Free Comic Book Day 2018 Guide

Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day, so here I am with this year's edition of the FCBD guide! For those of you who have never participated, it may be helpful to have a few of the details clarified. Generally, FCBD goes something like this: You enter your local comic shop-- if you're unsure where the nearest one is, you can find out right here-- and the FCBD comics are displayed on a table or shelf, usually separate from the rest of the merchandise. Some shops place a limit on how many free books you can choose, while some let you grab as many as you like; it's all up to the owners of each store. Whatever the case, make sure to buy something while you're there, because while the comics are free to customers, the stores have to pay for them. They pay much less than they do for a normal comic, but it's still money out of their pockets.

FCBD grows each year, and so does the selection of free comics. It can be a little overwhelming, particularly with all the extra traffic most shops experience during the event. It helps to have a few key comics in mind that you're interested in. Lucky thing you happened across this, eh? (Of course, keep in mind that not every comic shop will have ordered every single comic. Generally, the majority will be offered, however.)

Once again, the owners of Hattiesburg's own Southern Fried Comics graciously allowed me to come by a few days early and read through this year's comics. Thanks to their generosity, I'm able to bring you a thorough look at this year's FCBD offerings! Let's start by taking a look at my top picks.

Bongo Comics Free-For-All: Simpsons Comics are always solid all-ages fun, entertaining to adults and children alike.

Amazing Spider-Man: Marvel is relaunching Spider-Man-- yes, again-- and this issue is a fun preview. Writer Nick Spencer has become a rather polarizing figure for many, but he always turns out very solid work, and his style is a perfect fit for Spidey. This is one of the funnest FCBD comics on offer this year!

Relay: This story featuring a space traveler landing on a technologically undeveloped planet is a very entertaining kickoff to a sci-fi story with lots of promise. Another draw is the excellent art by Andy Clarke's art.

Spongebob's Freestyle Funnies: As with the Bongo FFA, Spongebob comics are always reliable fun for all ages. 

The Tick: It's the Tick! 

Shadowman: Valiant has been remarkably consistent in the quality of its comics since its relaunch a few years ago. Shadowman has been a character they've kinda struggled with, but this latest incarnation is very promising. If you're looking for a superhero comic that's off the beaten path, you can't do much better then looking in Valiant's direction!

Shadow Roads: There just aren't enough westerns in comics, and this one is quite solid, and has a sci-fi twist. Billed as a spiritual successor to the acclaimed The Sixth Gun, this is one to keep an eye on. 

Unicron: IDW's long-running Tranformers comics are about to face the threat of the world-destroying Unicron, and cult favorite character Rom is along for the ride. 

Bob's Burgers: Like the show? Then you'll like this comic! 

Berlin: I actually didn't get to read this one, but it looks fascinating. Lutes is a fantastic creator, and the subject matter is very compelling. I'll be tracking down a copy of this one!

Barrier: A compelling story from a solid writer and a fantastic artist, clocking in at 53 pages, to be followed by four weekly chapters completing the story? If you like engaging, visually beautiful stories and instant gratification, this is the comic for you! 

Taking the kids along? Then you'll want to keep an eye out for these Kid-Friendly Comics!
DC Superhero Girls
Power Rangers
Comics Friends Forever
Invader Zim
Disney Princess Ariel
Pokemon
2000 AD Regened
Adventure Time
Crush
Sparks
Howard Lovecraft's Big Book of Summer Fun
Legend of Korra
Miraculous Adventures
Nightmare Before Christmas- Zero's Journey
Star Wars Adventures
And of course, the aforementioned Bongo Comics FFA, Spongebob's FF, and Bob's Burgers.

There are still more comics to discover, however! you can view the full selection here. These are just the ones that stuck out to me, for one reason or another. Whichever comics catch your eye, be sure to get out tomorrow and have some fun, and support your local comic shop in the bargain!

