Heroes and Villains Hosts Free Comic Book Event on Saturday

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY & GREAT PHOTO OPS

Heroes and Villians Comics, 264 Main Street.

Saturday, May 7th, 11 a.m. - 7 p. m.

Let me share a few extra reasons, besides the beautiful farmer’s market, you will want to be downtown on Main Street, this Saturday [with your camera!]

1. Everyone’s favorite comic book store, Heroes and Villains, is GIVING AWAY FREE COMIC BOOKS! One-to-three free comic books per customer (any remaining will be generously donated to our Pleasanton Library).

2. Anthony Bettencourt’s very beloved will be parked write outside for the enjoyment of custom~automobile enthusiasts, Batman fans and just plain fun photo opportunities.

3. Speaking of photo opportunities, BIRDS OF PREY will be in costume and in character bringing to life some of our favorite female comic book heroines, past, present and future.

Heroes and Villains comics is located at the intersection of Old Bernal and Main. It is a collaborative entrepreneurial enterprise, co-owned by Jim Cravens and Catherine de Dood.

Jim is a long time comic book collector and former comic book store owner. He was temporarily sidetracked into the corporate world, as a retail specialist for General Motors, but as job security with GM became less and less stable, he began re-visiting the idea of opening another comic book store.

Catherine de Dood’s entrepreneurial experience includes having co-founded a software company. She spent some time also as a stay-at-home wife and mom of two, but in 2010, with her children in middle school and high school, and post-divorce, she found herself positioned and inspired to start a new business again. A long time resident of Pleasanton, she said, “I always wanted a business on Main Street.” She has a great love for art and reading, so as conversations continued between herself and Jim, the result became Heroes and Villains, which just recently celebrated its one-year anniversary.

Comic books “are much more than capes and tights,” Jim explained. “It’s popular culture that crosses over between movies, television, music, and video games.”

In fact, the traditional super-hero comic book is only a small percentage of what is available for readers today. Comic book genres include science-fiction, horror, comedy, steampunk and adventure among others. The story lines are far more complex and less predictable than good guy vs. bad guy. Today’s comic book authors employ fine art graphics, fictional characters and the well-edited speech bubble to imaginatively explore alternative histories and/or to inspire readers to rethink the consequences of today’s popular culture and technologies. The fictional element allows comic book authors to take their readers on any variety of 'what if' paths inaccessible to non-fiction authors, while the high graphic to text ratio offers readers a visually stimulating and fast ride.

No longer reserved just for dessert reading, comic books are fast gaining a reputation for serving as the gateway to a greater (and sometimes initial) passion for reading in general.

Comic books are the meat, if you will allow me a food analogy, not the appetizer, side or dessert; the gourmet dish.

I can provide some personal testimony here: I have both a son and nephew who’d rather eat three bowls of raw spinach than “read a book. For fun?! Never!”

But when presented with Bones, a 300+ page “epic in one book.” Devoured it! and asked for more. Now they both read all the time, their school grades have improved, social lives skyrocketed and they’ve both received full scholarships in advance, to the ivy league college of their choice.

Oh, I exaggerate for fun, but my experience is true to the reputation at hand: Comic books are the new must-reads.

And, must-sees. A growing number of movies at your local theatre were originally comic book stories: Men in Black — based on a comic book. Batman movie, Spiderman — originally comic book. X-men, Green Latern, Captain America, Thor — all share comic book origins.

The industry is calling more and more attention to itself and attracting also, some of your favorite best-selling authors who established their name and craft in other genres — Stephen King, Clive Barker, Osron Scott Card, and Janet Evanovich to name a select few.

I think we’re pretty lucky to have this ultra cool comic book store right here on Main Street, downtown. With summer fast approaching you might want to familiarize yourself with their selection, purchase a few exciting beach reads for yourself, and a few books for your children that they might actually enjoy.

Heroes & Villians Comics is open Mon-Fri, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sat 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Sun. 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Telephone: 925-399-5252