Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday.
That's the day you just pop into you local comics shop and politely but firmly proclaim, "Greetings, proprietor! Don't mind if I do sample one of your free comics offerings." And they'll give you one.
This year the industry is offering up 40 titles covering a variety of tastes and interests. All week Mania will spotlight groups of titles to guide you through the generous offerings of the united comics publishers and stores.
Yesterday we previewed some superhero offerings from the big guns. Today we're checking out the alternative press titles that you can sample just by visiting your local shop on May 2nd.
ARCANA STUDIO PRESENTS
© ARCANA STUDIO
(W/A) Various
Arcana Studio Presents Kade, Billy Boom Boom, Creepsville, Eve/Koni and more in this action-packed extravaganza featuring four of Arcana's iconic characters in all-new stories, published just for FCBD09! Arcana Studio Presents four all-new stories of action, adventure and intrigue in the way that only Arcana can!
Maniac Comment: Arcana Studio has been a proven provider of eclectic titles for all interests, as demonstrated in this sampler, which features epic fantasy, anime style action, horror and humor...all under one cover!
ATTACK OF THE ALTERNA-ZOMBIES!
© ALTERNA COMICS
(W/A) Various
The zombie menace invades the Alterna-Verse in this FCBD exclusive! Alterna Comics characters have turned into zombies and it's up to Jesus and Lincoln to defeat them and restore normality to their world. Features a brand-new original story written by Stephen Lindsay (Jesus Hates Zombies) and a knock-out cover by Michael S. Bracco (Birth, Novo). BONUS: Preview pages of every Alterna Comics title fills out the pages of this must-have FCBD edition!
Maniac Comment: How can you pass up the return of "Jesus Hates Zombies"?
COMICS FESTIVAL! 2009 VOLUME 3
© TORONTO COMICS ARTS FESTIVAL/LEGION OF EVIL PRESS
(W/A) Emmanuel Guibert, Kean Soo, Ramon Perez, Various
Join Emmanuel Guibert's Sardine, Kean Soo's Jellaby, and many more great creators and characters in Comics Festival! This fantastic collection of stories for kids of all ages will lead readers to discover dozens of great graphic novels, in the most exciting FCBD09!
Maniac Comment: Not all great kids comics need to be based on a Saturday morning cartoon. Here's a great sampler from the folks who bring you the Toronto Comics Arts Festival.
LOVE & ROCKETS SAMPLER
© FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
(W/A) Los Bros. Hernandez
This preview edition includes a sizeable chapter of the second half of Jaime's amazing super-hero romp "Ti-Girls Adventures", as well as Gilbert Hernandez's typically unique "Chest Fever," both from the upcoming Love & Rockets: New Stories Vol. 2, plus selections from Vol. 1 and a new cover by Gilbert and Jaime!
Maniac Comment: Here's one of the pioneers of the alternative comix scene.
MERCY SPARX: UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
© Devil's Due Publishing
(W) Josh Blaylock (A) Matt Merhoff
Mercy Sparx is the story of a Devil-Girl secretly hired by Heaven to hunt down rogue angels. If she plays her cards right, she might get a free pass into Heaven. Mercy starts the second chapter in her life on Earth as a true "employee" of Heaven, with new bosses and new tasks… and even more fighting and drinking! The new hit series created by Josh Blaylock gets a new series — and issue #1 is FREE! The second issue ships in July!
Maniac Comment: The hot new hit from the folks who bring you Hack/Slash
THE STUFF OF LEGEND PREVIEW
© TH3RD WORLD STUDIOS
(W) Mike Raicht, Brian Smith (A) Charles Paul Wilson III
The Stuff of Legend is a dark fantasy adventure in which a group of toys fight an unseen war to save their human master from every child's worst nightmare. Led by the toy soldier known as "The Colonel" and the boy's faithful teddy bear Max, the toys enter the dangerous realm of The Dark where they will face The Boogeyman and his army — a legion of the boy's bitter, forgotten toys! This FCBD09 offering features the first 20+ pages of The Stuff plus some of Th3rd World Studios' other 2009 offerings.
Maniac Comment: Sounds like a great gateway into a rich new fantasy world.
FCHS
© ADHOUSE BOOKS
(W) Vito Delsante (A) Rachel Freire
Do you remember high school? All the fun and trouble you used to get into? All of the sex, sports and alcohol that was your Senior year? It's time to go back! Join Hector, Kennedy, Jules and the whole gang at FCHS as they begin their last year of high school. Will they be ready for "the real world" when it's all over? Will they all make it? It's Archie meets 90210.
MATURE THEMES
Maniac Comment: The webcomics hit now in print!
DABEL BROS. SHOWCASE
© DABEL BROS. PUBLISHING
(W/A) Various
The Dabel Brothers bring you three original, never-before-seen tales for FCBD09, including the Dresden Files "Restoration of Faith"; "The Calm Before," the prelude story to adaptation of the classic film, The Warriors; and "Previously, on Take A Chance," which steps back in time to the day a gene-altering virus was released into the world. All this, plus a sneak preview of Del Rey's forthcoming novel, Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi — Outcast by Aaron Allston, a bold new adventure for Luke, Han, and your favorite Star Wars characters!
Maniac Comment: The folks who brought Anita Blake to life preview three more titles.
Tune in tomorrow where well spotlight eight comic books that the kids will love reading...for free! And be sure to visit FreeComicBookDay.com for more about this special event!
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I've been organizing a FCBD event for my whole library district (county). Last year it was a smaller affair w/ only 2 libraries, but this year we've got 7. The local shop has been awesome and donated a bunch of books, we also got a few direct from Diamond.
Support your local shops people (especially if you are a regular), the books aren't free so throw down for a trade, some YU-Gi-Oh cards or anything, not just your pull list.