The Success (and Issues) with Free Comic Book Day ft. Comic Tropes

[@Yoshimitsu4prez]

I love Chris, but I miss his old jingle that went “co-mick tropes!” I’ve never even heard someone pronounce it that way by accident, it was amazing.

[@JL-ep6op]

Love that opening and glad someone else noticed how it was pronounced “co-mick”. That’s how I always pronounce it now.

[@spoogtastic]

"oh hey, you caught me thinking about my first time in a comic book store, anyways let's talk about free comic book day." I love seeing these 2 together. Love both of them and their channels.

[@vancecunningham5032]

Comic Tropes and Comic Pop were the two channels that got me into comics, and are the two that keep my love of comics alive. Crossover event of the century!

[@adamestep]

Love seeing a couple of my favorite creators chatting. One of my favorite thing about this ComicPop is how much effort they put into collaborating with other creators in the space and Comic Tropes is one of the best.

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

Following the gang on their Free Comic Day journey. And giving a glimpse for all our out of State and overseas POPulation a glimpse into the Kubert school that’s been brought up so much. That’d be so cool…

[@Lemon_Chicken_Yo]

This was an excellent cross-over. Skipped the bog standard fight before realizing they have the same goal and instead went on a tangent about Ben Edlund. 10 out of 10

[@SadieShortcake]

Sal and Chris in one podcast... heck yeah!! Thanks for all the great content guys !!!!

[@Jones25ful]

The two best comic KZbinrs in one place

[@eqs1782]

I remember in Middle School my scholastic book fair had a Green Lantern Secret Origins tpb because the green lantern movie was coming out in a few months.

[@OomaGooma]

Chris from Comic Tropes is great. I love the content he provides.

[@nerdyrockcomics5428]

Pervert market 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Chance1106]

Hand to the comic gods, I just learned of Comic Tropes and have been binging his videos.

[@YalkYalk_]

2 GOATed comic book channels in one video

[@JLD22591]

When I was in college I had a regular local comic shop where I kept my pull list and knew the owner. I started out in the Cinema program and even after I switched most of my friends were in the Cinema or Radio/Television departments. One year the owner approached me and asked me if my friends and I could make him a commercial for Free Comic Book Day. It was simple, but to this day it is one of my favorite projects I ever worked on.

[@lichinthepolo]

I swear these comic book show host crossover are better than MCU crossovers.

[@emilyvilleneuve9315]

Two of my favorite comic channels collide! Add Casually Comics to the stream and you'd have the Trinity

[@kylecarter1599]

Best fill-in co-host of the year!

[@antdujar]

Always great to hear you two chat.

[@mjlooney]

Sal, thank you for putting out so much great content, particularly at the moment. These podcasts get me through each day and take me to a place that is the equivalent of getting to relax and read through my favourite books of an evening.

[@superby1]

Wow! Two channels I watch talking…that’s amazing! Sal, I know exactly which area in NYCC you’re talking about where Edlund was. For years when my sister and I walk past it, we have people trying to get our attention to buy their books. They’re young, they’re hungry and trying to get their work out there. We admire the hell out of them for that but god help you if you make eye contact. It’s gotten better over the years but when they opened that area up, we called it “Sad Alley” …again, it’s gotten better. I’ve only been to two Free Comic Book Days: 2008 for that Blackest Night issue and 2009 for that War of the Superman issue…plus whatever Atomic Robo issue they had. But the offerings usually don’t appeal to me. The good thing is, more parents and kids are going, and I’d love to hear stories in ten or twenty years of kids saying they went to free comic book day and THAT’S what got them into comics.

[@nickrottkamp4933]

FCBD is what got me into reading new books off the shelves as opposed to 5-10 year old trades. I grabbed the Age of Ultron and Infinity FCBD issues in 2012-13, and NEEDED to know what happened next, so I started picking books up as they came out.

[@kiko1935]

Chris's comicpop balloon suggestion to maximize the "cool pervert market" caught me off guard lmao

[@MattCamara_]

I also get to meet Ben Edlund! It was on free comic book day at New England Comics in New Bedford, MA. NEC closed their New Bedford location but the guy who worked at that store actually bought it from them and it's now Twilight Comics.

