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Entertainment
Free Comic Book Day industrywide promotion returns
Hot Topics
By Don Thrasher,
Contributing Writer
3:02 PM Thursday, April 30, 2009
Publishing behemoths Marvel and DC dominate the comic book industry. Their characters, such as Batman, Wolverine, Superman and Spider-Man, have achieved iconic, pop culture status and routinely monopolize the top-50 comic book titles each month, but there are dozens of independent publishers releasing equally compelling, character-driven books.
Free Comic Book Day, which returns to participating stores on Saturday, May 2, gives old and new readers alike a chance to sample what is available through gratis offerings by alternative houses, such as Dark Horse and Image, and smaller outfits, such as Boom Studios and Oni Press.
“It’s a way for the companies to showcase a particular book,” said Ken Schumer, owner of Schumer’s Baseball Cards & Comics in Centerville. “You never hear of some of these companies, but in this case they get their stuff published and put out there so people can find it. Marvel and DC only put out a couple of books, so it’s really aimed toward the smaller companies.”
Free Comic Book Day, an international, industrywide promotion, was created in 2002 to bring awareness to comic books, attract new readers, showcase underappreciated properties and entice former fans back into specialty shops. The cooperative venture between comic book retailers and publishers throughout the world has been an overwhelming success, introducing a new generation of readers to the work being published today.
“We’ve done Free Comic Book Day every year since it started,” Schumer said. “It brings in a lot of additional customers, helps spur the comic sales on and has brought me some new regular customers.”
An estimated 2 million books will be given out that day. Only select, specially-produced titles are free during the promotion, but the comics display the wide range of work currently available, from superhero tales, twisted horror stories and children’s books to slice-of-life dramas, adult humor and suspenseful sci-fi.
“I love it,” said Fearless Readers owner Bill Thade, who also has been participating in Free Comic Book Day since its inception. “It’s our busiest day of the year. We’ve got Sean Forney coming down that day to do drawings and autographs for people. He’ll be there from 10 (a.m.) until we close at 5 (p.m.). My daughter will be cooking out hot dogs out front again.
“We’ll be running a storewide sale and we’ve got all the free comics,” he continued. “I try to make it a really special day. It’s a good way to say thank you to all the customers.”
Participating venues
Bell, Book & Comic, 458 Patterson Road, Oakwood. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (937) 643-9006
Bookery Fantasy, 16 W. Main St., Fairborn. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (937) 879-1408
Fearless Readers, 1613 Huffman Ave., Dayton. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (937) 252-3036
Heroes for Sale, 328 N. Dixie Drive, Vandalia. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (937) 898-2794
Maverick’s Cards & Comics, 2312 E. Dorothy Lane, Kettering. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (937) 294-4900
Schumer’s Baseball Cards & Comics, 6342 Far Hills Ave., Centerville. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (937) 433-5110
Super-Fly Comics & Games, 132 Dayton St., Yellow Springs. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (937) 767-1445
Transformers Action Figures, 37 S. St. Clair St., Dayton. Noon to 5 p.m. (937) 222-4517
More info: www.freecomicbookday.com
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