J.C. Vaughn named president of comic book publishing giant Gemstone

J.C. Vaughn, newly appointed president of Gemstone Publishing. Image provided by Geppi Family Enterprises

TIMONIUM, Md. – Geppi Family Enterprises (GFE), a leading distributor, licensor, publisher, grader, manufacturer, and creator of pop culture products worldwide, has announced that J.C. Vaughn has been promoted to President, Gemstone Publishing.

Vaughn, whose previous title was Vice-President of Publishing, has been leading Gemstone since 2009.

Best known as the home of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Gemstone Publishing was formed in 1994 by GFE President, Chairman, and CEO Steve Geppi as a conduit for his efforts to preserve and promote the history of the comics medium.

As President, Vaughn will expand the services and information provided by Gemstone and develop several new publishing initiatives. He will continue to oversee the Guide and its new iterations, carrying on its legacy of more than five decades of foundational service to the secondary comic book market.

This move comes as Gemstone recently launched Overstreet Access, an online Comic Book Price Guide and collection management platform. As part of their continued investment in Overstreet Access, GFE has also hired Shawn Sippel as Director, Digital Strategy, GFE. He will partner with Vaughn as well as other GFE business leaders on digital initiatives and will report to Chief Creative Officer, Josh Geppi. Prior to GFE, Sippel served as an independent contractor and was a key architect for the development of Overstreet Access. He will continue to focus on the platform as well as other digital initiatives across the enterprise.

“Since coming to Gemstone in 1995, J.C. has shown himself to be a true believer in the power of comics. Early on he embraced the concept that the services Geppi Family Enterprises provides as a whole, are greater than the sum of the individual parts and he’ll carry that commitment forward in this new role,” said Steve Geppi. “And after working with Shawn Sippel to make Overstreet Access a reality, I’m confident he has the same approach. Exciting times are ahead for Gemstone, Overstreet Access, and GFE!”

Vaughn said, “Over my career at Gemstone, I’ve had the honor of working with Steve Geppi, Bob Overstreet, Mark Huesman, Amanda Sheriff, Yolanda Ramirez, and an incredible team of people dedicated to providing data and context for comic book collectors, dealers, and historians. I’ve also been privileged to collaborate with the cream of the crop in terms of cover artists, designers, and writers. Now that we’ve entered the online arena with Overstreet Access, I look forward to continuing to work with Shawn Sippel and the entire GFE enterprise to support and grow the industry we all love.”

ABOUT GEPPI FAMILY ENTERPRISES

Geppi Family Enterprises (GFE) has served as the nexus of comics and pop culture since 1982. GFE is comprised of multiple brands and companies in the US and the UK, including Diamond Comic Distributors, Alliance Game Distributors, Diamond Book Distributors, Diamond UK, Gemstone Publishing, Baltimore Magazine, Diamond Select Toys, Diamond International Galleries, Hakes Auctions, E. Gerber, PREVIEWS and many more. GFE provides a multi-channel platform of publishing, marketing, grading, and fulfillment services, coupled with an unparalleled global distribution network for retailers, publishers, and vendors. What started as one man’s hobby, with a single warehouse and 17 retail customers, has evolved into the Geppi Family Enterprises of today.

ABOUT GEMSTONE PUBLISHING

The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, The Overstreet Guide To Grading Comics, and The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide To Lost Universes lead Gemstone Publishing’s line of books which also include The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comics, Hake’s Price Guide To Character Toys, and The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Movie Posters, among others. In addition to Overstreet Access, OverstreetAccess.com, Gemstone’s online publishing also includes Scoop, a free weekly e-newsletter which looks inside the world of pop culture with a focus on auctions, toys, comics, posters, art and anything and everything pop culture. It can be found at scoop.PreviewsWorld.com. The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #53 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.