Sunday, May 08, 2011

Free Comic Book Day and a Riddle

Yesterday was Free Comic Book Day. I remember a few years ago when Free Comic Book day rolled around there were plenty of offerings. Comics about people you've never heard of (Owly), comics featuring popular characters (Spider-Man, Daredevil) and comics that began long-running storylines (Superman: The 10 Cent Adventure). You had your pickings and there were plenty to go around. For the last couple years it seems as if there are not enough to go around.

Do your local comic book stores limit the number of comics you can have? Mine do. The store I went to had a limit on 2 per person. And they didn't even have half of what comics are listed on the Free Comic Book Day website. If you are going to put a limit on the comics then it should be a limit of 2 per person if not buying anything and then 1 comic per purchased comic because at least those people are actually buying something. I don't know. I also feel there shouldn't be a limit and I'm wondering if it's the comic book stores doing it or if it's the publishers not sending out enough books.

I get that the stores can hold Free Comic Book Day as they wish and they don't even have to participate but do the shops have to pay for the free comics or do the publishers send them out on their own dime? I tried finding this answer but couldn't. If the shops don't have to pay then why not order a shit-ton and just hand them out throughout the week. A few years ago, the other comic store in town had leftovers of Daredevil and Superman for the rest of the year. If they do have to pay then I agree that they need to maximize the ones that they have ordered but considering that I bought three other comics and walked out with the same number of free comics as someone who just went in for the free comics I find that a little unsettling.

I like Free Comic Book Day. I get some comics for my son, I buy myself some comics I've been meaning to read and I like seeing my local comic book stores crowded (even if that guy was dressed as Cyclops) but, I don't know. There is just something about it that I am starting to not like. The two comics I got were a Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers and Darkwing Duck comic (apparently they have their own series again from BOOM! Studios) and a Mickey Mouse comic from Fantagraphics.

Oh, well. Onto today's comic:

That's how the riddle starts out? No lead up just "It's not my brother..."? That seems odd. Oh, well. Anything that shows off Wilberforce's stupidity is okay in my book.