Free Comic Book Day

[Dash Decent]

I see FCBD is on 1st May this year.  There's no sign of 2000AD participating, which is not surprising but a shame anyway.

[Mike Gloady]

I seem to remember mentioning this myself recently, or it being mentioned by someone else cleverer and me agreeing (more likely).

It'd be good to know how much participation in FCD costs a publisher, I'm guessing it's a shitload.  Is there SUCH a low response to even established stateside publishers' work that Twoth would be insane/suicidal to even think about it?

[Emperor]

I suppose the problem is this tends to run in the US and companies can bung the FCBD issues in with much larger runs, then bung them out to the comic book stores with the rest of their work and it doesn't cost them much (costs which get absorbed by general marketing budget). So I'd imagine there'd be extra expenses involved for British publishers, compared with US ones, if they wanted to be officially involved.

However, there isn't any reason they couldn't put together a free PDF sampler, perhaps of the stories they'd want to promote (new and old, the latter being in current trades?).

I did play with the idea of a "Best of British" PDF compilation of small press work available for FCBD as that'd be a great showcase for all the talented folk we have around.

[Mike Gloady]

Both fine ideas, Emp.

A PDF of Twothage for FCBD wouldn't cost that much, it'd act as a taster for the current progs/megs and the trade line.  If any of it appeals to your average punter, surely they'd be more likely to track down the stuff.  Are there any obvious hole in this concept I'm missing?

As for the small-press compilation, I can't see ANY problems with this.  Apart from, as with the Twothage Sampler, how would the average Yank punter come across it?  Or non-Yank for that matter...

[Emperor]

As for the small-press compilation, I can't see ANY problems with this.  Apart from, as with the Twothage Sampler, how would the average Yank punter come across it?  Or non-Yank for that matter...

Pimping. The 2000AD sampler can get mentions on high profile blogs like FP and DTT, the word can be put out over Twitter and Facebook and it'd be worth sending round a press release to other sites to run (a lot of the big comic book sites will run such things from big companies). Hosting wouldn't cost anything as ClickWheel and DriveThru would both be up for such things (and might be amenable to even doing a little FCBD promotion, as they already have quite a few free comics). A small press one sampler could ride this promotion wave too - I'm sure John Freeman would add in a mention over on DTT and experience shows quite a few other blogs pick up stories from him and run with them. It might even be possible to coordinate a British electronic FCBD drive with Insomnia, Com.x and other independent or small press publishers releasing a joint press release (or a series all staggered to keep the word spreading). And that is just a quick back-of-the-envelope brainstorm (or thoughtfart/mindvomit/ideasneeze, or whatever the more acceptable term is these days).

[Mike Gloady]

I'm sold.  Admittedly I'm out of my mind on painkillers and clutching my nethers in dull agony so my critical facilities aren't the best right now.  But yeah, that sounds like you've nailed it.

[The Monarch]

Free comic book day is an american thing anyway

It was like pulling teeth trying to get blackest night 0 last year

[Emperor]

Free comic book day is an american thing anyway

It does tend to be a North American thing, especially as it can be difficult justifying shipping free comic books over the pond. However, it needn't be:

http://www.freecomicbookday.com/faqs.asp#Q4
http://www.freecomicbookday.com/faqs.asp#Q10

If I recall correctly FP had a selection of the free comics and they'd give you a pack depending on the size of your order.

I also think the titles that get the official FCBD mark and complete distribution are strictly limited, which doesn't mean others can't get involved.

Which is why I suspect it'd be better to go for something different, like "The Best of British (Comics)" or some such.

I'm sold.  Admittedly I'm out of my mind on painkillers and clutching my nethers in dull agony so my critical facilities aren't the best right now.  But yeah, that sounds like you've nailed it.

While a big thumbs is always appreciated, perhaps a bit of a lie down and an ice pack on the below the belt area might be a good idea. This idea will still be arsom when you return

However, this doesn't mean feedback isn't appreciated from those whacked out of their gourd and suffering severe genital trauma.

[locustsofdeath!]

Most Yanks that I've exposed to 2000AD really dig it for the same reasons I did when I discovered it: the weekly schedule keeps the stories fresh in the mind, a variety of strips and characters to satisfy different tastes, and the "coolness" factor of those strips daring to do things the Big Comics Companies won't dare to do. If you notice, although it's obviously not a weekly, ZvR is presenting shorter strips of varying atmosphere. It's a cool format, and I think it would go down well in the States if distro was reliable/existent.

[Mattofthespurs]

Yes, yes, yes. You have nads. They hurt. Whoop de doo. Try to stay on subject without imposing a mental image on me please!

(Apologies in advance. I have drunk 2 bottles of very strong red wine. Feeling a bit lairy. No offence intended. I'm sure I would offer to kiss your nads better in the morning...Although that maybe the wine talking.)

[Mike Gloady]

I'd rather it was your wijne talking than you, no offense.  Grin.

[Emperor]

If you notice, although it's obviously not a weekly, ZvR is presenting shorter strips of varying atmosphere. It's a cool format, and I think it would go down well in the States if distro was reliable/existent.

ZvR? I suspect I am missing something obvious, that will occur to me just as the edit time limit is up, and don't have nucksack/drug problems to blame (although I can staple my scrotum to the table and neck a couple of paracetamol if that'll help ).

[Mike Gloady]

Don't do it, Emp.

Although the upside of having nut operations is that nobody other than you will ever notice the scars, wrinkles are your friends.