Come On Down -- Get Your Free Comics!
A few years ago, the comic book publishers, distributors and retailers of America got together to try to solve the problem of dwindling readership. How could they get more people into the stores? How could they get them to try out new titles? How could comics from small publishers hope to compete with the likes of Spider-Man and Batman?
The answer: Free Comic Book Day. And this year, on May 6, they’re doing it for the fifth time.
What is Free Comic Book Day, you ask? Well, it’s exactly what the name implies: a day where you can walk into any participating comic book store and walk out with some free comics. Most of the major publishers and a good number of the smaller ones are each putting out special editions of their comics to be handed out on May 6. If you’ve never read comics or if you fell out of the hobby years ago, this is the perfect chance to sample what the artform has to offer without spending a dime. If you’ve got kids, bring them along - there are a lot of great comics for them as well. Every parent wants their children to enjoy reading - for a great many readers they started with the likes of Archie, Superman and the X-Men and graduated to reading Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway. Reading - any kind of reading - is something to celebrate, and if handing out some free comics helps kids fall in love with the printed word, that’s worth the trip.
Still not convinced? My, you drive a hard bargain. How about we cover just some of the free comics that will be available on May 6?
Archie’s 65th Anniversary Bash. Archie Comics is using FCBD 2006 to celebrate the 65th anniversary of America’s favorite teenager with this special comic featuring a new story about Archie contemplating his life in Riverdale when he learns his father has been transferred. The comic will also feature classic pages with Little Archie, That Wilkins Boy, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and even real-life pop group The Veronicas.
Bongo Comics Free-For-All. Bongo Comics, home of Simpsons Comics and Futurama Comics, presents this grab bag issue of stories featuring Homer and Bart, Bender and Fry, and maybe even Itchy and Scratchy.
Star Wars/Conan Flip Book. Dark Horse Comics presents two of their most famous properties in this special edition comic book, featuring a new Clone Trooper story set in the Star Wars universe and an introduction to their best-selling Conan the Barbarian series, continuing the classic stories of Robert E. Howard.
Justice League Unlimited. DC Comics presents a reprint of Justice League Unlimited #1, the comic book based on the hit Cartoon Network TV series. If your kid can’t make up their mind who their favorite superhero is, here’s the chance to see Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and DC’s all-stars in one story together.
G.I. Joe: Sigma 6. Devil’s Due Productions reprints the first issue of their series based on the new G.I. Joe cartoon on Fox. Devil’s Due also prints a comic based on the 80s G.I. Joe properties that folks of my generation grew up with, but this all-ages book is great for today’s kids.
Donald Duck. Gemstone Comics, publisher of comics based on the classic Disney characters, gives us three stories by some of the greatest Disney cartoonists - Don Rosa, Pat and Shelly Block and William Van Horn. Every kid loves Donald Duck, and this book will give you stories by some of the finest comic book storytellers ever to tackle the character.
TransFormers/Beast Wars. IDW Productions just started publishing new TransFormers comics this year, and this flip book gives you two stories - one set in the world of the “Classic” TransFormers and one for the popular Beast Wars incarnation of the robots in disguise.
Future Shock. Image Comics’ offering for this year is a grab bag of four-page previews from eight of their ongoing comic books: Spawn, ShadowHawk, Invincible, Savage Dragon, Godland, Noble Causes, Witchblade and Fear Agent. If you’ve never tried an Image comic, this will be the perfect book to show you everything the publisher has to offer.
X-Men/Runaways. Marvel Comics brings together one of their most popular books - X-Men -- and one of their most critically acclaimed, Runaways. In the 11-page lead story, the X-Men try to teach a lesson to the Runaways, a group of teens who discovered their parents were supervillains and are now on the run, trying to atone for their evils. But that’s not all - this issue also features Ultimate Spider-Man Saga, an 11-page recap of one of their most popular titles, a hysterical Fantastic Four strip, Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius, and a preview of their upcoming Marvel Adventures: Mighty Avengers comic.
