Free Comic Books – One Day Only
By George Anderson
Call them comic books or graphic novels. Whichever name you prefer, you and consumers across the country can pick one up for free tomorrow in stores participating in the fourth annual National Comic Book Day.
Barry Lyga, a spokesperson for National Comic Book Day, told the Gloucester County Times, “It’s basically a chance to celebrate the art form. People tend to forget it’s an art form just like books or music or TV. What better way to remind them than to give them free comics.”
Bill Wurst, manager of A Plus Cards and Comics in Glassboro, NJ said, “All you have to do is show up and get a free comic book.”
The comic book or graphic novel business is in a period of resurgence with sales increasing 10 percent last year to $325 million.
Special editions of top titles will be given away as part of the promotion including: Batman Strikes!, Uncle Scrooge, Marvel Adventures, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Betty & Veronica and The Simpsons.
Moderator’s Comment: What are your thoughts on National Comic Book Day and the power of demos to drive sales? What is the best demo (giveaway) program
you’ve ever seen? What made it so?
First, we’ve been informed by younger members of our household tomorrow is National Comic Book Day and we will be going to Rogue Comics. Of course,
we informed them that the grass had better be cut first.
Because of our interest in new music, we’ve found that Apple’s free download music has exposed us to artists sometimes even before we’ve heard them on our
favorite free-form radio station, which beats the heck out of the limited selection offered by standard programmed radio. –
George Anderson – Moderator
- Free comic day a chance to pick up readers, say shops – Gloucester
County Times - The Price is Right – Asbury Park Press
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4 Comments on "Free Comic Books – One Day Only"
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Comic books would seem to be a terrific promotional tool. I think many retailers could use them to draw kids and teens into the store with very little effort. I fondly remember, as a kid, riding my bike the 2 miles to the closest five and dime religiously each week to make sure I grabbed a fresh copy of the latest installments. At 7 cents per copy, it was one of the few things I could pay for on my own. Of course, times have changed, but comics are still priced (relatively speaking) at a price point that leave kids with more money to spend…on drinks, candy…you know, other wholesome stuff. If comic books are indeed in resurgence, could be that a spinner rack near the entrance could work well.
Demos and giveaways are great, especially when done to draw kids and their families. For proof of that, check out attendance figures for major league games on days with giveaways, and days without. Doesn’t seem to matter what the giveaway is, either. Bobbleheads, caps, pennants, hot dogs, flags, pins, socks, pictures, etc. Giving away a comic book seems fairly expensive, but I guess they get ’em hooked. All kinds of retailers can offer freebies to the first xx number of shoppers or kids. Buying in bulk allows giveaways of promotional items to be inexpensive, at least per shopper.