Steven Bates reports:

"Free Comic Book Day 2005 scared the hell out of me.

"The event overlapped with Fairborn's Independence Day Block Party, a small-town get-to with pork fritters, snow cones, live bands, death-trap carnival rides, and the kind of homier Midwestern ambience reserved for made-for-TV movies. The locals eat it up--we're still a small enough town to enjoy these things--and the turn-out is usually pretty hefty. Now, don't get me wrong, I love crowds. But to facilitate the block party, the police shut down the entire downtown business district, isolating those of us with businesses within the downtown. Our regulars are forced to park blocks away and walk--remember, these are comic book readers and gamers--and the vendors on the streets outside compete for the money of potential new customers.

"As the hours ticked down to Free Comic Book Day I stressed even more.

"Lines began to form about an hour prior to opening on Saturday. It looked like we would at least have an early ‘rush’ as we had the previous two years. But the barricades closing off the streets went up at 10:00 AM, as the Block Party commenced. I'm sure I would've pulled hairs from my head had I not shaved it the night before. The doors opened at 11:00 AM, and FCBD was off.

"I could drag the suspense out even more, but why torment you? Free Comic Book Day at the Bookery rocked! The line was steady all day long, as the ‘rush’ of regulars and people responding to the advertising poured in early, followed by the curious driven in later in the day from the Block Party. About 75% of the FCBD comics were distributed in the first half of the day, and 25% in the later half…. Several members of the Block Party event staff stopped in to congratulate us on the turn-out, and the announcer promoted our give-away several times. CBS affiliate Channel 7 shot video footage of customers stocking up on free comics, and ran a segment on the 6:00 news, driving in a few last-minute fans looking for free comics.

"Again this year, Bookery Fantasy produced our own FCBD minicomic with GEMINI SERIALS artists Justin Wasson and Roxanne Scarborough, detailing the plot of Dr. E.M. Wrath to eliminate comic books, using a hypno-ray to ‘free’ collectors from their comics. Justin and Roxie signed copies of the minicomic and provided free sketches to any fan who requested a drawing, illustrating dozens of Spider-Man pictures, portraits of ‘Spike’ from BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, and even Spongebob Squarepants. FCBD attendees enjoy meeting the artists and getting a free sketch so much, Bookery scheduled a ‘post-FCBD’ signing with Jerry DeCaire, illustrator for Marvel and Moonstone Comics, for Tuesday, July 6th. As I write this, Jerry is signing copies of WOLVERINE #47, WEREWOLF THE APOCALYPSE, CISCO KID, and other comics, drawing free sketches, and reviewing the portfolios of budding comic book artists. Free Comic Book Day never ends--and I'm NOT complaining.

"I don't know what the next Free Comic Book Day will be tied-to, but I'll be there. Hope you will be, too."