[@dww7094]

Another excellent episode, thanks Sal, thanks Chris!

[@kylecarter1599]

BUY CHRIS'S VAMPIRELLA COVER! COLOR, BLACK AND WHITE, AND VIRGIN AVAILABLE! BUNDLE OPTIONS FOR ALL 3!

[@ComicTropes]

Haha! Thank you. Every sale means something to me right now.

[@loganthomas2421]

I regret missing this stream. These are among my favorite comic KZbinrs. Great episode

[@gideonquesenberry6270]

Chris was my first comic channel and Sal is my go-to for comix... Hell to the yess.

[@IzzysIssues]

My local shop partners with the town and other small businesses and turns it into an entire festival by closing down the street out front. They've got food trucks, art vendors, cosplay contests, and every little (non-comic) store in the area has sales too

[@thetoongrump9801]

FCBD was my intro to comics as a youngin. Looking back, though, it’s clear to see why I didn’t immediately latch on to the medium fully till I was much older. I think there’s something to the “Digest Size” volumes of material. Marvel’s doing that a bit with the Mighty Marvel Masterworks and Marvel-Verse line of books but the selection on those stories is… random to say the least. Would love more specific storylines and creator runs to be spotlighted in a format like that.

[@blackphoenix77]

Wallopin' websnappers, two of my favorite comic book show hosts on one podcast! Also, I haven't been to Free Comic Book Day in awhile; I'm usually just getting off work when it happens.

[@tablecatgames6252]

That Batman 89 was like Chris was saying. It was nuts. There was Batman EVERYWHERE.

[@ComicTropes]

It was amazing.

[@TheClitCommander530]

Sal's "man in black" story legit made me wheez laugh.

[@logan2b]

Crazy watching this in the future and seeing how much of the potential stuff sal and Chris talk about has actually happened

[@ChristopherZubin]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks those stairs are frightening. I think they're designed to use fear to keep you shopping.

[@PHEONIX_720]

Last year's free comic book day, I entered a raffle with the hopes of winning JLA/Avengers reprint tpb and I won it days later. Best day of my life

[@scoobers90]

Awesome! Love Comic Tropes.

[@GENOTALKSCOMICS]

Great discussion. I enjoy the spectacle of FCBD. One year I hit 4 shops. I do like the free issues, but I'm more interested in what sales shops are holding. Great time to pick up new books or catch up on some titles. I do think there's a missed opportunity, not just for FCBD, but in general, for connecting back to comics and working through the issue of access. Even before comic movies hit theaters, there should be a push towards the source material. They should promote reprints of stories the movies are based on/inspired by. Get the trades in movie theaters One of my favorite shops holds sales for FCBD and they've brought in a radio station. Speaking of TRU, one of the last stores I went to sold single issues. I don't remember how vast the selection was, but it was a sizable section of an aisle.

[@kojopumpuni2603]

If marvel could afford a doordash collab commercial for youtube, they definitely can help push more on free comic book day.

[@jordynportz8803]

Sal, your point at 45:30 is so relevant to me right now as I'm currently writing my University dissertation on Ethics in Comic Books. I'm currently writing about the evolution of the community and the stigma around it, and hearing you talk about it is amazing.😊👌

[@nigelflood7074]

Great discussion between two of my fave comic KZbinrs

[@BustinOnYou247]

Hope to see Chris on again! such a fantastic guest to have on the elseworlds exchange.

[@biggiejerseysTV]

My 2 favorite comic tubers together. Now this is going to be fantastic.

[@Hulkzilla0]

My two favorite comic book channels!!!!!

[@MrCeratix]

Love to see Chris on the show, these two guys are my window into the wider comic world!

[@TevyaSmolka]

ooh awesome

[@Pumpkin_Cult]

My LCS (Famous Faces & Funnies in Melbourne, Florida!) does Free Comic Book May. Every Saturday in May is a free comic book day, with each Saturday being themed. First will be Hero comics, second will be Indie, etc. They give you a punch card, and if you spend $5 or more every Saturday, you get a free trade paper back at the end of it. They have tables set up in the back with local artists and sometimes comic artists to give out free sketches (I got a sketch by Karl Moline last year). They usually get the 501st, other cosplayers, and have a raffle or "spin the Wheel" game if you show your receipt. I always take off the first Sat in May and, at least, make it so my work schedule lets me stop in the rest of the days.

