ask? Free Comics! The idea that so much entertainment is simply given away by great retailers who just want to show people what our industry has to offer. How can you beat that?

Free Comic Book Day: What’s your favorite thing about working in comics?

J.C. Vaughn: Every job is a job some days. That's just how it is. But on my worst day, I still work on The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, a book I grew up reading. Our author and publisher, Bob Overstreet, created it and Steve Geppi, our President and CEO, has kept it going in superb fashion. It's put me in contact with fantastic retailers and auction houses, spirited collectors, inquisitive historians, and a full slate of the most incredible cover artists over the years. Is it supposed to get cooler than that?

Free Comic Book Day: Many newcomers will pick up comics for the first time on FCBD—what was the first comic you remember reading?

J.C. Vaughn: We always had a few comics around for family car trips, but the first one that seared its way into my brain was Captain America #188. Since it introduced me to my favorite character and started me collecting, it actually changed my life. And collecting and my job have led to many of my best friends.

Free Comic Book Day: Where will you be for this year’s FCBD? Do you have any annual FCBD traditions?

J.C. Vaughn: Traditionally I do a few signings on Long Island, New York. There's a lot of great fans in the area and we see some of them each year.

Free Comic Book Day: Looking to the future of the book, is there anything you can tease about what's upcoming?

J.C. Vaughn: After a few years of doing Comic Book Marketplace only as a Free Comic Book Day publication, last September we launched Comic Book Marketplace Yearbook. It had a very nice reception and we'll be doing it again this September. We'll be covering all sorts of material from the Golden Age to the present, with a detailed focus on Eclipse Comics. Of course we're also hard at work on the 45th anniversary edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, and we now have a full line of "How To" books about collecting. The Overstreet Guide To Grading Comics came out last November, and this fall we'll have The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Movie Posters and The Overstreet Guide To Cosplay.

Free Comic Book Day: Tell us why everyone should read comic books?

J.C. Vaughn: We are so far beyond the era in which there were only superhero comics. Now there's something for just about everyone! It's a fantastic time to discover the energy and creativity our industry has to offer.

Find a comic shop near you at Comic Shop Locator.com to celebrate Free Comic Book Day 2015!

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