The biggest day for America’s Comic Book Industry is the first Saturday in May. Since its inception FREE COMIC BOOK DAY has been an unqualified success. Publishers designate certain titles to be offered free of charge to the general public in a nationwide promotion. And the lines at specialty comics retailers around the country were out the doors as you can see from this pic from Victory Comics in Falls Church, VA.
FANTASTIC FORUM was out and about visiting stores in the DC/MD/VA area and having a ball doing so. Here is Producer Patrick Michael Strange at Flashback Comics in Woodbridge, VA clowning it up with a cosplayer dressed as Optimus Prime of The Transformers.
And I ran afoul of some members of The 501st Legion…
But things ended up working out OK. In addition to the free offerings many stores had discounts and special industry guests. Fans in costume were as much of a staple as the long lines and crowds. But the stalwart retailers valiantly kept up with the demand. Steve Anderson, owner of Third Eye Comics in Annapolis manned a register most of the day.
Steve says he enjoys personally connecting with his customers. And he did a lot of that on Saturday! By the conclusion of the day’s activities we were about as pooped out as these fans at Fantom Comics in DC’s Union Station.
All in all this Free Comic Book Day stacked up as the biggest and best so far. And given the renewed interest in comics based on the success of this summer’s Hollywood blockbusters there is no indication that it will wane anytime soon. Which is good for anyone who is a fan! Keep watching, the best is yet to come!