How To Prepare For Free Comic Book Day 2016

Free Comic Book Day is almost here and as comic book shops are getting ready for the sea of people, you should also be getting ready to have an amazing day of fun!

Here are our tips for an unforgettable Free Comic Book Day!

1. Find A Participating Comic Book Shop: Make sure you find a participating comic shop so you know where you are going to get your free comics. You can use the FCBD Official Store Locator to find a comic shop near you. If there are multiple comic shops near you participating we encourage you to plan out which stores you will go to during the day so you can get a variety of the FCBD comics.

2. Contact Your Local Comic Shop: Call your local comic shop, check out their Facebok page and/or website to see what their Free Comic Book Day policy plans are in addition to what extra events are going to be taking place during their FCBD. Some comics shops give out 1-2 comics, while others give out more. It is good to know how many comics you can expect to get for free so you can plan out if you want to visit other comics shops to see if you can get more free comics and different books.

3. Plan To Arrive Early: Some comic shops may have lines for receiving the free comics and some may not. If this is your first Free Comic Book Day, when you contact your local comic shop about their free comic policy, ask them what the lines have been like in the past to see how early they recommend arriving and how long the wait tends to be. Some quantities of the FCBD comics tend to go quickly, so arriving early will help increase your chances of getting the comics you are most looking forward too. 

If your local participating comic shop says they tend to have long lines to receive the free comics, we advise bringing snacks, water and entertainment for the possible wait. Line and crowd control is determined by the comic shop staff, so make sure to follow all directions so you can get your free comics and check out your local comic shop in an organized manner.

Note: Each comic shop pays for the comics they give away for free. They cost less than a regular comic, but they do cost the retailer money, which is why quantities are limited at each comic shop. Make sure to thank your retailer for participating.

4. Visit the Free Comic Book Day Facebook Page: Check out Free Comic Book Day on Facebook to get up-to-date news about the FCBD comics, special events, interviews from the FCBD comic creators and artitists, cosplayers, videos about FCBD, and more! There are also giveaways each week that take place, featuring items that can be found at your local comic book specialty shop! Click here to check it out!  

5. Follow Free Comic Book Day on Twitter and Instagram! Share your FCBD photos with everyone using #FCBD2016 or #FCBD.

6. Have Fun! Free Comic Book Day is the biggest celebration of comic books and a great time to discover new types of comics! It's the perfect time to see what your local comic shop has in store, a time to read new comics, get kids involved in reading and have fun as a community! You will be able to meet a variety of comic fans and those who are new to comics that are discovering them for the first time. Head to your local participating comic shop for a day of fun and memories! One of the best ways to have fun is to dress up as your favorite comic book character!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ON FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

Tell us how your Free Comic Book Day is going! Post on the Free Comic Book Day Facebook page and/or tweet to us at @freecomicbook with #FCBD2016 or #FCBD.

Take pictures of your Free Comic Book Day! Post pictures of your time waiting in line, picking up your comics, time with friends and family, pictures of your local comic shop, FCBD activities, pictures with cosplayers and anything else that relates to Free Comic Book Day! You can post your photos to our Facebook page, Twitter (@freecomicbook), Instagram, and even email them to us using fans@freecomicbookday.com.  Please use #FCBD2016 or #FCBD when posting pictures so we can get Free Comic Book Day trending! *We encourage you to also say and/or tag the comic book shop you attended showing them how you participated in their events! 

Find out what Free Comic Book Day is really like so you can know what to expect on this awesome day!

To find a participating comic shop use the Official Store Locator!