Rory D. Root reports:

Free Comic Book Day 2005 went off with a bang at Comic Relief: The Comic Bookstore. At times, the line wrapped from our back counter around our Fiction/Lit/Alternative comics bins all the way to our information station (in the middle of our huge new location) four deep, and at others it was a concentrated frenzy around our back counter. Couples, kids, and fans of all ages came in to see about these so-called “free comics”, and everyone left satisfied. As it happened, FCBD coincided with the Berkeley Farmer’s Market Street Fair, so the day was rife with belly dancing, organic produce, and funny books for all ages. We at Comic Relief are satisfied with the scattered remnants of our once-proud Free Comic Book Day table setup; but happier still at the hundreds of new readers who have discovered the joy of comics.

Sales were up again, an aspect of FCBD we’ve come to expect.

Seems like we’ve proven FCBD can stand on its own. We’ll also make money on the various comic movies’ opening weekends coming up this summer too. Still, this was a day for comics, and all the myriad wonders they contain.

Thanks to Joe Field, Diamond, the dozens of publishers, scores of creators, hundreds of fans, and to my hardworking staff for a truly great day.