Achi news desk-
Comics fans from all over the city flocked to their local comic shops on Saturday to celebrate Free Comic Book Day.
Erica Van Oeveren, one of the owners of 204 Comics in St. Vital, that the store sees record numbers come through the doors every year, with fans checking out what’s new on the scene and celebrating their favorite titles.
“It’s great,” Van Oeveren said. “Everyone is coming out of the woodwork. It’s so great, so much fun to see everyone.”
And with more comics like Deadpool a Invincible adapting for the big screen, Van Oeveren says a different crowd is emerging.
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“Disney+ and other streaming services have really improved that, making them accessible and welcoming the new generation to comics.”
Nicholas Friesen, a local comic creator, says he has also noticed the shift. “Just before I got here, I saw a whole group of children coming out. And they were dressed in Batman cowls, and they had all their comic books for free.”
Friesen says many children start their journey into comics with graphic novels.
“But to pick up a single issue, 24 page, flip comic, and to learn about the page turning, and to see the action come into play, it’s like nothing else,” says Friesen. “You can read these things online, but there’s something about holding the physical pages in your hand.”
And while TV and film adaptations may inspire some comic converters, Friesen says the industry’s juggernauts, Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, aren’t bringing out fans like they used to.
“You might get one in 10 children to become a new reader, and that’s an important thing. Guys like me who are in our 40s now, who have been lifelong readers, and lifelong comics makers, the next generation of readers need to step up.”
Friesen hopes that Free Comic Book Day will help fans reconnect with the characters they grew up with, and fall in love with new stories to keep up with throughout the years.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