Free Comic Book Day 2017 Guide

Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day, so here I am with this year's edition of the FCBD guide! For those of you who have never participated, it may be helpful to have a few of the details clarified. Generally, FCBD goes something like this: You enter your local comic shop-- if you're unsure where the nearest one is, you can find out right here-- and the FCBD comics are displayed on a table or shelf, usually separate from the rest of the merchandise. Some shops place a limit on how many free books you can choose, while some let you grab as many as you like; it's all up to the owners of each store. Whatever the case, make sure to buy something while you're there, because while the comics are free to customers, the stores have to pay for them. They pay much less than they do for a normal comic, but it's still money out of their pockets.

FCBD grows each year, and so does the selection of free comics. It can be a little overwhelming, particularly with all the extra traffic most shops experience during the event. It helps to have a few key comics in mind that you're interested in. Lucky thing you happened across this, eh? (Of course, keep in mind that not every comic shop will have ordered every single comic. Generally, the majority will be offered, however.)

The owners of Hattiesburg's own Southern Fried Comics graciously allowed me to come by a few days early and read through this year's comics. Thanks to their generosity, I'm able to bring you a much more thorough look at this year's FCBD offerings! Let's start by taking a look at my top picks. 

Bongo Comics Free-For-All: Bongo's Simpsons comics are always great fun appropriate for all-ages, and this year's FCBD offering is no exception.

Secret Empire: This tie-in to Marvel's big summer event includes a twist I can't believe still hasn't been spoiled. It also includes a preview of the upcoming Spectacular Spider-Man series.

Wonder Woman: This is a reprint of last year's Wonder Woman #2, part one of the Year One story. It's not only a damn good comic, but a great introduction to the character for anyone interested in reading about her. If you're excited about the upcoming movie, definitely pick this up!

X-O Manowar: Valiant has been publishing some of the most consistently good comics available since their return several years ago, and this continues that tradition. Previews of several other Valiant series are also included.

World's Greatest Cartoonists: Fantagraphics has compiled a thick issue packed with short stories from a variety of creators, spanning several genres. If you're feeling like somethinf off the beaten path, pick this up!

Tex- Patagonia: Westerns used to be one of the most prominent genres in comics, but they have become increasingly rare over the years, so it's always nice to see more.

Keyser Soze- Scorched Earth: This prequel to the classic The Usual Suspects promises to be very interesting indeed! 

Betty & Veronica: Archie has completely revitalized their comics in the past few years, and this issue is a great sampler for anyone curious about what they're doing.

2000 A.D: The long-running British anthology is always interesting, and this year's FCBD offering is as great as ever.

The Incal: A thirty-page excerpt from the classic graphic novel by Moebius, one of the all-time greats. 

The Tick: It's the Tick! What more needs to be said?

Rick and Morty: The comic delivers the same subversive, biting sci-fi humor and adventure as the animated series. A must for fans of the show!

Star Trek: The Next Generation- Mirror Broken: I've never been a huge Star Trek fan, but even I found this interesting. A story set in the mirror universe, with evil versions of the ST:TNG protagonists, is a Trekkie's wet dream. Plus, it has Patrick Stewart in a tank top with a rockin' beard. What's not to love?

Catalyst Prime- The Event: a threat from space gives rise to a wave of superhumans in this story by Christopher Priest. It's an intriguing setup for a new universe of superhero adventures.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: I haven't had much interest in the TMNT since I was 10 or 11, but this is an engaging issue that made me interested in checking out the ongoing series. 

KID-FRIENDLY COMICS

Spongebob Freestyle Funnies
DC Superhero Girls
Fresh Off the Boat
Loud House
Bad Machinery (more appropriate for older kids)
Colorful Monsters
Barbie
Monster High
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund: Explains what the CBLDF is, and why freedom of expression in print is important in a kid-friendly format.
Boom Studios' Summer Blast

Those are the comics that jumped out at me for one reason or another, but there are still more! You can peruse the full list of FCBD comics here. No slight is intended to the comics I didn't mention here; these are just the ones that stood out a bit more. Whatever you're interested in, the important thing is to support your local comic book shop tomorrow, and have fun! 

