As the name
implies, Free Comic Book Day is a single day when participating
comic book shops across North America and around the world are
giving away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into
their stores.
There
are 100 selected different titles being offered by Elfsar this
year, from major publishers like DC & Marvel Comics to an array of
independent studios from across North America. Check out
some sneak previews listed below.
Only the
designated Free Comic Book Day comics are free and Elfsar will
be giving away even more titles to those participating in the
food drive, as a bonus Elfsar will also have a storewide-sale on its
non-free merchandise.
What kind
of donation are you looking for?
What do you
think would make a difference in someone's life who needs to
eat? No one should ever go hungry. We are looking
for a minimum donation of 2 to 5 dollars worth of
non-perishables or a 2 to 5 dollar donation to be able to
purchase perishables. Of course the more you give, the more we
give. We have special prizes reserved for those who make a
larger impact. Trust me, you will want to donate more.
Is this the first Free
Comic Book Day?
No. This is actually the
eighth year Free Comic Book Day has occurred and each year it
gets bigger and bigger. In the past, thousands of stores around
the world have given away millions of free comic books to
interested readers. Check out previous FCBDs at Elfsar here:
http://elfsar.com/FCBD/FCBD_2008.htm
Overall participation from
just about every major comic book publisher has been amazing,
from the biggest publishers to independent publishers, fansites,
news magazines, and more. At the Elfsar level, we are
hosting a mini-convention style celebration of comics with a food drive for the Vancouver Food Bank.
Comic
books are an original North American art form, created in the
early days of the twentieth century. They are fun to read,
featuring a wide range of diverse storylines that capture the
imagination of the readers, and have survived: the dominance of
radio, the ubiquity of television, the spread of color and sound
motion pictures, the rise of videogames, and the Internet.
That's worth celebrating in our book!
Over
10,000+
copies of FCBD books from over
100+
different titles
will be given away for FREE!
We have added a
lot of extra titles for what we believe to be a more well rounded FCBD selection.
EVERYONE CAN
POTENTIALLY GET UP
TO 10 BOOKS FOR FREE!
Everyone who
visits us will be able to choose up to 5 FREE comics from our
selected titles and anyone who donates to the
Vancouver Food Bank will get an additional 5
books FREE!
SPECIAL GUESTS:
Artist, writer and film maker
Kaare Andrews (Spider-Man Reign)
will be joining us this year for Free Comic Book Day on
Saturday May 2nd!
1pm
- 4pm
Want to see what he has
done? Check
out some of his amazing art:
HERE
Meet Artist and designer
Camilla
D'Errico (Nightmares & Fairy
Tales, Burn, & Avril Levignes Make 5) will be joining us this year for
Free Comic Book Day on Saturday May 2nd!
11am
- 7pm
Want to see what
she has
done? Check
out some of her fantastic art:
HERE
Want
to see what Arcana is all about? Check
out their website:
HERE
An always welcome guest is
writer and shuster award
winner Sean O'Rielly.
He is the owner of Arcana
Studio, Canada's top Independent
comic publisher with over one hundred properties
to his credit.
(Kade, Ezra &
Clockwork Girl are just a few of Arcana's
titles.) Arcana Studio is currently
working for Disney as an official vendor, Ubisoft, HBO and developed Dragon's Lair,
Reboot, Se7en and Final Destination for Comic
Books.
Sean will be joining us again
for this year's Free Comic Book Day on Saturday May 2nd!
11am
- 7pm
Want
to see what Radical is all about? Check
out their website:
HERE
Meet Digital Artist
Daryl Mandryk (Showcased
in this years Free Comic Book by
Radical Publishing) He has done cover
work for Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic
(Dark Horse Comics) and has been featured in
such publications as ImagineFX.
Daryl will be joining us this year for
Free Comic Book Day on Saturday May 2nd!
12
- 4pm
Want to see what
he has
done? Check
out some of his incredible art:
HERE
When you first get to Elfsar you
will be greeted by costumed heroes and villains who have taken a
break from crime fighting and devious plans to rule the world so
they can be with us on our national geek holiday. These great
people will be posing for photographs with anyone who gives a
donation to the food bank. So remember to:
1) Bring a camera.
2) Donate food and or a few loonies
and toonies.
3) Get your photo/s taken with a
number of Heroes & Villains.
*SMILE!* These are great for
your facebook and myspace pages and we will have staff on hand to
help you take pictures so that you, your friends and family can all
be in the photos. (NOTE/TIP: if you
donate $2 you get an extra raffle ticket to win one of the raffles
listed below)
DOOR CRASHERS:
In the past, we have always given out special items
and promotional prizes to those who come extra
early. This year we are doing something a
little different. We will be spreading the
prizes out throughout the day and reward those who
give a little more to the charity. After all,
this is a fundraiser and we believe following the
philosophy that the more you give, the more you get
is a good life lesson for all.
