Though my fellow co-workers at the bank wouldn’t believe it, this technical writer did once collect comic books. X-Men was the favorite back then. I still remember the feeling of carefully peeling back the tape that enclosed my precious comic book in its plastic sheath. How removing the comic from its protective cocoon required careful hands and delicate fingers...not to mention holding one’s breath (lest you sneeze and scar this comic that would one day be worth hundreds!).
Back then, there was no Free Comic Book Day (or FCBD as the aficionados call it), but if there had been...whoa, we would have been anxiously waiting for the first Saturday in May! Of course, not all comic book stores are handing out free books, and forget about those major retailers and convenience stores. This is mainly an event celebrated by local and independent shops, and no, you can’t just walk in, grab any comic you want, and voila, free comic! There is an actual board that creates a list of which comics will be given out on FCBD (how do I get on this board??) This year books like The Avengers, Mega Man, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are on that list. And what doesn’t scream comic book awareness like an awesome comic book movie? The Avengers movie premieres today and Free Comic Book Day tomorrow – the makings of an awesome weekend for the comic fan in us all.
To find a local retailer participating in FCBD, click here.
Here’s your Friday Useless Info Fact: The first comic book was published in the United States in 1933. There are even historical eras to divide the life of the comic book, starting with the Platinum Age and ending with the current, Modern Age.
So pick up a free comic (let us know which one you picked up!); and if you’ve seen The Avengers, leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it! Happy Friday!
