Another Free Comic Book Day fades into the mists of history... and I must say BOY was that fun! As usual, it's great to see everyone come out and snag some freebies and perhaps some bargains, and even have a lot of fun while doing so! Our thanks go out to all of you who came in to the stores and helped celebrate the coolest day of the year! I was literally so crazy busy that I almost forgot to take some pics at the Mechanicsburg store, except for these few:
ZOMBIE SHOPPERS! No, really. Lori and her pal love zombies!
The ever-helpful Triple-G putting his pinkie finger to good use.
Local artist/writer Olivia Hayes signing her debut graphic novel. Olivia is so cool she gave me an autographed copy with a SKETCH inside! Thanks, Olivia!
Dave letting me know that my lobster thermidor has arrived.
Dessert graciously provided by PJ! Thanks man, they really hit the spot and helped soak up all the java we were drinking!
Neighbor Jeremy provided this cake, which made me laugh out loud. Thanks, that's awesome!
Eleven hours later - closing time with the night shift.
Thanks also go out to every single one of the Comix Connection Counter Monkeys™! Thank you Jared, Jim, Josh, Joe (too many J-Monkeys!), Gregg, Tony, Dave, Dan, Matt and Shawn! You guys are awesome and are real troopers - kudos all around!
Great fun. Thanks again everyone! Oh, and if you didn't manage to get in on Saturday, rest assured we still have lots of FREE COMIC BOOKS for you, so come on in and grab a couple-three. (And keep your eyes peeled... we're working on an event for later in the summer that just might turn out to be even MORE fun than Free Comic Book Day, if that's possible.)
That's right! There are just a few short days until Free Comic Book Day! Come celebrate this nationwide event at Comix Connection and get your hands on some ABSOLUTELY FREE comic books! All day Saturday, May 3rd from 10AM until 9PM, both Comix Connection stores in York and Mechanicsburg will be celebrating Free Comic Book Day... and of course we are also running one of our fabulous sales:
* ALL BACK ISSUES IN THE BINS ARE $1.00 EACH! * ALL OLDER BACK ISSUES ON THE BACK WALLS ARE 25% OFF! * ALL GRAPHIC NOVELS AND BOOKS ARE 20% OFF! * ALL STATUES AND TOYS ARE 20% OFF! * ALL GAMES AND GAMING ITEMS ARE 20% OFF!
ONE DAY ONLY! SATURDAY, MAY 3rd!
EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO SELECT THREE FREE COMIC BOOKS from the following list of titles. QUANTITIES ON SOME TITLES ARE LIMITED, so come early to see a wider selection of books!
* ARCHIE'S PAL JUGHEAD * BONGO COMICS FREE-FOR-ALL! (Simpsons) * HELLBOY/B.P.R.D * ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 * PROJECT SUPERPOWERS * TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED * BROKEN TRINITY PREVIEW * X-MEN * THE STRANDED/DAN DARE * SHONEN JUMP MAGAZINE SAMPLER * APE ENTERTAINMENT'S CARTOON-APALOOZA #1 * ARCANA STUDIO PRESENTS * SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #1 * WORLDS OF ASPEN #3 * SALEM: QUEEN OF THORNS * DEL REY & DABEL BROTHERS PREVIEW * TINY TITANS #1 * DRAFTED * GEGIKA: A DRAWN+QUARTERLY MANGA SAMPLER * GRAPHIC CLASSICS * I.G.N.A.T.Z.: INTERNATIONAL GRAPHIC NOVELS AT THEIR ZENITH #1 * DISNEY'S GYRO GEARLOOSE * E.C. COMICS SAMPLER * LOVE AND CAPES #7 * MARVEL ADVENTURES: IRON MAN * MAINTENANCE #1 * IMAGINARY #1 * ATOMIC ROBO & FRIENDS * AMELIA RULES! COMICS AND STORIES * THE MOTH: GREATEST HITS * KIDS LOVE COMICS! COMIC BOOK DINER * NASCAR HEROES: ALL-STARS SPECIAL * OWLY AND FRIENDS * VIPER COMICS PRESENTS: KID HOUDINI AND THE SILVER DOLLAR MISFITS * GUMBYS COLORING COMIC BOOK SPECIAL #1 * WIZARD HOW TO DRAW SAMPLER * MAXIMUM RIDE VOLUME 1
Also available to the first 200 people at each store will be this super-cool IRON MAN HeroClix game piece:
and also one of these cool STAR WARS Collectible Miniatures Games figures:
That's right! There is just a little over four short weeks until Free Comic Book Day! Come celebrate this nationwide event at Comix Connection and get your hands on some ABSOLUTELY FREE comic books! All day Saturday, May 3rd from 10AM until 9PM, both Comix Connection stores in York and Mechanicsburg will be celebrating Free Comic Book Day... and of course we are also running one of our fabulous sales:
ALL BACK ISSUES IN THE BINS ARE $1.00 EACH!
