ALBANY - Free Comic Book Day has been an annual event at comic shops, bookstores, and libraries around the country for more than two decades now, but it’s a particularly big deal at Earthworld Comics.
The Albany shop at 537 Central Ave. has gathered crowds of comic creators and costumed fans to mingle, shop, and partake in free comics on the first Saturday in May each year, and continues that tradition this Saturday, May 4.
Ahead of this year’s Free Comic Book Day, The Daily Gazette met with Earthworld Comics owner and operator Nick Glindmyer, who took over the shop after the passing of his father, J.C. Glindmyer in May 2023. Nick shared his plans for his first Free Comic Book Day as the shop's owner and how the store is getting ready for the big day.
Video: Free Comic Book Day
Earthworld Comics owner Nick Glindmyer shares how the Albany shop is getting ready for Free Comic Book Day.
“It's a lot of stamping our books with the store's logo–thousands and thousands of books,” explained Glindmyer of the behind-the-scenes work keeping him and the shop’s staff busy in the lead-up to May 4. “[It’s] getting that done and getting them prepped, figuring out where we're putting everything.”
“Once we get that done, then it's usually just the night before that’s chaos,” he laughed.
First held in 2002, Free Comic Book Day is an annual event intended to bring more attention to comics and comic shops, with various publishers supplying shops with steeply discounted promotional issues to give away to visitors that day.
While some shops cap their participation in the event at that, others–like Earthworld–have made a full-fledged party out of the day.
A sign advertises Earthworld Comics' plans for Free Comic Book Day 2024, with guest Alex Segura attending the event.
Past festivities at Earthworld have featured a parade of costumed characters, encompassing both children and adults, as well as contests, raffles, and visits from prominent comic creators.
Comic writer and mystery novelist Alex Segura will be signing books at Earthworld during this year’s event, and Glindmyer has accumulated an impressive pile of prizes to give away in a raffle benefiting local foster care agency Northern Rivers.
“Our raffle for Northern Rivers has gotten out of hand in the best way,” he said. “We've got a lot of donated stuff from local artists and writers, tons of cool hardcovers… We've really been fortunate with the donations and we're really excited that we're going to be able to get them to people for relatively cheap and that all of that money is going to be able to go towards Northern Rivers.”
“That's a win-win,” he added.
Free Comic Book Day is Saturday, May 4. You can find more information at the event’s official website, FreeComicBookDay.com, and by contacting your local comic shop.
A sign advertising Free Comic Book Day outside Earthworld Comics in Albany.
Earthworld Comics owner Nick Glindmyer shares how the Albany shop is getting ready for Free Comic Book Day.