To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Comic-Con International: San Diego, prolific comic book artist and current DC Comics publisher Jim Lee has provided the artwork for this year's Comic-Con Souvenir Book.
The cover -- which features inks by Scott Williams and colors by Alex Sinclair -- features an ensemble of iconic comic book characters from multiple different publishers. For starters, DC's trinity of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman is present and accounted for. Representing Marvel, we have Spider-Man, Captain Marvel and Black Panther. The six costumed heroes are joined by the likes of Spawn, Hellboy, The Walking Dead's Michonne and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Talk about a team-up.
The idea to put together a one-of-a-kind cover that sees this who's who of comic book heroes making their presence felt in the San Diego Convention Center lobby was hatched by Lee himself, who said, "The honor was mine getting to do this historic cover for the world's preeminent pop culture event. What an amazing 50 years!"
"Comic-Con was the start of it for me and from my very first Con back in 1987, it's been a huge part of my life," Lee continued. "I've watched it transform the business and usher in a world I don't think any comic book reader back in 1987 would ever have imagined to come to be."
“Thank you, Scott and Alex - you two continue to elevate and enhance everything you guys touch and this cover is a testament to the teamwork that we have forged and the sheer talent you bring to every project.”
Comic-Con's Souvenir Book will be available for free to all 2019 attendees at the San Diego Convention Center during the event while supplies last. The 280-page, full-color, trade paperback-format book contains a pictorial history of the last five decades of Comic-Con. The book also includes special features, such as an in-depth history of Comic-Con by Eisner Award-winning author Bill Schelly.