Yesterday was Free Comic Book Day, a nation-wide celebration of comics by brick and mortar store owners and – mostly – Diamond Comics Distribution to introduce folks to the joy of comic books. It’s usually the busiest day of the year for comic shops.
This year was weird. FCBD is always the first Saturday in May. Except last year. Last year it was cancelled because of COVID-19. Except this year, too. This year it was August 14th. Again, because of COVID.
Anyway – yesterday was FCBD at the store, and holy shit was it busy. Basically running around in circles from 830am to 830pm. Knees, ankles, feet – all hurt this morning.
It was a good day.
An old friend from Denver dropped in as a surprise, in a great way. Started with a phone call from a “customer” looking for Hentai. It was Ken making sure I was at work. I had no idea. I don’t kink shame in most circumstances, so, having no hentai at the store, I tried to help him find some. Turns out there aren’t any book stores in the Greater Salt Lake Area that advertise selling hentai on their web sites. Total chicken shit.
“It’s weird, you know,” said the ‘customer’, “Kinda creepy when you first look at it, but after a couple of beers, you know, it gets pretty cool.”
About an hour later, in comes a guy in mask, sunglasses and a hat. Asking for hentai. “Oh, shit,” I’m thinking, “this’ll take a minute.” Off come the mask and glasses, and there’s Ken, who I haven’t seen in at least 25 years.
Much Hugs. Many Happy. Ken kept me company while I unloaded the comics for FCBD well into the night.
Flash forward to Saturday morning, Ken is back, dressed as a Jedi, directing traffic in the parking lot using a light saber. More than a few long time customers thought it was awesome, which is awesome. Christie and Tyler kicked ass working the door and soothing the crowd, among other work, and dominated helping me clean up the store.
Anyway, the day was long and busy and crowded, and I loved it. Lots of happy kids, only a few grumpy adults (what’s with that, anyway? Who has time to be grumpy on FCBD? Or anytime, really.)
So, today I am tired, and in a great deal of old man pain, and it was totally worth it.
