Free Comic Book Day is an international event that you can take part in right here in downtown Edmonton.
On Saturday, May 3 (Free Comic Book Day), Rolling Tales Pop Culture will celebrate with cosplayers on site for photos, a custom designed escape room and a storewide sale on comic books, graphic novels, tabletop role playing games, and more.
Most importantly, you can also take home three complimentary comics from a selection of 45 titles.
New to this world of comic books? We’re here to help!
We got the best-of-the best when it comes to comic book expertise: Jay Bardyla, owner and operator of Rolling Tales Pop Culture who has been working in the industry since he was a teenager. Actually, he got a paper route when he was eight years old to buy comics, so he really is the expert!
For those not sure where to start:
“First thing to remember is comics are like music, they’re like television, they’re like movies, there is every type and style so if you come in thinking comics are just Archie and superheroes, you’re already limiting yourself.”
Jay says that he’ll ask people what they like to do, what kind of books they like to read, or the TV shows they love – from there he can find you the right comic book.
Does your child or teen want a comic but you’re not sure? Jay wants you to know the power of comic books:
“There’s more to read in a comic than there is to read in a prose book because you’re reading visually, while you’re also reading prose at the same time. If you’re not paying attention to the visual cues in the art you’re going to lose parts of the story, you’re not going to follow along.”
Comics are also more rapidly digestible, so if a young reader is jazzed about a story, they instantly want to engage and talk about it. This is compared to the weeks or months of reading a novel.
Comics empower imagination. Jay says that Rolling Tales’ art teacher will give a young student a comic if they’re struggling to get started. It always sparks creativity.
And last but certainly not least, Jay says: “Teach a kid to read a comic book properly and they can build IKEA furniture effortlessly for the rest of their lives.”
Well…that’s gotta be tempting!