For those of you who don’t know, it is the first Saturday of every May, when comic publishers release special editions of comics for retailers to give away for free at the event. The goal is to get people interested in comics series they may not have read yet, and to step foot in a comic store and hopefully buy some stuff.
We were extra excited this year because rather than having to drive 30 minutes to a shop in a neighboring town, a comic shop opened up this year in our community. Surprise Comics did an amazing job with the event!
We were greeted by someone handing out raffle tickets. They did a drawing on the hour throughout the day and posted the winning tickets on Facebook throughout the day in case customers had already left the store. Prizes included posters and figurines. Sadly, we did not win! Maybe next time.
Besides the free comic books, the shop had a lot of items on sale. There were several boxes of books for only $5 each, but my husband and I couldn’t browse for long because our kids were eager to get to the free stuff. There was a table set up near the back of the store with all the free issues.
One of the things we love about free comic book day is the wide variety of content that can appeal to the various tastes of my family. We were each allowed to pick two comics, and all of us came home with something different:
- Chris – The Amazing Spiderman and Overwatch
- Me – Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise and Marvel’s Rising
- Superboy – Pokemon and The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Boo – Dr. Who and Star Wars
- Tink – Invader Zim and Miraculous Adventures
Once we grabbed our free books, the kids got their faces painted. Superboy became Spiderman and Tink got a lovely unicorn on her forehead. Boo opted not to be painted due to sensory issues (he doesn’t like stuff on his face).There were comic book artists on hand demonstrating how they do their work, which was fascinating or Tink since she wants to be an artist.
We also wanted to buy stuff to support our local shop, so the kids picked out some Lego minifigures and Chris got some too for his desk at work (he’s the cool guy with the Super Saiyan Goku minifig at his workstation now).
On the way out of the store, they handed each of us a back-issue of comics they wanted to clear out of their inventory. So, we walked away with three free books.
Businesses around the store were also taking advantage of the traffic – the insurance agency next store was giving away free hot dogs, juice boxes and candy. My kids thought it was the best day ever.
Every store has different activities surrounding Free Comic Book day. One of the events we attended in Glendale last year had a mini-convention, with artists showing off and selling their works, as well as vendors selling their creations. Many shops have cosplayers who dress as super heroes on hand to meet and greet with the kids. My brother’s comic book shop in Michigan had an amazing Wonder Woman to greet guests.
I hope this rundown of Free Comic Book Day inspires you to bring your kids next year! It’s a great free event to take your kiddos.
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