Free Comic Book Day 2016 guide

Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day, so here I am with this year's edition of the FCBD guide! For those of you who have never participated, it may be helpful to have a few of the details clarified. Generally, FCBD goes something like this: You enter your local comic shop-- if you're unsure where the nearest one is, you can find out right here-- and the FCBD comics are displayed on a table or shelf, usually separate from the rest of the merchandise. Some shops place a limit on how many free books you can choose, while some let you grab as many as you like; it's all up to the owners of each store. Whatever the case, make sure to buy something while you're there, because while the comics are free to customers, the stores have to pay for them. They pay much less than they do for a normal comic, but it's still money out of their pockets.

FCBD grows each year, and so does the selection of free comics. It can be a little overwhelming, particularly with all the extra traffic most shops experience during the event. It helps to have a few key comics in mind that you're interested in. Lucky thing you happened across this, eh? (Of course, keep in mind that not every comic shop will have ordered every single comic. Generally, the majority will be offered, however.)

This year, the owners of Hattiesburg's own Southern Fried Comics graciously allowed me to come by a few days early and read through this year's comics. Thanks to their generosity, I'm able to bring you a much more thorough look at this year's FCBD offerings than ever before! Let's start by taking a look at my top picks. 

(Apologies for the lo-res photos. They're straight from the FCBD site. I'm not sure why they never have hi-res images of the comic covers.)

March: Top Shelf brings us an sample of Congressman John Lewis's autobiographical tale of his participation in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. I've read the first two volumes, and it is some powerful stuff. You should definitely check this one out! 

Love and Rockets: Fantagraphics presents this sampler of the Hernandez brothers' long-running series. Beautifully illustrated, and packed with well-developed characters, this is critically-acclaimed for good reason. This is a definite grab if you're longing for something different from guys in tights punching each other. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Civil War II: Marvel's latest event kicks off here, though that's not actually why I'm recommending this one. This issue also features an Avengers story by the great Mark Waid that introduces the new version of a classic character. 

Bongo Free-For-All: Bongo's Simpsons Comics are a constant delight, and their annual FCBD issue is always reliable fun. 

Stuff of Legend: Th3rd World Studios (really) is offering this look at a series that is basically a horror-tinged version of Toy Story. It's an interesting premise, and the art is gorgeous. This is also a nice comic if you're looking for something appropriate for older kids who aren't really ready for "mature readers" material, but wouldn't be interested in comics geared toward smaller children.

The Tick: It's the Tick! What's not to love?

Valiant: Summer of 4001: Since its return a few years ago, Valiant has been doing some tremendous comics. This issue will make a decent jumping-on point for anyone interested in giving Valiant a shot. 

Bob's Burgers: Dynamite's comic does a good job capturing the feel of the wonderful animated series, which is no easy feat. Definitely pick this up if you're a fan of the show.

Avatarex: Graphic India brings us a preview of Grant Morrison's latest. Morrison is one of the greatest writers alive, and his work always bears watching. This issue also features a look at his script, giving us a peek at his creative process. 

Serenity/Hellboy/Aliens: Dark Horse serves up a trio of beloved fan properties, but the biggest draw has gotta be a Hellboy tale illustrated by the legendary Richard Corben!

Spongebob's Freestyle Funnies: United Plankton is back with another collection of square, porous lunacy. It delights, as always. This issue also includes a Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy adventure illustrated by none other than industry legend Ramona Fradon!

We Can Never Go Home/Young Terrorists: Black Mask offers up a pair of stories serving as a preview of ongoing series. Both are pretty interesting, especially Young Terrorists. This is a good pick if you want some superhero action that is slightly off the beaten path.

2000 AD: The beloved sci-fi anthology offers up a varied sampler that is sure to have something to appeal to almost everyone. There are some really interesting tales here, including the obligatory Judge Dredd, of course. Each story has some QR code interaction too, if you dig that sort of thing.

Mooncop: A Tom Gauld Sampler: Drawn & Quarterly-- possibly the best pun-based publisher name ever-- has put together a nice little sampler of work by the titular Gauld. This is a charming comic that offers something different than the usual fare.

