While May 4 may be known as the Star Wars holiday, some know it as Free Comic Book Day, a day when comic book shops hand out free comics to anyone who comes in. The event started in 2002, and shops throughout the world participate. Publishers usually have a variety of comics produced exclusively for the event. Alter Ego, a comic book shop in Muncie, has been participating in this event for the eight years that they have been open. It is their busiest day of the year.
Jason Pierce, owner of Alter Ego, answered questions about Free Comic Book Day and the comic book culture.
Q: What do you think is the appeal of Comic books in comparison to a more traditional or mainstream form of entertainment, like movies or video games?
A: I think it’s a combination of the mixed media … You get the perfect blend of a novel and a movie combined in the same thing. You get the visual media in the art, but you get the narrative of a novel. I think that’s why. It’s a big appeal because the movies and the motion picture industry literally now are just using comics as storyboards, they don’t even have to make a story board anymore.
Like the Iron Man movie, I saw it last night. I went to the bathroom during the movie and my fiancé was like ‘No, you’re [going to miss something]’ … I knew what was going to happen cause I’ve read the comic it was based off of.
I also think it can be more fantastical than… a novel or a movie because there is stuff you can pull off in comics that you can’t pull off in any other medium.
Q: What do you think are the most popular comics? What do you find that people are asking for nowadays?
A: It’s so eclectic now, it’s all across the board so I don’t know. You have everything from “The Walking Dead,” which is a horror-type comic, to “Spiderman.”
Q: Over the years, have you noticed a shift in trends as far as what people are asking for, or has it always been that eclectic?
A: It’s not always been quite that eclectic. When I first opened it was very much more superhero stuff. Now especially since Image, a smaller company, does a lot more independent type books that are a little bit off beat and quirky and weird. People are starting to get into that.
Most people ‘wet their whistle’ so to speak, on superhero comics, but once they get in they start leaning all the different genres of comics they end of loving it. And… there is going to be a comic for whatever you like.
Q: It can be a little overwhelming for people just starting out on comics. Could you give some tips to people who want to get involved in comics and they want to start reading? What they should look for?
A: Talk to the shop owner, a well-informed shop owner should be able to steer them in the right direction. I had a girl come in one time… she did not know anything… she said she liked romantic comedies… Years ago there was not a ton of these around, but I directed her toward one and she came back in every week and got [the next] one.
Q: What about yourself? What kind of comics do you like?
A: I read everything. “Walking Dead” is my favorite. I’m really enjoying “Superior Spider Man” right now. Yeah, I read everything. When someone comes and talks to me about something, I need to be informed.
