'It's really great to pass on a passion': Celebrating Free Comic Book Day in Cambridge
Comic book shops in Waterloo region joined in on one of the comic book industry’s biggest yearly celebrations.
Saturday was ‘Free Comic Book Day,’ a day when shops across North America give away a selection of free comic books to fans and newcomers alike.
The event is held on the first Saturday in May and features titles from titans of the industry, like DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Dark Horse Comics, as well as some independent publishers.
Millions of books have been handed out since Free Comic Book Day first began in 2002, with thousands of shops choosing to take part.
For many fans, it’s a day they look forward to all year long.
“I opened [the store] two hours early and there was a lineup at the door!” Andrew Salter, owner of The Hero’s Tale in Cambridge told CTV News Saturday morning.
“The first two hours have been very, very busy,” he laughed.
Passing on a passion
Several people who stopped by The Hero’s Tale came with young family members who are just starting their journeys into the world of comic books.
“I’ve been reading comic books most of my life. It’s really great to pass on a passion to the next generation,” Harold Bost said after he helped his three-year-old son Jude pick out a couple of free books.
Jude was all smiles as he held up his selections, Spidey and His Amazing Friends and Barkham Asylum.
“It’s really cool that we have a local comic store now,” Bost said. “We didn’t have one before, and ever since this place opened it’s been so great for the community and the hobby.”
For other young fans, it was a chance to pick up some books from their favourite series and consider diving into some new adventures.
“I really like reading. Sometimes I’ll stay up until midnight reading,” ten-year-old Ezri Patten said while holding a stack of manga and comic books in her arms. “I really enjoy comic books, manga, and it’s really nice to have this place.”
“It’s really great to have this in the community. It’s nice to be able to come down to downtown Preston. It’s a lot more alive then it used to be a few years ago,” Rebecca Patten said. “Manga and comics have been a great way to get them excited about reading.”
Picking just two free comic books was a bit of a challenge for eight-year-old Koda.
“It was pretty hard!” he said. “I went with some stuff that I thought looked cool and some stuff I’ve seen trailers [for],” he said, showing off a comic book tie-in to the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes movie.
“I was really young when I first started reading, and I couldn’t stop reading, and I started with comic books,” Salter said. “Then I went to novels, and still maintain my comic books as well. I’m still a ferocious reader to this day, and it all started because of comic books.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of a 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
How to keep insects out of your house, according to an entomologist and other experts
Now that temperatures have warmed up even more this spring, you may be anxious at the thought of bugs invading your home or you may already be battling the pests. Here are expert tips on how to keep them away.
Board orders deportation for trucker in horrific Humboldt Broncos crash
The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has been ordered to be deported.
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.
Group tied to Islamic State plotted fatal Ontario restaurant shooting: Crown
A gunman who is accused of killing a young Ontario man and shooting four of his family members at their small Mississauga restaurant in 2021 was allegedly part of a trio who had pledged allegiance to the listed terrorist group Islamic State, a Crown attorney said in an opening statement in the Brampton murder trial this week.
'Quiet vacationing': Surveys show workers don't use all of their vacation days, play hooky
'Quiet vacationing' is the latest new term to describe the rough edges of office culture, and survey data shows it's widespread among North American workers.
Ford thanks Ottawa as minister cites 'deep concerns' over Toronto's decriminalization
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is thanking the federal government for rejecting Toronto's long-stalled pitch to decriminalize the possession of illegal drugs.
After toddler's near drowning in backyard pool, Quebec mom has warning for parents
A Quebec mother who saved her child from the bottom of a backyard pool last weekend has a message for other families.