The annual "holiday" Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday, May 4! It is that day when we are invited to our Local Comic Shop (LCS) to peruse a sizeable collection of Free Comic Books. It is a fun day where many LCS's will host fun events and activities to celebrate the day. Be sure to check with your LCS.
Before we get to the fun stuff, I just want to remind you to thank your local owner for hosting this fun event and consider making a purchase when you are there to support their efforts. These LCS owners took a risk on your community to support them, and most LCS's create a positive community of commonality with books, stories, and support. Be sure to support them!
Now, what to expect from the 2024 Free Comic Book Day!!
Let's start with a universe you don't want to miss, Energon Universe. This is a universe that includes G.I. Joe, the Transformers, and Void Rivals. The art is excellent but might be rivaled by the writing of these books. Be warned, if you grab this book on FCBD, you will want to add it to your pull list at your LCS.
A free Marvel Book by Zeb Wells, yes please. A free Marvel Ultimate Spiderman book, oh yeah! A Free Comic Book Day Marvel book with Spidey, Cap, Iron Man, the Goblin, and Doom on the cover, I'm running to my LCS on Saturday to grab this. It is the return of the Goblin and the debut of a new powerful hero to the Ultimate universe.
Archie Horrors presents The Cursed Library Prelude. The Cursed Library returns to FCBD and this year previewing a summer of horror stories. This is a fun series and if you haven't experienced Archie Horror stories, be sure to pick up this prelude book on FCBD on Saturday.
Finally, the kids love them, adults love them, and I love them...they are the Investigators. I said it last year and it is still true today, I have a reluctant reader at home, but the Investigators always get a look and garner some chuckles too. Join Mango and Brash on their undercover investigation to save the middle school Mascot .
This is just a small look at the offerings on Free Comic Book Day this Saturday, May 4. Be sure to dress in your best Star Wars costume or t-shirt as FCBD is also May the Fourth Be With You Day! But, you will find familiar titles like Conan the Barbarian, Pokemon, Disney's Encanto, Jonny Quest, Doctor Who, Monster High, and Snoopy
For a full look at the Free Comic Book Day Catalog, check out this link.
Just before the end of 2021, the Free Comic Book Day committee announced that it will return to its traditional "First Saturday in May" date. In 2022, that date is Saturday, May 7! I am quite excited about this announcement. This "holiday" reminds me of how much I enjoy the art and storytelling format of comics as I get to read through new stories or comics that I have never experienced before. Another reason I enjoy Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is for the family memories that are attached.
I remember taking my two girls (much younger then) to our local comic book store, Zeek's Comics and Games, on FCBD. My girls have never had much interest in comic books and that's cool, they are who they are. But on FCBD they always want to go with me as they seem to really enjoy browsing through the new/free books. Sometimes I think they enjoy it because the covers look different than the new comic book wall they normally see on a weekly basis. There are books they don't normally see there such as My Little Pony, Archie, Marvel Rising, Diana Princess of the Amazons, or The Descendants.
I like stepping back and watching them browse through the books trying to decide which three or four they would like to take home. I get to watch them discuss the pictures and the art. These are conversations I don't often witness when they are out and about. Once they have made their picks, they always want to see what I chose, because they know I won't have my typical stack of Star Wars or Spider-man books. They know that I cherish this day to take a look at new stuff. When we reach the car, the ride home is always quiet as they are flipping through the pages of the books they grabbed. I seriously cherish this, because as they get older, that time together, the time for conversation and stopping to just watch them gets shorter and shorter. Not long ago, I was helping my youngest daughter straighten up her room and I came across a stash of FCBD books. I asked her if she wanted me to put them away. She told me, "no," she likes to look through them every now and then. Even though my daughters aren't necessarily fans of comic books, I hope other kids get to attend FCBD. Maybe their mom or dad will find the joy in watching them flip through the pages and choose which books they would like to take. I hope that the accessibility of the free books triggers a spark in some of the children that makes them ask to return to get more to create that love of the story told through word and art.
Needless to say, I am excited for the return of Free Comic Book Day. The FCBD committee announced that there are 46 comic book titles that will highlight the day. Here are a few of the titles that are sure to bring some excitement to children and adults alike. Here is the link to the full list:
How about the 25th anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by BOOM! studios? Can it be 25 years? This could be a good conversation starter for kids and their parents who loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Also by BOOM! studios is a really cool book called Hollow that is set in...yes..Sleepy Hollow, so I bet you can guess who the antagonist is. This may end up on my pull list in 2022!
Red Sonja by Dynamite Entertainment
Check out this classic Red Sonja cover!! It is as stunning as the main character of this book; it is sure to be a hit, so swears Red Sonja!
Enemies by Svetlana Chmakova Yen Press
So many of my students enjoy Chmakova's other books, Awkward, Brave, and Crush, that just seeing the cover of Enemies makes me want to dive into this story. I have a feeling I know two girls who will walk away with their own copies of the Enemies preview.
