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SALT LAKE CITY — Free Comic Book Day, which falls on the first Saturday of May every year, is one of the biggest days of the year for comic book retailers. Here's what you need to know.
The history:
Free Comic Book Day began in 2002 as a way to help the North American comic book industry bring new readers into independent comic book stores.
The idea was first made public by Joe Field of Flying Colors Comics in Concord, Calif. Field wrote about the theoretical event in a column for Comics & Games Retailer magazine in Aug. 2001. The first event was in 2002 and has become an annual tradition.
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Coordinated by Diamond Comic Distributors, the largest comic book distributor in North America, the day is often coordinated with the theater release of a superhero film.
On Free Comic Book Day, participating comic book stores give away special copies of comic books for free, and some offer discounts on other comic books. The stores pay 1250 cents per copy of the books.
2013 Sponsored comics:
Title, publisher
Gold comics:
Silver comics: -------------- - Endangered Weapon B, Aam Markosia
- Molly Danger/Princeless, Action Lab Entertainment
- NFL Rush Zone: Season of the Guardians, Action Lab Entertainment
- Fubar FCBD 2013 Special, Alterna Comics
- Action Time Buddies, Antarctic Press
- Steampunk Originals Presents: The Steam Engines of Oz, Arcana Studios
- Mouse Guard/Rust FCBD 2013 Flip Book, Archaia Entertainment
- FCBD 2013 Sonic the Hedgehog Mega Man Flipbook, Archie Comics
- Worlds of Aspen 2013, Aspen Comics
- Absolution: The Beginning, Avatar Press
- Bleeding Cool Magazine FCBD, Bleeding Cool
- Capstone Presents: Mr. Puzzle, Capstone Comics
- The Red Ten #0, Comixtribe
- Mass Effects/Killjoys/R.I.P.D., Dark Horse Comics
- DC Nation Super Sampler, DC Comics
- Damsels, D.E./Dynamite Entertainment
- Grimm FCBD 2013, D.E./Dynamite Entertainment
- Marble Season, Drawn & Quarterly
- Pippi Longstocking Color Special, Drawn & Quarterly
- Superman Special Edition, DC
- The Smurfs, NBM
- TMNT New Animated Adventures, Idea & Design Works LLC
- Walking Dead Special, Image Comics
- World of Archie Digest, Archie Comic Publication
- Hal Foster's Prince Valiant, Fantagraphics Books
- Overstreet Comic Book Marketplace, Gemstone Publishing
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Hermes Press
- Scratch9 FCBD, Hermes Press
- Judge Dredd Classics, IDW Publishing
- Aphrodite IX, Image Comics
- Stan Lee's Chakra the Invincible, Liquid Comics
- Ramayan Reloaded Preview, Liquid Comics
- Avengers Assemble/Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. #1, Marvel Comics
- The Tick, New England Comics
- Rated "Free" for Everyone Starring Mermin & Crogan's Adventure, Oni Press
- The Strangers, Oni Press
- Disney Fairies, Papercutz
- 2000 AD FCBD 2013 Special, Rebellion
- Atomic Robo & Friends, Red 5 Comicsv
- Finding Gossamyr/Stuff of Legend, Th3rd World Studios
- Top Shelf Kids Club, Top Shelf Productions
- Harbinger Wars FCBD 2013 Special, Valiant Entertainment
- Valiant Masters Showcase FCBD 2013 Edition, Valiant Entertainment
- Kellerman/L'Amour FCBD 2013 Sampler, Villard Books
- Shonen Jump Presents: Dragon Ball/Rurouni Kenshin Restoration, Viz Media
Comic book stores
Northern Utah:
- Game Haven, 273 W. 500 South, Bountiful
- Endzone Hobby Center, 133 S. State Street, Clearfield, starts at 11 a.m.
- Heebeegeebeez, 1986 N. Hill Field Rd. #2, Layton
- Heebeegeebeez, 2574 Washington Blvd., Ogden
Salt Lake Valley:
- Black Cat Comics, 2261 Highland Drive, Salt Lake City
- Dr. Volt's Comic Connection, 2043 E. 3300 South, Salt Lake City
- Night Flight Comics, 6222 S. State Street, Salt Lake City
- Game Haven, 1609 W. 9000 South, West Jordan
Utah Valley:
- Dragons Keep, 260 N. University Ave., Provo
Southern Utah:
- The Joke's on You Comics, 146 N. 100 West, Cedar City
- Gunjah Bead Forest, 41 N. Main Street, Cedar City
- Comics Plus, 1812 W. Sunset Blvd., St. George
Do you know of a participating store? Let us know on the comment board.