Worldwide Free Comic Book Day Comes to Niagara Falls with Comics for All Ages!

Pulp Comics in Niagara Falls is one of thousands of comic book shops around the world celebrating the comic book art form on Saturday, May 1st. On Free Comic Book Day, over two million comic books will be given away by participating stores, introducing as many people as possible to the wonders of comic books!

“The wide variety of comic books being published today ensures that readers of all ages — children, teens, and adults – can find something appropriate that they will like,” said Paul Tappay owner of Pulp Comics.

Now in its eighth year, Free Comic Book Day has proven to be a smashing success, spreading the word that comics are terrific reading. “Even if you have never picked up a comic book, stop into Pulp Comics, because you never know what you will end up finding.”

“We at Pulp Comics want to spread the word that comics are bigger than ever and perfect for today’s times,” Tappay continued. “Comic books and graphic novels are considered hip, hot and smart.” Comic Books have propelled to the front ranks of pop culture, many being adapted into movies. The first weekend of May is going to be a big day in the comic book world.”

Regular updates, information about comic books, and a list of participating publishers and their free comics are all online at www.FreeComicBookDay.com.

SHOW UP IN COSTUME AND WIN AT PULP COMICS!

On Free Comic Book Day, anyone who shows up in costume as their favorite comic book character, gets a ballot to win a great prize!

The Watchmen: Rorschach Prop Replica Grappling Gun and Mask! (retail price $299)
This # 449 of a limited release of only 1,000 made!

Costume shy? Anyone can enter, just spend more than $20 that day(before tax) and receive a free ballot! Come in Costume and spend more than $20, get 2 ballots!

As well there will sales all day long! 20% – %50 off featured items! Cake and refreshments and other goodies while they last!

Free Comic Book Day kicks off on May 1st at 9 am and runs until 5 pm at Pulp Comics at 4413 Queen Street. Call 905-353-0666 for more information.

Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores. Brainstormed by retailer Joe Field of Flying Colors Comics in Concord CA in his “Big Picture” column in the August 2001 issue of Comics & Games Retailer magazine, it was started in 2002 and is coordinated by the industry’s single large distributor, Diamond Comic Distributors. The next event will be on May 1, 2010.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, yes, that Kenneth Branagh. Thor is shaping up to be smarter than the average summer blockbuster, and especially one from the pages of a funnybook. Based on a script by Ashley Miller , Zack Stentz , and Mark Protosevich this is not going to be mindless hammer-bashing, and looks to stay true to the comics, as well as appealing to the mass market.

Casting

• Thor – Chris Hemsworth
• Loki – Tom Hiddleston
• Jane Foster – Natalie Portman
• Sif – Jaimie Alexander
• and Colm Feore in an (as yet) unannounced role

Ladies and Gentlemen, your Thor Odinson

Recently, FLIMgeeks spoke with writer Ashley Edward Miller about Thor

From Andromeda to Asgard, a Conversation with Ash

Reznik: What can we expect from Kenneth Branagh trading Shakespeare for norse myth and Marvel setting up for the series of mega-blockbusters? I must admit that I was astounded to hear about the talent and people involved, and I was curious about the process of how all these great minds collaborate on a ‘funny-book’ movie.

Ash: Here’s what I can tell you about Ken. He’s a fucking genius, and I’ve believed that for twenty years. Henry V changed my life— no shit. Working with him is easily the highlight of my professional career. I mean, his last two collaborators were a Nobel Prize winner and the greatest writer who ever lived. So, no pressure. Right?

It’s funny how many people bring up the Shakespeare/comic book dichotomy, but I reject it. Shakespeare wrote people who were larger than life but every bit as human as the rest of us. Isn’t that what the best superhero comics are about? It’s definitely what Marvel comics are about. Ken’s great wisdom is in recognizing that and treating THOR the way he would treat anything else. I think people are going to be surprised at how emotional and human the story is. Stunned even. It turns on things I don’t think we’ve really seen before in a comic book film. I’m tremendously proud of it.

As for the mega-blockbusters… just you wait. It’s been a lot of fun being a part of that process, as a fan and as a writer.

Reznik: With each of these huge solo titles ultimately leading to the upcoming Avengers flick (once again working within the confines of a franchise), how does the new Thor fit into the new mythos of Marvel’s uber-franchise?

Ash: Thor absolutely occupies the Marvel universe, in every conceivable sense. Once you see the movie, you’ll get it. I can’t imagine the Avengers film without him.

Reznik: I have to check—does everyone involved “get” Thor? Can we expect the source material to be treated correctly with reverence, and yet still work as a summer blockbuster for the mouth-breathing general populous?

Ash: Every single person involved with the development of the movie “gets” Thor. That’s a big reason why the work has been such a pleasure… you never have to defend the property from the people who own it. You can even make frog jokes without getting blank stares in return. If you get the frog jokes, you get Thor. That’s all there is to it.

Thor hits theatres Summer 2011

On the surface, it’s the DC version of Marvel Zombies, and frankly if you feel that way you’re missing out.

Hearkneing back to silver age mentality, Blackest Night is not just the dead coming back, but the implications of why a character would die, and why another would return before he was missed. With the recent Batman RIP, and the death of Captain America in the Marvel camp, it’s an interesting statement on the fallibility of an icon versus the immortality of the comicbook hero. Taking place primarily in it’s own limited series and the Green Lantern titles, it also has it’s own share of spin-offs like Tales of the Corps, and other major DC titles such as Blackest Night: Superman, Blackest Night: Batman and Blackest Night: Titans.

Look for the Blackest Night banner on various crossover titles

In the modern age of comics, gone are the summer blockbuster crossover that are almost set in their own alternate reality before it wraps up and normalcy is returned. There aren’t huge game-changing events that are quickly retconned to never have happened in the first place. What we have instead are truly universe changing continuities, and the next ‘event’ is more often an evolutionary series built upon the last major story arc. From Civil War to Dark Reign, and in this case from the ‘Rebirths’ of Barry Allen and Hal Jordan to Final Crisis to Blackest Night.

Hal Jordan has returned as Green Lantern, and faces one of the biggest challenges in GL history.

The other trend lately is for these events to be written and overseen by a primary writer. In this case Geoff Johns seemingly takes over for DC PTB Grant Morrison, and quite simply exceeds any expectations. If you simply describe the plot outlines for almost any of Johns’ work, it sounds deceptively simple. There is a profundity to the work that the defies the simple synopsis; Hal Jordan comes back, There’s a corps for each colour of the spectrum, The Black Hand could destroy the universe. It’s the questions posed to the reader, both moral and ethical, that Johns weaves into the work that make this series not only the biggest of the year, but one that should cause deep repercussions in the DC universe for the future.

Blackest Night Checklist