book shops in Hicksville and around the country will hand out free comics on Oct. 25, to celebrate the second biggest free comic book event of the year—Halloween ComicFest. On Saturday, anyone who goes into a participating comic shop can choose from 19 free comics and participate in fun activities comic shops host for their customers to enjoy, while discovering new types of comics and the treasures found in store.
In Hicksville, both Game Master Games (954 S. Broadway) and Amok Time (108C New South Road) will be taking part in the Halloween ComicFest festivities. Game Master Games just recently started carrying comic books and this will be the store’s first comic book-related event. Coincidently, the event runs in the middle of an in-store gaming convention, and store owner Dave VanderWerf is looking forward to the increased exposure for the store.
“We’re going to have some comics to give away and if they come in costume, they get a goodie-bag with promotional items and candy,” VanderWerf said. “Overall, I think it’s a great thing. It’s going to be an exciting day.”
During Halloween ComicFest (HCF), adults and kids can get free Halloween and horror themed comics and mini-comics published specifically for the occasion. There are 19 titles available to choose from that are great for kids and adults, with 12 full-sized comics and seven mini-comics. Titles for this year include: DC’s Scooby Doo Team-Up with Batman #1, Marvel’s Secret Wars #1, Afterlife with Archie #1, My Little Pony, Plants vs. Zombies, Angry Birds, and other haunting and fun tales.
This year anyone can also spread the comic book love with HCF Mini-Comic packs, which can be purchased at comic shops. Each pack contains 20 HCF mini-comics that are great to pass out on Halloween to trick-or-treaters, providing a healthy alternative to candy and great stories that keep kids reading and visiting comic shops for more.
Halloween ComicFest is also hosting “The Greatest Halloween Costume Contest Ever” until Nov. 9. The contest takes place on the Halloween ComicFest website, where anyone can enter one of five categories just by uploading a picture of themselves in costume holding one of the free Halloween ComicFest 2014 comics and submitting it into the appropriate category. Prizes include $500 and $100 shopping sprees to the winner’s comic shop of choice in addition to category prizes for the participants who receive the most votes for their costume from website visitors. Voting will take place Nov. 2-9.
“This year we want communities to participate in Halloween ComicFest to not only discover new types of comics from the great selection offered, but to see their local comic shop as a fun Halloween destination, a great place to meet like-minded people, and to discover the cool comic and pop-culture items available,” said Halloween ComicFest spokesperson Deborah Moreland.
For more information, go to www.halloweencomicfest.com.
