Saturday, May 3, 2014

Free Comic Book Day 3 May 2014 – CoastConFan Goes to Free Comic Book Day



Today Three Alarm Comics in Biloxi hosted the annual Free Comic Book Day for the local area.  They opened their doors at 12 and had people setting up before 10 and people waiting an hour early before the doors opened to the general public.  Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotion and effort by the comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores nationwide starting back in 2001. 

Free Comic Book Day 2014 here in Biloxi was like a min-comic convention with costumes, comic artists and of course, fans.  There were surprisingly lots of fans for this small area coastal area.  Fans of all ages showed up in a multi generational affair with attendees who ranged from gray haired fans to small children just getting started.   Last year this event was estimated at 3,000 attendees and they probably had that many today, if not more by the close of the day.  Attendance was free and a number of comic books were given out free to attendees.  There was genuine enthusiasm in the community and the weather was just perfect for the event which spread out into the parking lot.
Outside the store itself, vendors sold comic and fannish related items and inside the artists themselves were available.  It’s amazing to think that all over the country that this was happening in cities, towns, and villages.  It’s the fans coming out to support their favorite comic books, graphic novels and memorabilia galore.  In attendance this year were artists K. Michael Russell, Jason Graig, T.D. Roebuck, Mike McKone, Brian K. Vaughan, Andy Childress, Brian LeBlanc, Steven Butler, and Mitch Byrd. 
Andy B Childress
Brian LeBlanc
Jason Graig
Mike McKone
T. D. Roebuck
K. Michael Russel

Brian K. Vaughan
Mitch Byrd
Steven Butler

The great thing about events of this type is that it gets young people interested in reading and supports ongoing literacy efforts.  We all know that people who read well do better in school, at work and in the community.   I'd like to thank all persons who put together Free Comic Book Day 2014 as well as the attending artists.
3 Alarm Comics, Free Comic Book Day 2014

For those interested, the sponsor locally was Three Alarm Comics and it is located on 15210 Lemoyne Blv., in Biloxi MS 39532.  
                                                                                            CoastConFan
 


5 comments:

  1. There are so many sites who provides the online shopping services.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Absolutely true! I do a good deal of on line shopping for scarce, out of print, or obscure books. I also use Project Gutenberg and other sites to download out-of-copyright books for free. There are a lot of resources available for the collector. I lament the decline of the local privately owned bookstores all over the country and the plethora of used book shops that used to dot the landscape. There are still some finds to be had at thrift shops and flea markets, but they are chancy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This sounds like a pretty amazing event, full of the best bits of Nerdonia; generosity, inclusiveness and a overarching concern for the importance of education (literacy, science, history).

    ReplyDelete
  4. That glowing recommendation could cause me to launch spontaneously into the Nerdonian national anthem:

    Hail, Hail Nerdonia, land of the brave and free!*

    *With many acknowledgements to the Marx Brothers and the film, Duck Soup.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you very much to share this information. It is very useful and informative.

    ReplyDelete