Free Comic Book Day and The Kindle

Free Comic Book Day - Batman Superman Divergence Preview Batman Free Comic Book Day - Future's End

Free Comic Book Day - The Simpsons Bongo Free For All By Matt Groening Free Comic Book Day - Dr Who

It’s today! Around the world, comic book stores will give you comic books if you pay them a visit today. And it’s also “Independent Bookstore Day” — a new event started last year which has since expanded to over 400 bookstores across the U.S.A. Amazon is keeping quiet about both events, but many of the free comic books also eventually become free Kindle ebooks! You can still find some of last year’s free titles in Amazon’s Kindle Store — plus a chance to pre-order this year’s free preview of the D.C. Universe’s upcoming “Divergence” storyline.

For a shortcut to Amazon’s “Free Comic Book Day” ebooks, point your browser to
tinyurl.com/KindleFCBD

It’s an interesting moment in time. “Instead of heralding the industry’s doom, the death of Borders may have helped clear away competition,” writes The Washington Post, explaining the origins of Independent Bookstore Day. Comic book stores have been celebrating their event for over a decade, and this year both Marvel and D.C. Comics are using it to promote upcoming storylines in their comic books. But they’ll be joined by dozens of independent publishers who are giving away 50 free comic books today. Here’s some of the more interesting titles.

Free Comic Book Day - Batman Superman Divergence Preview

– D.C. Comics offers a comic with three different “previews” — 8-page excerpts from actual upcoming comic books (Batman, Justice League, and Superman). It’s promoting a new ongoing storyline about a war with “the biggest villains in the D.C. universe” — and on Monday, you’ll be able to download it as a free Kindle ebook!

Free Comic Book Day - The Simpsons Bongo Free For All By Matt Groening

– Matt Groening contributed a comic book featuring The Simpson’s. Its title is “Bongo Free-For-All”, and its cover shows Bart and Lisa Simpson (plus his friends Nelson and Milhouse) fighting four other children over their favorite comic book, “Radioactive Man”.

– Marvel comics is releasing a special “Avengers” comic book, celebrating the release of the second movie in their blockbuster franchise. And they’re also giving away a free “Secret Wars” comic showing “the final days of the Marvel Universe as you know,” teasing an upcoming storyline that they’re promising will be “the biggest comic event of the year.”

– Chuck Palahniuk is even contributing a free “Fight Club” comic book (which also includes a new story by Guillermo del Toro based on his vampire novel, “The Strain.”)

Free Comic BOok Day - Neil Gaiman's Justice

– Neil Gaiman’s “Lady Justice” returns to comic book stores. (“Back in print for the first time in two decades!”) It’s a full reprint of the very first issue of the comic book from 1991, in a series that was created (though not always written) by science fiction legend Neil Gaiman.

Free Comic Book Day - Dr Who

– There’s also a Dr. Who comic for fans of the long-running (and recently-revived) science fiction series. (“Take a blistering trip through time and space with three stunning ALL-NEW short stories featuring Tenth Doctor, Eleventh Doctor and the brand-new Twelfth Doctor by the ongoing DOCTOR WHO creative teams.”

– Boom! Studios is releasing a special compendium with 10 stories using several different famous characters including Snoopy, Garfield, and the fanciful muppet characters from Jim Henson’s Labyrinth.

Bob's Burgers

– Bob’s Burgers gets commemorated with this special collection of the best stories from its first run as a comic book, written by the writers and animators of the popular FOX cartoon. (“Thrill to Tina’s Friend Fiction, Louise’s Unsolved Mysteries and Curious Curiosities, Gene Belcher Presents: The Musical, and more!)

– Steampunk Goldilocks. Author/illustrator Rod Espinosa continues his re-imaginings of classic stories by bringing a retro-geeky to the story of Goldilocks. (With a special cameo by Ms. Muffet)

– There’s also comic books with The Tick, SpongeBob SquarePants, Scooby Doo, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

It’s the perfect time to introduce your young family members to the joys of reading comic books. (And the perfect time to enjoy it yourself!)


