Eighth annual Free Comic Book Day lures old and new readers to local shop.

It was a rainy Saturday, May 2, when Ron Schmidt and Wendy Clawson pulled up to their Highway 101 shop, She Said Gifts He Said Comics. Despite the rain, a group of young people were lined up in front of the door, waiting anxiously to get in. Free Comic Book Day had arrived!

For comic books fans, the first Saturday in May has become a holiday: Participating comic book shops across the country give away books, no strings attached.

Almost a year after they first opened, the owners of She Said Gifts He Said Comics, at 2109 Highway 101, decided to participate in the event. They had opened shop just a few weeks after last year’s event.

According to Schmidt, the first Free Comic Book Day in 2002 was timed to coincide with the release of the first Spider–Man movie. Since then, thousands of shops have given away millions of books to young and old alike.

By the end of Saturday, She Said Gifts He Said Comics would give away between 150 to 200 comic books.

Schmidt said the event’s purpose is not only to introduce comics to new readers, but remind former readers what they loved about the books in the first place.

While most people associate comic books with superheroes like Batman and Superman, Schmidt says the genre has grown to be much more. According to Schmidt, traditional super hero comics are not even his top sellers.



For the complete article see the 05-06-2009 issue.

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