Free Comic Book Day: Find a Store in Newtown

NEWTOWN, CT — Free Comic Book Day 2018, the annual national publishing event that brings no-cost comics to local shops, will take place on Saturday, May 5.

The event "celebrates comic books and the local comic shops that provide them to their communities," according to freecomicbookday.com. More than five million comic books will be given away as part of the 2018 festivities. (See some of this year's giveaways in the below video).

Pat Callanan, behind the register at Cave Comics at 57 Church Hill Road in Newtown, puts no fine point on the matter: "It's our busiest day of the year!" he said. More importantly, first-time buyers, or those dipping their toe back into the four-color waters after a long drought, often become repeat customers.

Cave Comics may be better stocked than most venues, with a selection of approximately 20,000 comics issues, from the Silver Age to current titles, but it's just one of the area establishments participating in the event. The Free Comic Book Day Powers That Be have provided an online locator so you can find the participating shop nearest you.

"Every year, on the first Saturday in May, the industry comes together to give away free comics and encourage fans, both old and new, to flock to the best place in the comic book community: local comic shops," freecomicbookday.com states on its website. "These are the hubs of our community, where fans can come together and discover new comics, make lifelong friends, and find a sense of commonality."

Learn more about Free Comic Book Day here, and see some frequently asked questions about the event here.