On the first Saturday of every May, comic book stores across North America participate in a promotional event where comic books are given away free of charge. This is an effort put forth by the comic book industry to help bring readership into independent comic book stores. This annual affair is described by many as “Christmas for comic book fans.”
Your News Now reports that the three main purposes of this event is to; (1) Introduce everyone to the joys of reading comics, (2) To call back former comic book readers, and (3) To thank current comic book buyers for their continued support.
Publishers often create special edition comics geared to attracting new readers who aren’t normally into comic books. Each year these publishers apply to this event in order to provide comic books at-cost to the retailers who in turn give them away for free. These events also tend to run alongside movie promotions, and this year the event is promoting the release of Iron Man 3.
Unfortunately, not all locations that carry comics give them away for free. This specific event was intended to celebrate independent comic book specialty shops, and each shop decides whether or not they want to participate.
The Dragon, a comic book retailer located in The Old Quebec Street Mall in Guelph, took part in this all-day event on May 4. Coincidentally it fell on Star Wars Day which celebrates the significance of the “May Fourth Movement”, a pun on the phrase “May the Force be with you.” It is no surprise that their shop was fully stocked with free Star Wars comics, and guests were even paid a visit from Darth Vader and Princess Leia who were promoting the bestseller Vader’s Little Princess.
Some of the other free comic books included; World of Archie Digest, SpongeBob Freestyle Funnies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sesame Street and The Walking Dead. Considering this event is intended to introduce everyone to the joys of comic book reading, they seemed to have covered the spectrum offering comics for a variety of ages, genders and interests.
Upwards of 4.6 million free comic books were expected to have been given away across North America that day.