Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow, so here's one last roundup of various events and signings you can attend. Today's update includes events in Seattle, Texas, New Jersey, Michigan, Canada and all over California.
SLG Publishing will celebrate Free Comic Book Day at their San Jose location, The SLG Art Boutiki, with live music:
The Boutiki will be open from 12-4 giving away (Yes, GIVING AWAY) comic books and all kinds of cool stuff. We will have a selection of the official Free Comic Book Day comics as well as a large selection of SLG comics from years past. Maybe a couple of toys, who knows. Live Music by Perpetual Infinity (come get your funk on).
The SLG Art Boutiki is located at 577 S. Market Street, San Jose, CA 95113. The night before they have a gallery opening featuring the work of Eric Jones, along with more live music. For information on all their May event, check out this blog post.
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Dewey's Comic City in Madison, New Jersey will have Archie Comics artist and writer, and Joe Kubert School instructor Fernando Ruiz on hand all day:
Dewey’s Comic City, at 13 Park Avenue in Madison, NJ is planning the usual festive FREE COMIC BOOK DAY event, from 10am until 5pm. And as is our tradition we’ll be hosting a creator appearance by Archie Comics artist and writer, and Joe Kubert School instructor Fernando Ruiz. Fernando has been with us for every FCBD we’ve done and we’ve done them all – it wouldn’t be FCBD without him! He is especially great with the younger kids (among the classes he teaches at the Kubert School is the Saturday morning class intended for beginners and younger artists) as he’ll sit there for hours sketching and talking with the kids. There are many homes in the Madison / Chatham area of NJ with Fernando Ruiz sketches on their walls! We’re lucky to have such a great guy (and artist) with us! He is scheduled for between 1pm and 3pm (he usually stays a little later, or until his hand falls off).
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Isotope Comics in San Francisco welcomes the eight-year-old creator of The Masked Mutant, Basie. Details can be found here.
Be sure and drop by Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery this Saturday, May 2 between 11:30 and 8:00 PM to take full advantage of FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! Who knew?
To celebrate, Fantagraphics Books is offering a free sampler of Love and Rockets: New Stories by eminent alternative cartoonists Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez. Included is a special preview of Gilbert's "Sad Girl" saga, which introduces the character "Killer."
Also free is a limited supply of the coveted Unseen Peanuts comic from the 2007 Free Comic Book Day promotion, featuring rare strips by American master Charles M. Schulz. Not to mention the I.G.N.A.T.Z. sampler from last year's Free Comic Book Day featuring comics by David B., Zak Sally, Kevin Huizenga, Richard Sala and more. If that's not enough, we'll be handing out Comic Strip Masterpieces, a cool collection of classics including Little Nemo, Popeye, Krazy Kat, Terry & the Pirates and more presented in their original tabloid newsprint format.
Saturday's Free Comic Book Day coincides with the delightful Georgetown Super 8 Film Festival with screenings of locally produced short films at various locations in the neighborhood throughout the day and evening. Oh, and SAVE THE DATE: Tony Millionaire's Drinky Crow art show and book signing on Saturday, May 9, 6:00 to 9:00 PM.
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale St. at the corner of Airport Way S., only minutes from downtown Seattle. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110.
Along with some awesome surprises and thousands of free comics to give away, Brave New World is also offering Free Art Classes, taught by professional animators and comic book artists in their loft classroom, as well as FREE DEMOS of the new MMORPG game, Freaky Creatures all day. Comic book creators, artists, and writers will also be on hand to sign their latest works, talk about the comics that they have helped create, and possibly even step in to teach a class or two. There will also be exciting FREE photo opportunities with your favorite Star Wars characters, as the 501st Storm Trooper Squadron’s Los Angeles Garrison entertains the crowds with replica costumes. “But, don’t sleep in too late,” warned Atom!, Brave New World’s proprietor of pugnacious punctuation, “if Free Comic Book Day 8 is anything like the first seven, the free comics could run out before the crowd does….but the fun is here all day!”
Brave New World Comics is located in the yellow Victoria Center, at 22722 Lyons Avenue (corner of Lyons Ave. and Chestnut St.), in Newhall. Brave New World will open its doors at 11am on Free Comic Book Day, but there is usually a line by 9am for this event. For more information, contact Atom! or Portlyn at Brave New World – 661.259.4745, or atom@bravenewworldcomics.com.
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David Doub, creator of Dusk, will be at Madness Games and Comics in Plano, Texas:
I'll be at the following location from 10am - 3pm this Saturday for Free Comic Book Day.
