FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

Its no news to regular comic fans that this Saturday May 2nd is Free Comic Book Day. But FCBD http://www.freecomicbookday.com/ is not about regular comic fans. Sure its a chance to pick up a couple of free books that may interest you, and most shops that participate in the event hold some sort of sale that day.

But the main purpose is to promote the comic book art form to those who may not be as enlightened as the rest of us.

Tell as many friends as possible. Anyone with kids in your social circle should definitely be brought into the loop. Help spread the word that comics are still around, they are great entertainment value, and fun and educational at the same time.

I will be encouraging as many customers as possible to read the Free comics they get this Saturday, and then pass them along to someone else. Maybe just leaving one behind on the TTC on your way home, could bring one more customer into a comic store with a craving for these funnybooks we all love so much.

At Comics & More,the giveaway will be handled a little differently this year. In years past, I simply put stacks of the various comics out for people to pick through and choose the ones that interested them.

The problem was the confusion, and mess this caused in the store.

This year, all the comics I'm giving out have been randomly bundled into grab bags(in 3 age appropriate categories), and as customers leave the store, they get one of these bags to take with them.

Sure some people may not like all the selections in their bag(each bag should have 5-6 comics), but from experience, most people show up in groups, sometimes with up to a dozen kids in tow. It should add a little to the fun, getting kids to look through their bags and trade amongst themselves after they leave the store.

I think a big part of the hobby that has been lost over the years is the actual collecting and trading among friends. This randomness to the giveaway may encourage more of that.

Plus I can add stuff other than comics to the bags. Most will have a Wolverine poster(promoting the movie) as well as assorted loose packs of various superhero and gaming cards.

Aside from the Free comics, if the weather permits, I will have some tables of

10/$1.00 comics outside, and the bargain table at the front of the store will be loaded with paperback and hardcovers at up to 70% off. At the back of the store will be a table loaded with all-ages appropriate books at 20% off cover price.