Remember, for a shortcut to Amazon’s “Free Comic Book Day” ebooks, point your browser to
tinyurl.com/KindleFCBD

October’s Discounted Kindle eBooks!

Crazy Horse and Custer by Stephen Ambrose      Deadpool Classic

Goosebumps - Night of the Living Ventriloquist's Dummy      A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers


There’s some great discounts in the Kindle Store this month. Every month Amazon picks 100 Kindle ebooks for a steep discount, with most of the books selling for $1.99 or less! And this month there’s some ebooks that I’m really excited about.

For a shortcut to Amazon’s discounts, point your browser to
tinyurl.com/399KindleEbooks


A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers ($1.99)

“Exhilarating…. Profoundly moving, occasionally angry, and often hilarious…” wrote The New York Times Book Review — and this was one of the most intriguing memoirs I’ve ever read. A surprisingly funny and entertaining memoir about what happens to two sons when their parents both die of cancer, the Times writes that it “manages to be simultaneously hilarious and wildly inventive as well as a deeply heartfelt story of the love that holds a family together.” It was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, according to Wikipedia, and The London Times also named it one of the best books of the entire decade. When it was first released in 2000, Time magazine called it “The Best Book of the Year”, and it’s one of those rare books that you’ll never forget.


Deadpool Classic

Deadpool Classic, Vol. 1 ($3.99)

Marvel comic books are a guilty pleasure, so it’s great when they’re collected together into a big “graphic novel” for your Kindle. “Deadpool Classic” brings you 264 pages — nine full issues! — for just $3.99, starting with the four issues of Deadpool’s very first mini-series — and also the four issues of his next mini-series. Deadpool eventually got his own ongoing title, and this graphic novel also includes that as its final story. Like the She-Hulk, Deadpool actually “breaks the fourth wall,” talking directly to readers, which makes this collection a special treat. And if you’re interested in more Deadpool comics, Amazon’s also discounting another graphic novel — Deadpool: Dead Head Redemptionto just $3.99!


Crazy Horse and Custer by Stephen Ambrose

Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warrior by Stephen Ambrose ($1.99)

I’ve always loved how Stephen Ambrose describes history. Little Bighorn, Montana saw the moment when General Custer launched a his infamous attack on 3,000 Indian warriors led by native American war leader Crazy Horse. “Both were men of aggression and supreme courage,” reads the book’s description at Amazon. “Both became leaders in their societies at very early ages. Both were stripped of power, in disgrace, and worked to earn back the respect of their people.

“And to both of them, the unspoiled grandeur of the Great Plains of North America was an irresistible challenge….”

And if you’ve got a subscription to the Kindle Unlimited service, this ebook is free!


Goosebumps - Night of the Living Ventriloquist's Dummy

Classic Goosebumps #1: Night of the Living Dummy by R. L. Stine ($1.99)

Just in time for Halloween, Amazon’s discounting a great tale about a ventriloquist’s dummy. One reviewer on Amazon described it as children’s horror literature, adding that Night of the Living Dummy “is quite possibly the greatest Goosebumps book ever written…” That’s no small claim, since there’s over 60 different books in the series, and It’s hard to underestimate the huge popularity of the series. Over 350 million Goosebumps titles have been sold, and one newspaper even called their author the Stephen King of children’s books. So it’s especially nice that for Halloween, Amazon’s discounting one of the very first books in the series, which they’re lovingly describing as a “fan-favorite thriller and chiller”. (And it even includes new bonus material — about the scary ventriloquist dummy who comes to life…!)

Free Comic Books For Your Kindle!


