Comic books given away in Kokomo, May 2

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For decades, the comic book industry has given away its products on the first Saturday in May. Despite a shake-up in the distribution network, local comic book shops across the nation will again celebrate Free Comic Book Day – or Comic Giveaway Day – on Sat., May. 2.

In Kokomo, that means Comics Cubed, 121 E. Sycamore St., will be giving away hundreds of books to lucky readers, opening the door to a lifetime of literacy and imagination. Comic Cubed owner Shawn Hilton is excited to participate in this year’s event.

“We’re proud to be Kokomo’s provider of groovy comic book goodness every week, but the giveaway day is something extra special,” Hilton said. “It is one of a handful of days when anyone can stop by Comics Cubed and pick up one or more free comic books.

“These stories bring the fantastic to life for readers of all ages. We’ll have books with superheroes, of course, but comic books offer tales in a variety of genres. From horror to adventure to mystery to simpler stories for young readers, there truly is something for everyone within the pages of a comic book.”

Comics Cubed will open its doors early for the comic book giveaway, allowing subscribers in good standing to get first crack at the comics at 10 a.m. The general public will be admitted at 10:30 a.m. Each visitor will be allowed to choose two comic books from an array of nearly 50 titles. They may get back in line – a line that typically stretches well down the block along “Geek Street” – and make additional selections as long as the inventory lasts.

“We’ve never experienced a full ‘sell-out’ of books, so there will be free comics available no matter when you stop by,” said Hilton. “But the most popular books from Marvel, DC, Image, and more publishers will go quickly. We strongly encourage people to visit as early as they can.”

Comics Cubed also will offer discounts on new comics, back issues, trade paperbacks, and other items throughout the store. There also will be a few special giveaways awarded to lucky customers during the event.

For those who can’t make it downtown in time to catch their favorite titles, the Kokomo Howard County Public Library also will be celebrating the giveaway day at its south branch, 1755 E. Center Road. The library will have a smaller selection of comics available for visitors, beginning at noon.

The annual event once was known universally as Free Comic Book Day, but the collapse of Diamond Distributors – the largest comic distributor in the industry – shook up the landscape. Publishers chose to continue the tradition through new distribution channels, though the “Free Comic Book Day” designation belongs to the company that now owns Diamond. As a result, some stores and promotional materials may indicate May 2 as “Comic Giveaway Day.”

“It won’t impact what you’ll be able to find at Comics Cubed,” said Hilton. “We’re still giving away all the free comics you can handle!”

So, what is available this year? Of course, Marvel and DC – the largest publishers – will have plenty to read. Marvel will kick off its big summer events with previews of Avengers Armageddon, X-Men DNX, and Queen in Black. It also will offer stories from the Alien, Predator, and Planet of the Apes universes. And Spidey & His Amazing Friends gets a book for younger readers.

DC will offer its “Next Level Sampler,” with previews of Batwoman, Deathstroke, and Lobo, as well as a special edition of DC x Sonic the Hedgehog. There also will be a LEGO Batman book for younger readers and a special printing of its horror hit “The Nice House on the Lake.”

Image Comics will offer its “Energon Universe 2026 Special,” which contains the Transformers, G.I. Joe, and MASK storylines that consistently have sat near the top of comic book pull lists for more than two years.

Other titles of interest include:

• Avatar Legends/Minecraft, by Dark Horse
• Conan the Barbarian, by Titan
• Dungeon Crawler Carl, by Vault
• He-Man and the Masters of the Universe/Dungeons & Dragons, by Dark Horse
• Jem and the Holograms/My Little Pony, by BOOM
• Power Rangers, by BOOM
• Something Is Killing the Children – Road to Slaughter, by BOOM
• Sonic the Hedgehog, by IDW
• Stitch, by Dynamite
• Supernatural, by Dynamite

Comics Cubed, 121 E. Sycamore St., is open Wednesday through Saturday, from noon until 5 p.m. It will open on Sat., May 2, at 10 a.m. for subscribers in good standing and at 10:30 a.m. for the general public. It is part of Geek Street, a collection of pop culture-centric stores along East and West Sycamore Street in downtown Kokomo. For more information, visit Comics Cubed on Facebook.