Of course, just like in any year, the big publishers like DC, Marvel, and IGN will have titles on FCBD. So mark your calendars and be sure to make a trip to your local comic shop in May.
Want more information and a video with all the scheduled Free Comic Book Day books? Check out the video:
One of my favorite things, when I visit my local comic shop, is finding something I don't expect. A couple weeks ago, I stopped in to get my pull list and took a look around at what was new. That is when my eyes fell upon this unexpected comic book with Yoda on the cover! Upon further exploration, this book is a collection of The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary covers by Chris Sprouse. Flipping through the book, there is a collection of cover art that follows a chronological order of The Empire Strikes Back. Wow, this was an easy choice to add to my stack of comics. What a surprise!
When I got home, I pulled out this issue from the collection of books I purchased and flipped through the cover images. I have included a few of my favorite images below in this post. At the back of the book is an interview with Eisner Award-winning illustrator, Chris Sprouse by Jess Harrold. The interview covers topics such as how were the drawn moments chosen, who was Sprouse's favorite character to draw, among other subjects. What really caught my eye is the interview includes a number of original sketches Sprouse used to develop the covers. I always enjoy seeing the evolution of an artist's works, because for years as a child or even a teen, I thought those artists just drew that final art in one sitting. It never dreamed to me that there is a process of multiple sketches that lead to the final art that appears on a cover. If nothing else, it brings much more appreciation to the work that goes into each cover and page of a comic book.
If you have the opportunity to pick up this issue for yourself, I highly recommend it. It is well worth the price tag to have a special edition of an award-winning artist's work in a collection.
Usually, the first Saturday in May is a day that we can go to the local comic shop and pick up a whole bunch of new comics for free! The first Saturday in May is generally Free Comic Book Day where we, as readers, get to take home some really cool, new comic book previews, and comic book publishers get to highlight some of their titles that are coming out.
The pandemic has changed so much of our lives including pushing back Free Comic Book Day. This year FCD has been moved to August 14. While that is a real bummer, it appears to be worth the wait. It is the 20th anniversary of Free Comic Book Day and they have 50 free comic books to offer that day. For a full list of the free comics to be offered that day, check out the Free Comic Book Day website right here.
Otherwise, here are some books in which I'm really looking forward to reading:
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures by IDW
Star Wars: The High Republic The Edge of Balance/Guardian of the Whills by VIZ Media
Investi Gators: Ants in Our Pants Sneak Peak! by First Second Books
Lady Mechanika by Image Comics
Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics 2021 by Gemstone Media
It's a bit of a wait, but the positive here is that Free Comic Book Day is still happening. It is a great day to read some fun stuff, discover new characters, new writers and new artistst. It is always a good day around here. I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends at the Local Comic Shop on August 14!
I like to support my local comic shop, and ask that everyone buy a few print comics to support our local shops and the industry overall. I am totally loyal to the print copies of The Amazing Spider-Man, Star Wars, Conan the Barbarian, as well as IDW's Star Wars Adventures and a few special issues here and there. After that, I consume comics digitally. I don't have to worry about folding the cover or an issue tearing while sitting in the car. Digital comics are always with me. I've talked about Marvel Unlimited in the past, but I mention all that because I am about 3 months late from the print release in finding my favorite new Marvel title, Shang-Chi by Gene Luen Yan
A few years ago I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Gene Luen Yang thanks to a school librarian friend who brought him to her school to speak and sign autographs. What I discovered is, not only is he a super talented writer and artist, but he is a really gracious and friendly guy. We had the opportunity to visit about everything from comics, to favorite television shows, his travel adventures and libraries. One little tidbit that he dropped that didn't come back to my mind until now was that he told me he had a "little" project that he was discussing with Marvel Comics. Now at that time, it could have been anything, but I like to think that he was referring to this book, Shang-Chi. What a cool project he has created, and it is my favorite new Marvel title.
Coming into the comic, I didn't know much about Shang-Chi other than he is a martial artist superhero. I didn't know anything about the back story, but issue one breaks it all down. It's an interesting set-up with ancient societies and a really well-known but obscure villain. After the first two issues, it isn't certain that the villain introduced in the flashback/history part opening will be a major player right away, but it was cool to see it. Yang delivers with great dialog and history to set the story up. The pieces of the story come together quickly to let the story move right away. The art by Dike Ruan is clear, detailed and realistic whereas the flashback art by Philip Tan is gritty and gives a sense of history to the story with darker tones and a faded, blending of lines. I've been looking forward to the release of this book, but now I look forward to the release of each issue on Marvel Unlimited.
If you are looking for a newer book to check out, especially with the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to release this July, this is a great story to experience. Be sure to pick it up from your local comic shop or subscribe to Marvel Unlimited for this story and a massive amount of digital comics from the Marvel Universe.