Batman Li'l Gotham Halloween coverThe GIrl with the Dragon Tattoo graphic novel cover
The cover of the first issue of Mad MagazineBatman Flashpoint graphic novel cover

I love reading comic books on my Kindle. The colors look great on any of the Kindle Fire tablets, and you can read them in black in white on most of the newer Kindles, too. So I was delighted to see that Amazon’s giving away some new comic books for free, making it easy for people to give them a try. And one of the free comic books is the very first issue of MAD Magazine — plus a preview of a new comic based on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!

To find all the discounts, just point your web browser to tinyurl.com/KindleComicBooks . Towards the bottom of the page, Amazon’s Comic Book Store for the Kindle lets you select “Sort By Price: Low to High”. It’s fun to read the 1952 letter that appeared in the first issue of MAD Magazine. (“…in the next few moments, you will be one of the many who are deciding the fate of MAD all over the country.”) Each issue cost just 10 cents, and its first issue included parodies of horror movies and TV westerns.

You can also read the color versions of all these graphic novels on other devices by using one of Amazon’s Kindle app. (It’s even possible to read Kindle ebooks on a Nook, by installing Amazon’s Kindle app from the Google Play Store!) But it’s also kind of fun to read a story-with-pictures on a black-and-white e-ink Kindle. Thanks to Amazon’s arrangements with all the top publishers, including D.C. and Marvel, there’s a lot to choose from, and many full-length graphic novels have also been discounted to between $3 and $4!

Also free is the 25-page preview of Vertigo Comics adaptation of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” (“Delve into the dark mystery of the Vanger family, as disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist is hired to uncover the truth behind a teenage girl’s disappearance over forty years ago…”) At least one reviewer on Amazon said it was a great companion to the best-selling mystery trilogy, adding that “The artwork in it is amazing!” and giving it five stars. The full edition (for $9.99) was just published last year, so it’s relatively new — and they’re giving away 25 of its 152 pages free!

There’s also a funny free Thanksgiving comic that looks at Batman when he was a child — as part of D.C. Comics special series, Li’l Gotham. It’s one of two stories in D.C.’s “Halloween Comic Fest 2013”, a 22-page holiday give-away that’s a nice way to celebrate the season. “Every once you in a while you just want to see the citizens of Gotham in a new light,” wrote one reviewer on Amazon, “and that’s exactly what this book is all about.” And of course, they added that the artwork of the superheroes as trick-or-treating children “looked like fun to draw!”

Also free is the 22-page Batman comic Flashpoint — the first chapter of a longer Batman graphic novel. (“When the Joker kidnaps the children of the city’s District Attorney, the Batman takes the case,” reads its description at Amazon. “But the man under the mask may not be the Dark Knight we know!”) Amazon’s also promising that ten D.C. graphic novels featuring Batman for $3.03, including Batman & Robin: Born to Kill, The Dark Night: Knight Terrors, and Batman: The Court of Owls. I got the 144-page novel Catwoman: The Game for just $3.03, and the same discount is also available for Justice League: Origin, Batgirl: The Darkest Reflection, and Teen Titans: Its Our Right to Fight..

Catwoman comic book cover

And Amazon’s also announced that they’ve discounted single issues of many classic comic books by Alan Moore to just 99 cents — including stories about The Watchmen and his original V for Vendetta.

But Marvel comics also has some graphic novels on sale, including the legendary Ultimate Comics: Wolverine vs Hulk, a 144-page graphic novel for just $1.99. Several more graphic novels are $3.82, like Spider-Man: Anti-Venom, X-Force: Sex and Violence, and Ant-Man & Wasp: Small World. There’s also discounts on graphic novels starring Iron Man, The Avengers, and Thor, though I don’t think the Kindle Store has any single issues available for Marvel Comics. But there’s another way to get free single-issue comics from both Marvel and D.C. if you have a Kindle Fire. Just install an app called Comixology, and there’s lots of free comic books to download from all the major publishers!

