Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, Conquest Comics, dc comics, entertainment, fcbd, Free Comic Book Day 2014, Marvel Comics

Celebrating Free Comic Book Day From Conquest Comics in Bayville, New Jersey

By Jared Cornelius

It's 8:30 AM and I've arrived at Conquest Comics in Bayville New Jersey.  The comic book faithful are lined up outside with their coffee and bagels from the dinner next door.  To steal a sports cliché the air is electric, with fandom.  As I enter the closed comic shop, owner Chris Blewitt invites me to drink in the ambiance.  The counter is lined with title after title of free books, Rocket Raccoon, Uber, Bleeding Cool Magazine, Mouse Guard, decorate the counter in a wonderful mash up of art styles.  Toys of all kinds line the walls, and long box after long box sit perched around the room.  After the initial sensory overload wears off we talk while he frantically prepares for the inevitable onslaught that is Free Comic Book Day.  I've known Chris for several years now, but this is the first time I've talked to him about the business in broad terms.

Jared Cornelius: How important is Free Comic Book Day to you?

Chris Blewitt: It's designed to bring new readers involved in the hobby and give current and existing readers a chance to pick up a book they normally wouldn't try out.  Someone might pick up a copy of Atomic Robo who normally only buys Marvel or DC and all the sudden they're coming in telling me to put it on their pull list.  Bringing in new readers is just as important as turning on new readers to something new.

JC: Is this your biggest day of the year?

CB: Yeah, we have a few sales throughout the year but this definitely is the biggest day of the year.

JC: What are your expectations for the day, other than being run ragged?

CB: We have a few masked characters and I'm hoping to see the kids come in and take pictures, that's always fun.  I like when kids come in and show they're really interested in this stuff.  That's the best because you always have people coming in after they see "free" in the paper and they just grab as much as they can without supporting the hobby.  Thankfully that's only a small percentage of people.  I love seeing people excited for the day, we've been getting calls all week, "how late are you open", "what time do you open", "what are your plans", and I really appreciate it when the fans enjoy it.

JC: Is this fandom's biggest day?

CB: I don't know if its fandom's biggest day, it's definitely one of the good days!  I think in this hobby it's grown so much, it think with the explosion of the big conventions from San Diego, to New York, to the smaller ones, they're so many show for people to go to and the creators to go meet and interact with the fans those are up there. I don't know if there's one single day, with the release of the movies and the TV shows, I think it's a really exciting time and there's plenty of "the days".

Chris flips the sign and a stream of the faithful walk in, a father and son, a few of the Wednesday regulars, and some faces I've never seen before.  A few families come in, a girl and her mother come from the bagel store next door.  I ask her what her favorite comic is, she tells me in a hushed voice she doesn't know.  Her mother politely tells me that she reads comics at her friend's house.

I'm approached by a red haired young man named Luke who asks me who I write for.  I tell him Bleeding Cool.  I can tell by the look on Luke's face he's a genuine fan, he's wearing a Doctor Who t-shirt, and a Power Ranger hat and he lets me know he wants to talk.  I ask what his number one free book was, he tells me he's a huge Power Rangers fan, gleefully holding up his FCBD copy.  Luke tells me he's been coming to the store for six year and this is his favorite day.

As I meander through the store I meet Andrew Mako and Amanda Tucci.  I ask the two fans for their thoughts on the day.

JC: What are your thoughts on Free Comic Book Day?

AM: It's freaking awesome!  It gets people into the stories they normally don't read and introduce kids to books they might not read.

JC: What was your number one book today or the thing you were most excited to pick up?

AM: I didn't look at anything online this year but DC's Future's End looks interesting.

JC: Amanda, what's your number one?

AT: Same thing Future's End.

JC: Are you guys Marvel, DC, or neutral?

AT: DC.

AM: I read stories!

JC: What else are you looking to pick up today?

AM: I'm looking for a whole bunch of 1980's Green Arrow stuff and probably some 80's 90's Batman stuff.

JC: How long have you been a hipster?

AT: I told you!

AM: I guess it was just brought to my attention.

JC: Amanda, how long has he been a hipster?

AT: Forever.

AM: The appropriate answer is "before it was cool".

JC: Amanda what are your thoughts on FCBD?

AT: It's awesome.  It's bleeping awesome!

JC: Is there anything in particular you came in looking for today?

AT: I was looking to fill gaps, I have a list.  No Man's Land's on top, a lot of Wonder Woman.

I thank both for talking to me and grab a picture of their haul.  As we've been talking an ever steadier stream of fans come in.  Lots of families and parents with their kids.  I continue taking pictures of the shop teeming with fans.

I see a father with three kids, the two young girls are dressed up, one as R2-D2 and one as a Dalek.  I approach their father, Tom Brown, Tom tells me he's a longtime fan and the kids have inherited his fandom.  He tells me he's a big Walking Dead fan, I turn to the kids, William, Megan, and Molly.  All three tell me their big Adventure Time fans, a sentiment I heard from kids all morning.  The girls especially liked the female focused titles like Marceline and Fiona.  Molly says she really likes Sonic too.  I ask Tom if he's happy the kids have taken to comics, Tom says that kids' books now comprise most of his pull list and it's a little expensive but he's overall please with his kids taste in books.

I continue my rounds and I run into store regular, Matt Turczanovocz, Matt helps bag and board comics here at the shop and defends the Amazing Spider-Man (movie) at any given time.  Matt and I make pleasant conversation for a few minutes before I turn on my recorder and formally ask him his thoughts on the day.

JC: You want to give a couple thoughts on FCBD?

MT: It's pretty exciting, it's my first one actually.  It's pretty interesting to say the least.

JC: You're not new to comics are you?

MT: No, I've been watching comic book movies and TV shows and stuff like that, but this is the first Free Comic Book Day I've attended.

JC: What are your thoughts on this as far as for the industry?

MT: It's very cool, it's a great gathering and I didn't think it would be this big especially this early in the morning.

JC: Is today the antithesis of the internet?

MT: I think FCBD is a great thing, none of the hate on the internet and today's about fans.

I end up on a chair in the backroom writing, when I emerge almost an hour later the store is absolutely swarmed.  People are in every corner of the store admiring the toys, statues, and comics.  It's a sight I'm sure is going on in almost every comic shop in the world.

The mornings become afternoon and more and more fans bring their, stacks to the counter.  They happily interact and recommend books to each other.  The Marvel vs. Capcom 2 machine is getting used as I hear "Gonna take you for a ride!"  Chris mans the cash register and his business partner Pete runs back and forth from front to back.  I hear Chris ask cash or credit constantly and it's clear today is a success.  I've stood back and witnessed the train of happy fans and customers and I'm reminded how much fun it is to be a fan, and how much fun it is to be in the hobby.  I hope you had fun on Free Comic Book Day, because I know I did.  I'd like to take a minute to thank Chris and Pete for hosting me today, you can find out more about Conquest Comics on their website, they have neat exclusives like the Funko Pop White Phoenix so for all your comic and toy needs check them out.  I hope next year we can do it again.

Jared Cornelius is some guy from New Jersey's coast who had a great time at FCBD!  If you'd like to share your FCBD story contact him on Twitter @John_Laryngitis

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