FCBD 2025

 I'm a big fan of Free Comic Book Day. What could be better than free books from a bunch of companies, promoting their next big thing! When my kids were younger we would all go and they'd grab the books they loved. It's just wonderful promotion for the medium.

I know that the stores don't get the books for free, so I always try to support any store I go to by buying something. 

This year was a little different for me. I knew I was heading to my LCS. They allow 2 free books. Then off to pick up my girl friend to head to a store I had never been to before, The Outer Limits, to check them out (and hit the coffee shop next door). And then from there, off to a newer store, Friar Tuck's. They allowed customers to take 3 free comics.

Quite the day. 

I grabbed a bunch of free books.

Many of these will end up in my work desk to hand to patients needing a comic!

But there's more.

As I said, I drove to The Outer Limits (https://eouterlimits.com/), a comic store that is new to me but I had heard good things about.

This is a great store, predominantly comics but chock full of collectibles and toys too. 

They had a great set-up too! It was a nice day so they had the free books outside the store on two tables with the kids books on one table. 

After we scooped up our freebies, we went inside to peruse. 

I bought these three books, filling three holes in the collection.

Detective Comics #439 is another chapter in the Goodwin/Simonson Manhunter story which I am slowly accumulating. 

I am a sucker for DC Ditko and bought Hawk and Dove #4 (I am missing just 5 and 6 now). 

But the big purchase was a very crisp copy of Superman #238, another chapter in the Kryptonite Nevermore arc which I am also slowly accumulating.

These were all big wins for me!

We headed next door for some coffee and a treat and then got back in the car.

And then it was back into the city to head to Friar Tuck's (https://friartuckscomics.com/)

The store is a great little treasure trove of back issues which opened about a year and a half ago. It is near my workplace so I will head there now and then if on a mission. I like supporting the place as it is a very nice place.

I grabbed my freebies and looked for some books.

I absolutely loved the short-lived 1970s Mister Miracle run by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers. I know I read DCCP #12 off the rack but it was lost to time. When I learned Englehart wrote it, I wanted it. 

I also had an interesting three parter, Detective Comics #622-624, years ago, also lost. I can remember it was a great story by John Ostrander with a sort of comic within a comic, art split by Flint Henry (the comic in the comic) and a young Mike McKone for the main adventure. Plus Dick Sprang covers!! I have been recollecting this arc as well and was happy to complete it by finding the first part.

No Supergirl stuff this FCBD but great books and great times all around. In particular, that Superman #238 is a very nice copy which I got for a very nice price.