Saturday marks Free Comic Book Day

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   By DAN KOLLER / Quick 
dkoller@quickdfw.com 

Comic books were certainly cheaper when I was a kid, but nobody ever gave them away. That changed a few years ago, when Free Comic Book Day was created as a way to capitalize on the interest generated by movies such as Spider-Man and Superman Returns. 
Each year, every major publisher puts out one or two issues specifically to be given away in comic book shops. This year's Free Comic Book Day will be Saturday, a day after Iron Man arrives in theaters. 
"Events like that are a huge help," longtime comics writer Mark Waid said in an e-mail interview. "Anything that lets the general public know that comics are still vital and where to find them is much needed." 
You'll be able to find Mr. Waid in Dallas on Free Comic Book Day. He's part of an impressive lineup of guests at the fourth annual Comics and Pop-Culture Expo, which is being held at Craddock Park near Zeus Toys & Comics on Lemmon Avenue. 
"Comics are thriving right now, but they still sell predominantly to a hard-core fan base of superhero fanatics," Mr. Waid said. "We need to fix that by letting people know that superheroes don't define all of comics any more than reality shows define all of television." 
That's saying something coming from Mr. Waid, who's written about almost every major superhero at DC and Marvel. But last year he became the editor-in-chief at BOOM! Studios. That company's Free Comic Book Day offering is the first issue of Salem: Queen of Thorns, a series about a witch hunter in colonial Massachusetts. 
"There's a genre out there for everyone," Mr. Waid said, "at every level of sophistication imaginable." 
Plan your life 
The Comics and Pop-Culture Expo will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Zeus Toys & Comics, 4411 Lemmon Ave., and at Craddock Park, just north of Zeus on Lemmon. Free. Guests include Wonder Woman writer Gail Simone, Marvel Zombies writer Robert Kirkman, World War Hulk writer Greg Pak and Wolverine: Origins writer Daniel Way. Info at www.CapeDay.com. 
Waid's world 
Mark Waid has written stories about everyone from the Fantastic Four to the Flash. Here are three favorites: 

Captain America: Operation Rebirth: Ron Garney drew these action-packed stories in which Cap and the plot never stop moving. A new printing is due in stores July 2. ($29.99, Marvel) 

Kingdom Come: Alex Ross painted this tale set in a near-future, when Earth's heroes are so out of control that Superman has to come out of retirement to regulate. ($14.99, DC) 

Superman: Birthright: Leinil Francis Yu drew this updated, post-Smallville version of Superman's origin. ($19.99, DC) 
http://www.dallasnews.com/

Edited by Cop_Bot - May 02 2008 at 8:33am

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Cop_Bot Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Automated NewsBot Joined: January 28 2005 Location: Charleston Online Status: Offline Posts: 43868 Topics: 43311	Quote Reply Topic: Saturday marks Free Comic Book Day Posted: May 02 2008 at 8:33am
	By DAN KOLLER / Quick dkoller@quickdfw.com Comic books were certainly cheaper when I was a kid, but nobody ever gave them away. That changed a few years ago, when Free Comic Book Day was created as a way to capitalize on the interest generated by movies such as Spider-Man and Superman Returns. Each year, every major publisher puts out one or two issues specifically to be given away in comic book shops. This year's Free Comic Book Day will be Saturday, a day after Iron Man arrives in theaters. "Events like that are a huge help," longtime comics writer Mark Waid said in an e-mail interview. "Anything that lets the general public know that comics are still vital and where to find them is much needed." You'll be able to find Mr. Waid in Dallas on Free Comic Book Day. He's part of an impressive lineup of guests at the fourth annual Comics and Pop-Culture Expo, which is being held at Craddock Park near Zeus Toys & Comics on Lemmon Avenue. "Comics are thriving right now, but they still sell predominantly to a hard-core fan base of superhero fanatics," Mr. Waid said. "We need to fix that by letting people know that superheroes don't define all of comics any more than reality shows define all of television." That's saying something coming from Mr. Waid, who's written about almost every major superhero at DC and Marvel. But last year he became the editor-in-chief at BOOM! Studios. That company's Free Comic Book Day offering is the first issue of Salem: Queen of Thorns, a series about a witch hunter in colonial Massachusetts. "There's a genre out there for everyone," Mr. Waid said, "at every level of sophistication imaginable." Plan your life The Comics and Pop-Culture Expo will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Zeus Toys & Comics, 4411 Lemmon Ave., and at Craddock Park, just north of Zeus on Lemmon. Free. Guests include Wonder Woman writer Gail Simone, Marvel Zombies writer Robert Kirkman, World War Hulk writer Greg Pak and Wolverine: Origins writer Daniel Way. Info at www.CapeDay.com. Waid's world Mark Waid has written stories about everyone from the Fantastic Four to the Flash. Here are three favorites: *Captain America: Operation Rebirth: Ron Garney drew these action-packed stories in which Cap and the plot never stop moving. A new printing is due in stores July 2. ($29.99, Marvel) Kingdom Come: Alex Ross painted this tale set in a near-future, when Earth's heroes are so out of control that Superman has to come out of retirement to regulate. ($14.99, DC) Superman: Birthright: Leinil Francis Yu drew this updated, post-Smallville* version of Superman's origin. ($19.99, DC) http://www.dallasnews.com/ Edited by Cop_Bot - May 02 2008 at 8:33am
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