Fullerton Comic Shop Owner Organizes His Own Free Comic Book Day
Enrique Muñoz and Free Comic Book Day comics. Photo by Eli Hebert
Comic Hero University owner, Enrique Muñoz, gave away free comics to pay it forward to elementary schools in May. Now, Fullerton’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is back at it again. This time, with his very own Free Comic Book Day on September 12.
Free Comic Book Day, an annual event in the comic book industry, is typically held on the first Saturday of May. But like everything else this year, it was unsurprisingly postponed due to COVID-19.
The event’s reschedule prompted Diamond Comic Distributors to release a few comics every week to, instead, have a Free Comic Book Summer.
This idea didn’t quite work for Muñoz. He decided it would be best to organize one big event once Comic Hero University acquired all the Free Comic Book Day books Diamond had sent. That way, attendees of all ages could ultimately be more excited choosing from a larger selection.
Muñoz plans on giving away upwards of 5,000 comics. Each person who stops by Comic Hero University can take five free books. A few of the new titles up for grabs include: Spider-Man/Venom, X-Men, Power Rangers: The Road to Ranger Slayer, Street Fighter #100: Ryu Versus Chun-Li, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Stranger Things & Minecraft, and Naruto, Samurai 8.
Photo by Eli Hebert
Muñoz believes there are comic books for everybody. The pay-it-forward program, he said, showed him kids are excited about comic books and hopes to see more of that on Free Comic Book Day.
“I’ve always had a lot of projects and programs in my head that are all geared towards helping kids learn how to read that were all involving comic books. If I could see that the kids are all here, then I can always take another step into creating some of these programs with some of the people that I know and the help that I can get,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz contacted the Fullerton School District to help spread the word about his comic book giveaway. Pam Chow, project liaison in the superintendent’s office, confirmed that the district will be sending the event’s flyer to schools as the date approaches.
Principal of Pacific Drive Elementary School, Kelly Castillo, said readers are excited to dive into the genre.
“Engaging with graphic novels allows our students to see themselves as the superheroes that they all are,” Castillo said via email. “Thank you to Comic Hero University for all that you do to support the Fullerton community.”
Visitors will get an extra free comic book, for a total of six comics, if they arrive in costume. In addition to free comics, Spider-Gwen and Captain Marvel cosplayers will be in attendance for photo ops. Jesse Moriarty, the artist for Comic Hero University’s funnies, will also be doing caricatures on comic books of people as heroes.
Photo by Eli Hebert
“I want to see the kids wanting to get more comic books, wanting to get excited, wanting to come back and buy more stuff so they can read and get involved with the stories,” Muñoz said. “For me, Free Comic Book Day is always about the kids.”
Muñoz added that he and his staff are very COVID-conscious. He has set up the event to where guests can pick up their comics outside and practice social distancing. Guests will also have the option to come inside the shop, provided they wear masks and socially distance.
“If everybody’s as careful as we are trying to be, then there’s no reason why this couldn’t be a great event,” he said.
Free Comic Book Day will be held at Comic Hero University at 1001 S. Lemon St., Fullerton, CA 92832 on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 11:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. For more information, contact the shop at (949) 424–3768 or comicherou@gmail.com.
