| Local events have slowly been happening all over Metro Manila. When all hope have been lost, and the least you expected it did happen in its most subtle way.
Free Comic Book Day in the Philippines just happen in the month of June 2022 is the most little likely event that everyone thought that was already done. But just like that, an announcement was put up on social media two days prior by local book shop giant Fully Booked has organized their event. It might not be the most eventful it still sent a message to everyone that FCBD is back, and this is was like back in 2009 when they did have this event minus the wild activities. |
Even before the flagship store in Bonifacio High Street had opened its doors by 10 AM in the morning many pre-registered crowd has started to flock the venue, where a long line has formed for those hoping to get the most coveted titles that the staff that was shared on social media and has pre-packed two days earlier.
It was past 11 AM and there were still titles being put on the table, but only those pre-registered at the Boni High Street were be able to pick up their books. For those who pre-registered and has not gotten their books it was announced that they still be able to get it via customer service.
Bustling with New Readers
For the ones who has no luxury to travel in-person Fully Booked offered that those who would spend an amount of purchase online will receive two random titles. The rest of the Fully Booked stores all over Metro Manila and Baguio can get ONE FREE COMICBOOK as a walk-in for those who missed out the pre-registration at BGC and the Alabang store.
The perspective at the BGC store was busy and crowded with hungry graphic novel readers who missed out the past FCBD event in the last two years. It was still the busiest place for any book reader who would get lost in all the shelves of 4-colour literature, and more people still arriving to check the special offers.
A Mix Bag of Old & New FCBD
There have been diverse titles that they gave out, but not all of it are published from FCBD 2022 or have the "Free Comic Book Day" banner on top of the title. Most of the books were given away are from special events, like the "Wonder Woman Day" and other samplers for comic shops to give out in testing the market. There were a few handful titles from 2022, and one of the titles is from Trese published internationally by Ablaze based from the Netflix animated series that were immediately gobbled up by early visitors.
Most of the other books are leftovers from the past Batman and Spider-Man Day events going as far back to 2017. But still, they are good titles for new readers to find it interesting in getting their graphic novels, specially the young ones who haven’t read an actual comicbook or 'Floppies' that doesn't have a spine.
This year was not a missed out event for FCBD, despite that the annual event was always held every first Saturday of May. There were interesting individuals dressed up as their favourite comicbook character or from the live action films. It is still the event most gravitate to socialize and meet new people finding the same interest.
For this year, I have my fill of FCBD titles from last month from the local comic shops I try to support. For Fully Booked, I only got a handful of interesting books like the 2019 Superman Year One by Frank Miller and John Romita Jr (full issue sampler) as well as a Wonder Woman Special Day title “Diana: Princess of the Amazons" (2019), and the FCBD X-Men (2020) issue that preludes the X-Swords Event from the same year.
The event may appear underwhelming, since Fully Booked is following Health & Safety Protocols due to the pre-registration. But they are on the right path in promoting FCBD. Maybe next year would be the best time for everyone to prepare and not missed out on all the happenings.
For now, enjoy the free comicsbooks and continue to help local Bookstores and Comic Shops. At the end of the day, they’re not actually free but as part of promoting in showing support for the store as the local majority would ignore this concept and not understand this reasoning.
This was originally to give you an idea and hook you with “samplers” to gain fan interest in some of the books that has been released, and what’s about to come out in the next few months.
Cheers!
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