There’s plenty more to be had, folks, but that should be enough to whet your appetite. To find even more comics that will be handed out on May 6 or to locate the comic book shop nearest you, visit www.freecomicbookday.com.
The answer: Free Comic Book Day. And this year, on May 6, they’re doing it for the fifth time.
What is Free Comic Book Day, you ask? Well, it’s exactly what the name implies: a day where you can walk into any participating comic book store and walk out with some free comics. Most of the major publishers and a good number of the smaller ones are each putting out special editions of their comics to be handed out on May 6. If you’ve never read comics or if you fell out of the hobby years ago, this is the perfect chance to sample what the artform has to offer without spending a dime. If you’ve got kids, bring them along - there are a lot of great comics for them as well. Every parent wants their children to enjoy reading - for a great many readers they started with the likes of Archie, Superman and the X-Men and graduated to reading Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway. Reading - any kind of reading - is something to celebrate, and if handing out some free comics helps kids fall in love with the printed word, that’s worth the trip.
Still not convinced? My, you drive a hard bargain. How about we cover just some of the free comics that will be available on May 6?
Archie’s 65th Anniversary Bash. Archie Comics is using FCBD 2006 to celebrate the 65th anniversary of America’s favorite teenager with this special comic featuring a new story about Archie contemplating his life in Riverdale when he learns his father has been transferred. The comic will also feature classic pages with Little Archie, That Wilkins Boy, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and even real-life pop group The Veronicas.
Bongo Comics Free-For-All. Bongo Comics, home of Simpsons Comics and Futurama Comics, presents this grab bag issue of stories featuring Homer and Bart, Bender and Fry, and maybe even Itchy and Scratchy.
Star Wars/Conan Flip Book. Dark Horse Comics presents two of their most famous properties in this special edition comic book, featuring a new Clone Trooper story set in the Star Wars universe and an introduction to their best-selling Conan the Barbarian series, continuing the classic stories of Robert E. Howard.
Justice League Unlimited. DC Comics presents a reprint of Justice League Unlimited #1, the comic book based on the hit Cartoon Network TV series. If your kid can’t make up their mind who their favorite superhero is, here’s the chance to see Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and DC’s all-stars in one story together.
G.I. Joe: Sigma 6. Devil’s Due Productions reprints the first issue of their series based on the new G.I. Joe cartoon on Fox. Devil’s Due also prints a comic based on the 80s G.I. Joe properties that folks of my generation grew up with, but this all-ages book is great for today’s kids.
Donald Duck. Gemstone Comics, publisher of comics based on the classic Disney characters, gives us three stories by some of the greatest Disney cartoonists - Don Rosa, Pat and Shelly Block and William Van Horn. Every kid loves Donald Duck, and this book will give you stories by some of the finest comic book storytellers ever to tackle the character.
TransFormers/Beast Wars. IDW Productions just started publishing new TransFormers comics this year, and this flip book gives you two stories - one set in the world of the “Classic” TransFormers and one for the popular Beast Wars incarnation of the robots in disguise.
Future Shock. Image Comics’ offering for this year is a grab bag of four-page previews from eight of their ongoing comic books: Spawn, ShadowHawk, Invincible, Savage Dragon, Godland, Noble Causes, Witchblade and Fear Agent. If you’ve never tried an Image comic, this will be the perfect book to show you everything the publisher has to offer.
X-Men/Runaways. Marvel Comics brings together one of their most popular books - X-Men -- and one of their most critically acclaimed, Runaways. In the 11-page lead story, the X-Men try to teach a lesson to the Runaways, a group of teens who discovered their parents were supervillains and are now on the run, trying to atone for their evils. But that’s not all - this issue also features Ultimate Spider-Man Saga, an 11-page recap of one of their most popular titles, a hysterical Fantastic Four strip, Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius, and a preview of their upcoming Marvel Adventures: Mighty Avengers comic.
There’s plenty more to be had, folks, but that should be enough to whet your appetite. To find even more comics that will be handed out on May 6 or to locate the comic book shop nearest you, visit www.freecomicbookday.com.