That’s a lot of comic books — but it’s a fun way to enjoy the weekend. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, it’s fun to curl up on the couch and avoid the chilly autumn weather, staying warm and cozy, and enjoying some colorful stories…

Find all of Amazon’s Kindle Comic Books at
tinyurl.com/KindleComicBooks

More Free Comic Books For the Kindle Fire

Tony Stark from Iron Man 3

There’s a special tradition in May that happens all around the world. (Or at least, in America, England, Canada…) The first Saturday in May is always “Free Comic Book Day,” where you can walk into any comic book store and receive free comic books as a thank-you from their publishers. This year, the event has come to the Kindle Store — and it seems to be continuing through the whole month of May. And I’ve also discovered a great way to get free Marvel comic books on your Kindle Fire as well as comic books from D.C.!

I’m a big fan of “Free Comic Book” day. It’s exciting to see big crowds descend on your local comic book store, and some stores even feature greeters who are dressed up in superhero costumes. The stores get some support, the fans get a special treat, and it’s nice to see parents introducing their children to a fun new medium. Plus, I get free comic books — and this year I discovered that two of those same titles are also being distributed for the Kindle Fire in Amazon’s Kindle Store!

Point your browser to tinyurl.com/FreeKindleComicBooks for a list of Amazon’s best-selling comic books — and then click on the “Free” tab for these great free comic books…


Superman: Last Son of Krypton #1 — Special Edition
The first chapter of a new graphic novel written by Richard Donner and Geoff Johns (illustrated by Adam Kubert)

D.C. Nation: Beware the Batman / Teen Titans Go! #1
Amazon’s description calls this a “super sampler…the perfect place to check out two sensational series, Beware The Batman and Teen Titans Go,” which are coming to the Cartoon Network on Saturday mornings.


In addition, you can also still download a free issue of Superman by John Byrne (which finds the man of steel fighting a deadly kryptonite-enhanced robot!) at tinyurl.com/SupermanOne. And remember D.C. Comics is also releasing a regular free comic book that includes samples from their whole “universe” of characters, called D.C. Comic Digital Sneak Peeks. But where are the rest of the comic books from Free Comic Book Day? And what if you prefer Spider-Man — or The Avengers, or Captain America, or even the X-Men?

Amazon doesn’t have a deal with their publisher, Marvel comics — but I’ve still found a way to read Marvel Comics on my Kindle Fire…and to find a bigger selection of titles from Free Comic Book Day. The “secret sauce” is an app that’s called ComiXology, which is available in Amazon’s Kindle Store. Once downloaded, you can shop for comic books — including Marvel titles. And there’s even a nice selection of free comic books, including digital editions of these “Free Comic Book Day” titles.

The Steam Engines of Oz
Worlds of Aspen
Aphrodite IX
Buck Rogers: 25th Century A.D.
Molly Danger /Princeless
NFL Rush Zone:
Prince Valiant
Scratch 9
The Smurfs

There’s also free issues of two 2012 comic books — Avengers Prime (Volume 1, #1), which features Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, plus Secret Avengers #16, featuring the Black Widow, Captain America, and The Beast. Also free is Marvel’s official comic book prequel to their 2011 movie, Captain America: The First Avenger, and a 2012 issue of Uncanny XMen #10. But my favorite comic is probably the stunning free issue of The Amazing Spider-Man from 2001, which pays tribute to the firefighters who died in the 9/11 attacks. (It’s written and illustrated by some of the biggest names at Marvel Comics — J. Michael Straczynski, John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna.)

And there’s a wide variety of other free titles available in the Comixology app for Kindle Fire. (Where else could you find Battlestar Galactica with The Best of the Three Stooges, Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, and Garfield and Company?) But best of all, they’ve got a really nice interface for their comic books which may even be better than downloading the comics straight to your Kindle Fire. For comparison, Amazon lets you tap on a panel of a comic book to increase its size — once — but the Comixology app lets you “pinch and expand” the panels to whatever size you want.

Free Comic Book Day was started to “introduce everyone to the joys of reading comics”, according to its page on Wikipedia. But if you missed it when it was happening on the first Saturday in May, you can still join in on the fun with your Kindle Fire!