The Phantom: Hermes Press has put together an awesome collection of vintage Phantom strips, featuring work by such industry legends as Jim Aparo!

Boom 2016 Summer Blast: A nice and varied sampler of kid-friendly content, featuring a good mix of different genres. 

DC Superhero Girls: A tie-in to the new superhero toys aimed at a young female audience, this comic features young superheroes at a school staffed by the older DCU characters. It's a charming comic, but there is one thing that elevates it to greatness: Gorilla Grodd is the school's vice principal. Just try to resist that!

Overstreet Comic Marketplace: These Overstreet FCBD issues always have some interesting historical information about the comics industry. This issue has an article devoted to Will Eisner's beloved classic The Spirit!

Captain America: The original Cap is back, and this issue leads into his new ongoing series, just in time for his new movie. Lucky thing, that. The creative team is Nick Spencer and Jesus Saiz, which is the main reason this issue gets a solid recommendation. Those guys do great work. 

CBLDF Defend Comics: The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has been doing vital work to preserve comics as an industry and an art form for decades, and this issue gives you a peek into what they do.

Oddly Normal: This is a nice kid-friendly book from Image with an interesting premise and some colorful, energetic art. 

Here's a brief look at the rest of the free comics that will be available tomorrow. Don't consider them slighted because they didn't get singled out above; there is still some good stuff to be found here. The comics you just read about above just had a little something extra that made them stand out to me. 

Assassin's Creed (Titan Comics)- Expands on the lore of the game series.
One Punch Man (Viz)- Manga presented in the traditional right-to-left format.
Attack On Titan Anthology (Kodansha)- Sci-fi anthology. 
Spectrum (Automatic)- Sci-fi by Alan Tudyk.
Worlds of Aspen (Aspen)
Doctor Who (Titan)
Devil's Due Mix Tape (Devil's Due)
Suicide Squad (DC)- A reprint of the first New 52 issue. 
Lady Mechanika (Benitex Productions)- Steampunk adventure.
Bruce Lee: The Dragon Rises (Darby Pop)- Not bad, but it's tough to capture what made Bruce great on the printed page.
Rom #0 (IDW)- The Space Knight returns! This issue serves as a teaser for the new series. Contains an ad for the Bill Mantlo Support Fund, which is nice to see.

KID-FRIENDLY COMICS
Junior Braves of the Apocalypse (Oni)- Kids return from camp to find the world overrun with zombies.
Hilda (Nobrow)- Charming fun for young readers.
Grumpy Cat (Papercutz)- Starring the internet meme sensation. Actually better than you might expect.
Science Comics (First Second)- Educational and fun, with vibrant art.
Sonic Sampler (Archie)
Awake (Action Lab)- Kids will dig this. Adults will get a kick out of an ad for "Dog of Wonder" illustrated by the great Neal Adams. That made my day.
The Pink Panther (American Myhtology)- Kids these days likely won't know who the Pink Panther is, but they still can have fun with this comic.
Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom (Arcana)- Movie tie-in. Kid-friendly Chtulhu.
Sanjay and Craig (Papercutz)
Dark Lily and Friends (Space Goat)
Pokemon (Perfect Square)
Dream Jumper (Graphix)- Pretty self-explanatory title.
Strawberry Shortcake (IDW)
Legend of Korra (Dark Horse)- Fans will dig this.
Camp Midnight (Image)
Comics Lab (Z2)- Good for older kids. Gorgeous art in "Legend."
Archie (Archie)- Good for older kids. A sample of the recent reboot by Mark Waid.

The lone FCBD issue I didn't have the chance to check out was Street Fighter, since Diamond didn't send that one. Thankfully, SF fans know to look for that one. (And if any reading this didn't, now you do!) Hopefully, you've found this helpful. As always, get out and support your local comic shop tomorrow, and have fun! 

FCBD 2015 swag report!

Free Comic book Day 2015 is already in the books as one of the best yet, but I still need to do my usual post about the stuff I got.

And here's a pic of that Kamp Krusty Bart after I sprung him from his plastic prison.

