At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International, you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled and your ear to the ground for Cryptozoic and Penny Arcade’s Lookouts #1. Springing from a 2009 Penny Arcade mini-series, Lookouts has taken on a life of its own, spawning a lushly illustrated, monthly comic book. While the digital book is already available for 99 cents from comiXology, the physical book doesn’t come out until August 29th., unless, that is, you’re at Comic-Con. Cryptozoic is coming proper to the big show with two exclusive covers, one by Penny Arcade’s Mike Krahulik and one by Earthworm Jim creator Doug TenNapel. In a paraphrase of the book’s tagline, “What men know, boys must win”: Nerdist News is giving one lucky reader the chance to walk away with both copies of the book.

With a story developed by Penny Arcade’s Jerry Holkins, Cryptozoic’s President and Chief Creative Officer Cory Jones and Ben McCool, and Mike Krahulik’s signature visual style beautifully brought to life by Robb Mommaerts, the series tells the tale of a group of plucky young lads who join the Lookouts, a sort of Boy Scouts-meets-the Night’s Watch outfit that patrols the peril-and-magic fraught forest of the Eyrewood. Each six-issue arc will focus on the boys attempting to master the elements and survive against all odds in order to earn merit badges, beginning with the enigmatic “Riddle” badge. A comic book with a built-in achievements system? Consider our excitement unlocked.

Can’t make it to Comic-Con? Not a problem; you can still walk away with a copy of each of these exclusive covers: enter the Nerdist News contest by clicking here. Is the suspense killing you? Then, go ahead and reward yourself by snagging the book digitally in advance on comiXology. It will make waiting in those long Comic-Con lines (or any line for that matter) feel less like Purgatory and more like you’re earning your “Patience” badge.

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The Mike Krahulik Cover

The Robb Mommaerts Cover (coming in August 2012)