2000 AD joins Free Comic Book Day 2011

[SmallBlueThing]

The Good Lady and I are in London today, celebrating our wedding anniversary. She has demanded a trip to a shoe shop and so I therefore get a quick look in a comic shop in return. So, if I can find GOSH (I've never managed it yet!) we may pop in.

SBT

[oshii]

It's right opposite the far left hand corner (as you look at it) of the  British Museum .   You can't miss it.

[ming]

Gah - would love to pick up that 2000AD; very curious about the Kev O'Neill strip!  Times like this (and Bristol, and Kapow, and...) I wish I still lived in the UK...

Anyway, will be interesting to hear all about it.

[Emperor]

Listed under "Best Bets" by NPR:

2000 AD

A sampler of some notable work from Great Britain's weekly science-fiction comics anthology; for over three decades, 2000 AD has launched many of today's best-known comics creators, and it's still going strong. This FCBD edition contains a fittingly diverse assortment of styles, subjects and approaches; not for the very young.

www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/05/04/135804020/a-guide-for-the-perplexed-your-trusty-free-comic-book-day-checklist?sc=nl&cc=msb-20110504

[Emperor]

Lee Townsend is out and about too:

I will be signing from 9am-5.30pm at Red Sun Comics in Chelmsford today, please come by and say hello if you are in the area!

http://leetownsendart.blogspot.com/2011/05/red-sun-comics-free-comic-book-day.html

[oshii]

Happened to be near Forbidden Planet today so picked up a copy.  The old Kevin O'neill Tharg strip was a right blast from the past.  Odd inclusion if the idea is to attract new readers.  Still nice to see it and a nice little item altogether really. 

[mogzillazarus]

well, planet eater in southport didnt seem to be supporting fcb day at all! lucky i ordered my copy of the twoth from disposable heroes who are now my main supplier of hellboy books!

[Colin YNWA]

I picked it up today and thought it was a fun little introduction with a good range of strips to draw folk in. Loved the early Tharg strip and was a nice pointer to the comics deep history.

Good job all concerned I say.

[Emperor]

For those who couldn't make it out there are free thrills online, the ones from Tharg anyway you smutty minded bunch:

http://2000ad.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/free-comic-book-day/
http://2000ad.org/?zone=thrill&page=thrillindex

[Grant Goggans]

Thrillpower in abundance in Marietta, GA, I'm glad to say.  I'm also pleased that the shop that we stopped by has begun carrying 2000 AD for the shelf, and busting open those stupid polybags from Diamond and selling them by the issue.

[BPP]

The very sexy freebie got a prime-place mention in the esteemed The Comics Journal Online. With a nice big print of the lovely Jock cover and the fine line:

Or, y'know, Judge Dredd. Just look at him. He's gonna beat the f[spoiler]ucking[/spoiler] s[spoiler]hit[/spoiler] out of you for even thinking of seeing Thor.

http://www.tcj.com/this-week-in-comics-5411-free-column-day/

[O Lucky Stevie!]

2000 A.D.: This lively, smart-assed, frequently beautifully drawn, occasionally  plus a long-out-of-print one-pager by League of Extraordinary Gentlemen  artist Kevin O'Neill. (It's also the only one of these picks that might not be all that kid-friendly; as Dredd might say, use your judgement, citizen!)

Try telling that to an 8 year old.

Bloody loved that strip as a nipper, & have read this reprint almost a dozen times now.


[spoiler]Have you ever had your brain turned inside out...?

...IT HURTS!!![/spoiler]

Single. Greatest. Panel. In. The. History. Of. Comics. EVAH.


Everything you need to know about 2000ad is right there.

[Emperor]

Review at Comics Bulletin:

Equally split between new stories about old characters and introductions to new(er) 2000 AD creations, the FCBD release is a pretty handy entry point for fans who haven't grown up on the mag. John Wagner's Judge Dredd story "S.A.M." in particular encapsulates the appeal of Dredd without drowning new readers in his convoluted mythology and intimidating back pages. Val Semeiks and Cliff Robinson's comedic art and the bright coloring by Chris Blythe help pull Dredd into the 21st century in a way that doesn't sacrifice any of the character's fierceness.

Dan Abnett and Richard Elson's Kingdom story will likely also appeal to unfamiliar readers who know Abnett mainly for his work on Marvel's cosmic characters, concerning as it does warriors perpetually fighting space bugs. The biggest surprise, though, may come from the Shakara entry, which features truly bold art from Henry Flint and a neatly bleak capsule story that could be the best representation in the release of what 2000 AD is really all about. Namely, creative violence and Dark Star-influenced sci-fi.

As a small taste of a huge bibliography, it's decidedly appetizing.

www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/130496756343455.htm

I'm impressed by the attention 2000AD's offering has had and the general positive reception too. One thing in 2000AD's favour is that it does rather lend itself to this kind of freebie and you get a good selection of complete stories.

[Emperor]

Dark Horse are making their FCBD comics free to download for a limited time only:
http://digital.darkhorse.com/blog/2011/fcbd-comics-available-download-limited-time/

Any chance of the 2000AD one popping up on Clickwheel or in the shop?

[Molch-R]

I'm afraid not, no. If people thought they could just wait and get the free download it would undermine the whole point of the event, which is to get them into their local comic book store. We've had a few people ask why we're not supplying copies to subscribers - retailers pay for these copies as part of an effort to boost their businesses. If we cut them out of the loop, even after the fact, they wouldn't be too happy and it would probably scupper any attempt by us to build on this success with future FCBDs.

However, it's worth adding that we already have a free sampler of 'first episodes' available for download through Clickwheel: http://www.clickwheel.net/features/285