Free Comic Book Day

Are you and your kids fans of comics? Or do you think that comics are just about super heroes in tight spandex. Take it from us at KidLit TV, comics are so much more! Whether you’re a long time fan of comics or interested in learning more about this genre that’s gaining attention and acclaim, check out Free Comic Book Day on May 2, 2015.

On this day comic creators, comic book retailers, and fans celebrate and discover the extraordinary world of comic books. All across the United States comic book retailers who participate in this event give away free comic books to anyone who comes into their shops. That’s right, you’ll receive free comic book just for visiting a comic book store! To see if there is a participating comic book outlet in your area, check out Free Comic Book Day’s website.

Free Comic Book Day is supported by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the First Amendment rights of the comics medium.

For over 25 years the CBLDF’s work has been seen all across the United States–in courtrooms, classrooms, conventions and libraries–to provide legal aid, encouragement, education and advocacy protecting the First Amendment rights of the readers, creators, retailers, publishers, and librarians of comics, manga, and graphic novels.

This year the CBLDF is printing Defend Comics for Free Comic Book Day. Defend Comics will explore the great Young Adult comics available, and the censorship with some of today’s most talented creators!

We interviewed our friend, George O’Connor, who is a contributor to Defend Comics this year.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the good work the CBLDF does in protecting free speech. Comics as an art form have come very far in recent years, and as a result of that heightened awareness, a lot of comics have been challenged. As a unique synthesis of pictures and words, I think that comics may be especially susceptible to First Amendment challenges– the immediacy of the images means that an individual or group can near instantaneously identify something that they regard as objectionable– even without regard to context or surrounding material.

“My exclusive Olympians story in Defend Comics helps to raise awareness about the CBLDF and what they do, and also allowed me to tell a pretty cool Greek myth that otherwise wouldn’t have made it into Olympians. In fact, my story, “The Ears of King Midas”, could almost be regarded as an outtake of the upcoming Olympians Volume 8, Apollo: The Brilliant One. It was created while I was working on Apollo, and even features the oracular god in a starring role.

“Also of note for Olympians fans– this story also serves as the Olympians series introduction of the great god Pan, not counting his appearance on the Olympiansboxed set poster.”