Free Comic Day! 118
turkeywrap writes "Today is Free Comic Day! Go to your local comic store, pick up some free comics, and support the comic industry. Check and see if there are any special signings or events at a store near you." Ack! I'm in Warren at Penguicon this weekend, and nowhere near my precious comic store! I guess I'll have to pay for my comics ;)
Wow (Score:1, Redundant)
Re:Wow (Score:1)
Free comics online (Score:1, Troll)
Worst. Joke. Ever. (Score:2)
Re:Worst. Joke. Ever. (Score:1)
Re:Worst. Joke. Ever. (Score:2)
also, "worst. episode. ever", comic book guy, get it?
X-Men comics (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:X-Men comics (Score:5, Informative)
If you're new to the comics, I'd recommend the Essential X-Men (there are more volumes released since then as well) as a good starting point.
The big downside: it's in black and white, and not printed on the best quality paper. If you want the full experience, you would still need the comics. (except for some like the X-Tinction Agenda which were reprinted in better quality trade paperbacks)
Re:X-Men comics (Score:5, Informative)
If your looking for them, go into a comic shop, and ask them about the Xmen "trade paperback." (A trade paperback is just a collection of the comics in one large volume)
Re:X-Men comics (Score:2)
You're referring to Marvel's "Essentials" line. They do it for X-Men and Wolverine both, as well as other Marvel characters like Spider-Man, the Hulk, etc. You get a whole ton of issues in
Re:X-Men comics (Score:3, Informative)
To start off, I would look at Uncanny X-Men Masterworks http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0785 108459/qid=1051974731/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-108143 4-6039167?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 [amazon.com]
And the New X-Men Masterworks is also a good place to start http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0871 35988X/qid=1051974807/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/104-108143 4-6039167?v=glance&s=book [amazon.com]
Re:X-Men comics (Score:3, Funny)
Re:X-Men comics (Score:1)
Oh, and very oblique spoilers.
I was pretty sure we were gonna see Phoenix in the next one by the end, though unfortunately I looked away right before the shot of the lake. But can they really explain the Phoenix Force, Madeline Pryor, what happens to Jean and everything else in two hours? Backstory has been implicit in the first two movies, that kinda needs to be explicit. There've been hints of what we geeks know (Nightcrawler and Mystique's moment together, for exa
Re:X-Men comics (Score:1, Informative)
Re:X-Men comics (Score:2, Informative)
I believe Marvel has just reprinted the story in normal comic book form as well.
Re:X-Men comics (Score:1)
Re:X-Men comics (Score:2)
Re:X-Men comics (Score:1)
Against all recommendations before (which go for the more comic-geeky, yesteryear X-men material of Chris Claremont, which might be a bit too much for some), I'd recommend the current stuff like...
Ultimate X-Men Collection 1: The Tomorrow People [amazon.com]
Ultimate X-Men Collection 2: Return to Weapon X [amazon.com]
the recent stuff by Grant Morrison is also good, a good twist on the stuff you might or might not remember, and best of all, without the INSANE AMMOUNT OF BAGGAGE required to grasp some of the older stories:
Re:X-Men comics..A suggestion (Score:1)
Re:X-Men comics (Score:1)
Please try to buy comics comic by comic if you can instead of buying the series in a book. The comic world is at a rather low point, for a while now. Getting back issues isn't too hard. It supports the comic world better.
Re:X-Men comics (Score:1)
And, I know I've asked this elsewhere, does anyone know who the kid watching television in the middle of the night was? The one who told Logan he didn't sleep.
Support the industry (Score:3, Funny)
How do they make a profit? Volume.
Where were you... (Score:1)
Last time I picked up a few "free" comics (Score:5, Funny)
Business modell: (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Business modell: (Score:1)
darn (Score:1)
yeah right (Score:2)
Heh. (Score:5, Funny)
obligatory link (Score:5, Funny)
My favorite... (Score:3, Funny)
Woo hoo! (Score:2, Funny)
Free comic day? This is terribly exciting!
But the event I can't wait for is next Saturday: FREE COLONOSCOPY DAY!
Re:Woo hoo! (Score:1)
Re:Woo hoo! (Score:2)
Should be a UN day (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Should be a UN day (Score:2)
Re:Should be a UN day (Score:1)
Re:Should be a UN day (Score:5, Funny)
The Security Council would push for a role for UN "Peacekeepers" to hand out the comics, the General Assembly will elect to put a price tag of $1.50 on the free comics (to cover the administrative overhead, of course), and comic book publishers will have to spend years in negotiations with various NGOs to hammer out the details.