[@mikito00]

Ok. I am with Sal. The fact that Midtown comics has an elevator blew me away as well! 😂🙉. I like the cool mural at the top of the stairs tho

[@ChristopherZubin]

You know Chris is a long time fan of Sal when he brings up Supernatural. A sly one :)

[@dannyollie643]

Awesome conversation guys!

[@machbass]

On the marketing of comic books in the American market I think the best answer is going back to the newsstand style of selling comics. I understand they'll get messed up etc, but the point isn't to sell graded quality prints, it's too catch the eye of that kid who will beg his mom to pick it up for him. You could even make those floppys one part of a single issue to tease the reader- then they'll decide if they want to pursue the hobby. Just my two cents.

[@CrazyWildChris]

I freaking love my comic shop I got to for free comic book day! They have the WHOLE store discounted not just the comics the comics do have the biggest discount out of anything there and the other stuff doesn’t have much of a discount but at least it’s something and that’s cool. They do the $1 bin for ¢50 or ¢25 if you’re a member to the rewards card thing they do. Since I’m a member last year I got one of EVERY flash comic they had in the bin and some other stuff. I got soooo many singles and didn’t even spend much at all

[@Primaeros]

Speaking of expanding pervert market, the usual ComicPop regulars couch setup consists of: Twink, Chick, Bear, Hunk

[@ftfasttalkfoodreviewsyt]

Toys r us use to have comics in the toy aisle. Also books a million had fcbd layout at the registers where you'd see it walking in and out.

[@krustian9272]

Two of my favorite content creators in one single video, amazing

[@AkiDave]

Two legends 💙

[@acevedo6953]

At the begging of The Batman in my theater they showed the graphic novel for The long Halloween, Dark victory, Batman Year One, and one more I forgot. I thought it was pretty cool.

[@MrHoudini1985]

I remember I once found found Marvel Graphic Novels for 5 bucks each in Walmart in the books and magazines. They were flimsier than the mass trades in bookstores and comic shops, but it was such a cool idea; Easy access, cheap, titles kids will recognize. And I never saw it again. I bought the Spider-man book (which I cannot remember what it was for the life of me, but it was drawn by Humberto Ramos), and the Cap book which was the first volume of Brubaker's run. Literally ended up giving them to some kids.

[@NachiketNaik]

Make daredevil, moon knight, swamp thing, Constantine, Sandman black and white manga size binge-able books and you'll have my and everyone's dollars.

[@Madbmberwhatbmbsatmidnight]

On FCBD I try to hit up every shop in my area and make at least a small purchase at every one. I think the most I hit was 12 shops 4 years ago.

[@sogoma7797]

Got that Teddy Fresh drip 💯

[@ComicTropes]

I got that riz.

[@sogoma7797]

@@ComicTropes you sure do

[@comicswatching4851]

You two together is a dream!!

[@andrewheard3099]

I love Comic Tropes and Pop! Subbed to both 🤘 My fave free comic day book I picked up was the first Transformers Regeneration One!

[@camsenses5140]

My two favorites back again! Spectacular chemistry

[@andrews4717]

I worked at a target over summer and they DID had Page Punchers on end caps for a while

[@babsthewreckingcrew4294]

Oh wow atomic comics is where I use to go! Glad to see they’re still there!

[@daviddalrymple2284]

I always find Free Comic Book Day itself to be a very unpleasant experience, like waiting in line at the school cafeteria. You grab your allotted comics and move on. When the event is held inside a store, it takes up the entire store space, so you don't have the chance to actually buy anything (back issues, toys, etc.). And some smaller stores will rent out larger spaces away from the store, which makes it feel even more like a conveyor belt.

[@9517eric]

Lol Sal talking about New York is like me visiting Los Angeles haha too much traffic and dirty as hell haha I've worked in retail since I got into comics so I've missed all the free comic book days and this episode wants me to go to 3 comic book stores this year for free comic book day!

