Senior government and politics major
We are witnessing a comic book revival. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, which started with Iron Man in 2008 and exploded with The Avengers in 2012, has ensured that comics have never been bigger and that it’s never been a better time to get into them.
Well, there actually hasn’t been a better time yet, because Saturday will be Free Comic Book Day, and that will actually be the best day for newcomers to get into comics.
Free Comic Book Day falls on the first Saturday in May every year. Its purpose is threefold: to celebrate comics with longtime fans, call back lapsed readers and provide an introduction for the uninitiated.
Our own Big Planet Comics on Route 1 will be participating, and if you drop by, there are some hot comics for new and old readers.
Guardians of the Galaxy
If you’re the sort of person who has to read the source material before going to see the movie, check out the free issue of Guardians of the Galaxy to get a primer before the movie drops in August.
The Guardians are like the characters from The Breakfast Club of the Marvel Universe — they have a human tree and a genetically engineered raccoon on their side, so there’s nothing too serious about it. This team has only been in action since 2008, so if you get hooked there isn’t a dense amount of lore to dig through. Rocket Raccoon has his own issue available on Saturday, because Marvel knows we’re all in it for the cute animals.
KaBOOM! Summer Blast
Adventure Time! This collection has material from the Adventure Time comics, as well as Regular Show, Garfield, and Peanuts. New this year is Steven Universe, based on a cute cartoon that premiered on Cartoon Network last year. Starring Steven, a chubby kid raised by hip, teenage superheroines, Steven Universe is more joyful than Regular Show and less serialized than Adventure Time.
It’s clean enough that kids can watch it, but hints at a deeper meaning adult fans can appreciate. Try the comic, then settle down to binge watch all 17 episodes aired so far.
Dark Horse Comics
This compilation from Dark Horse samples comics from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Itty Bitty Hellboy and the Juice Squeezers. If you watched Avatar years ago, or you’re still watching the spin-off, The Legend of Korra, there’s no reason not to get this free issue. Plus, I just love Hellboy. A lot. If marketing a spinoff of Mike Mignola’s jaw-droppingly gorgeous comics to children is what it takes to draw in new readers, I don’t mind at all.
Everything Else
The important thing about Free Comic Book Day is to pick up a comic with a beautiful cover and a completely unfamiliar title. Pick up whatever strikes your fancy — it’s free, after all.
Read the first page, and realize it has nothing to do with what you thought it did. Discover that you like the real premise more than the one you expected. Flip through it, develop a taste and maybe come back a week later to snap up the new issue. Then share it with a friend.
Emma Atlas is a junior government and politics major. She can be reached at eatlasdbk@gmail.com.