Madness Games & Comics Plano
3131 Custer Road
Suite # 125
Plano TX 75075
972-943-8135
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Severla signings in Southern California will benefit the Hero Initiative:
Hero Initiative is proud to announce a unique fundraising partnership with Southern California comic stores on Saturday, May 2nd for Free Comic Book Day, and Los Angeles’ “Big Sunday” on May 3. Three comic stores in Southern California will donate proceeds directly to Hero Initiative from signings and drawings by featured creators. In addition, the local comic stores will host community events and distribute free comic books as part of the national celebration. Local celebrations on Saturday, May 2nd include:
Collector’s Paradise, 7131 Winnetka Ave, Winnetka California
A signing will be held between 12pm and 3:00pm attended by:
· Mark Waid (Amazing Spider-Man)
· Marc Guggenheim (Amazing Spider-Man)
· Jim Mahfood (40-oz. Comics)
· Mike Kunkel (Billy Baston and the Power of Shazam!)
· Joe Benitez (Justice League of America)
· David Wohl (Witchblade)
· JT Krul (Fathom)
In addition, eBay auctions of original art donated to Hero will start May 2nd at: http://qurls.com?i=47481
And a professional photographer will take picture of you and your favorite artist or Comic Book Hero at Collector’s Paradise with all proceeds donated to Hero Initiative.
Finally, you can bring your Ralphs Rewards grocery store card to Collector’s Paradise to sign it up for Hero on Ralphs Community Contribution program OR sign up for a new card and get a FREE copy of Hero’s What If This Was the Fantastic Four?
Meltdown Comics, 7522 West Sunset, Los Angeles CA
Artist Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween) will be in attendance on Hero’s behalf from noon-2 PM and will do sketches on the inside cover of books for $20, and Hero sketchcards for $10.
Four Color Fantasies, 7172 Archibald Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Original art auctions will benefit Hero Initiative, and there will be character appearances by Batman and Robin, Superman, and the Star Wars 501st legion. Drawing contests, face paining and free food and fun for the whole family will also be included. Some of the many featured artists to appear include:
· Todd Nauck (Amazing Spider-Man)
· Danny Miki (Amazing Spider-Man)
· Norm Rapmund (Infinite Crisis)
· Allen Martinez (Iron Man)
And on Sunday, May 3, Los Angeles’ all-inclusive charity event known as Big Sunday will also benefit Hero Initiative with “Change for Change” at many of its most-attended sites. Volunteers for Change for Change will be asking people to donate their loose change to Hero. Check out www.bigsunday.org for locations and events
“Big Sunday benefits literally hundreds of thousands of people every year, and speaking as a comic professional, I’m incredibly grateful our creative community is included among those the event helps out!” said Robin writer and Big Sunday coordinator Adam Beechen.
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Radical Comics has creators signing in California, Seattle and Vancouver:
On Saturday, May 2nd, Radical Comics creators across the West Coast will be making appearances for signings in California, Washington and Vancouver for Free Comic Book Day. The annual event, which serves to promote comic books across the globe, has comic retailers around the world giving away special issues of comic books absolutely free. Radical Creators will be on hand to sign both copies of their work and Radical Comics’ Free Comic Book Day issue at the following locations:
Nick Simmons (Son of Gene Simmons as well as creator, writer and artist for the upcoming new title Incarnate)
12:00 to 2:00 P.M.
Meltdown Comics
7522 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Doug Sirois (Colorist for Hercules: The Knives of Kush)
11:00 to 1:00 P.M.
Golden Apple Comics
7018 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Mark Long (CEO of Zombie Studios and co-creator of Shrapnel: Aristeia Rising)
12:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Zanadu Comics
1923 3rd. Ave.
Seattle, WA 98101
M. Zachary Sherman (writer for Shrapnel: Aristeia Rising)
12:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M.
Blue Moon Comics
1555A South Novato Blvd.
Novato, California 94947
Daryl Mandryk (Cover artist for Hercules: The Knives of Kush and lead concept artist for Propaganda Games’ Turok)
12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
Elfsar Comic and Toys
1007 Hamilton Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 5T4, Canada
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The Lightning Round ...
--Paul Hornschemeier will be at Vault of Midnight in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
--The Beguiling in Toronto has a host of creators who participated in the Comics Festival FCBD book.
--27 stores around the country will have free Bird Hurdler books, by Teenage Dinosaur, Tugboat Press and Sparkplug Press.
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And finally, even if you can't make out to a comics retailer tomorrow, you can still get a free comic if you have an email address:
Only two more days to get a free copy of the Bo Nanas mini-comic, "The Blustery Day." It's all in honor of Free Comic Book Day (Saturday. May 2), All you have to do is e-mail me and I'll send you a PDF copy. (There's a teeny bit of assembly required, but I know you can handle it.) So what are you waiting for? Get your copy today! Offer ends tomorrow!
Also, on Free Comic Book Day, I'll be at Comix Connection in York, PA, 10:00 to 2:00. I'll have the usual books and fun and FREE signed Bo prints.
As always you can find out too much about me on my blog:
