| 05.03.2015 – While there has been five venues where Free Comic Book Day was being held all over Metro Manila.
There are also minor branches of Fully Booked that given away one free comic to their regular customers. For Comic Odyssey their regular customers also received three free comics at each of its stores. The main event held the biggest FCBD at Fully Booked’s flagship store at The Fort since both companies started collaboration in 2013. |
The event is not only about free comic books its also introducing this world to would-be new readers and rekindling interest to former readers. This also introduces the Philippine komiks community getting to see the local creations that touches more about Filipino culture.
If you haven’t read a copy of Manix Abrera’s Kikomachine or hasn’t caught on with Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo’s supernatural series in Trese this event is the right place to get to see the local scene rarely other countries don’t have.
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Doors Opens at 8 A.M.
FCBD 2015 opened its doors earlier than last year and the line snaked its way almost near the Nike store a few blocks away. As reported there were more than 1,500 people who stood in line since it began Friday at 2:31 AM in the morning. But the crowd slowly grew past midnight of Saturday morning and there were already 37 people slowly camping out past 1 AM.
The turn out was bigger than the last FCBD events held together by Comic Odyssey and Fully Booked combined. Call it absurd but the dedication to get your favourite FCBD title shows that there are comic book readers out there despite than some just jump in and take this for granted as an annual bandwagon of sorts.
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Big Discounts, Sale & Promotions
Beside giving away FCBD Comic Odyssey and Fully Booked throw in some special promos for those who hasn’t read a good graphic novel or getting compiled trade paperback of a certain series or story arc like Batman Year One that inspired Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins or stories that inspired the Daredevil Netflix series like Daredevil: Born Again or Daredevil: Man Without Fear, they definitely have it. If you’re not the comic book reading type they also have collectibles that might catch your attention that’s on sale.
Expect the unexpected whenever FCBD arrives and you’ll just see more than just lining up for free comic books. The first Saturday of May is definitely Christmas to comic book fans and new readers-alike.
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Araw Ng Libreng Komiks
Mostly the highlight for every Free Comic Book Day event is not only for the fans but also to the local komiks community. The Philippines has a rich culture that some countries don’t have and if you’re a foreigner who has not been to a FCBD in the Philippines this is the place to be to spend your Saturday with local creators.
From the latest graphic novel in “Piko” from Anino Comics to Arnold Arre’s recently re-released of “Mythology Class” there’s an abundance of original proudly Philippine created stories that’s inspired from Filipino culture and folklore that’s untapped or unseen by the international scene and this is your entrance to this realm.
Comic Odyssey and Fully Booked is strongly dedicated to promoting this side of Philippine literature as part of Free Comic Book Day. They are creating the localized version of the FCBD brand translated in tagalog as “Araw ng Libreng Komiks”, where you can only get a compilation of Filipino works by artist released in one magazine format coupled with its own FCBD shirt.
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A Celebration for All
For some Comic Odyssey and Fully Booked organized FCBD is the heart of this annual celebration. Besides the free Magnum ice cream or samplings of Jamba Juice flavoured drinks, the event to see the local creators at top shelf and for the whole afternoon you get to meet & greet them to have their works signed by them or ask them to do a commission sketch.
But FCBD is not only held in one place and let’s hope more book stores and comic shops join in celebrating the event every first Saturday in May. No one envisioned this to be big in the Philippines its great there’s a following. Moving forward lets hope that following also helps promote local interest in Filipino komiks, which makes this annual gathering a unique unlike any country out there.
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY is celebrated EVERY FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY. The Next FCBD will be on May 7, 2016 and for more about the event LIKE Free Comic Book Day Philippines on Facebook and follow on Twitter at: @FreeComicBookPH
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