Wizard World, Inc. and Skybound have announced “KISS” album cover artist Ken Kelly has drawn the 13th 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 Wizard World Comic Con Richmond, July 31 – Aug. 2.

The exclusive The Walking Dead #1 edition will be produced in extremely limited quantities and is available at registration to fans at the Greater Richmond Convention Center only while supplies last. VIP attendees will receive an additional black & white sketch version of the comic.

Kelly was naturally talented as a child and was practically born with pencil in his hand. As his style developed in later years, he decided to join the Marines. While stationed in Cuba, he drew all the illustrations for the U.S. magazine “The Gitmo Gazette”. After serving four years in the Marines, Ken Kelly accepted an offer to train under Frank Frazetta. Throughout a career spanning over 40 years, Ken Kelly has achieved an international reputation as one of a handful of master painters of sword and sorcery/heroic fantasy.

Ken got his start doing covers for “Famous Monsters of Filmland” magazines, but it wasn’t until he painted both the “Destroyer” and “LoveGun” covers for KISS that he became noticed around the globe. Since then he has since painted a tremendous amount of book covers (his “Conan” covers being some of his most beloved works), artwork for toy companies such as Mattel (He-Man) and Mego (Micronauts). Kelly currently is under contract with Gene Simmons of the heavy metal band KISS, Kelly paints guitars exclusively for Simmons.

The Wizard World Comic Con Richmond celebrity roster includes The Walking Dead star Michael Cudlitz. Other stars attending include William Shatner, Billie Piper, Billy Dee Williams, Billy Boyd, Sean Astin, WWE Diva Paige, Kristin Bauer, and Drea de Matteo and many others.

In addition to Kelly, Artist Alley in Richmond will feature Mike Grell, Mike Zeck, Michael Golden, James O’Barr, Renee Witterstaetter, Clinton Hobart, Marv Wolfman, Danny Fingeroth and more.

Richmond show hours are Friday, July 31, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, August 1, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, August 2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.