Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, fcbd, free comic book day

Free Comic Book Day Magic For A Fanboy And/Or Comic Store Owner

Published Sat, 12 May 2012 12:00:39 -0500

Jesse James, owner of Jesse James Comics in Glendale, AZ writes for Bleeding Cool;

On January 25th 1982, I was given a free Comic Book by Tom Heiner of the Friendly Neighborhood Comic Book Store in Las Vegas. Though, Tom's gesture was to get me to move away from his front door he had no idea the snow ball effect it would have.

I took the Avengers #129 (actual copy in picture) comic book home and jumped on my bed and read the comic about 5 times that night. I mean, I read it page by page word by word and ad by ad. My mind was racing in every direction as Thor yelled out Avengers Assemble. I would go every day after school to their ten cent bins and spend my dollar wisely and carefully transport my new comics home on my Huffy Bike. By the age of 18 years young I had amassed about 45 long boxes and just continued on going with a passion to own as many comics as possible.

This weekend marked another day for a young kid to get his first free comic. However, now there is a day for all the fans to celebrate and be rewarded with free comics. It's a day that we as store owners look forward to even more then Black Friday. It's a day we can open our doors and give thanks to our faithful customers. It's also a day to introduce our store to new customers who might have known about the store but had never been too. It's a day were budgets are stretched to the max but were profit and margins don't really matter. Yes, we pay for the Free comics but there is no hesitation in putting in your order. What matters is that there is a smile on every fans face as they walk out the door.

Free Comic Book Day is a Juggernaut and the whole world of Comic Book fans take part in it in some way or fashion. It doesn't matter what time you open or how many comics they get its the fact that your house is their house. As they map out their trip during that glorious day the excitement builds from store by store. Different cultures at each store provide for that moment of excitement not knowing whats behind that stores front door. In Arizona that trip consist of a very long day with 14+ stores to go get their goodies.

The other great thing that makes these day cool is the assortment of creators at each store. Giving out free sketches or showing their new books to the masses. It's their day as well to get a feel of being part of FCBD. Their sacrifices at night in their dungeon makes this day bitter sweetness and something they start planning for 2013 as this 2012 FCBD came to a end. I remember walking by a fan who asked me "Is that Brian Pulido and Raven Gregory next to each other?" The fan almost collapsed and he couldn't believe he got free comics and got to meet two of his favorite writers.

The Cossies as well were in full battle form. Their groups travel through the city looking to help enhance the FCBD feel at each store. The kids run a muck as they pose with their favorite hero or heroine. They have become a major part of the Comic Culture scene. Its hard to believe that there was a time that there wasn't that many Cossies. Seeing them do what they do and making a kid smile makes your day even better then it was.

Free Comic Book Day just works. It's not the business 101 answer but its the best way too put it. Diamond and the Publishers help guide you but in the end you know your store, fans, creators and the cossies. From the first comic giving out to the last comic that night you have accomplished something that most industries don't do and that's take care of their fans. Not if you spend $50.00 you get this sports bag filled with stuffed animals. But with free comics with no obligation. There's no "I need your address or join our Facebook page and you get something free". The fans reign supreme. It's the moment when the parents say its their child's first comic or that family picture you take with everybody holding up their new comics that makes you smile inside.

We don't have to partake in FCBD. As store owners, it's a option. We choose to be Ambassadors to the publishers and as Community Servants to our comic fan base. This isn't about the store owners doing a great deed its about a store owner knowing its their responsibility to maintaining our strong culture and future history of FCBD.

When it's all done for this one fantastic day, when you close your doors tired and beat up. You get to go home knowing that some kid is on his bed reading his brand new comic from your store page by page word by word and ad by ad. The only thing you have to do is fill their passion to own as many comics as possible.

Congrats to all the Stores, Creators, and Cossies for all you did this unbelievable 2012 FCBD. Most of all Congrats to all the fans who took home great comics. Without you FCBD would be just like those other industries who have a warehouse of free sport bags.

P.S. There was that movie this weekend that helped out us a little also…..

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