So, not a huge WOS score like last year's Treehouse of Horror set, but it was still nice to nab one of the handful of WOS figures I didn't have for only $1. As for the comics themselves, I'm still making my way through them, but DC's Divergence is the clear standout so far. All three of the stories are new, all of them are interesting, and the prelude to The Darkseid War is downright salivating. I was disappointed that there was no FCBD offering featuring classic Uncle Scrooge comics this year, but what can ya do? After the comic shop, we had lunch, made a trip to Toys R Us to pick up a few of the new LEGO Simpsons series 2 minifigures, and then saw Age of Ultron. It had its issues, but I enjoyed it. It was a great day overall, as usual, and I can't wait to do it yet again next year! As always, feel free to post your own swag in the comments.

Free Comic Book Day 2015 guide is live!

My annual Free Comic Book Day guide is live! you can read it here. Enjoy, and I'll see you at the comic shop!

Free Comic Book Day Fallout!

Because I am so damn prompt, here's a roundup of my Free Comic Book Day swag! Here's the whole pile!

Pretty good haul, and not too much money, either. you might notice that two of the figures are missing from that Simpsons Treehouse of Horror set; I got it for $10 by agreeing to split the figures with the guy who sold it to me. I mainly wanted Devil Flanders and Vampire burns anyway, so that worked out well. Nelson was one of the figures I never got around to picking up when the World of Springfield line was still being produced, so I was happy to snag one for $3. Here they are after being freed from their plastic prisons:

And here's an overhead shot, so you can see more of the set's detail. there are details from various THOH episodes, including a zombie from Dial "Z" for Zombie, Witch Marge from Easy Bake Coven, the crazy awesome Snowball II design from The Bart Zone, the evil talking Krusty doll from Clown Without Pity, the gemlin from Terror at 5 1/2 Feet, and Kang and Kodos! Pretty cool stuff.

Getting back to comics, here are the actual free comics I got.

Not quite everything I wanted, but our shop never gets that damn Tick FCBD issue. Ah, well. Still a very nice haul, and there were some "normal" non-free comics on the free table to choose from. I didn't wanna be greedy, so I just grabbed a copy of Batman/Superman #1. I was also very pleased to get another of Archaia's hardcovers; these little books are very nice, and I hope they keep doing them each year. There are a couple of the free comics I haven't gotten around to reading yet. Out of the ones I've read, I have a few favorites. Future's End #0 is a very interesting take on the classic"hero travels back in time to prevent a nightmarish future" plot, with a couple of gloriously twisted moments. This issue definitely got me excited about checking out the series when it continues with a #1 issue this Wednesday. Atomic Robo was decent, but not as good as past FCBD issues. The Bongo Free-For-All is a nice assortment of stories, with a great activity page by the legendary Sergio Aragones. Uncle Scrooge & Donald Duck: A Matter of Some Gravity is lots of fun, with two classic stories by the great Don Rosa. The duck comics are always very fun reads, and this one is no exception.

Here's a handful I grabbed for a quarter each:

I have an abiding love for the black & white comic magazines of the '70s and '80s, so that Planet of the Apes mag was snatched up in a blur as soon as Cindy showed it to me. That issue of Sandman is one of my favorites, so it was an instant buy when I came across it. The Fraction/Allred FF series was a fun book(though it began more strongly than it ended), so I was happy to grab this issue. Both of these will likely join the comics I have framed and hung on the wall. Robert E. Howard's Savage Sword is an excellent anthology series that comes out a few times each year, courtesy of Dark Horse Comics. Each issue is a whopping 80 pages, and the stories feature characters beyond Conan the barbarian(though he still shows up too). Howard created a good many interesting characters, and it's really nice to see them get a spotlight in this series.

I also picked up a few recent comics, some of them as recent as this past week.

