Free Comic Book Day

 Posted by on 30 April 2009  Modern Life
Apr 302009
 
Photo of T. Keith, with the two graphic novels he'll be handing out on Saturday, by Grant, but courtesy the Brandon Sun.

Photo of T. Keith, with the two graphic novels he'll be handing out on Saturday, by Grant, but courtesy the Brandon Sun.

Free Comic Book Day!

What a great concept for a holiday (of sorts).  Every year since 2002, the first Saturday in May (May 2, 2009) is Free Comic Book Day — a day in which participating retailers give away FREE comic books.  Selected titles only, of course.

This sounds too good to be true!  Free comics?  Why on Earth would anyone do such a thing?

According to my research (read: Wikipedia), there are three main reasons for Free Comic Book Day:

  1. To introduce everyone to the joys of comic books.
  2. To bring former comic book readers back into the fold.
  3. To thank current comic book readers for their ongoing support.

In other words, it is a huge marketing event.  Yet – FREE COMICS!  And it seems to be effective.  How else could you explain the more than 2,000 retailer participants from over 30 countries in the first six years of this event?

You can check the database at Free Comic Book Day to find a participating retailer in your area.  Or, you can call around to see who is taking part.  (I know that at least two retailers are doing something in Brandon and neither is in the online database at that site.)

T. Keith Edmunds

  • http://pennywise-books.blogspot.com/ T. Keith Edmunds

    You could also pick up a copy of today’s Brandon Sun. The Community News section has a big article about Free Comic Book Day. With a photo of a handsome guy.

  • http://www.absurdintellectual.com/ Grant Hamilton

    I’ll pop that photo onto this post as soon as I get to work!

    The two retailers, for all ya’ll locals, are the Eye Opener (on 10th Street) and Pennywise Books (on Rosser Ave). That latter is curated by one T. Keith Edmunds, whose name you might recognize from two inches above where you’re reading RIGHT NOW.

  • Colin Corneau

    This is great news because I was just thinking that there’s not enough marketing of comic books these days.
    Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go rent The Dark Knight or Iron Man or Superman Returns or maybe see Wolverine…