Update 2/17/21: "Marvel Comics is proud to announce that the incredible team will continue their bold work on the character this May in a new ongoing series. SHANG-CHI #1 will kick off a surprising new journey for Marvel’s greatest fighter as he finds himself on the opposite side of Marvel’s heroes." https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/shang-chi-2021-new-comic-series
Because of family obligations and travel, I rarely have the opportunity to take advantage of Shop Small Saturday which happens right after Thanksgiving. This year, because of COVID restrictions, we didn't travel or see family that weekend which gave me the chance to finally visit our main street/local businesses to celebrate this day. As I walked around our town square, which is quite small but filled with a half dozen specialty shops, I realized that there are some really unique gift ideas that I wouldn't find on Amazon or in Target or Walmart. This day kind of opened my eyes to the opportunities of shopping in my own town.
I have always been an advocate of shopping local. I visit my local comic and game store a few times a month. I shop at our local bike shop 4-5 times a year. The people who run those businesses are wonderful people, and they advocate for industry respectively. I hang out with a community of comic readers, tabletop gamers, and cyclists. I even pick up a gourmet coffee from our local coffee shop from time to time. A group of local businesses that I don't often think of is the great restaurants that are owned by local entrepreneurs. But, that Saturday opened my eyes to a new group of businesses of unique gifts, housewares, gourmet popcorn and ice cream, and jewelry. These are people who chose our town to build their businesses. They pay taxes, rent or own the buildings in which they do business. Often the buildings they call home are buildings that already exist in our communities and they don't take extra resources or land to do business. In fact, the businesses on our square occupy buildings that are likely over 100 years old. As I was shopping around with my daughters they were mesmerized at the squeaky wooden floors. They both thought the little rooms and tight narrow buildings were so cool and unique. It gave them a nostalgic feel even though they didn't know what the feeling was they were experiencing. They even found some nice, very reasonably priced (under $5) gifts for friends!
I did a quick little search on the web for some shopping local stats and found some on the shopping local advocacy site, Independent We Stand. When we spend $100 at a local business, $68 stays in the community, whereas, when we spend that much at a chain store, $43 dollars return to the community. These independent businesses hire local, pay local taxes, they also shop in our community too. They often support our schools and summer sports and camps. We might even go to church with the people who own the local businesses.
I am a little late advocating for local businesses for the holidays, but I am just in time to remind all of us as we start a new year, a year where many of these businesses have struggled through the pandemic like the rest of us, to start shopping local. Spend the extra $3 on earrings or the extra $7 on a game or book, or the extra $25 on a new bike to support your local retailer. Or, as my daughters found, the prices were the same or even cheaper than a similar product we might find at a box store! This year when you are in need of that unique gift, or bike repair, the chain store retailers will still have the same earring you bought last year. Box stores don't repair or properly fit you to your bike. Your chain store doesn't special order or know when the new book comes out to tell you about it. Basically, it comes down to the customer service. The local retailers know who we are.
Drive around your community and look for those little shops along the streets you drive every day. Do you pass a local barber or hairstylist on your way to the quick-cut national chain? Do you pass the small coffee shop to get to the national coffee chain? On Friday night do you pass the local restaurants to find the national chain that has the same burger and fries you had last week? Have you ever wished there was a local record shop or a local specialty grocery, or a local hobby shop? This is the start! When a community supports its local retailers, it gains the attention of those who want to start, expand, and grow a business.
I get it, sometimes it is better on the wallet to save a buck; it is easier to shop online in comfy pajamas on a Friday night; it is faster to drive through a quick burger place. But if we can change 10 to 20 percent of our purchases to from a national chain to someone local, that would make a huge difference on their businesses, but also on the resources of our community. Plus, when we start seeing our community business owners more often and we shop with our neighbors, it gives us more people to wave to as we walk our neighborhoods or wait at the stoplight. Let's see what we can do to support our local friends who took a risk to open a business to better us and our communities.
This is a list that will change frequently, I am sure. These are the Top 5 comics, both print and digital on Marvel Unlimited, that I look forward to reading each month.
5. Star Wars (print) - cruising right along I am just enjoying it
4. Aero (Marvel Unlimited) - hanging on to see where this goes
3. Fallen Angel (Marvel Unlimited) - the X-titles are grabbing my attention
2. X-Force (Marvel Unlimited) - I've always enjoyed this title with Cable or without him
1. Amazing Spider-man - the build-up to issue 850 is captivating if not a little dark and scary
Obviously, these are all Marvel titles. I have always been a Marvel guy, but not because I have anything against DC or any other company. Marvel just seems to captivate me and always has. In fact, an honorable mention would be IDW's Star Wars: Clone Wars title.
What are you reading that has you looking forward to a visit to your Local Comic shop each month? Leave a comment of your Top 5 or a few of your "can't wait to get your hands on" comic titles.
