It’s that time of year again and I love it, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY.
www.freecomicbookday.com/index.asp
That’s right it’s here again and that means a whole new day with a whole new set of free comics. Ok, for those that want to know about it a bit more here’s a past blog I did on it (last year).
www.shakefire.com/blogs/lee-roberts/2010/04/30/free-comic-book-day-is-here-and-who-are-the-artists-that-i-like
This year however will just be a list of the comics that are going to be given away on May 7, 2011 (that’s a Saturday, it’s always on a Saturday).
Amazing Spider-Man 
Avatar Last Airbender/Star Wars Clone Wars (should be a half and half comic)
Pep Comics Betty & Veronica
Darkwing Duck/Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers (this one should be good)
Green Lantern Flashpoint Special Ed (not sure what’s the Flashpoint story line will be but going to find out)
Geronimo Stilton & Smurfs
Kizoic Kung Fu Panda & Richie Rich
Locke & Key Free Book Day Ed
Mouse Guard/Dark Crystal Flip Book (this one I’m really stoked about)
Super Dinosaur Origin Special #1 (glad this is coming out cause before this I had no clue there was a Super Dinosaur and now I do and I’ll learn the origin)
2000 AD
Darkness 2 Prequel
Atomic Robo & Friends
Baltimore Criminal Macabre
Bongo Comics Free For All
Captain America/Thor
Civil War Adventure (uh, ok)
Deadliest Sharks & Prehistoric Predators
Elric Balance Lost
Ice
Inspector Gadget (go go gadget comics)
Intrepid Escapegoat & Stuff of Legend
Jake the Dreaming (well wake up Jake)
James Patterson Witch & Wizard
John Stanley Summer Fun
MTG Path Planeswalker II Preview
Misadventures Adam West #1 (hell yeah)
Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics #1 (this one I’m really interested in reading)
Rated Free for Everyone (good thing considering it’s on Free Comic Day)
Silver Scorpion
Sonic the Hedgehog
Spontaneous #1
The Tick (always fun to read)
Top Shelf Kids Club 2011
Walt Disney Mickey Mouse
Worlds of Aspen
Young Justice Batman Brave and the Bold Super Sampler
DC Heroclix 50 Set Green Lantern (ok this is not a comic but it’s being given out). 
Though, not to be the only thing happening on Free Comic Book Day is the free comics, there is also going to be some signings going on. Now I can’t list them all but I will list the ones happening in the ATL area.
Cara McGee - Artist whose first graphic novel will soon be published by OniPress. Cara will be on hand to sign for fans.
Joshua Stephens - Local artist. Joshua will be on hand to sign for fans.
Jason Flowers - Indy comic creator and founder of Octa-Ink Press. Jason will be on hand to sign for fans.
Ted Murphy - Local artist. Ted will be on hand to sign for fans.
Joseph Wheeler - Local freelance illustrator and conceptual artist. Joseph will be on hand to sign for fans.
Rich Tomasso - Artist on Cannibal Porn, The Horror of Collier County, and Perverso!. Rich will be on hand to sign for fans.
Nathan Edmondson - Writer on Who is Jake Ellis?, The Light, and Olympus. Nathan will be on hand to sign for fans.
Annie Erskine - Artist on Operation Comics. Annie will be on hand to sign for fans.
Mary Golding - Indy artist and writer of Milkshake Club and Life in the Slow Lane. Mary will be on hand to sign for fans.
