by L.A. Mood Comics and Games

By Dan Brown

Here’s some free advice.

Do yourself a favour this weekend and make time on Saturday to head down to 100 Kellogg Lane for Free Comic Book Day at L.A. Mood Comics & Games.

It’s the annual event held at comic stores everywhere when retailers offer freebie sampler comics to their customers, as well as putting on sales that include some outrageous discounts.

It kicked off in 2002 and quickly became an institution among those whose who have nerdy tastes. It grew into what some have dubbed “geek Christmas.”

“This event celebrates the independent comic book specialty shops, thousands of which exist in North America alone,” organizers explain on Free Comic Book Day’s official website.

And here in London, it’s always had its own flavour with store owners marking the day in their own distinct way.

At L.A. Mood, for instance, local comic creator Eric Olcsvary will be holding court.

“Eric is an extremely talented indie comic creator and an all-around delightful human being. Make sure you stop by his table to say ‘Hi’ and check out his comics,” the folks at L.A. say.

Olcsvary is known for his AllsCherryComics line, including his Wendy series.

The store is also teaming up with Shaw’s Ice Cream, located on the second floor of 100 Kellogg, for a contest that will test the creativity of comic-book fans, who are asked to rename an existing Shaw’s ice-cream flavour using a comic book or superhero reference (without using trademark names).

I know my favourite is maple walnut. 

Now how could I make that into a comic-themed flavour . . . 

The publishers giving away samplers of their titles this year include Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, Random House Children’s Books, Boom! Studios, and Archie. 

The one title that caught my eye on the FCBD site is Marvel’s Fantastic Four offering.

“(Writer) Ryan North and (artist) Humberto Ramos craft an unusual story in which the Fantastic Four respond to a most unusual interdimensional summons!” the bumpf for the issue exclaims.

Sounds like classic FF! The freebie comes, of course, as Marvel Studios prepares to launch Fantastic Four: First Steps on the big screen at the end of July. 

What I love about Free Comic Book Day, apart from the deals, is the feeling that’s in the air as comic fans travel to the Forest City’s comic stores.

Spring is arriving, university classes are over, the world is just coming back to life after the winter. Comic fans are getting primed for the summer’s big movie releases, and cosplayers often have new outfits to wear.

The first Saturday in May wouldn’t be the same without it.

You may have heard how the owner of the Free Comic Book Day brand, the comics distributor Diamond, entered Chapter 11 earlier this year. I don’t think there’s any need to fret.

The day has become its own special thing, and if Diamond doesn’t survive I have no doubt that comic stores would step in to keep the tradition alive, even without the distributor acting as coordinator.

I hope to see you on Saturday!

Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 32 years as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly graphic-novel group.