Tips for Celebrating Free Comic Book Day 2016

Free Comic Book Day 2016 is on May 7, and it isn’t just another obscure holiday on a calendar. It’s a day with a purpose and more importantly, freebies! Nowadays, brick-and-mortar comic book stores are losing out to modern mediums like digital downloads or comic conventions. What really drives their business is the ability to convert regular people into die-hard comic book fans; the ones who return to the store on a regular basis to pick up the newest releases. That’s why the industry has created its very own day to attract new readers. Free Comic Book Day started a little more than a decade ago when the comic book movie genre revived an interest in comics. Comic book collecting can be quite an investment and a newbie may not know where to start. That’s why the organizers of Free Comic Book Day create special issues that make it easy for people to get into the hobby. If you’re looking to join in on the fun, I’ve got a few tips to help you out.

Tips for Celebrating Free Comic Book Day 2016

1. Locate a store near you. The organizers of the holiday made it really easy for everyone to participate with their Store Locator page on their website. Just type in your zip code to pull up a list of nearby comic book shops. It’s important to note that although this holiday is wildly popular, not every store participates. Avoid an embarrassing situation by making sure the store you’re visiting is an actual participant of the holiday.
2. See the titles. Free Comic Book Day is not about getting any comic book for free, so please don’t walk into a store and expect to get whatever you want for free. In a partnership with certain publishers, specially-created comic books that are sold to the participating shops are the ones that they give for free. Since the shops have to buy the promotional issues, they do not always pick up the entire selection. Sometimes, they only have one or two titles available while others may carry the entire line. You can find the entire title list here, but for specifics, you can contact the shop directly to learn more about their policies.
3. Go early. Free stuff has a tendency to go quickly. Head early to the shop to get first dibs and to be sure that there are free comics still available. If the comic shop you’re planning to attend is particularly popular, then it’s much more important to arrive early to avoid crowds.
4. Wear a costume. Last year, the organizers held a cosplay contest on social media with some really cool prizes. If you want to join in on the fun, I suggest you dust off that old superhero costume or grab yourself a new one and suit up for a chance to get even more free stuff! Plus, the kids will enjoy spending the day dressed as their favorite comic book character.

Free Comic Book Day can be lots of fun for the whole family! Be sure to bring the kids along for the fun. Shop owners tend to be pretty generous with kids, which is a bonus for everyone. Have you ever celebrated Free Comic Book Day? Is so, tell us about your experience by leaving a comment!