Free Comic Book Day 2011 titles revealed on Facebook
While some of the exact titles are still under wraps, the Gold Sponsors and most of the Gold Sponsor books for Free Comic Book Day 2011 have been announced, via Facebook and FreeComicBookDay.com. Ape, Archaia, Archie, Boom!, Dark Horse; DC, Image, IDW, Marvel and Papercutz are the Gold Sponsors.
Titles include Richie Rich/Kung-Fu Panda; Dark Crystal/Mouse Guard; Avatar the Last Airbender/Star Wars; Betty and Veronica; Darkwing Duck; Locke & Key; Spider-Man and the Smurfs.
Additional sponsors and titles will be revealed in the January issue of PREVIEWS, on sale Dec. 29.
- Matt Price
Free Comic Book Day live blog 2010
Free Comic Book Day Logo
I’m live-blogging this year’s Free Comic Book Day from Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, OK. (Full disclosure note: I am one of the owners of Speeding Bullet.)
9:15 a.m. Doing some last-minute preparations before the doors open at 10 a.m. Speeding Bullet is pushing literacy this year as part of the FCBD promotion, and as so is hoping to see a lot of kids in the door. There’s a slight drizzle here, which I hope doesn’t hurt the turnout any.
9:30 a.m. Already a bit of a line developing. Annette Price, who’s spearheaded Speeding Bullet’s Free Comic Book Day initiatives (and who is, full disclosure again, married to me) explains the store’s FCBD plan for younger readers as follows: Anyone 12 or under who gets a free comic book today, and returns to the store with a report on the book, either written or drawn, by the end of June, will receive a free Batman all-ages graphic novel. (If the Batmans run out, other all-ages GNs will be substituted.) The hope is, this gives kids one more reason to start their summer reading, and rewards those who are working on the all-important reading and communication skills. She’s calling this the “War on Illiteracy,” playing off the “War of the Supermen” Free Comic Book Day comic book by DC Comics, co-written by James Robinson and Oklahoma native Sterling Gates.
10 a.m. The deluge begins! A few dozen people in line as Free Comic Book Day gets started. The parking lot is full.
10:05 am One of the employees said he had to park around the block.
10:15 a.m. About 100 people in so far! Lots of kids, people having fun with it.
10:20 a.m. The traffic to my Nerdage blog has crashed the site. Free Comic Book Day drives traffic on the web and in the stores!
10:30 a.m. I’m going to say the rain has not hurt turnout at all, or at least I don’t see how it could have.
10:40 a.m. As far as sales go, noticing a lot of “Brightest Day” No. 0 sales.
11 a.m. Kids seem to be excited for Toy Story and Shrek comics. War of the Supermen seems to be moving well with everybody.
11:10 a.m. Still very full here, though there’s a little more room to breathe than there was for the first hour. Several people talking about anticipating the second Iron Man movie.
11:30 a.m. Already more people in the door than 2008 – and there’s a lot more day to go! On pace to pass 2009 at this rate, as well.
11:35 a.m. And Nerdage is back up!
11:50 a.m. Mouse Guard/Fraggle Rock also getting a good response.
12:30 p.m. Weather-wise, it’s really turned nice, and it’s been a nearly nonstop crowd of people through the door.
12:35 p.m. Corey Ayers from the Oklahoma History Center points out the trailer for their new Okie Cartoonists exhibit, opening June 12: http://okiecartoonist.org/
1:30 p.m. Some technical difficulties here, but it hasn’t stopped people from shopping. All the all-ages comics from this year are going out the door at a rapid pace – it’s really cool to see young kids with a John Stanley comic!
2:30 p.m. A good chunk of the FCBD comics have found a new home! Lots of kids saying they’ll take on the reading challenge. Mouse Guard/Fraggle Rock and Shrek have all run out. Superman is still probably the most popular choice, though some still remain. Both Iron Man books are moving at a rapid clip.
2:40 p.m. Archie Comics selections – both the Summer Splash and the Sonic issue – have “sold out.” Archie’s been doing a good job of keeping interest up in their line, and it’s continued today.
2:50 p.m. Larry Hama’s return to G.I. Joe has run completely out, as has Jim Shooter’s return to Solar, Man of the Atom and Magnus, Robot Fighter. Probably a good sign for both of those properties.
3 p.m. The last of the Fractured Fairy Tales and YOW! have moved out the door. Good to see the interest. Speeding Bullet has replenished with some additional comics to keep the free stuff coming.
3:30 p.m. Even though “The Losers” and “Kick-Ass” may have disappointed at the box office, there are still some fans picking up the related comics and graphic novels at Free Comic Book Day.
3:45 p.m. The last of the Irredeemable and Green Hornet comics have made their way out the door. Irredeemable seems to be a good choice for superhero fans; not for kids, but it’s a great read.
