By Dan Brown

It lives!

Free Comic Book Day will return May 2 at L.A. Mood Comics & Games.

I got my hands on some of the freebie sampler comics that will be handed out, so here are a few preliminary thoughts for those preparing to attend the event otherwise known as Geek Christmas.

And remember, these mini-comics will be around only while supplies last, so be sure to get to 100 Kellogg Lane early on the first Saturday in May for the best selection!

I think the big headline this spring is that many of the FBCD comics have a special focus on comics literacy.

What I mean is, they are aimed at young readers and include helpful information about comics lingo, how comics are structured, and so on. The whole point of FCBD is to create new fans while giving existing fans reasons to be pumped about new stories that are coming soon from your favourite publishers.

So if you’re the parent of a budding comics fan, you’ll want to pick up these books in particular. I wish I had had this kind of resource when I was eight years old!

The Stitch (of Lilo and Stitch fame) booklet, titled Best Food Forever, includes a two-page spread showing how an unfinished comics page goes from rough sketch to line art to a finished inked page. 

With gorgeous illustrations by Nao Kodaka, the Stitch sampler comes in manga form and also includes a back inside cover that answers the question, “How do you read manga-style?” for those who have never encountered the Japanese storytelling format before.

The Marvel comic featuring Spidey and His Amazing Friends gives definitions for industry terms such as panel, word balloon, and caption. It also provides proof that the days of Peter Parker being the only Spider-Man are long gone! The chibi cast includes Spin, Ghost-Spider and Symbie, all different versions of the character that has been around since 1962.

The FCBD Pizza and Taco floppy goes an additional step by having the two characters create a comic of their own. “Panels are the boxes that break up a comics page,” one footnote explains. The anthropomorphic food items instruct readers how to fold three pieces of paper to construct a homemade comic.

Speaking of young readers, one of the highlights among all of this year’s freebies is the Whole Wide World of Mabel Mulligan. It’s about a fourth-grader who would rather be alone with her stuffy Badger than with so-called friends who call her “weird.”

As her summer vacation beckons, Mabel is excited to learn her family plans to renovate their attic, so Mabel can at last have her own room, separate from her tyrant little sister. It’s an enchanting story.

Every fandom under the sun is represented this FCBD.

There’s one starring He-Man, as well as comics featuring the Avengers, Garfield, the creature from the Alien franchise, Predator, the Planet of the Apes gang, Archie and his friends, Jem and the Holograms, Sonic the Hedgehog, the Power Rangers, Street Fighter, and Megaman.

In my eyes, the best of the lot is the one based on the 1980s superhero TV series The Greatest American Hero. Readers with long memories will remember this show about an ordinary guy who gets an alien supersuit but misplaces the instructions. It has gorgeous art from Alper Gelcel with strong writing by Don Handfield. 

The story picks up when the hero returns to Earth after decades spent off-world. The intuitive panel sense the creative team displays is the strongest I’ve seen in a long time. It’s a slick little book.

I hope to see you at L.A. Mood in early May!

Don’t forget the store is partnering with the London Children’s Museum, also housed in the historic Kellogg’s factory. The museum promises a “celebration of storytelling and creativity through hands-on activities, special guests, and a special gift from our friends at L.A. Mood Comics & Games!” 

Plus, as in previous years, there will be sales galore!

Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 33 years as a journalist  and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly Graphic-Novel Group book club.