While some stared at the lines stretching out the doors of local comic book shops in disbelief, to those that possess the love of comic books, it’s an annual tradition they look forward to welcoming — even if it does mean standing in line.
That was the case at many comic book stores for Free Comic Book Day. It’s a comic book-enthusiast’s holiday on the first Saturday of May. This year, it was coincidentally on May 4 — aka Star Wars Day. Free Comic Book Day is a day to celebrate and promote independent comic book stores and specialty shops across the world. These local shops provide free comics, and everyone takes part in the excitement and comradery of the day.
The South Bay is fortunate to have several different shops comic book stores close by that participated in Free Comic Book Day. In Sunnyvale Comic Collector Shop (574 E. El Camino Real) and Comics Conspiracy (913 W. El Camino Real) both took part. In Santa Clara, Illusive Comics & Games (1270 Franklin Mall) joined in as well.
While Comics Conspiracy and Illusive Comics & Games each had had a line of people waiting to get into the store, Comic Collector Shop had something more reminiscent of a popular comic book and TV-series, “The Walking Dead.”
According to Danjer Newton of Comic Collector Shop, “The parking lot was full of people walking about, talking to one another and coming and going from our store. It was almost like a scene from ‘The Walking Dead.’”
While not every comic book was free, there was something for everybody. Titles included The Amazing Spider-Man, Bob’s Burgers, Stranger Things, Dr. Who, The Avengers, Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles, Star Wars, and The Tick.
For more information on next year’s Free Comic Book Day, visit your local comic book sellers like Illusive Comics and Games (www.illusivecomics.com), Comic Collector Shop (www.facebook.com/ComicCollectorShop) or Comics Conspiracy (www.comicsconspiracy.biz).
