National Book Foundation (Posts tagged free)

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Image via Doug Kline/Flickr

Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day! Our very own Glen Weldon is here to set you straight on the many treats waiting for you at your friendly local comic book shop, and on the appropriate etiquette for FCBD:

Not every comics shop participates in Free Comic Book Day – use the Comics Shop Locator to make sure your local shop will be taking part. Understand that many of the stores that do participate make a Whole Big Freaking Deal of it: author/artist signings, costume contests, giveaways, etc. You got a kid, or access to same? Take it. [Ed. note: That’s what Glen said. “It.”]
This isn’t Supermarket Sweep, people. You can’t just storm the place in your matching banana-yellow sweaters and start scooping up copies of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl like so many Huggies and filets mignon. (Though TUSG is a really great, fun book, and you should consider doing exactly that, provided you pay for them.)
Publishers print special Free Comic Book Day editions of the books that will be handed out on Saturday. There are 50 different FCBD books this year. Not every shop will offer all 50 titles. Some stores lay them out and let you pick the ones you want, other stores hand you a sampler pack.
If you do get your choice of books, the mini-reviews below might help you find the ones you’re likely to like.
If you don’t get a choice, hey: free comics.
While you’re there, buy something.
No, seriously? Buy something.
Buy SOMEthing. The comics shops still have to pay for the “free” FCBD books they stock, and they’re counting on the increased foot traffic to lift the day’s sales, so be a caring human being. And buy something.
How will you know WHAT you should buy? Ask someone on staff at the comics shop. It’s that simple. Tell them what kind of movies you like, what kind of books, what TV shows you binge on. They’re trained to make recommendations in line with your tastes. Or you could ask about one of the non-FCBD books in the list immediately below this list. They’re a mix of graphic novels, collections and ongoing monthly series, across a spectrum of genres and styles. Because that’s what comics looks like now, which is pretty great. Ask to check out one or more for yourself.

See Glen’s exhaustive review (and a bonus appearance from yours truly on this week’s Pop Culture Happy Hour) here!

– Petra

gangler

Barnes and Nobles is gonna start serving food and alcohol.

Everybody’s cracking jokes about how it’s a desperate attempt to stay relevant in the age of Amazon.

But you know what? Props to them. This is exactly what Blockbuster didn’t do. At no point was Blockbuster like “Hey, movie rentals aren’t the lucrative enterprise they once were. Perhaps it’s time we become known for our cheesy garlic bread.”

patrexes

that’s a fantastic plan, honestly? i would 100% go sit at a bookshop, buy a glass of wine, and pick up the newest biography. 50/50 i’d decide to buy it after a couple chapters, and even if i don’t, that’s still money i spent at B&N!

charlesoberonn

They could host book clubs with food and drinks where one of the employees shares their experiences with a book of their choice and tries to convince the guests to buy it.

themadcapmathematician

Barnes and noble realizing the only reason people go to brick and mortar stores is for the experience and access to an enjoyable physical space they can socialize in (sure isnt for the price) and capitalizing on that is a stroke of genius and a really refreshing approach to the dilemma of competing with online stores

National Book Foundation (Posts tagged free)

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.