ALL OLDER BACK ISSUES ON THE BACK WALLS ARE 25% OFF!
ALL GRAPHIC NOVELS AND BOOKS ARE 20% OFF!
ALL STATUES AND TOYS ARE 20% OFF!
ALL GAMES AND GAMING ITEMS ARE 20% OFF!
ONE DAY ONLY! SATURDAY, MAY 3rd!
EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO SELECT THREE FREE COMIC BOOKS from the following list of titles. QUANTITIES ON SOME TITLES ARE LIMITED, so come early to see a wider selection of books!
ARCHIE'S PAL JUGHEAD
BONGO COMICS FREE-FOR-ALL! (Simpsons)
HELLBOY/B.P.R.D
ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1
PROJECT SUPERPOWERS
TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED
BROKEN TRINITY PREVIEW
X-MEN
THE STRANDED/DAN DARE
SHONEN JUMP MAGAZINE SAMPLER
APE ENTERTAINMENT'S CARTOON-APALOOZA #1
ARCANA STUDIO PRESENTS
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #1
WORLDS OF ASPEN #3
SALEM: QUEEN OF THORNS
DEL REY & DABEL BROTHERS PREVIEW
TINY TITANS #1
DRAFTED
GEGIKA: A DRAWN+QUARTERLY MANGA SAMPLER
GRAPHIC CLASSICS
I.G.N.A.T.Z.: INTERNATIONAL GRAPHIC NOVELS AT THEIR ZENITH #1
DISNEY'S GYRO GEARLOOSE
E.C. COMICS SAMPLER
LOVE AND CAPES #7
MARVEL ADVENTURES: IRON MAN
MAINTENANCE #1
IMAGINARY #1
ATOMIC ROBO & FRIENDS
AMELIA RULES! COMICS AND STORIES
THE MOTH: GREATEST HITS
KIDS LOVE COMICS! COMIC BOOK DINER
NASCAR HEROES: ALL-STARS SPECIAL
OWLY AND FRIENDS
VIPER COMICS PRESENTS: KID HOUDINI AND THE SILVER DOLLAR MISFITS
GUMBYS COLORING COMIC BOOK SPECIAL #1
WIZARD HOW TO DRAW SAMPLER
MAXIMUM RIDE VOLUME 1
*WHEW* Click HERE and HERE for more info on the available comics!
Also available to the first 200 people at each store will be this super-cool IRON MAN HeroClix game piece:
and also one of these cool STAR WARS Collectible Miniatures Games figures:
For no good reason whatsoever, here's a picture of a smoking kid and his rooster: We'd like to take this moment to thank all of you for the great year, and to thank you for your continued support. It is greatly appreciated. We have some interesting things planned for 2008 (including our 20th Anniversary in February), so keep your eyes peeled!
than to look at photos from the big HALLOWEEN SALE at the York store! (Yes, I finally got around to resizing these for the website. What can I say, I'm slow.) Behold:
Ghost of Gettysburg
How the West was won.
I think this kid could destroy me.
Spooky!
Dangerous characters.
I think I had this dream before...
Aren't they cute?
YARRRR!
Uh-oh. Trouble.
Luckily, Lobo's a fan.
Artist Mike Hawthorne and some fans.
Great costumes! Thanks to everyone who wore a costume... I assume you all got your TEN FREE COMICS from the bins, right? See you next year!
Uncle Betty. Or Aunt Jim. Anyway, best mullet EVER.
This guy looks familiar.
Very cool Golden Age Sandman, Wesley Dodds.
I think he dresses like this every day, but I could be wrong.
Number Six, the Prisoner. Who is Number Two? Wait, that didn't sound right.
A very dangerous woman.
The Unknown Comic and his son Superboy.
Football Devil!
Good ol' Charlie Brown.
Peppermint Patty and Snoopy!
Some wiseacre.
Vader VS. Princess!
EDDIEEEEE!
Olivia sports her new hairstyle, the Shag.
My parole officer. Kidding! A guy dressed like Mike Hawthorne, artist! And he made the costume himself!
I know I missed a bunch of you because of camera (OK photographer) malfunction, etc. Sorry about that! At least every one who showed up in costume got their TEN FREE COMICS (your choice) out of the back issue bins, right?
