Achi news desk-
Comic book stores in the Waterloo region joined forces in one of the comic book industry’s biggest annual celebrations.
Saturday was ‘Free Comic Book Day,’ a day when stores across North America give away a selection of free comic books to fans and newcomers alike.
The event takes place on the first Saturday of May and features titles from industry titans, such as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Dark Horse Comics, as well as some independent publishers.
Millions of books have been distributed since Free Comic Book Day began in 2002, with thousands of stores choosing to take part.
For many fans, it’s a day they look forward to all year.
“I opened it [the store] two hours early and there was a lineup at the door!” Andrew Salter, owner of The Hero’s Tale in Cambridge told CTV News on Saturday morning.
“The first two hours have been very, very busy,” he laughed.
Pass on passion
A number of people who stopped by The Hero’s Tale came with young family members who have just started their journey into the world of comic books.
“I’ve been reading comic books most of my life. It’s great to pass on a passion to the next generation,” said Harold Bost after he helped his three-year-old son Jude pick out a couple of free books.
Jude was all smiles as he held up his selections, Spidey and His Amazing Friends and Barkham Asylum.
“It’s really cool that we have a local comic shop now,” Bost said. “We didn’t have one before, and ever since this place opened it’s been so great for the community and the hobby.”
For other young followers, it was an opportunity to pick up some books from their favorite series and consider diving into new adventures.
“I really like to read. Sometimes I stay up until midnight reading,” said ten-year-old Ezri Patten, holding a stack of manga and comic books in her arms. “I really enjoy comic books, manga, and it’s really nice to have this place.”
“It’s great to have this in the community. It’s nice to be able to come down to Preston town centre. It’s a lot more alive than it used to be a few years ago,” says Rebecca Patten. “Manga and comics have been a great way to get them excited about reading.”
Choosing two free comic books was quite a challenge for eight-year-old Koda.
“It was quite difficult!” he said. “I went with some things I thought looked cool and some things I’ve seen trailers [for],” he said, showing a comic book that accompanies the upcoming movie Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
“I was very young when I first started reading, and I couldn’t stop reading, and I started with comic books,” Salter said. “Then I went to novels, and still maintain my comic books as well. I’m still a voracious reader to this day, and it all started because of comic books.”