What kinds of items? Here are just a few examples:
CHARITY DONATIONS:
Nothing can make you feel better than giving back to YOUR own community. We strongly
advise everyone to bring in a non-perishable food item to donate
to the Vancouver Food Bank. You would be amazed at how far
a simple jar of peanut butter will go to feed the hungry.
By just bringing in a $2 worth of food or $2 money donation, you will qualify to get a FREE
entry into one of our raffles and get access to even more free
books than just the ones listed as FREE COMIC BOOK DAY ones!
Want to know what they are? Bring in a donation to find
out.
RAFFLES TO WIN:
ENTER THIS
RAFFLE TO WIN:
ARTWORK FROM ARTIST CAMILLA
D'ERRICO
Get a "one of a kind" artist proof signed
by Camilla! This will be on watercolor paper and
is perfect for framing!
The image is of one of the paintings from
Camilla's solo show at Copro Nason last July,
called Waterfall of Dreams. The edition was of only 50 pieces!
ENTER THIS RAFFLE TO WIN:
IRON MAN MOVIE FINE ART STATUE
Inspired by the movie, this figurine stands 13
inches in height. The attention to detail is
remarkable, and great effort was taken to ensure
that the Iron Man action figure mirrors the
action hero in the movie. The figurine has been
created with cold cast porcelain and possesses
LED lights for eyes, repulsor ray palms and the
unibeam on his chest. By Kotobukiya
ENTER THIS RAFFLE TO WIN:
FULL HORRORCLIX GAMING SET
This includes a large amount of
of Horrorclix figures plus the Alien Queen box set, Aliens box
set & Predator box set from AVP REQUIEM. This is a
great set that anyone can pick up and play! Each set
includes seven pre-painted miniatures, seven monster cards, six
victim tokens, four plot twist cards and one 20" x 30" play map.
ENTER THIS RAFFLE TO WIN:
WOLVERINE CLASSIC TIGER STRIPE MUSEUM STATUE
A Bowen Designs Sculpt! Berserker and loner, the Canadian
anti-hero known as Wolverine has long been one of the most
popular members of the X-Men! Now, Bowen Designs captures the
majesty of the character in a 12' tall statue that displays
Wolverine in his classic, familiar outfit! Painted and ready to
display.
ENTER THIS RAFFLE TO
WIN:
JLA BUILD
A SCENE STATUE SET OF 3
Based on
the art of Ed Benes; Sculpted by Alterton Bizarre Ed Benes'
legendary image from the cover of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7
All of the pieces slide together to make a complete cover scene
in striking 3-D! * The first part of the statue includes Batman,
Wonder Woman, and the base and tornado portion of Red Tornado.
* Part two includes
Superman, Black Canary, and the torso of Red Tornado. * Part three includes
Green Lantern, The Flash, and the head and cape of Red Tornado.
These limited edition
statues were only manufactured to order.
COMIC BOOK SUMMER MOVIES:
THE FREE COMICS:
Free Comic Book Day 2009 Gold Sponsor
Comics
Talking cars, sci-fi stars, and stalwart super-heroes. What do
they all have in common?
Why it's the lineup of Gold and Silver comic books for Free Comic
Book Day 2009!
The Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) Committee is pleased to announce
the comic books for FCBD 2009, which will be held Saturday, May 2,
2009.
A complete listing of FCBD titles, including all Gold and Silver
Sponsor comics, can be found in the January issue of the PREVIEWS
catalog, available on December 24th.
Archie Presents- The Mighty Archie Art Players
Publisher: Archie Comics
The "Mighty Archie Art Players" return.
In this special FCBD09 edition, the Mighty Archie Art
Players have a rip-roaring good time in the Old West,
put a modern-spin on the classic Snow White
fairy tale, tell a "big fish" story — literally — with
Betty as a mermaid, and
cater to the whims of Veronica, transformed
into the ancient Egyptian queen, Cleopatra.
Their curtain-raising performances will leave you laughing
in the aisles.
32pgs, FC
Bongo Comics 2009 Free For All
Publisher: Bongo Comics
The comic company that brings you The Simpsons
and Futurama in the fantastic four-color
format joins with retailers to reel in new readers.
This special issue features a comic cornucopia of
tantalizing tidbits and a spectacular sampling of the best
in humor comics.
(W/A) Matt Groening
32pgs, FC
Disney/Pixar's Cars
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Take a peek under the hood of BOOM! Studios' line of
Cars comics, based on the hit Disney/Pixar
movie!