Friday November 2nd Saturday November 3rd Sunday November 4th
All back issues in the bins ONLY 50¢ EACH!
All 2/99¢ comics now TEN CENTS EACH!
All OLDER back issues on the wall - 25% OFF!
All Graphic Novels, Books, Toys and Statues - 20% OFF!
ALL GAMES, from CCGs to Board Games - 20% OFF!
Artist MIKE HAWTHORNE will be making appearances at both Comix Connection stores! See him on Saturday, November 3rd from 10AM - 1 PM in York and from 4PM - 7PM in the Mechanicsburg store...
That's right! In case you've not read our Halloween Sale flyer, if you show up wearing a costume on any day of the upcoming three-day Comix Connection Halloween Sale, you can PICK ANY TEN COMICS OUT OF THE BINS ABSOLUTELY FREE! C'mon, show us your best costume! Candy will also be made available for those so inclined.
The details:
Friday November 2nd
Saturday November 3rd
Sunday November 4th
All back issues in the bins ONLY 50¢ EACH!
All 2/99¢ comics now TEN CENTS EACH!
All OLDER back issues on the wall - 25% OFF!
All Graphic Novels, Books, Toys and Statues - 20% OFF!
ALL GAMES, from CCGs to Board Games - 20% OFF!
Artist MIKE HAWTHORNE will be making appearances at both Comix Connection stores! See him on Saturday, November 3rd from 10AM - 1 PM in York and from 4PM - 7PM in the Mechanicsburg store...
Just a few short days until the coolest comic book convention on the East Coast... the Baltimore Comic-Con! If you haven't already, check out the amazing Guest List ... and also make sure you take a look at the Updated Programming Schedule for all the cool panel discussions, like chats with Jim Lee and Mike Mignola! Of course we will also be set up there in our usual booth, handing out crisp new one dollar bills to all who show up wearing their Comix Connection T-shirts! Stop by and receive the Über-Secret Comix Connection Convention Coupon!
THIS JUST IN:
Local fave artist and all-around swell guy Mike Hawthorne sent me this:
Just a quick note. I'll be at this year's Baltimore Comicon. I'm unveiling a new series of prints I'm working on called "the Sweet Science", which is a series of boxing related pin-up art. Check out the blog for some pictures of the prints. I'll also have original art on sale, as well as taking orders for commissions during the con. You can also see previews of upcoming issues of Un-men. In addition to that, UMBRA writer Steve Murphy will be at the booth signing copies of our book UMBRA. You may remember that UMBRA is up for a Harvey Award this year, and the actual awards ceremony will be held at the con this weekend! links: Photos of the prints on my blog- http://mikehawthorne.blogspot.com/ The convention's homepage- http://www.comicon.com/baltimore/ The Harvey Awards- http://harveyawards.org/
Stop by and say hi!
Best, mike
Well there you go! Another great reason to go to the Baltimore Con! See you there!
Until the ultra-cool Baltimore Comic-con! Click HERE for more info!
And once again, here is the AMAZING Guest list:
SERGIO ARAGONES | Dick Ayers | Kyle Baker | Tom Brevoort | Kurt Busiek | Jim Calafiore | Jerry Carr | Tommy Castillo | C.B. Cebulski | Bernard Chang | Howard Chaykin | Sean Chen | Mark Chiarello | FRANK CHO | Steve Conley | Amanda Conner | Todd Dezago | Dan DiDio | Tommy Lee Edwards | Rich Faber | Al Feldstein | DAVID FINCH | John Gallagher | Ron Garney | MICHAEL GOLDEN| Jimmy Gownley | Randy Green | Cully Hamner | Dean Haspiel | Tariq Hasson | Marc Hempel | Adam Hughes | Chris Ivy| James Jean | Georges Jeanty | J.G. Jones | Joe Jusko | Ken Kelly | Leonard Kirk | Barry Kitson | Rich Koslowski | Adam Kubert | Andy Kubert | JOE KUBERT | Scott Kurtz | Greg LaRocque | Eric Larson | JIM LEE (Sunday only) | Norman Lee | John Paul Leon | John Lucas | Ron Marz | Sean McKeever | Mark McKenna | Bob McLeod | Pop Mhan | MIKE MIGNOLA | Mark Morales | Doug Murray | Scott Neely | Steve Niles | Phil Noto | Mike Oeming | Jimmy Palmiotti | Andrew Pepoy | David Petersen | Brandon Peterson | Keith Pollard | Paul Pope | Eric Powell | Tom Raney | JOHN ROMITA JR. | JOHN ROMITA SR. | Don Rosa | Craig Rousseau | Stephane Roux | Andy Runton | Alex Saviuk | JIM SHOOTER | Louise Simonson | Walter Simonson | Andy Smith | John K Snyder III| Chris Sprouse | Jim Starlin | Brian Stelfreeze | Paul D. Storrie | Karl Story | Mark Texeira | Herb Trimpe | Dean Trippe| Tim Truman | Billy Tucci | Tim Vigil | Dexter Vines | Neil Vokes | Mark Waid | Mark Wheatley | Ron Wilson | Kelly Yates | and many many more!!!