4 p.m. The last of the Marvel Comics have gone out the door. Given the interest in “Iron Man” and the little extra push of interest Marvel gave “Thor” this weekend, it’s no surprise to see them do well. Lots of people talking about the movie, too.
4:20 p.m. The staff tells me all the new Free Comic Book Day books have gone out the door, with the exception of the heavily ordered War of the Supermen. They estimate “War” to be their biggest mover overall, but orders were heavy enough that they still have some to give away. They’re still giving away 5 comics per person here until 7 p.m., though, supplementing with additional comics and some leftover Halloween giveaway comics. Crowds have settled down, but still a steady trickle of people through the door. Does the recession make “free” more appealing to people, or is it a combination of publicity and appeal of the event? Certainly there has been a high level of excitement throughout the day.
5:10 p.m. Still hasn’t really been a dull moment around here. Great to see so many kids who are excited about reading. Comic retailers having a good turnout and a good time today should definitely thank Joe Field, of Flying Colors Comics and Other Cool Stuff in Concord, Calif., who came up with the idea for Free Comic Book Day in the first place.
6 p.m. About an hour left in the day here at Speeding Bullet Comics and I’m going to wrap up the live-blog. I’m told with an hour to go, it’s already set a new record for people in the store. Hope everyone had a fantastic Free Comic Book Day! Feel free to share your own experiences in the comments!
DC previews War of the Supermen 0, DC Kids Mega-Sampler
At DC Comics’ Source Blog, the company has provided previews of “War of the Supermen” 0 and “DC Kids Mega-Sampler,” both of which will be available for Free Comic Book Day tomorrow, Saturday, May 1.
“War of the Supermen #0 kicks off a massive Superman story, one that we’ve been working towards in the Super-books for the last two years,” co-writer Sterling Gates tells the Source. “James and I are excited and proud to bring you the opening salvo of the war on this year’s Free Comic Book Day, one of the most exciting days on the comic book world’s calendar!”
I really enjoyed “War of the Supermen” 0, which I recently read. I think it’s a great Free Comic Book Day issue and a great Superman comic – and I recommend picking it up at your local store on Free Comic Book Day.
- Matt Price
Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2010 edition preview
Archie Comics has provided this preview of the Free Comic Book Day edition of “Sonic the Hedgehog” for 2010. FCBD is Saturday, May 1!
Free Comic Book Day preview: Archie’s Summer Splash #1
Archie Comics has provided the following preview of “Archie’s Summer Splash” #1, one of the company’s offerings for Free Comic Book Day 2010, which is Saturday, May 1.
Superman takes center stage on Free Comic Book Day
WORD BALLOONS
Comic book stores around the world will celebrate the ninth annual Free Comic Book Day on Saturday.
Classic superheroes such as Superman and Iron Man will join favorites including Archie, Toy Story and Shrek.
“We are thrilled to be a part of Free Comic Book Day,” DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee said in a news release. “This is a great opportunity for comic shops to showcase their stores and celebrate all the creativity and excitement comic books have to offer.”
DC Comics will offer “War of the Supermen” No. 0 as one of its Free Comic Book Day releases. The issue is co-written by James Robinson and University of Oklahoma graduate Sterling Gates.
“I’m really excited to be writing a Free Comic Book Day issue,” Gates said. “Getting a chance to help put the focus on the world’s most recognizable superhero on comics’ greatest holiday is a complete thrill.”
Prior to “War of the Supermen,” a group of superpowered aliens from Superman’s home planet founded New Krypton, in orbit around Earth’s sun. But not everyone on Earth believes the two planets can live in peace. In “War of the Supermen,” those tensions explode.
“As you can imagine, writing a comic that’s going to have such a huge circulation is a huge responsibility,” Gates said. “We wanted to tell a great Superman story, something that would lead in to May’s Superman event, ‘War of the Supermen,’ but still be accessible for anyone who picks it up.”
“War of the Supermen” launches with an issue numbered “0” on Free Comic Book Day. Each Wednesday in May will feature a new issue of “War of the Supermen,” with the series completing at No. 4 on May 26.
“To be a part of an event like this is a huge honor, and James and I have done our best to write a Superman story that really fires people’s imaginations.”
- Matt Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
Oklahoma City-area stores participating in Free Comic Book Day
The following is a list of Oklahoma City-area comic book stores participating in Free Comic Book Day on May 1.
All-Star Comics, 6900 N May Ave., Suite 10; 842-7800. 11 am – 7 pm
Atomik Pop #1, 918 W Main, Norman; 329-9695. 11 am – 7 pm
Atomik Pop #2, 7884 S Western; 635-0848. 11 am – 7 pm
Bibliotech, 123 E Main, Shawnee; 275-9494. 10 am – 6 pm
Book Rack Midwest, 1717 S Air Depot, Midwest City; 737-3781. 10 am – 6 pm
New World Comics, 6219 N Meridian; 721-7634. 9 am – 9 am May 2.
