Readers of all ages will find a surprise at Elnora's public library the first weekend in May…free comic books!
In conjunction with Happy Harbor Comics from Edmonton, Diamond Distributors and comic book publishers, Elnora comic readers will be able to pick up to six titles per person to read, collect and share with friends who have not yet discovered or rediscovered comic books.
The May 3 event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the library. It is part of the provincewide Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) event.
“There are 60 titles that will be available from Archie Comics, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Batman, Uncle Scrooge, G.I. Joe and the Transformers, Hatter M, Les Miserables, Grimm's Fairy Tales (not for kids), The Smurfs and the Teen Titans to name a few,” said Jay Bardyla, owner of Happy Harbor Comics and coordinator of FCBD for Alberta libraries.
“We are putting packages together for 22 Alberta libraries and will have them out in time for May 3 distribution.”
Bardyla, an enthusiastic comic book collector, reader and storeowner takes the task of spreading the gospel of comic books to Alberta libraries seriously.
“I have been in the comic book industry for a long time and FCBD is an incredible opportunity to introduce non-comic readers of any age to new books,” said Bardyla.
“As a bookseller to libraries, we find that children's books and comics are most often bought and this is an opportunity to introduce more sophisticated books to readers throughout Alberta. To put it briefly, libraries need comic books of all types.”
Comic books have been part of Americana since the early 1820s when illustrated stories first appeared, but really came into their own in the late 1890s with the Yellow Kid, which appeared in New York papers.
With the appearance of New Fun Comics in 1935, original material appeared and soon Superman flew through the skies and Batman patrolled the night alongside Captain America and Captain Marvel.
Classics Illustrated, Archie Comics (Pep Comics), Casper and movie cowboys like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and the Lone Ranger rode the comic range. Dell Comics brought popular licensed characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and TV/movie adaptations to the masses.
The 1960s saw Marvel Comics change the industry with Spiderman, The Fantastic Four, The X-Men and “real” heroes with issues.
Over the last 40 years, the industry has seen highs and lows of blockbuster titles selling a million copies a month, to 2014 when only a few titles sell 100,000-plus copies with an average book selling 5,000 copies.
Only a handful of characters are still popular seven decades after their creation.
“As one of Canada's largest comic book stores, it is part of our job to promote illustrated literature from children's comic books to adult graphic novels to places where people of all ages can have access to the medium,” said Bardyla.
Wanda Strandquist, Elnora Public Library manager is excited to host her second FCBD.
“We hosted our first event two years ago and there was steady traffic through the library,” said Strandquist. “This is a great way to get kids and adults back into reading.
“I have talked to teens who think comic books are cool, and parents who just want their kids to read anything whether it is a comic book, a cereal box or an instruction manual. If we can give them a free comic or six, then we will.”
Happy Harbor Comics is a nationally recognized comic book retailer which has won the 2007 Shuster Award, winner of Vue Magazine's Best Comic Shop four years in a row, and a six-time nominee for the Global Retailer of the Year awarded at the San Diego Comic Con in July.
For more information on FBCD go to www.freecomicbookday.com or go to www.happyharborcomics.com .
