On May 10th is Free Comic Book Day: 22 Issues Available for Free

Magical adventures of the little witch Nebel, superhero classics from Batman to Spider-Man, or stories from Duckburg? On "Free Comic Book Day," young readers once again have a tough choice: On May 10, more than 1,200 bookstores, shops, and libraries in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland are participating in the event, where 22 issues are available for free.

Hero Stories and Reading Pleasure on Free Comic Book Day

The focus is once again particularly on children's and youth themes. For example, the publisher Kibitz is providing the first volume of the popular "Kiste" series about the titular toolbox of a wizard, which experiences all sorts of quirky adventures with the boy Mattis. "Minecraft" is not only successful as a video game or in the cinema; Egmont offers fans a "Journey to the End of the World" with the square-shaped heroes. Additionally, there is Luke Pearson's "Hilda" (Reprodukt), "Once Upon a Time... Life" or the "Smurfs" (both Splitter) to discover, while Donald Duck experiences an "Adventure in Space" (Egmont).

Comics as "Door Openers" to the World of Books

Organizer Dieter Krumme aims to increase the awareness of the medium with the Free Comic Book Day, which has been taking place since 2010 and is explicitly aimed at a younger audience for the second time this year. He describes it as a medium that stands out in colorful, informative, funny, and sometimes even loud ways in times of smartphones, social media, and the internet. Comics should not be underestimated in terms of promoting reading, as they are a "door opener to the big wide world of books" for many children and teenagers.

The total circulation of the free comics is over 800,000 copies, and some stores are also planning signing sessions, workshops, or readings. Which retailers are participating can be seen on the website. In Vienna, for example, Comic Treff is participating in the event, as well as the Purkersdorf City Library, the Neukirchen Library in Salzburg, or Tyrolia Kufstein.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.