Free Comic Book Day 2016

This Saturday, 7 May 2016 was yet again another Free Comic Book Day, hosted here by Three Alarm Comics.   

For those of you who are new to this,  FCBD has three stated purposes:

1. To introduce the public to the joys of reading comics.
2. To call back former comic book readers.
3. To thank current comic book buyers for their continued support.

The web home of FCBD is here.  

FCBD has a long history and you can read the Wikipedia article here:  Free Comic Book Day

Three Alarm Comics of D’Iberville hosted Free Comic Book Day for this local area and the turn out was pretty good.  There were guest artists to be seen, costumes to be worn and comic books to be had by all.  This time around, there seemed to be a good deal of interest in Harley Quinn character with a fair number images and a several costumers.

I was especially pleased to see the younger crowd interested in comic books and in costuming.  The future of fandom lives in our ability to interest our young fans.

The great thing about comic books and graphic novels is their ability to gain the interest of some who may initially find reading a chore.  Kids who love to read and are around adults to love to read generally become good students and are more successful, at least in my opinion.  So let’s do some reading ourselves and also get kids reading. 

 

 

 

This year again was a successful FCBD and in no small part due to the efforts of the organizers, participation of the artists, and the turnout of eager fans.  Thanks to everybody for supporting and attending your local FCBD.

                          CoastConFan

  Links to my previous FCBD posts

http://coastconfan.blogspot.com/2015/04/free-comic-book-day-2015.html

http://coastconfan.blogspot.com/2014/05/free-comic-book-day-3-may-2014.html

http://coastconfan.blogspot.com/2013/05/free-comic-book-day-and-may-fourth-be.html

Free Comic Book Day 2015

This 2nd of May 2015 is Free Comic Book Day.  Support your local comic book shop by showing up for Free Comic Book Day and get your free comics.  It started back in 2002 and has grown to a nation-wide movement.

Three Alarm Comics at 15210 LeMoyne Blv., Biloxi (D'Iberville) MS 39532,  is a local sponsor here for Free Comic Book Day, held every year on the first Saturday in May. 

View my previous post, which was about the SF oriented issues of Classics Illustrated comics of the 40s, 50s, and 60s.  

If you want to see who in your local area is sponsoring Free Comic Book Day?  Use this link to find out:  http://www.freecomicbookday.com/storelocator

-----------------UPDATE--------------------

 
FCBD at 3 Alarm Comics was well attended and there were a good representation of artists doing what they do best, drawing and signing.  There were a number of excellent costumes covering the whole spectrum of fandom.  

Outside 3 Alarm Comics, the Mississippi contingent of the 501st Legion was encamped to the delight of many.  

Jenevieve Broomall

Brian LeBlanc

Wade Acuff

Andy B. Childress

Assorted artists at FCBD 2015 at 3 Alarm Comics

Steven Butler with Sonic Guitar

Steven Butler designed the graphics for a custom Sonic the Hedgehog guitar art last year and this year the finished guitar was signed at FCBD.   I'll post in detail about this very special guitar later with additional information and photos. 

This year seemed to be a successful FCBD and I am sure that at all the other locations, there was fun and comic books to be had by all.  I'd like to thank the organizers and participating comic book shops for making a lot of people happy. 

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I really like to push the idea of people enjoying to read and comic books/graphic novels are a good way to spark interest.  Many kids don’t like to read or have difficulty, so I believe that comic books are a way to spur a greater reading participation in the community.  Now I say kids, but adult literacy is something to consider also and it’s a national tragedy that many adults have difficulty reading.  This holds them back from better jobs, so I hope that comics might also get adults to read more.  Support your local literacy council and don’t forget to read to your kids every chance you can. 

                                                                                 CoastConFan

Links of interest

The homesite for Free Comic Book Day

http://www.freecomicbookday.com/Home/1/1/27/992

Previous CoastConFan blog posts about Free Comic Book Day, with photos.

http://coastconfan.blogspot.com/2014/05/free-comic-book-day-3-may-2014.html

http://coastconfan.blogspot.com/2013/05/free-comic-book-day-and-may-fourth-be.html

Post about Classics Illustrated Comics
http://coastconfan.blogspot.com/2015/04/classics-illustrated-comics-remembering.html   

 

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

 

Links of Interest:

The 60 comics given away are reviewed.  http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/05/02/all-sixty-free-comic-book-day-2014-comics-reviewed-the-round-up/

Best books to get on Free Comic Book Day:  http://io9.com/the-absolute-best-comics-to-grab-this-free-comic-book-d-1570893113

Free Comic Book Day Last Year on CoastConFan  http://coastconfan.blogspot.com/2013/05/free-comic-book-day-and-may-fourth-be.html