We will be set up in out usual booth there, wallowing in funnybook goodness! Join the party, Baltimore is just an hour away from York, an hour and 20 minutes from Harrisburg! We will gladly stow your stuff under the tables of our booth so you can walk the convention hands-free!
(My swell pal Marc Nathan, con organizer extraordinaire!)
Why, the Daytona Beach Drive In Christian Church, naturally! This outdoor church is right down the road from where I used to live in Daytona... I thought it was the coolest church around, and they're still going strong after more than 50 years! Where else but Daytona can you just drive up, hook the speaker to your window and enjoy the benefits of church from the comfort of the front seat of your Coupe DeVille? Too bad they don't have carhops to bring you a nice cool beverage...
That's right, it's only 35 more days until the BALTIMORE COMIC-CON 2007!
WOOO HOOOOO!
I love the Baltimore Comic-Con. It's in one of my favorite cities, it's easy to get to, and show promoter Marc Nathan keeps the focus on comic books and comic artists. Check out this year's guest list:
SERGIO ARAGONES | Dick Ayers | Kyle Baker | Tom Brevoort | Jim Calafiore | Tommy Castillo | C.B. Cebulski | Bernard Chang | Howard Chaykin | Sean Chen | Mark Chiarello | FRANK CHO | Steve Conley | Amanda Conner | Todd Dezago | Dan DiDio | Tommy Lee Edwards | Rich Faber | Al Feldstein | DAVID FINCH | John Gallagher | Ron Garney | Michael Golden | Jimmy Gownley | Cully Hamner | Dean Haspiel | Tarig Hasson | Adam Hughes | Chris Ivy| James Jean | Georges Jeanty | J.G. Jones | Joe Jusko | Ken Kelly | Leonard Kirk | Barry Kitson | Rich Koslowski | Adam Kubert | JOE KUBERT | Scott Kurtz | JIM LEE | Norman Lee | John Paul Leon | John Lucas | Ron Marz | Sean McKeever | Mark McKenna | Bob McLeod | Pop Mhan | MIKE MIGNOLA | Doug Murray | Phil Noto | Mike Oeming | Jimmy Palmiotti | David Petersen | Brandon Peterson | Keith Pollard | Paul Pope | Eric Powell | Tom Raney | JOHN ROMITA JR. | JOHN ROMITA SR. | Don Rosa | Craig Rousseau | Stephane Roux | Andy Runton | Alex Saviuk | Andy Smith | Louise Simonson | Walter Simonson | Chris Sprouse | Jim Starlin | Brian Stelfreeze | Karl Story | Herb Trimpe | Tim Truman | Billy Tucci | Tim Vigil | Dexter Vines | Neil Vokes | Mark Waid | Mike Wieringo | Ron Wilson and many many more!!!
Just in case you folks think I forgot to get some munchies for my Mom, lookie what I just found at the Weis Markets:
Click HERE for more info about Sweetzel's Spiced Wafers.
Usually these don't become available until the fall, but here they are. Mom and I both love these... they are exceptionally good dipped in a glass of cold milk!
The Four Wahls went on our own little "road trip" today... we were seeking munchies to take my parents when we visit them in Florida this August. My Dad is a snacker, and boy does he love his "junkfood".
Our first stop was in Lancaster, at the Hammond Pretzel Factory, the oldest continuously-operated hand-made pretzel factory in America. It's a pretty small operation, literally behind a rowhouse in downtown Lancaster, but they sure make good pretzels. And let me tell you, there is NOTHING like a hot hard pretzel, right off the line. Dee-licious! They still make 'em by hand, and as you walk up to the front door, you can look in the windows and see the ladies twisting them up right there on long tables. The kids loved it when they all said "HI!" When you walk inside, the first thing you see is the end of the oven conveyor, which is constantly issuing a stream of fresh, hot pretzels. The nice lady let both of the kids have a pretzel right off the line! Two four-pound boxes of the broken ones, please!