All of these are series that I enjoy, and I grabbed an issue of each for framing & hanging purposes. Batman Eternal, of course, is the weekly Batman series that kicked off a few weeks ago. It's been a solid read so far, and I liked the overall design of the cover for the debut issue, with the cast spread across Batman's cape. It's a nice, striking image. J. H. Williams III & Haden Blackman's  Batwoman was one of my favorite series until the creative team got dicked around and departed the book last year, and this issue is one of the strongest of their run. DC's Masters of the Universe comic has been a good read after a somewhat shaky start, and this cover by Ryan Sook is just awesome. The fact that it spotlights the green Goddess, a character I've had a soft spot for since I was a tiny little kid, doesn't hurt. Superior Foes of Spider-Man is a great series that focuses on some of the B and C-list villains in spider-Man's rogues gallery. It's pretty much a blue-collar supervillain book, and it's great. (The issue by the regular team are, anyway; it's best to avoid the fill-ins.)

So, that's what I have to show for this year's Free Comic Book Day. We had a blast, as always, and can't wait to do it again next year!

Reminder: Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the first Saturday of May, and that means the annual orgy of four-colored freebies is upon us once more! You can check out the list of free comics here, though keep in mind that the selection will vary from store to store. If you don't know where the nearest comic store is, you can find out here. As always, keep in mind that these comics are free to customers, but the shop owners have to pay for them, so it'd be swell and decent of you to buy something while you're there. If this will be your first FCBD, it might be helpful to read the brief primer I posted last year.

As usual, we're gonna make a whole day of it. We're fortunate to have two great comic shops in town, so we'll stop in both of them, have some lunch, kick around downtown a while, then go catch Amazing Spider-Man 2 at the theater!

As for the actual comics, here are a few of the offerings I'm looking forward to:

Future's End #0: DC is getting back into the weekly comic game in a big way, with the weekly Batman Eternal launching last month, an Earth 2-based weekly coming in the fall, and this series, which kicks off right here in this free issue. Revolving around a nightmarish potential future timeline, the series will star such fan-favorite characters as Frankenstein and Batman Beyond. With the likes of Brian Azzarello and Jeff Lemire involved,  the talent working on the book is equally impressive. This series promises to be a hell of a ride, and it all begins here!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Marvel's relaunch of this series has been a tremendous success, and the upcoming movie is hotly anticipated. That makes this issue a no-brainer, and it promises to be a great jumping-on point for new readers who want to try the book out.

Bongo Free-For-All: The Simpsons-centric Bongo FCBD issue is always a must-have.

Atomic Robo and Friends: Likewise. This is always a highlight!

Uncle Scrooge & Donald Duck- A Matter of Some Gravity: Presenting some classic comics by Don Rosa, this is sure to be great fun! The classic Disney Duck comics are always a sure bet.

Valiant- Armor Hunters Special: The relaunch of the Valiant universe over the past two years has been quite interesting. It's a solid line of comics that deserves more recognition than it gets, and hopefully this free issue will help bring some new readers to the books.

Dark Horse- Project Black Sky: Dark Horse Comics, best known as the home of Hellboy and many licensed comics, such as the various excellent Conan series, is giving the shared superhero universe thing a go again. I haven't yet sampled any of their new superhero line, and this will be a perfect opportunity to change that.

The Tick: I always wanna get this, but it's never at the shop. Maybe this year...

Of course, that is only a small sampling of the lineup. We always wind up grabbing a few things that catch our eye that we didn't plan on getting. That's part of the fun! So, I hope you all have a great FCBD, and spread the word!

Rant Ramblings: Free Comic Book Day Edition!

Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day, which is pretty self-explanatory. For those of you who have never participated, however, it may be helpful to have a few of the details clarified. Generally, FCBD goes something like this: You enter your local comic shop-- if you're unsure where the nearest one is, you can find out right here-- and the FCBD comics are displayed on a table or shelf, usually separate from the rest of the merchandise. Some shops place a limit on how many free books you can choose, while some let you grab as many as you like; it's all up to the owners of each store. Whatever the case, make sure to buy something while you're there, because while the comics are free to customers, the stores have to pay for them. They pay much less than they do for a normal comic, but it's still money out of their pockets.

FCBD grows each year, and so does the selection of free comics. It can be a little overwhelming, particularly with all the extra traffic most shops experience during the event. It helps to have a few key comics in mind that you're interested in, so acquaint yourself with what will be available here. (Of course, keep in mind that not every comic shop will have ordered every single comic. Generally, the majority should be offered, however.)

