After burglars broke in to Houston’s Texas Time Warp Collectibles and made off with a stash of comics, co-owner Kevin McLaughlin acted quickly: He put the news out on social media. And sure enough, when Salman Jasmani, owner of The Comic Vault in nearby Cypress, got a call offering a suspiciously familiar list of comics, he set up a little sting. After asking for photos of the comics being offered, and noting that the serial numbers on the slabbed items were the same as those in McLaughlin’s photos, Jasmani told KHOU, he offered to buy the items. When the sellers came in, he called the police, who arrested three people and charged two with felony theft. McLaughlin got most, not all, of his comics back, but he was more impressed with his colleague’s actions. “The fact that they reached out and were willing to help us, that speaks volumes about the Houston comic book community,” he said.
Two years ago, the Santa Cruz, CA, comic shop Comicopolis made the news with an appeal to the community for help after a long period of economic struggle, brought on in part by issues in the neighborhood (see “Retailers Ask for Community Support”). Just ahead of Free Comic Book Day, Lookout Santa Cruz checked in with co-owner Troy Geddes, and he said the store has been doing a lot better lately, although things have been a little rockier lately; Geddes thinks customers are cutting back because of high gas prices due to the war in Iran. FCBD has brought double and even triple sales in previous years, but he’s only guardedly optimistic this year, saying, “I don’t expect it to be super huge with the war going on and gas prices crazy.”
So, what’s everyone doing for Free Comic Book Day?
When Nick Glindmyer, owner of Earthworld Comics, saw two masked ICE agents detain a man on the street near his store, he was shaken but decided to take action. Earthworld will include a fund-raiser for the West Hill Refugee Welcome Center as part of its FCBD activities, Q105.7 reports. The store commissioned tote bags with an image of AEW star Brody King wearing an “Abolish ICE” T-shirt, which they will sell for $20 each, and they will also hold a silent auction of slabbed comics and original artwork, with all proceeds to benefit the refugee center. “Earthworld has been in business for over four decades because this community has looked out for us,” said Glindmyer. “It’s a core tenet that our father, JC, instilled in us, to return that favor, especially to our marginalized neighbors. When we see people in our immediate circle being targeted, we don’t just stand by. We use the platform we have—and the incredible talent of the comics community—to help organizations like the West Hill Refugee Welcome Center continue their vital work.”
This will be the first FCBD for Strange Ways Comics & More in Greensboro, NC, but owner Ben Roberts isn’t worried. “I’ve worked in comics retail for over 10 years and spearheaded many Free Comic Book Day events, he told Yes Weekly. In addition to the regular FCBD programming, the store will have a Sensory Friendly Free Comic Book Day event on Friday, May 1. “It’s so folks with sensory sensitivities, autism, or disabilities and their families, can have a FCBD of their own,” Roberts said. “It’s always been a bummer that a lot of great people of all ages aren’t able to participate in Free Comic Book Day for a variety of reasons. Long lines, heat, weather, crowds, and so many other factors make it a hectic day. We wanted to provide an opportunity at Strange Ways for everyone to actually get involved and share in the fun.”
Herobear and the Kid creator Mike Kunkel will be doing a signing at Atlantis Fantasyworld in Santa Cruz, CA. “It’s one of the shops where you walk in and think, ‘This is what a comic shop should feel like,’” Kunkel told Lookout Santa Cruz. “It’s welcoming, easy to navigate and has sections, which I love.” And he’s not just saying that: Kunkel has been shopping at the store since 1998.
“There is a phrase I say almost daily and it’s ‘putting books in people’s hands,’” Jared Aiosa, owner of Heroes Comic Shop in Elmira Heights, NY, tells the Star-Gazette. “Availability is paramount. Accessibility is vital. Having a day that people of all ages can visit with us, and receive a handful of books, at no cost, helps toward that goal of encouraging reading.” The store will host FCBD and a Pop Market Weekend at a local American Legion post.
- Double Midnight Comics in Manchester, NH, is hosting a Free Comic Book Day Extravaganza, a free comic con with artists, vendors, food trucks, live music, and more, Manchester Ink Link reports.
- Artists Morgan Beem and Jorge Corona will be doing signings and meet-n-greets at Neighborhood Comics in Savannah, GA, WTOC reports. The store is also celebrating its seventh anniversary.
- At Captain Comics in Boise, ID, manager Nikki Emerson tells Idaho News that each customer will be allowed to choose five comics, plus two more if they come in costume. “It’s a way to give back to the community and get excited about the new reads coming out this summer,” she said.
- Greg Bartholomew, owner of two All American Comics and Cards stores in Boardman and Warren, OH, doesn’t put a limit on how many comics customers can take, he tells WKBN, but he’d love it if they would buy a few as well to help defray the costs. “In the past, we’ve spent upwards of $3,000 to $4,000 on the ‘free’ comic books,” he said. “I’m not sure what it is this year since there are less entries, but Free Comic Book Day for us, unfortunately, isn’t free.”
Source: ICv2
