Fans Line Up to Celebrate Free Comic Book Day

For months,  was billed as a day of fun and large crowds at the  in Fair Lawn, and the store delivered on that promise Saturday.

Customers and comic book fans lined up outside the store throughout the afternoon. On regular intervals, new customers were allowed in as others left, and the line on River Road remained 12 to 15 people deep.

According to promoters of Free Comic Book Day, comic books “began in the 1930s as a unique American art form that has grown—like so many American forms of entertainment—to spread around the globe. From Japanese businessmen reading manga on the subways of Tokyo to French artists re-interpreting Proust with words and pictures, comics have changed entertainment and challenged perceptions.”

Katz said Saturday's events in Fair Lawn did not disappoint.

“We have had hundreds of people in today,” said Katz, as he passed out free issues of “The Simpons,” “Darkwing Duck,” “Archie Comics” and comic books hyping upcoming movies like “Green Lantern,” “Thor” (the movie starring Anthony Hopkins and Chris Hemsworth came out the preceding day) and “Captain America.”

According to Caren Katz, co-owner of Joker’s Child, the store topped its record crowd for previous Free Comic Book Days on Saturday. Caren Katz added that she was able to coincide the launch of the store’s new web site with the Free Comic Book Day 2011.

“We have been very pleased with how well it has been today,” said Caren Katz.

In line, comic book fans were excited to stop in and visit. Matt Cole, a resident of Garfield, said he was originally going to head into New York City, but decided to stay closer to home.

“I heard the line at comic book shops was around the block,” Cole said. “I was glad to come to this today to see it. Free Comic Book Day gets people into the store and exposes them to comic books.” 

Jeannette Balise, of Paramus, brought her sister Juliana and their five-year-old sister Eliana.

“When I was in college, I took a comic book history course,” said Balise. “And we had heard about it online and we wanted to see it for ourselves. Also we wanted to introduce Eliana to comic books as well.”

Juliana Balise said she and her sister were into manga and anime and, thanks to their father, were introduced to comic books.

“When we were growing up we watched the Spider-Man and X-Men cartoons,” she said. “And this is just fun.” 

Katz is already planning the next big event at Joker’s Child on Sunday, June 12 from noon to 6 p.m. Katz said Joker’s Child will be hosting a spring cleaning event, one day only. Action figures, trade paperbacks, hardcovers, statues and busts will be on sale.

For more information, visit the Joker’s Child .