With all that said, these are the FCBD offerings I'm most looking forward to tomorrow!

Bongo Comics Free-For-All/Spongebob Squarepants Freestyle Funnies
The Bongo crew always puts together a nice sampler of their publishing line, which focuses mostly on Simpsons-related comics. They also hold the title of Best. FCBD Cover. EVER! for last year's offering!

The Walking Dead Special
Many FCBD offerings stick to reprints of existing material, but Image's TWD issue is among those offering new content. Fan-favorite Tyrese, who finally debuted in the middle of the TV show's third season, stars in a new story, and we'll be getting reprints featuring Michonne and King Dickbag--er, the Governor. Obviously, this one is gonna be essential for fans of the comic or TV show.

Kaboom! Summer Blast
Boom's imprint focusing on kid-friendly comics publishes some fine material, including Peanuts and Adventure Time! There's bound to be something in here for pretty much everyone.

Atomic Robo and Friends
Obviously, this is always a highlight of FCBD! Publisher Red 5 proclaims Atomic Robo  the perfect comic to give to a new comics reader, and that is truly no idle boast. If you see this in your local comic shop, get it! Even if it looks uninteresting, give it a shot. Unless you just hate joy in any form, you're bound to like it a least a little.


Buck Rogers/Prince Valiant
For anyone interested in comics from a historical perspective, this one is definitely worth a look. Personally, while I am interested in the historical perspective, I'm looking forward to reading these classic strips, too!

Fubar
I've heard of this historical-figures-battling-zombies comic, but never actually read any of it. Zombie stories have to have some sort of novel twist to get me interested at this point, and the historical angle is enough to get this history lover to pick this up.

The Smurfs
Papercutz's reprint series of the classic Smurfs strips are the first exposure many of us have had to the original comics, myself included. They're charming and fun, and I highly recommend this one to kids and adults alike.

Judge Dredd Classics
Judge Dredd is one of those characters I know about, but about whom I've actually read very little. Pretty much all I've read featuring Dredd are his crossover specials with Batman. Naturally, this issue reprinting a key story with new coloring is very attractive to me, and it has art by Brian Bolland to boot!

Mouse Guard/Rust
Archaia made a big splash with last year's FCBD offering, a great little hardcover book that was the talk of the event wherever I went. It was the first time I'd read any of their comics, and now I'm really looking forward to this year's issue. This is another great option if you want something aside from the usual superhero comics.

Red 10
A superhero retelling of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, this series debuted last year. I read about it, it looked interesting, and then I promptly forgot all about it. Oops. Well, it's back on my radar now, so I'll be checking it out.

The Tick
It's the Tick. Duh.

Overstreet Comic Book Marketplace
These Overstreet issues always have some very interesting articles about the history of the comic book industry, and I always look forward to them. Unfortunately, they're never available at the shop we go to. All the same, I'll be keeping an eye out for it tomorrow. Maybe we'll get lucky this time!

Valiant Harbinger Wars/Valiant Masters Showcase
The relaunch of the Valiant line has been chugging along nicely, and while I wouldn't call any of the books so far truly great, they've all been very solid and entertaining. I've read very little of the "classic" Valiant line, so whatever is in the Valiant Masters Showcase is likely to be new to me.

These are not the only FCBD issues I'm planning to get, but most of these are offerings from smaller publishers that you might not notice tomorrow unless you're specifically looking for them. Even this sampling of what's available displays the amazing diversity of the comic book industry, and there's no better time to try something new than FCBD. So get out there tomorrow and support your local comic shop, and have fun!

Rant Ramblings: Week of 4-26-13

It's been a few weeks since my last post; everything I own has been packed up, and most of it still is. We've been crazy busy with the renovation, and I've only just gotten things set up well enough for me to sit down and write a new post this week. (I was using my tablet to get online before, and if you think I'm about to type out an entire post using a seven-inch touchscreen, you've got another thing comin'!) Anyway, a hell of a lot has happened, so let's catch up on some of it!