Our next stop was the Wilbur Chocolate Factory in Lititz. It's a fairly small factory with a pretty neat two-room candy museum. The candy shop is right below the giant churns, and you can feel and hear the machinery making delicious chocolate! The candy museum has all sorts of antique candy tins, molds, tools and other items used in the making of chocolate on display. We always look for the Wilbur Chocolate tin broom holder that Karen and I found in the garage of her grandmother's house... we gave it to my Dad because he loves Wilbur Chocolate, and he immediately went to the museum and traded it for a five-pound bar of chocolate! It's right in the middle of one of the display cases, and we always check to see if they still have "Opa's broom holder". Let's see... thee pounds of the milk-chocolate Wilbur Buds, three pounds of the dark-chocolate!
Anyway, we loaded up a pretty good pile of stuff... just a few more things and we'll head to Daytona like Santa with a sack of goodies! Look out, Dad, here we come!
Boalsburg is a quaint little village situated in Centre County, Pa., just off Route 322, in the picturesque foothills of the Alleghenies. It's only a dot on the map, and you as a casual driver might drive past it without even being aware that it is nestled there in the rolling valley beneath a coverlet of oaks and pines and cedars - were it not for a plain little marker by the side of the road: "Boalsburg. An American Village - Birthplace of Memorial Day."
What about that boast?
It happened in October, 1864. It was a pleasant Sunday and in the little community burial ground behind the village the pioneers of colonial times slept peacefully side by side with the recently fallen heroes of the Civil War.
Well, I don't know about all of you, but I'm starting to really look forward to Free Comic Book Day 2007. As you already know, we will be having a huge sale and will be hosting guest artists at both stores. Additionally we will be having a giant Prize Drawing at both stores, plus other unannounced surprises.
Now the bad news: There will be NO cake at either store on Free Comic Book Day. Maybe some Goldenberg's Peanut Chews, but NO CAKE. Sorry about that.
Remember:
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY is not this Saturday, but NEXT SATURDAY, MAY 5th, from 10 AM to 9 PM at both Comix Connection locations!
Come in for the freebies, stay for the sale! Wait until you see what else we have for you!
... who over the past year put your spare change into the little can we have on the counter at both stores! Where does the money go? Why, to the Comix Connection Beer Fund, of course!
But I'm kidding. The money actually goes to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund or CBLDF. What do they do? Well, their stated mission on their website just about sums it up:
"(The CBLDF) exists to fight censorship and defend the first amendment rights of comic book professionals throughout the United States."
"The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a United States non-profit organization created in 1986 to protect the First Amendment rights of comics creators, publishers, and retailers covering legal expenses."
There's a pretty good article HERE in Baltimore's CITY PAPER that gives a great overview of their previous successes. They do good work and the money is well-used for legal representation in a notoriously cash-poor industry (that's us!)
Anyway, I just got a US Postal Money Order for
SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS
and will be mailing it out tomorrow!
Thank you thank you thank you ALL for donating to this worthy cause!
One of the few connections I have to my distant Ukranian heritage is the Pysanky Egg at Easter. What is a Pysanky Egg? From The Ukranian Museum (NYC) website:
Easter egg, pysanka, decorating is one of the most interesting expressions of Ukrainian folk art. This tradition is very old and its beginnings reach back to antiquity, when in attempting to understand creation, ancient people developed myths in which the egg was perceived as the source of life, the sun and the universe. Although such similar myths are found in many cultures of the word, Ukrainians today are one of the few groups of people who still strongly adhere to many of the ancient traditions associated with the egg.
The Ukrainian pysanka (from the word pysaty, to write) was believed to possess an enormous power not only in the egg itself, which harbored the nucleus of life, but also in the symbolic designs and colors which were drawn upon the egg in a specific manner, according to prescribed rituals. The intricately colored eggs were used for various social and religious occasions and were considered to be a talisman, a protector against evil, as well as harbingers of good.
Sometime back in the 1970s my mom and my sister Vicki became interested in these intricate and fragile traditional Ukranian crafts, and purchased the dyes and the "kistka" (stylus) for applying the beeswax, plus a how-to book with pictures and traditional patterns. With a bit of trial-and-error, eventually all of us tried our hand at these, but they are a very laborious undertaking and can be destroyed in a moment of carelessness. Vicki and Mom became quite adept at creating Pysanky eggs and made many beautiful examples. Over time, some have broken, some have burst (the egg yolk and white are still inside the eggs and over many years eventually dry up into a ball inside the shell) but a good number have survived. They are like many things in life, beautiful and fragile.
Supplies and tools for making these can be found HERE.
Ned and Senior Comix Connection Counter Monkey Josh!
Manning the con.