This issue includes an exciting exerpt from Cars #1,
revealing the plucky origin of Lightning McQueen.
In addition, readers will be treated to
never-before-seen sketches, character designs and
script pages.
(W) Alan J. Porter (A) Albert Carreres
24pgs, FC
Star Wars- The Clone Wars
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
A special issue featuring the greatest heroes of The
Clone Wars.
Also in the spotlight are Emily the Strange,
Usagi Yojimbo, and other all-ages favorites.
Packed with 28 pages of story, the book bears two covers,
one with the Star Wars characters, the
other celebrating Dark Horse's best all-ages characters.
(W/A) Various
28pgs, FC
Blackest Night #0
Publisher: DC Comics
Across the universe the dead will rise.
Prepare for the coming of "The Blackest Night"
with this prelude to the biggest comic event of the year.
This special edition recaps the key moments from "Sinestro
Corps War" and "Rage of the Red Lanterns" that led to
"Blackest Night", and will give readers everything they need
to know about the Green Lantern universe, their ongoing War
of Light, and their dark days ahead.
(W) Geoff Johns
(A) Ivan Reis, Ethan Van Sciver
32pgs, FC
Transformers Animated /G.I. Joe
Publisher: IDW Publishing
G.I. Joe and the Transformers
kick off IDW's FCBD09 promotional comic with three
great stories.
First up is an 11-page Transformers Animated tale that
features a young Optimus Prime in his days
at the Autobot Academy.
Next is not one, but two great G.I. Joe
stories — a six-page story written by the maestro
behind-the-series today, and the second written by the
maestro behind the series originally. Secrets are revealed
and action abounds.
(W) Chuck Dixon, Larry Hama, Marty Isenberg
(A) Robert Atkins, Tom Feister, Dario Brizuela
32pgs, FC
Savage Dragon #148
Publisher: Image Comics
All-new story and art from fan-favorite writer/artist
Erik Larsen (Spider-Man, Wolverine).
There's a new vigilante in town: The Dynamic
Daredevil. This recently resurrected hero from
comics' Golden Age has made Chicago his new home and it pits
him against Chicago's fin-headed finest.
Plus a mysterious assassin from Dragon's past is introduced
as Dragon's battle against the notorious Vicious Circle
heats up. It's the ultimate introductory issue
and fit for readers young and old.
(W/A) Erik Larsen
32pgs, FC
The Avengers
Publisher: Marvel Comics
The mighty Thor and both the New
and Dark Avengers join forces against the
frost-giant Ymir in a battle that will have terrifying
consequences for the Marvel Universe — and for these heroes
— in the days to come.
Top-flight creators Brian Michael Bendis
and Jim Cheung combine talents to bring you
an absolutely essential all-new touchstone story for what's
coming up in the Marvel Universe — and it's yours,
absolutely FREE.
(W) Brian Michael Bendis
(A) Jim Cheung
32pgs, FC
Resurrection #0
Publisher: Oni Press
From the writer of Marvel's Amazing Spider-Man comes a
science fiction epic that explores the aftermath of Earth's
most brutal conflict. For 10 years the alien invaders have
laid waste to our planet, but now they've vanished, leaving
the survivors with two questions: "Where did the 'bugs' go?"
and "Where does humanity go from here?" Its existential
questions, alien-fueled intrigue, and some of the biggest
action in comics today. PLUS: A preview of Stephen Colbert's
Tek Jansen.
(W) Marc Guggenheim
(A) Justin Greenwood
32pgs, FC
Shonen Jump Presents - Ultimo
Publisher: Viz Media
The Shonen Jump FCBD09 edition features 32 action-packed
pages of manga fresh from Japan, featuring a new chapter of
Ultimo.
Ultimo is an exciting manga serial by
legendary creators Stan "The Man" Lee and
Hiroyuki Takei, creator of Shaman
King!
(W) Stan Lee (W/A) Hiroyuki Takei
32pgs, FC
A First Salvo- Contract #1
Adhouse Books- FCHS
Alterna Comics- Attack of the Alterna-Zombies!