First of all, the latest trailer for June's Man of Steel is amazing. I've been looking forward to the movie for a while now, but this trailer has ramped up my excitement to almost unbearable levels. Everything looks fantastic, and Hans Zimmer appears to have worked another of his musical miracles based on the parts of the score featured, plus what I've heard elsewhere. If you've managed to squeak by this past week without watching it, give it a look right now. Hell, watch it even if you've already seen it! It's that damn good.

Wrestlemania was on the 7th, and I watched it, of course. It was a decent, if predictable, show. Punk vs. 'Taker was the match to beat, and no one managed to do so. Rock vs. Cena version 2.0 was as by-the-numbers as you can get, but given the skill and hard work of both those guys, it was still pretty good. Still, the excitement I had for their rematch withered and died on the vine once it became clear a month or so before the show that Punk wouldn't be involved. Seriously, a three-way match would have been far better, and added the bit of newness to the mix that was desperately needed. The following night's episode of Raw was far better than 'Mania, actually. The live audience played a big role in that, adding so much to the show as only a truly wired audience can.

Superman and Lois Lane celebrated their 75th anniversary last week, and there have been tons of features all over the web. I've enjoyed CBR's coverage most of all, ranging from interviews with Superman creative teams from the past, and the extensive features on the CSBG blog. The fan-voted list of the 75 greatest Superman stories is a great place to start if you're looking to read some quality Superman comics. Sure, there are a few stinkers included, but that's bound to happen anytime you have a large group of people voting on anything; a few of the popular choices are bound to be sub-par. By and large, it's a damn good list.

Batman and Robin continues to be one of the finest superhero books on the market, as issue 19 amply displays. Red Robin guest stars, and although he unfortunately doesn't get much page time, the continuing story of Bruce dealing with his son's death is moving and engrossing. A surprising appearance by Frankenstein and the introduction of Carrie Kelly(the Robin of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns) into the current DCU make the issue that much better. If you like solid superhero books and you're not reading this series, you're cheating yourself.

Anyone who digs comics and streams Netflix has probably been lamenting the lack of DC animated shows available on the service. That finally changed last week, as Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Batman Beyond, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold were all added! Now, they just need to add Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: TAS, and The New Batman Adventures. And yeah, I already have most of those shows on DVD, but it's so much more convenient to stream them. I just wonder what the holdup is on the rest of the shows?

Whacking Day has arrived in the Simpsons: Tapped Out mobile game, and a slew of new content is included. With all the new content and features we got with the Whacking Day update, I was shocked that we also got the level 28 update only a week later, which delivered Fat Tony, Legs, and Louie, along with a few new buildings, and the Rich Texan as a premium character. Everyone has been whacking away for the past two weeks trying to get all the Whacking Day prizes, and the May 9th deadline is fast approaching! I snagged the final prize Monday night, so now I'm getting one of the Whack Boxes for every 1,000 snakes I whack. Each Whack Box grants you money or donuts; guess which one I keep getting?

Monday brought us the sad, sad news that Futurama has been cancelled again. The show has definitely had its ups and downs, surviving a previous cancellation by transitioning into a series of movies before returning to TV, and I'm one of the millions who have been with it every step of the way. I'm damn sad that it is ending, but at least we still have those final thirteen episodes to look forward to.

Free Comic Book Day, one of my favorite days of the year, is next Saturday! If you're unfamiliar with it, FCBD is held on the first Saturday in May each year, and is exactly what it sounds like: comic book publishers offer special issues for free, which are available at comic stores across the country. It's become a pretty big deal to Cindy and I, and we always make a day of it. We usually hit the store just before lunchtime, have lunch downtown, and then go see whatever comic-based epic is showing in the theater(that'll be Iron Man 3 this year). We also make time to check out a few other locally-owned businesses that we don't get to visit as often as we'd like, and just generally have a ton of fun! You can check out this year's FCBD offerings at the official website.

That's it for this week! Things are returning to normal here, so posts should proceed normally from here on out.