Free Comic Book Day live blog 2010
I’m live-blogging this year’s Free Comic Book Day from Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, OK. (Full disclosure note: I am one of the owners of Speeding Bullet.)
9:15 a.m. Doing some last-minute preparations before the doors open at 10 a.m. Speeding Bullet is pushing literacy this year as part of the FCBD promotion, and as so is hoping to see a lot of kids in the door. There’s a slight drizzle here, which I hope doesn’t hurt the turnout any.
9:30 a.m. Already a bit of a line developing. Annette Price, who’s spearheaded Speeding Bullet’s Free Comic Book Day initiatives (and who is, full disclosure again, married to me) explains the store’s FCBD plan for younger readers as follows: Anyone 12 or under who gets a free comic book today, and returns to the store with a report on the book, either written or drawn, by the end of June, will receive a free Batman all-ages graphic novel. (If the Batmans run out, other all-ages GNs will be substituted.) The hope is, this gives kids one more reason to start their summer reading, and rewards those who are working on the all-important reading and communication skills. She’s calling this the “War on Illiteracy,” playing off the “War of the Supermen” Free Comic Book Day comic book by DC Comics, co-written by James Robinson and Oklahoma native Sterling Gates.
10 a.m. The deluge begins! A few dozen people in line as Free Comic Book Day gets started. The parking lot is full.
10:05 am One of the employees said he had to park around the block.
10:15 a.m. About 100 people in so far! Lots of kids, people having fun with it.
10:20 a.m. The traffic to my Nerdage blog has crashed the site. Free Comic Book Day drives traffic on the web and in the stores!
10:30 a.m. I’m going to say the rain has not hurt turnout at all, or at least I don’t see how it could have.
10:40 a.m. As far as sales go, noticing a lot of “Brightest Day” No. 0 sales.
11 a.m. Kids seem to be excited for Toy Story and Shrek comics. War of the Supermen seems to be moving well with everybody.
11:10 a.m. Still very full here, though there’s a little more room to breathe than there was for the first hour. Several people talking about anticipating the second Iron Man movie.
11:30 a.m. Already more people in the door than 2008 – and there’s a lot more day to go! On pace to pass 2009 at this rate, as well.
11:35 a.m. And Nerdage is back up!
11:50 a.m. Mouse Guard/Fraggle Rock also getting a good response.
12:30 p.m. Weather-wise, it’s really turned nice, and it’s been a nearly nonstop crowd of people through the door.
12:35 p.m. Corey Ayers from the Oklahoma History Center points out the trailer for their new Okie Cartoonists exhibit, opening June 12: http://okiecartoonist.org/
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