Antarctic Press- Gold Digger #101/Prince of Heroes
Ape Entertainment- Ape Cartoonapalooza #2
Arcana Studio- Arcana Studio Presents
Archie Comics- Sonic the Hedgehog: Evolution of a
Hero
Aspen MLT- Worlds of Aspen #4
Bluewater Productions- William Shatner Presents #1
BOOM! Studios- Warhammer Fantasy
Comics Festival- Comics Festival! 2009 Volume 3
DDP/Devil's Due Publishing- Mercy Sparx: Under New
Management
Dabel Bros. Publishing- Dabel Bros. Showcase
Dark Horse Comics- Aliens/Predator
DC Comics- DC Kids Mega Sampler
Digital Webbing- Fist of Justice #1
Drawn & Quarterly- Nancy & Melvin Monster
Fantagraphics Books- Love & Rockets
FW Media- Impact University Volume 5
Gemstone Publishing- EC Comics Sampler
Gemstone Publishing- The Life & Times of Scrooge
McDuck/Mickey & The Gang
Wizards of the Coast- Magic the Gathering: Agents of
Artifice Sampler
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR FRIENDS
CELEBRATING FCBD IN:
EDMONTON
New to
Comics?
Comic
books began as a unique North American art form that has grown – like so many
forms of entertainment – to spread around the globe. From
Japanese businessmen reading manga on the subways of Tokyo to French
artists re-interpreting Proust with words and pictures, comics have
changed entertainment and challenged perceptions. These days, there are
comic books for every taste, from slam-bang super-hero adventures to
quiet slice-of-life to thrilling science fiction to intense drama. If
it's been a while since you've read a comic book, prepare to be
pleasantly surprised by the breadth of variety available!
If you're new to comics (or if all you
remember of them is from your childhood), here's some information that
will help you get the most out of them.
The Scoop: Gemstone Publishing and Diamond International
Galleries have joined forces to provide The Scoop, a freewww.scoop.diamondgalleries.com
Vancouver, BC…
Saturday, May 2nd is Free Comic
Book Day, where over 2 million books will be
given away internationally to introduce the
wonder of comics to as many people as
possible. Although Vancouver’s own Elfsar
Comics & Toys is only one of thousands of
comic book shops around the world
participating in the event, this year they
are yet again going that extra mile by making
the day not only a celebration of the comic
book art form, but a chance to help those
less fortunate.
Elfsar Comics & Toys will be hosting a food
drive on behalf of the Vancouver Food Bank.
Starting at 11am, Elfsar invites the public
to bring in non-perishable food items or
cash donations to their store, located at
1007 Hamilton Street in Yaletown. Anyone
who visits Elfsar on Free Comic Book Day can
choose up to 5 free comics and anyone who
donates to the Vancouver Food Bank will get
an additional 5 for a total of 10 free books
per person! These free comics are from
Elfsar’s own private backstock, in addition
to the comics already being offered by this
year’s Free Comic Book Day publishers.
“The wide array of comic books being
published today ensures that readers of all
ages — children, teens, and adults – can
find something appropriate that will stir
their imaginations,” said Ethan Peacock,
Owner of Elfsar Comics & Toys.
"We at Elfsar want to spread the word that
even in our current economic recession comics are alive and well in 2009," Peacock
continued. "Today’s Comic books and graphic
novels are considered hip, hot and smart.”
Comic Books have propelled to the front
ranks of pop culture, many being adapted
into movies.
Free Comic Book Day is scheduled to coincide
with the release of the X-Men Origins:
Wolverine movie, which opens on Friday, May
1st, making the first weekend
in May a very big deal in the comic book
community.”
For regular updates, like guest signings,
participating publishers, raffles and
donation giveaways can be found at www.elfsar.com/FCBD/FCBD_2009.htm
Free Comic Book Day started seven years ago on May 4, 2002,
the day after the first Spider-Man
movie. Each year, more than 2 million
comics are given away at 2,500 stores across
North America.
Elfsar Comic & Toys opened its doors on May 31st,
2003 and is the first store of its kind in
Yaletown. Elfsar strives to offer a diverse
range of comics, toys, and pop culture
collectibles, as well as offer a safe haven
for anyone to get in touch with their inner
geek.
Free Comic Book Day kicks off at 11:00 AM
sharp on MAY 2nd and runs until
7pm at Elfsar Comics & Toys 1007 Hamilton
Street. Call 604 688 5922 for more
information.
Both
Elfsar Comics & Toys and
HH Comics are
active and proud sponsors of this annual event since it's
inception. The entire point of this day is to help expose as
many people as possible to the various different forms of Comics
and stories that exist in today's marketplace.
Comics have
definitely changed over the years and is a medium that is still
growing and evolving.
Weather
you are new to comics or a current active reader, we invite you
to visit any of the locations listed below to pick up some
complementary Free Comics on Saturday May 2nd.
Now who doesn't
like Free Swag? Check out the 2008 event here.
Do you already
love comics? This annual event is
the perfect opportunity to introduce your friends
and family to the many worlds of wonder available
here at Elfsar. From super-heroes to
slice-of-life to action/adventure and beyond, Free
Comic Book Day has a comic book for everyone!
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