ComicBooks For Kids (CB4K) announced its first industry variant cover releasing this month, illustrated by Art Baltazar for Archie Comics’ milestone Archie #700 issue (see “'Archie' Shakes Things Up With Landmark 700th Issue”).

"We knew we wanted to do something special for our very first industry variant,” said CB4K President and founder Mark Weiss.  “(A)nd Art Batlazar was our first, second and third choice for the cover. We think you will all agree he absolutely knocked it out of the park here capturing the very essence of what we collectively are doing together as an industry."

The rare cover distribution is similar to the “Phantom Variant” concept, recognizing organizations who helped support CB4K with fundraisers in 2018. Less than 150 copies will be available, and retailers can choose to sell the copies provided for a charity or to help support their own stores.  There are five U.S. retailers and one Canadian retailer who be provided with copies:

• Hooked On Comics in Myerstown, Pennsylvania
• Heroes and Fantasies in San Antonio, Texas
• Space Cadets Collection Collection in Conroe, Texas
• Lone Star Comics in Arlington, Texas
• Zone Comics and Games in Homewood, Illinois
• Bridge City Comics in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

The Facebook group “Make Comic Book Collecting Fun Again” and the YouTube show Omnibus Collectors Network will also be receiving copies.

CB4K is a non-profit organization that provides comic books and graphic novels for children in hospitals and cancer centers through the U.S. (see “Jon Betancourt Joins ComicBooks For Kids Board”). The organization has delivered over 17,000 comic books to over 120 children’s hospitals and cancer centers. CB4K was awarded the Platinum GuideStar Nonprofit Profile Level this year (see "ComicBooks For Kids Achieves Top Grade With Nonprofit Sector").  Information on the organization’s work and how to donate is available here.