Adam WarRock - "Nerdcore rapper" performing live at 6:00PM. Criminal Records>
1154-A Euclid Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
404-215-9511
There are a ton of places actually so if you don’t live in ATL (like me who lives in the CTL area) there is a list here on the Free Comic Day site of signings. Which if you do live in the CTL area like me there are going to be people here at Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find comic shop on 7th.
www.freecomicbookday.com/signings.asp
And just in case if you want to buy something on Free Comic Day (which if you are new to comics and I hope you are so you can help support the field and you are going to pick up these free ones so you can get interested in comics then I suggest you buying a few comics from the local shop so they can drum up some business because the comics you are getting free on Free Comic Day are free for you but the comic shops still have to buy them, and if you are a comic book fanboy, well we already do our part) but if you want something to show you went to Free Comic Day they do sell some stuff like t-shirts and wrist bands.
http://www.freecomicbookday.com/merchandise.asp
Now just as a little good tip info for anyone that would be attending Free Comic Day for their first time here’s a few things to know.
1) If you live in a large area such as Atlanta, New York, or even Charlotte, then try to be at the comic book shops early. The larger the area the earlier you want to show up because like here when it comes to the good free comics they go fast and for ones like Dark Crystal and Adam West titles, the smaller ones, most shops only buy so many of them because they are not the popular ones such as Spider-Man and Batman so they go really fast, so do the things like the Heroclix
2) Another thing, some shops will not buy every title being given away on Free Comic Book Day. I’m lucky where I have 3 comic shops that I can go to, one being my main shop Daves Comics in Fort Mill, his shop is a small town local shop so he only gets the most popular titles, the second shop is a little bigger and gets more titles but not all, and then there’s Heroes which is right near downtown CLT and is a big shop with talent coming to do signings so they buy all the titles but still only limited amount of the smaller known titles and with the signings there are a lot of people there so there is always a line and most of the time I only get about 3/4th of the titles because I don’t get there early enough.
3) Thank You, that’s right two simple little words, remember them on this day because the comic shop owner does not have to do this. Free Comic Book Day is not a mandatory thing where comic book shops are required to give out free comics. This is a privilege to us the comic book readers and to anyone that wants to attend the event. Like I said the shops have to buy the comics they are giving away to the people that attend and if they only want to give away 1 title or all of them or order 1 title or 10,000 they have that right to but it’s theirs to make which means they also can choose not to do it, which I also know of a few shops that don’t do it. So just remember these 2 words “THANK YOU” when you go into the shop and you tell the shop workers/owner those two words “THANK YOU”. It’s simple, it will make them feel really good about doing this, and it will also let them know that their hard work and their money is being used in a way that is bringing joy to others that appreciate it and because of that there is a chance they will continue to do it next year.
4) Be giving without being greedy. What I mean is that just because the comics are free that don’t mean you need to go through the stack and take away 3 copies of each title. If you are going to only 1 shop, then pick up only 1 copy of each titles. Remember there are other people coming in this day that want them also and if you take doubles or more they might not get theirs. If by chance you want more than one, for reasons of whatever, collecting or a friend wants them that couldn’t attend, whatever, talk to the comic shop owner/worker and ask them if at the end of the day if there are any spare copies left over could you possibly have the ones you need or maybe come in on Sunday if they are open. Most of the time they will not have a problem with doing that but also most of the time there won’t be any left but still this is a time when saying Thank You comes in handy because they will be more willing to help the person that’s being kind to them and thankful rather than the rude person trying to grab 5 copies of 1 title. Though, if you are like me and do get some extra copies of the same title where you give them away or just want to collect them, then go to multiple comic book shops. Every Free Comic Day I end up going to all 3 comic book shops and even then I only pick up the titles that I know I will be giving to a friend or ones I will collect, if I know I’m not doing neither then I will not get them even when I go to all the shops and could end up having 3 copies. But I mainly go to 3 shops because I know each shop will have different titles so I can get ones that the others don’t have.
5) Last thing, but one that’s important, stay calm and be kind to the others around you. Just because these things are free, and there’s a lot of people there don’t start getting rude because that just takes away the fun of the day and if anything gets out of hand the comic shop owner might think twice about having it again next year. So don’t be the one that ruins it for yourself and others.Ok, that’s it for this weeks blog, hope you attend and this time I gave enough time to let you know ahead of time and now more people can go. Enjoy your Free Comic Day!
