FREE Comic Book Day

We are just over a week away from the SuperBowl of Comic Books. The big event that everyone waits for. And unfortunately, much like the SuperBowl, sometimes it’s the only time of year that it draws people in who don’t normally participate. I’m talking about Free Comic Book Day (FCBD). This year, like the last several events, FCBD is the first Saturday in May. Unlike the last several FCBDs, there isn’t a Superhero Comic Book movie that opens the day before. Spider-man 4 was supposed to open that weekend, but the movie has since gone back to “development hell” and looks to be set for a re-launch of the franchise. So this year, Comic Book fans will have to wait a week until Iron Man 2 is released. Anyone who has been in a Comic Book store on Wednesdays can attest; the only thing that Comic Book fans hate more than multi-book crossovers is waiting.

Free Comic Book Day is not for the die hard fans though. It’s was proposed as an outreach program by Joe Field of Flying Colors Comics in Concord, California. With the support of Diamond Comic Distributors and several publishers, they launched FCBD in 2002. It started out with rather meager offerings of reprinted material to over 30 different titles with several that are original stories that now serve as launch pads for ongoing series and major Comic Book events. Modeled after Baskin Robbins, Free Scoop Day, every visitor on FCBD gets at least one free FCBD comic book. The stores buy the comics for between 17 and 40 cents and agree to give them away for free. Some store purchase more to use in their outreach efforts to schools and libraries.

Free Comic Book Day is also a great day for creators to network and publicize their work. In addition to handling out tons of Comic Books, many stores create mini-conventions in their stores hosting artists and writers, sponsoring art and coloring contests and painting kids’ faces like their favorite heroes. Having artists generates a lot of excitement because kids love to get sketches of Spider-man, Batman and Wolverine. Creators get a chance to show off their work to a brand new audience who may not be aware that Comic Books are more than just men and women in capes. Professional connections can be made two creators sitting together at a signing who may have never met before.

Free Comic Book Day has a lot to offer. Check out the FCBD website at www.freecomicbookday.com for a list of shops near you using the FCBD shop locator. To find out store with special events or creator signings click on the creator signings tab. If you are in Phoenix, I will be at the Grand Opening of Samurai Comics Superstore with the rest of the SpazDog Press creative team with copies of SpazDog Press #2. If you have FCBD plans, post them in the comments below so that everyone can know.

Shawn Demumbrum
SpazDog Comics
www.spazdogcomics.com
SpazDog Press
www.spazdogpress.com

Email: shawn@spazdogcomics.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SpazDog
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