- Published May 2, 2017
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Free Comic Book Day is kind of like your birthday… only more awesome!
As the name suggests it involves two of my favourite things: free stuff and comic books!
For those not in the know, Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is an annual promotional effort that takes place on the first Saturday of May.
It was pioneered by the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores.
It started in 2002 and is coordinated by the industry’s single large distributor, Diamond Comic Distributors.
This year there are in the region of 50 different titles that will be distributed!
Without going into the specifics, there are different rankings for sponsors with certain sponsors issuing special releases only as an incentive to certain programs.
Nothing to worry about though as there is a selection of 38 Silver Sponsor comic book titles available.
This year’s Silver Sponsor comics include Fresh off the Boat, Buffy: The High School Years, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob, Barbie, and more.
So, here’s your chance to solve your problems:
Got a kid who needs a hobby? Free Comic book day!
Got a GF/BF who doesn’t get the lifestyle? Free Comic book day!
Got some cash flow problems and can’t get your fix? Free Comic book day!
It doesn’t matter what the question is… Today the answer will be Free Comic Book Day!
We reached out to some of our friends in the industry to find out what they had in store for the day.
It seems our readers in Johannesburg are spoiled for choice with the following stores having scheduled these programmes for the day:
(Extracted from Facebook)
“Only a few days to go to this year’s FREE COMIC BOOK DAY.
We’ll be posting up more SPECIALS & DISCOUNTS every day this week that will be happening this Saturday 6th May.
Just a couple of days away. We’ll have the Exclusive FCBD 2017 POP IRON FIST Vinyl Figure available on the day. Limited stock available.
Also, check out our specials on the day:
FREE COMICS HANDED OUT ON THE DAY
- Back Issues: HALF PRICE
- Comic Book Sets: 20% OFF
- POP Vinyl Figures: 3 for R550 (Excludes 6” POPs & POP Rides)
- Graphic Novels: 20% OFF
- Variants: HALF PRICE
- Marvel Select Figures: 3 for R999
- Signed Comics: 15% OFF
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And much more on the day!!!
1st 30 customers who spend R500 or more will receive a DC or Marvel DICE MASTERS STARTER PACK plus a Comic Bundle all valued at R500 FREE!!!
1st 40 customers who spend R750 or more will receive a DC or Marvel DICE MASTERS STARTER PACK plus a FCBD Marvel HEROCLIX plus a Batman Joker Starter Set plus a Variant all valued at R700 FREE!!!
Cosplayers are welcomed. All Cosplayers will receive a Smallville ComicsR100 Voucher to spend on the day!”
(Extracted from Facebook)
” Over 3000 FREE COMICS to hand out!
- EVERYONE will receive at least 1 FREE comic, no purchase required,
- Dress up or spend your vouchers to receive additional FREE books!
- 1st person at the door will get an Artfx 1/6 scale Green Lantern figure for FREE valued at R2450!
- 1st 10 people to purchase for R500 or more will receive a selected Artfx+ figure.
- 1st 100 people in the queue get a FREE Spiderman Homecoming Movie poster and a delicious cookie from Magnolia!
- More Early Bird specials TBD.
- FCBD Iron Fist Pop and Lil Bombshells Wonder Woman will be on sale. Limited quantities available.
- Gift vouchers and lucky draws!
- Cosplay, 1st prize R1000 store voucher 🙂 There will also be a kid’s category.
- TAPOUT Academy will be here to keep you busy while you are in the queue, so come and do a round on the pads with some of the best boxing and MMA coaches in the country!
- Magnolia Bake & Cake will be here from around 6am selling coffee, hot chocolate, and muffins to keep you going. They will also be raffling a cake or cupcakes of your choice to the value of R1000!
- Woodrock Animal Sanctuary will be doing raffles and lucky draws, and taking donations of all types of cat food, or if you prefer cash donations every R49 collected means an animal can be vaccinated!”
As you guys recall, we did a feature a little while back about the merger of Outer Limits and AWX a little while back into the Nexus. Well it seems that it is full steam ahead there too!”
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(Extracted from Facebook)
“It’s Free Comic Book Day, and Nexus is the place to be! Dress up as your favourite comic book characters and come down to the Nexus on Saturday 6 May. There will be a best-dressed competition, as well as comic book signings, lucky draws, and several other surprises!”
A furtive message if there ever was one. What we know for sure though is that there will be art and signings by Sean Izaakse, Jason masters, Nas Hoosen, Greg Nell and Manu Kongolo
It seems our readers in Cape Town are also in for a treat as Readers Den has a program lined up as well.
(Extracted from Facebook)
“Both our stores will once again be part of the worldwide celebration that is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! (FCBD) Join us for free comics, discounts & giveaways on Saturday 6 May”
Short, sweet and to the point- you know what to do.
Now just a few closing remarks on a personal note.
Free Comic Book Day is intended to create unity among collectors and would be collectors. In addition, it is also intended to help the stores generate foot traffic and sales.
Our economy has taken quite a hit lately and one would have to be very blind, deaf and ridiculously foolish not to realise that our comic book stores are bound to be hard hit.
Let’s face it, when the purse strings become tighter, the first thing that gets cut is the collector’s pocket we have for our comics, figures etc.
So please do the following when you are out there:
1. Don’t be a douchebag
There are plenty comics for everyone- so don’t be faulty with your fellow fans. Resist the urge to fight, bite and pull peoples hair to get to the front of the line.
2. Don’t be an opportunistic infection of a human
I heard a story about a dude that wore his Deadpool outfit and drove to all the comic book stores holding a cookie jar or something last year to demand the same free comics at all of them. As if that wasn’t enough, rumour has it that he has tried selling them in the Facebook groups. Be classy Bruh. Even though you may fall short – try.
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3. Don’t be a cheap skate
Seriously! Support the stores! Buy a comic or three, take advantage of in-store specials or even better, sign on for a new monthly subscription!
4. Build and foster friendly relations in the community
Above all else, this hobby and lifestyle is a way for us to find friends and peers. The various stores go through a lot of effort to pull off and host a day like this (and other such events). The least we can do is show our support by attending and spending as we make new friends who share our love.
With that public service announcement out of the way, from everyone here at the Geek Node, Happy Free Comic Book Day!!!!
How will you be spending Free Comic Book Day? Let us know in the comments!
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Darth Zady Bun
Guest Contributor
Zaid is a story teller, traveller, artist, entertainer and comic culture geek of note.
Powered by chocolate, and guided by an ever growing bucket (and collectibles) list, he finances his addiction to geek merchandise, comic books, action figures and all the cold cast porcelain and PVC pieces of heaven he can buy by giving (mostly) legal advice. He is also rumoured to have once eaten an entire pack of Marie Biscuits with a single mug of Five Roses Tea.
Witnesses deny the incident.
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Article Tags: Darthzadybun · fcbd · featured · Free Comic Book Day 2017
Article Categories: Comic Book Feature