This Saturday is a magical day. It is a day that is better than Christmas, my birthday and some other great day all rolled into one. Ok, so I might be exaggerating things just a bit, but this Saturday will still be pretty awesome. You may be asking yourself what makes it so awesome and let me tell you, it’s Free Comic Book Day.
For the past twelve years, the first Saturday in May has been Free Comic Book Day. FCBD was started to take advantage of the opening of big comic movies, but the annual event has become something much more. While not every retailer participates in the festivities, most independent comic book stores join in. Many stores make a huge deal out of the day, having sales, giveaways and parties. Comic artists and writers have also gotten involved by participating in signings at stores across the country. Fans have been known to line up outside their local store for hours before the store opens, just to get ahold of the books they want. It’s a great event for comic fans to get out, meet other comic fans, and really celebrate comics.
Free Comic Book Day is meant to be a thank you to the millions of comic fans out there and nothing says thank you quite like free books. The comic publishers produce books specifically to be given away on FCBD, typically featuring either blockbuster movies or the latest event comic. Of course there are books of all kinds, especially those for younger readers. One of FCBD’s stated goals is to encourage young readers to pick up comics. When we talked to Peter Newcomb of Borderless on Random Thought Generator, Pete stressed how important comics were in improving his ability to read and that he wants to share that with kids. Pete is not alone in his beliefs, and FCBD is proof of that. With almost twenty books that are family friendly this year, it’s the perfect opportunity for kids to get into comics and to read more in general.
If you’re interested in checking out FCBD head on over to freecomicbookday.com and use the store locator to find a participating store near you.
Therefore I Geek 
Reblogged this on Sourcerer and commented:
This is a nice post. I took my grandson to his second Free Comic Day yesterday (he’s six). I did it because it’s a cool way to spend two hours of boy-time, and as the post points out, comics are a good way to encourage reading. I think they work the same way for visual art appreciation and literacy, which I regard as equally important. Our free books from last year didn’t survive. This year, we’re getting bags, and cards, and a box just for his books. So he has the beginning of a collection. I have a small collection from the early 90s myself, preserved so well all these years that I could have them certified. He’s fascinated by that collection, and asks to look at them at least once a week. Long live Geek culture, and May the Fourth be with you!
My partner, who is 45, participated yesterday… I love that it suits people of all ages. Great post!
That’s awesome! Shoot us a photo of your FCBD loot @thereforeigeek on Twitter. We would love to see it! -t