Where to celebrate Free Comic Book Day in Utah this weekend
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Free Comic Book Day is this weekend, a now decades-old celebration where enthusiasts of all ages can pick up free titles and immerse themselves in the world of comics.
The annual event offers a range of genres and titles for all ages. Here you can view a list of what free comics will be available to know what you want ahead of time.
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The Free Comic Book Day website says it was “founded on the belief that for every person out there, there’s a comic book they’ll love.”
This year’s Free Comic Book Day falls on Saturday, May 4. ABC4 spoke with participating locations in Utah to let you know where you can get your comic fix.
The Nerd Store
The Nerd Store is celebrating Free Comic Book Day at both its locations at the Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City and the University Mall in Orem. Co-owner Roger Prows said the store is planning plenty of fun activities, including guests, giveaways and more.
As far as free comics go, he said the rule is each person can get five titles, with one copy per title.
Attendees will also have the chance to win cool prizes, including gift cards, a VR headset, and at the West Valley location, a rare R2D2 fish tank, perfectly correlating with May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day.
Photos of The Nerd Store (Roger Prows) Photos of The Nerd Store (Roger Prows) Photos of The Nerd Store (Roger Prows) Photos of The Nerd Store (Roger Prows) Photos of The Nerd Store (Roger Prows)
Guests set to appear at the West Valley location include comic creators Tony Fleecs (“Stray Dogs,” “Uncanny Valley”), Doug Wagner (“Plastic,” “Plush”), Michael Lovins (“We Go Anywhere”), and Evan Black (“The Wasatch Wonders”).
At the Orem location, attendees can meet cosplayer Joanie Brosas and Travis Romney, creator of “The Mighty Utahn.”
Prows said The Nerd Store has been operating for about 10 years, and it’s fun to see the community enjoy this event each time it rolls around.
“It’s been really cool to watch it grow. I think our first Free Comic Book Day, we had 30 or 40 people. Last year, I stopped counting, but the line in the morning will go sometimes from our door to the center court of the mall,” he said.
Prows said when it comes to comics, whether you’re a fan of Marvel, DC, manga, or enjoy more indie titles, there’s something for everyone. He said he’s a big fan of horror, and his love for comics started when his brother handed him a horror comic at 29 years old.
“These creative people that are very talented are giving you the story that they want kind of unfiltered and exactly how they want it to be presented, which I think is unique,” he said. “I don’t think you get that in really any other medium where you get such a pure representation of what the creator intended.”
The event at both locations will start at 10 a.m. with the giveaway happening at 6 p.m.
Dr. Volts Comics
Dr. Volts Comics, owned by The Nerd Store, will also be celebrating in Salt Lake City with giveaways, guests and comic book deals.
“We work with distributors to bring in lower cost comic books and other things that we then invite the public to come and take a couple and get an introduction to what comics are like now, versus what you might think they are,” said Jeff Bell, manager of Dr. Volts. “It’s a low-cost way to just kind of get interested in something that has been around for more than a hundred years.”
Cosplayers will visit the store on Saturday, such as those with the HEROIC group and guest Christie Sorensen. JC Carter, the creator of “The Shaolin Nun”, will also be a guest.
In addition to free comic books, there will be other deals, such as up to 80% off trades, manga and hard covers, 20% off kids book and buy 2 get 1 free on back issues. For free comics, people can get up to five titles and one copy per title.
“It’s just a big day-long party for folks that work in comics and do comics. It’s our Black Friday,” Bell said.
Bell bought his first comic in 1977, a Green Lantern and Green Arrow Team Up and has been an avid comic book fan since. He said they’re looking forward to celebrating Free Comic Book Day.
“It’s fantastic. You hope for a good retention from first-timers and people that are really rediscovering comic books after they [read them] as children. For the most part, comic books aren’t just for kids anymore,” he said.
Bell described comic books as being like nothing else, saying they’re an artistic expression that mixes literature and art together. He said one of his favorite parts of Free Comic Book Day is seeing how excited kids get when they come in and get to discover new stories and take some home for free.
“There’s a palpable excitement the children carry into the store and if they like it, if they have a good time, if it’s something that they remember fondly, then there’s a good chance they’ll continue to be a comic book reader well into their adult life,” he said.
At Dr. Volts, the event will run from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Salt Lake City Public Library
At the Salt Lake City Public Library, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., you can also pick up a free comic. The event will be on level two of the main library, with plenty in store from a vanity of genres. They say that supplies are limited, so you won’t want to wait.
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