New World Games & Comics, 4435 SE 29, Del City; 677-2559. 11 am – 6 pm
Second Chance Books & Comics, 3909 N MacArthur Blvd., 603-7151. 10 am – 9 pm
Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter, Norman; 360-6866. 10 am – 7 pm
Vintage Stock, 7201 SE 29, Suite 208, Midwest City; 732-1140. 10 am – 10 pm
Wizards Games, 749 Jenkins, Norman; 292-4263. 11 am – 9 pm
Free Comic Book Day review roundup
Bookgasm has reviewed several of this weekend’s Free Comic Book Day books. Get an idea what the high points are before stepping into the comic shop on Saturday.
According to the site, “YOW! Drawn & Quarterly Presents a John Stanley Library Grab-Bag” is the weekend’s best choice. Writer Rod Lott also has positive words for “War of the Supermen” No. 0, which kicks off DC’s upcoming miniseries:
WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #0 — On New Krypton — a planet full of people just as powerful as Superman — Gen. Zod has ordered his residents to attack a little planet called Earth. Superman swoops in to stop him, but he’s too late, in this prequel to DC’s four-issue miniseries, written by James Robinson and Sterling Gates. This ballsier-than-usual Superman tale is so well-written that it’ll hook many into the storyline; even I’m curious to see how the Man of Steel is going to save us this time.
For Lott’s take on other titles, including Iron Man/Thor, Iron Man Supernova, Doctor Solar/Magnus, Mouse Guard/Fraggle Rock and more, check out the whole article at Bookgasm.
- Matt Price
Free Comic Book Day, Iron Man 2, and reviews of Last Stand of New Krypton 3, Invincible Iron Man 25 and New Avengers 64 at Planet 46 Comics Podcast
Free Comic Book Day is this weekend! Plus, Batman is on his way back, and Superman’s at war in this week’s Planet 46 Comics podcast.
In movie news, Planet46.com will kick off a week of “Iron Man 2” coverage on Monday.
Iron Man 2 opens in theaters May 7, and in the run-up to the film, Planet 46 will feature interviews from Jon
Favreau, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle and Robert Downey Jr.
What other Marvel heroes could soon see a silver screen? Edgar Wright’s long-in-the-works adaptation of “Ant-Man” could finally begin production at the end of this year.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told Superhero Hype that once Edgar Wright finishes promoting “Scott Pilgrim,” he’d like to get him on to “Ant Man,” maybe at the end of 2010 or beginning of 2011. But he’d expect the film wouldn’t come out until after “The Avengers.”
COMICS SURGE
Batman, the original that is, is on his way back, starting in Return of Bruce Wayne. The first issue comes out May 12. Writer Grant Morrison says a time-hopping Bruce Wayne will move to various sequences of time throughout the series.
“For me, the time thing is to take Bruce Wayne to the limit of what he is as a character, because he’s thrown back into prehistory with no memory and no uniform and no tools apart from the fact that he’s got his belt,” Morrison told Comics Alliance. “I like of the idea of exploring Batman with this time travel story, but to do it quite convincingly and realistically so that he’s really at the edges of what Batman can possibly be.”
This Weekend is Free Comic Book Day! For the ninth time, you can go to your local comic-book store and pick up selected comic books absolutely free! Mouse Guard/Fraggle Rock, GI Joe, Shrek, Toy Story, Iron Man/Thor are among the comics available. Check out Nerdage or FreeComicBookDay.com for a complete list.
Perhaps the most anticipated book is “War of the Supermen” No. 0 by James Robinson and Oklahoma’s Sterling Gates. Following up on “Last Stand of New Krypton,” war is on the way between Earth and New Krypton. This series continues with a new issue each Wednesday throughout the month of May.
In the review file this week, Kyle Roberts and Matt Price look at Superman 699, Last Stand of New Krypton 3, Invincible Iron Man 25 and New Avengers 64. Click past the cut for more from “Iron Man 2″ and a preview of “Last Stand of New Krypton” #1.
Free Comic Book Day preview: Iron Man: Supernova
Marvel Comics has provided the following preview of their Free Comic Book Day comic, “Iron Man: Supernova,” featuring Iron Man and Nova. It’s written by Paul Tobin with art by Craig Rousseau.
The solicit info reads:
What happens when an armored billionaire teams up with a hot-headed, cosmic-powered teen to fight a trio of massively-powered super-apes? Find out when Iron Man and Nova take on Red Ghost and The Super-Apes! Out-numbered, the Golden Avenger and the Human Rocket will have to trust an apparent traitor in the gorillas’ midst if they are to survive and save an entire city. Will they succeed or are they being played? Find out in this all-new, action-packed adventure, which happens to be FREE!