After agreeing to five or six different documents all titled "Roadmap to Free Comics," the first few issues would be distributed around 2025. Aside from a few compilations of Bazooka bubble gum wrappers and reprints of Radio Shack's "Whiz Kids," the comics include such insightful ("inciteful?") titles as "Fidel has Feelings Too" and "Triumphs of the Ba'ath Party." The comics themselves are thicker than one would expect because each speech bubble contains the same text in six different languages, with the order of the languages rotated every frame so that no one language is seen as superior to another. The credits at the beginning of each comic contain around 1500 names each, to ensure that nobody involved in the UN effort is left out. In support of UN efforts to combat illiteracy, each illiterate person would receive two comics instead of just one.
After the diplomatic fiasco in which several thousand "Peacekeepers" were killed and/or tortured while trying to carry out their humanitarian comic book efforts, someone will point out that distributing all this paper violates certain environmental agreements. After an additional two or three years of debate, it is decided to pass the blame and the clean-up costs to those truly responsible the Comic Holocaust (as it will by then be referred to): the comic book publishers. After his high-profile capture, Stan Lee awaits trial at The Hague, while France and several other EU supporters introduce a draft it likes to call "The Comprehensive Comic Book Test Ban Treaty."
True economy... (Score:5, Funny)
Support industry by taking free stuff with you. And you thought, business is hard to understand...
Free, but there's a catch. (Score:5, Informative)
MURDER MAYHEM MERV GRIFFIN!!!!
Re:Free, but there's a catch. (Score:2)
Gold: new, or special comics relesed for the event.
Silver New comic books, not specific to the evenr
and copper: bacj issues.
I do not remember there being a minimum purchase involved. OTOH, if a comic book store isn't purchasing for then 70 dollars worth of comic book a month, they're in serious trouble. financially.
Do kids still buy comics? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Do kids still buy comics? (Score:1)
Thorgal (Score:1)
Re:Thorgal (Score:1)
Thank You, kind AC! Now I won't have to struggle with my wife's copies, which are in Polish.
Beer or speech? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Beer or speech? (Score:1)
Re:Beer or speech? (Score:1)
Inspiring parents (Score:1)
How about a BOOK? (Score:2)
Re:How about a BOOK? (Score:2, Insightful)
So what? (Score:2)
How on earth is reading Superman, Spiderman or X-Men better than watching tv and playing videogames? Answer: it is not. Comic books offer a serialised story, with no conclusion and their ONLY purpose is to interest the reader so that he buys the next comic. They are not "designed" to be educational. They are not "designed" to instil moral values.
Being a parent myself I try to stimulate my child's bra
Re:So what? (Score:2)
The funny thing is, all the major comics-reading kids I knew grew up to be major book-reading adults.
My first *pleasure* reading was comic books. I later graduated to "juvenile" science fiction, even later to
Re:So what? (Score:2)
I never said they should be prohibited to kids. I think
This is why comic books are important (Score:5, Insightful)
Just who was this person? It's none other than J. Michael Straczynski, writer and creator of Babylon 5, Crusade and Jeremiah (He's currently enjoying getting a chance at writing Amazing Spider-Man for Marvel) =)
Re:How about a BOOK? (Score:2)
Based on your post, you think it is better to read a trashy romance, then a comic book that show examples of standing up what you believ in, and doing the right thing because it is the right thing.
please define literature?
I think a great many things you call literature was not considered literatuire in its day.
Re:How about a BOOK? (Score:2)
You want me to define literature? Go to amazon. Book section. Fiction. Take your pick. There are good books, there are bad books. Don't want "trashy romances"? Read Asimov. Read Greg Bear. Read the excellent books of George RR Martin. For fuck's sake, read Tolkien. READ HA
Re:How about a BOOK? (Score:2)
Re:How about a BOOK? (Score:1)
What passes for comic books these days simply blows my mind. I have been to the museums of the world. I have seen David and the Mona Lisa, and the water lillies of Monet and the sunflowers of Van Gogh, and there are things I have seen today on the printed page which have made me shake my head in wonderment.
I love books, plain, printed, textual books, as much as anyone. More than you, most likely. But comics and books are apples and oranges, and your comments sh
Re:Inspiring parents (Score:2)
Free comic book day and web comics? (Score:2, Interesting)
On the other hand, the web has plenty of free comics -- it'd be great to somehow find a way to tie in web comics to this event.