[@dereklansky7764]

Audibly said hell yea seeing the thumbnail for this

[@TypicalSpider]

Is that a Teddy Fresh Hoodie Chris?!?!

[@Madbmberwhatbmbsatmidnight]

I went to a comic store called Pegasus books back in 98-99. This got me thinking about all the shops I’ve gone to over the years. The first comic book store I ever went to was It Came From Outer Space. After that I think was Goblin Comics. Later there was a comic kiosk in the mall where I got my first Sin City. Then Pegasus and Things From Another World. Amazing Al’s Comics and Collectibles, Comics & Stuff, On Comic Ground. Excalibur, I Like Comics, and Cosmic Monkey.

[@123plowry]

I remember years ago when new Flash and Arrow episodes would air on TV, my local comic store would have a commercial that said "Hey, we sell DC comics here!"

[@Sicod79]

I appreciate the shout out!

[@ShawnWeeded510]

This is one of the crossovers that I've always wanted.

[@__liketheherb]

This was well played into each algorithm. I love this collaboration!

[@superby1]

Also, as a native New Yorker/Manhattan-ite, I’m gonna let those comments about my city slide, Sal lol

[@tylerzimmerman757]

I remember the last time I got some free comic books they had limited it to two free issues per person. My grandma took me and I kind of gamed the system by getting four cuz the extra ones counted as her selections.

[@sombrashadow0013]

Ayyyyyyyyyy!!! My two favorite boys!!

[@sportbilly2008]

I am so interested in why the comics book businesses (and companies that own them)don’t really seem to be interested in advertising their products, why do they seemingly want comics to be this small niche enterprise that sells to a smaller and smaller audience. I mean Keanu Reeves’s book is one the best selling books in the recent history of comics, and instead of people saying right let’s sell as much as them, they had people from the industry who were picking them apart because they started the book as a kickstarter (or whatever). Why are we as a community trying to make this thing smaller?

[@marcelahernandez369]

VERY BEAUTIFUL TEDDY FRESH

[@ThatKevinBravo]

In Mexico for around two years they printed the big marvel events on a manga sized format in really cheap paper, and they were 3 dollars, the quality was not great but it was a good way to have your collection complete

[@vitanpatel2061]

Two great creators in one video! Yay!

[@joeclarke7982]

I'd watch a video of Sal going thru long boxes and taking shit about every issue he sees lmao

[@level87code]

The camera idea is awesome!

[@sandywest4977]

I go to Free Comic Book Day to support my shop and I actually won an X-Men trade. An Idea for a raffle prize would be a free month of comixolgy

[@CNTconnoisseur]

I love cosmic tropes

[@cool3dd]

This made my night 🙌

[@bluespaceman7937]

Crossover of the month, certainly.

[@AugustNerdinIron]

I'm not sure if this was normal, but the Scholastic Book Fair at my elementary school sold comics. It's where I got the first volume of Spider-Girl.

[@doomy1803]

The ultimate crossover

[@kristian7160]

Literally never knew free comic day was a thing. Would be interested in trying comics but don’t know where to start/seems like a lot of effort. I feel like I’m the target demographic for this and yet had no idea it even existed (I am in Australia though).

[@PEEJ432]

I would love a comic store vlog type video

[@HMAN_121]

Isn’t pegasus the car company that you can rent super vehicles from in gta?

[@kylecarter1599]

There's a Bloodshot movie?

[@babsthewreckingcrew4294]

Danm I’m surprised theater variants aren’t a thing excellent idea

[@HoistTheBlackFlag]

Engagement and interaction with creator to please the mathemagics that choses what gets seen or not.

[@pagsthirdbase]

love Comic Tropes

[@eriksieurin334]

Ah, a Batman and Spider-Man crossover!

[@josephbarbato789]

Midtown has an elevator...... son of a b@#$%

[@DekeRadio]

I have volunteered at my LCS for years on Free Comic Book Day. I see lots of people come in, pick up as many free comics as they are allowed to, then leave without making a single purchase. To me, that is the absolute height of rudeness.

[@bierguy3033]

Comment for algorithm.

[@SvenTuSventu]

Gi Joe comics "who is Zartan?" Read in marvel comics available now