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[treykrimsin]

Thoughts on Free Comic Book Day 2018

Since 2012, I’ve been a part of the large attendance of Acme Comics’ Free Comic Book Day festivities. I got to the line as early as I could on a number of occasions and stood in line to be one of the first hundred or two to get a bag of free comics. After I got in, I would shop inside the store and pick up the books from my pull list. If I planned to stay the day, I would get one free sketch from one of the artists attending the event at one of the other participating stores in the strip. Later, I’d get something to eat at one of the restaurants in the strip and go back to the store to hang out before I finally went home. I would be tired, but I would be elated in the fact that the day was well spent with like-minded people who love the medium of comic books. This year was different. Much different.  The last year had been quite tumultuous for a number or reasons. The sister store, Acme Comics Presents, had closed at the end of last year. Much of the merchandise sold there moved to the main store. Over the last two years, the faces of Acme had changed as well. Old, familiar faces changed to new, somewhat familiar faces These changes weighed heavy on the overall mood of the store environment, but as does many things, time and a little help heals all wounds. Personally, pondering upon the prospect of this year’s FCBD became bittersweet. For the last two years, I was joined by someone who I thought was a good friend and her two kids. We’d stand in line, the kids looking in stores and I’d crack jokes. My lady friend would roll her eyes at my weird, yet funny comments. Everyone had a great time, especially me. I had grown fond of those three people, especially the kids’ mother. This year would be the first year that I would be without their company since the fall out. I looked forward to be in line and enjoy the day’s festivities, but to be able to share that experience with someone I deeply cared about still weighed a bit on my mind. As they say, things change. Last year, the collection to the comic book series I created with Kev Lyerly, The Adventures of Teague: Retail Specialist finally came out after a two-year delay. After talking to Jermaine Exum, the manager at Acme Comics, Teague found a place on the shelves of the store’s independent section. Four out of the initial five copies sold, much to my utter surprise and helped boost my morale. Hearing how well the book sold in the store gave me a great deal of pride. The promotion and hard work were paying off again. Interest was growing again for the book. I began writing more seriously again. Things slowly picked back up to a momentum I had not experienced in at least two years. Then, I got a PM from Jermaine on my Twitter account. He asked me if Kev and I would be interested in showcasing our book and art for Acme’s Free Comic Book Day event. Without hesitation, I said yes, but had to check with Kev on his availability. I immediately switched screens on my computer to Facebook and sent a message. Kev checked his schedule, pondered over it a moment, and said yes. We were in. Ecstatic would be the closest word I could use to describe how I felt about the opportunity presented to us. I started shopping for comics at Acme around 2004. I first attended a FCBD event at Acme in 2010 (I could be wrong about that. I’m not sure). Through the development of Teague, I thought about the prospects of putting a comic book I wrote inside Acme’s walls and being behind a table to promote the book. Now the opportunity to do so was presented to me. I was ready.  But it almost didn’t happen.  Some changes were made to that week’s schedule and I was slated to work that Saturday. My mood fell as if it were on a cliff and the cliff was destroyed by a rocket missile, the rock crumbling beneath me. I went to my store manager, who made the new schedule, and told him about putting in for this day months ago and I was booked to be at this event. He said he would fix the issue and get back with me. This put a big damper on my and Kev’s plans. Kev debated on cancelling, but I told him if I could not do it, he could. This would give him an new audience to showcase to. I did tell him that I would be there one way or another, though. On Monday, I reminded my boss about the schedule and he would work on it. Later that day, he told me that I would get Saturday off (much to my relief), but I would have to work a long Thursday. I told him that was fine with me and I thought “as long as I have Free Comic Book day off, damnit!” Once that was cleared up, the anticipation built. Flash forward to Friday afternoon. Kev picked me up from my house and we were off to Greensboro to set up our table at Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery. The owners of Smallcakes were gracious enough to host all the artists who would be attending the event since Acme didn’t have the room to hold all the artists. (We could have sat on top of the back issues...Nah!) We got to the shopping center early and walked to Smallcakes first. Kev and I spoke to the owner of the place after noticing nothing had been set up yet. Keep in mind we were early. So we traversed to Acme and gave them a hand with the set up. Kev and I brought a few chairs from the store to Smallcakes as Acme’s staff were putting up the tables. Once the basic set up was done, it was time to put up our wares. Kev and I set up the bookmark wire stand, the prints, his portfolio, and the Teague trades. All was set for Saturday.

The actual day started a little slow, only because people had to get their free comics first. Around 10:20, people came to Smallcakes and checked out everyone’s table set-ups. People flocked to a few tables like Brian Richardson’s, who usually has a ton of Disney characters which is popular with a lot of kids. Griff Person, who was positioned across from us, had one person immediately stay at his table for almost an hour. We soon got some of the foot traffic and people were snatching up bookmarks. I had a few people look at the book, one or two even peeking inside, but no takers. Despite the lack of sales on my part, I greeted numerous people and helped Kev keep up his half of the table. Spirits continued to be high.  I eventually sold one copy of Teague to a long time Acme customer. She and I talked for at least an hour about books, comic stores, and personal relationships. After signing the book, she started talking with Kev about a mutual acquaintance and I ventured through Smallcakes, looking at the art from the other vendors. I spoke with artists like Colby Ziglar, Brian Richardson, Merryn Kepchar, and another good friend, Rickie Hopkins. We both talked about what has happened in our lives and how it’s affected us personally and professionally. Miscommunication on both sides, especially mine, halted a project I had written and he started art on. Now we’re both re-energized and wiling to get this project back on track. Rickie surprised me twice on this day. First, he gave me a page of the Capital Punishment story we did for Grayhaven Comics in 2015. Then, Rickie did a quick sketch of my character Teague. Surprised and flattered described my feelings on receiving such gifts. Now, I have to find a way to repay him by getting work done on our project in one form or another. After 5pm, Kev and I took down our displays, packed the car, and headed to Acme for a brief visit. We both obtained a bag of free comics and I picked up my stack of comics from my pull box. We talked briefly with a few of the artists and some of the attendants to the event. All seemed to have had a great day. I spoke to Jermaine at the counter and told him how our day went. He was pleased to hear how great a time Kev and I had. As we arrived back in Thomasville, Both Kev and I took time to relax, eat, and bask in the good vibes we had joking around with each other, playing a little music before the day ended, and talking blaxploitation flims with Jody Merriman after I played Curtis Mayfield’s Superfly.  Overall, what a day it was. For me, this was a bit of a milestone for me. I credit Acme Comics and its manager Jermaine Exum in part for getting me seriously interested in comic books again and for piquing my interest in writing comic books. Over the years, I’ve seen the community he’s built at Acme and I have enjoyed being a part of it whenever I stepped through the door. This Free Comic Book Day was proof of how the Acme Comics community nurtures the creativity, the drive, and the interest of creators and fans alike. This sense of community was clearly noted by Kev, who has been jaded by other comic book retailers over the years. He left Acme that day impressed by the nurturing and supportive environment Jermaine and his staff create on Free Comic Book Day.  I personally have to thank Jermaine, Austin, Pete, Ryce, and the rest of the Acme Comics staff who took a chance to carry The Adventures of Teague and giving it support. I also thank them for giving me and Kev the opportunity to promote ourselves, our art and books, and to be around such a positive environment. The comics community can be callous, unappreciative, and unsupportive at times. It’s good to know there still are places a comics creator can go and feel a sense of belonging and love for comics, especially on Free Comic Book Day.