Free Bob! [pcweenies.com]
Uhhh... (Score:2)
Re:Uhhh... (Score:2)
Mostly Free (Score:4, Informative)
The official blurb:
**
On Saturday, May 3, thousands of comic book shops around the world will celebrate the unique American artform that is comic books. The day has been dubbed "Free Comic Book Day," and its goal is to introduce as many people to the wonders of comic books as possible.
There are comics for children, for families to enjoy together, for adults, and especially for people who think they would never read a comic book. Come by on May 3rd and let us change your mind - for free!
Regular updates, information about comic books, and lists of participating publishers
(and their comics) are all online at http://www.FreeComicBookDay.com.
**
It is Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), and yes, there are free comics to be had. Stores like ours do have to pay for these promotional issues, and we give them out for free to get people interested in comics. Here are the titles to be given out today:
Alternative Comics #1 - FCBD Edition
Archie & Friends - FCBD Edition
Avatar Graphic Novel Sampler - FCBD Edition
Batman Adventures #1 - FCBD Edition
Christa's 100% Guaranteed How-to Manual For Getting Anyone To Read Comic Books! - FCBD Edition
Courtney Crumrin & The Night Things - FCBD Edition
Frank Miller's Robocop / Stargate Sg1- FCBD Edition
Keenspace.com 2003 - FCBD Edition
Keenspot Spotlight 2003 - FCBD Edition
Landis #0 - FCBD Edition
Leave It To Chance - FCBD Edition
Metallix #1 - FCBD Edition
Peanutbutter & Jeremy #4 - FCBD Edition
Rocket Comics: Ignite - FCBD Edition
Skinwalker #1 - FCBD Edition
Slave Labor Stories - FCBD Edition
The Best Of Dork Storm Number 1 - FCBD Edition
Transformers: Armada - FCBD Edition
Ultimate X-men #1 - FCBD Edition
Walt Disney's Donald Duck Adventures - FCBD Edition
Way Of The Rat Movie - FCBD Special #1
If you need help trying to find a store, please check out:
http://www.freecomicbookday.com/fcbd_locator.as
Enjoy!
A-1 Comics, Inc.
1850 Douglas Blvd., Suite 514
Roseville, CA 95661
E-Mail: a1roseville@a-1comics.com
Web: http://www.a-1comics.com
Phone: (916) 783-8005
Fax: (916) 783-8040
Manga? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Manga? (Score:1)
- Licensing
- Translation
- Editing (to replace the Japanese with English)
and is primarily the result of a far smaller marketplace. The volume of manga produced and sold in Japan alone is many, many times larger than the entire comic market in the US.
Re:Manga? (Score:2)
These comics look lame (Score:2)
Sorry but... (Score:5, Interesting)
Remember that "Death of Superman" hype? In less than a month it was going for 60$, then 100$ and some places went as high as 200$ BUT It was the most! printed! comic! ever! (6 million prints? or was it only 2?) but you could NOT find it anywhere for months. Every distributor, reseller and stores just kept stacks of hundreds in the back waiting for the hype and rarity to increase the price. You can get it for a dollar today.
I got angry at the comic industry when, in that period, I had a summer job in a comic book store. I went to the warehouse and saw 1$ comics every store in many towns where selling for 10-50$. Titles like Solar man of the atom, X-O Man of war, Superman (death), Batman (broken back), and many many more.
I consider them dishonest and on the limit of fraudulent. At a minimum, ethically very wrong. My (not so) hard earned cash goes to only a very few rare paperback reprints of the 'best'.
On a side note at least I could learn to better my English with all that reading!!!
Re:Sorry but... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Sorry but... (Score:3, Informative)
Luckily, most publish
Re:Sorry but... (Score:2, Insightful)
would be cool, but to late for Europe (Score:1)
I posted this elsewhere, but anyway (Score:4, Interesting)
-The latest issue of Shonen Jump. This is a manga compilation from Japan. It has the familiar (Dragonball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh, YuYu Hakusho) to the odd (Sandland, Shaman King, One Piece) and it's like 5 bucks for a small phone book of stuff. An incredible investment. Plus, it's a magazine so there's bunches of other stuff.
-Ultimate X-Men. It's like at issue 33, but it's a reset of the X-Men universe. Should be approachable by everyone. The current storyline is Return Of The King and involves Magneto, nice stuff.
