This year was the first time I attended a Free Comic Book Day and I can’t say that it went smoothly. On the way to Edmonton, we had car troubles. Nothing too serious, but the band that holds the muffler in broke. Instead of hitting the comic store, one we hit the city, we drove around all afternoon looking for a place to fix the car. Silly us trying to find a mechanic that was open after 1pm on a Saturday. In the process of looking for a place to fix the car, it overheated. We had a coolant leak! We pulled over to and filled it with water which thankfully tied us over for the rest of the day.


May 6th didn’t just mark FCBD in Edmonton. It was also the launch party for two publications. Comic Talks 2005, a retrospective book based on six comic forums held last year, and the 12-Hour Manga-thon, which showcases five great stories crafted in 12 hours. Both books feature local talent from Alberta’s independent comic scene. There was also a barbecue and eight artists local artists attended the event, talking to fans and giving out sketches to people. Additional photos can be found here.


We didn’t make it to Happy Harbor Comics until 5pm, an hour before the store closes! But we were too late! We missed all of the Free Comic Book Day offerings! According to owner Jay Bardyla, they were overwhelmed with customers, and ran out of FCBD stock by 1:30 pm. We barely made it on time to enter the bevy of draws, including a trip to San Diego Comic Con. Sadly, I didn’t win. With no comics and no winnings. The trip wasn’t a complete waste. It was still a fun time at the store and Jay saved the day and offered to reorder the the comics I missed out on.


So in the end, we didn’t get any free comics, but I have a chance to reorder them. The car is still in a sorry state, but we made it home safely. In the end, having a photo of myself being picked up by a dude in a Shazam costume was well worth the trip.