-Fables. A new story started this month with the 'mundies' investigating all the fables that have fled to NYC. Bigby Wolf, Blue Beard, Snow White, The 3 Bears, they're all in the story and adapting to modern life. Great stuff.
-Astro City: Local Heroes. Very approachable, a series of one shots that talk about life in a super hero city. It's... The Steriotypical super hero city where they make up a normal part of daily life. It's explains superhero life better than Superman ever could.
-Transformers. They just started a new series with issue 1 this month. Dreamwave is doing a great job on the art, and well with the toys long dead they can make a story that isn't puddle deep. The War Within is another 6 issue series that you might be able to find and it goes back to the first civil war. Awesome design, with Prime, Megatron and Grimlock taking the spotlight. It goes unsaid to ignore Armada.
-Fray. For you Buffy fans in the house, Joss is writing the story of a Slayer in the future. Good stuff, it's 8 issues long with 7 out already, so you might take a look. The character is cool and really isn't like Buff or Faith.
-Girl Genius. Some of you magic players might recognize the art of Phil Foglio with this title. It's a steampunk setting, with mostly good and funny storytelling. Sparks have the ability to build great contraptions, and the main character is a fairly useless clutz without a Spark... So it seems. It regularly makes me LAHL.
-AgentX. This is Deadpool actually, still kicking... Well, for a couple more issues. Anyway, if you like 3 Stooges and violence, then read this. Definetly one of my favorites. Actually, it was even better with a previous artist that had a strong anime f flavor that hit the spot just so... But oh well.
-Queen and Country. British intelligence agent, a really serious tone. They handle shitty situations and make the world a better place. Makes for better storytelling than most movies, as it covers Tara's exploits.
And, if you so want to invest in something bigger:
The Authority: Relentless. A Trade Paperback of Warren Ellis' first 8 of 12 issues on The Authority. They're a super hero team, but in a much bigger way than the X-Men, JLA or such. They've changed what superhero teams can do by making it so much bigger. They save Earth, kill 'god' and stop interdimensional invasions. The dialogue is great and villains don't just mwahaha.
If you goto the store, you'll notice my lack of DC/Marvel titles. Yeah. Keep that in mind. They're alright, but they're mainstream. If you want something that will change your opinion about comics, they are most likely not it. Anyway, hopefully this should give some good leads as to see what comics can be more than just Supes and the X-Men.
Re:I posted this elsewhere, but anyway (Score:1)
Dreamwave has managed to put together some decent Transfomers comics after their first, substandard Transformers miniseries. Even the Armada comic is decent.
Why I gave up on comics (Score:3, Insightful)
In around '92 I started getting some again (a whole bunch of us in college got into it at once). I think I jumped in at the start of the demise.
Anyway, it got annoying that it seemed the stories were going to crap, there was less story because half the pages were "look at the splash" or "we needed three pages to draw her breasts". Also, every other issue was a "special" one with 20 covers, all special in some way. That's fine - I'd buy one copy (in it for the story), but that one copy's price would be inflated because of the special cover.
Other annoyances were the infinite number of cross-title tie ins, the infinite spin-off's and title involving a character (ie. Batman, Dark Knight, Detective, Bat this, bat that, bat screw the customer). Even Image was starting to get bad about this..and valiant to a degree.
In the end I just said enough was enough and stopped...oddly enough the only thing it did do was got me REALLY into Cerebus.
no comic lovers in CT (Score:1)
Heh (Score:1)
Lovely... (Score:1)
Of course, my state, Oregon, has nothing going on. Which strikes me as very odd, since Dark Horse Comics is based less than 10 miles from my house, and I have a Things From Another World (A comic/gaming store chain owned by Dark Horse Comics,) even closer!
Bah!
Re:Lovely... (Score:2)
I am relativly new to Oregon, is that worth going to?
Re:Lovely... (Score:1)
Apparently they have a few stores in California, as well.
It's great for comics, only 'okay' for role playing games.
If you play RPGs, Bridgetown Hobbies in Northeast Portland on Sandy Boulevard is much better.
Noooooooooo! (Score:1)
Gutted!
Any ant-related comics? (Score:2)
My thoughts on this day... (Score:2, Insightful)
PvP, Nodwick, Dork Tower (Score:1)
Re:Anyone have the Keen* comics? (Score:1)
Oh well, Batman is still cool.