Today wasn’t just a terrible Star Wars related pun, it was also Free Comic Book Day. It’s the one day a year in which you can get… wait for it… free comic books at local participating comic book stores. It’s been going on for a few years now. It’s designed as a promotion to get people to visit their local comic book stores and support their business (you’re supposed to be guilted into buying things). Why then, are the same comic books available online?
Yes, you can also download the exact same comic books from reputable online services like comixology.com as you would in store, for free. Or you could be a dick and download them illegally, it doesn’t make a difference. That way, you can avoid going to the comic book store altogether, because let’s face it: comic book stores are sad. Sure, they’re full of things you like, but the 40+ year-old man running the place is a living stereotype. Every comic book guy is literally Comic Book Guy. How sad can it get? The comic book store downtown where I used to live went under years ago, but not before the owner’s son killed himself upstairs.
Comic book stores lose money like M.C. Hammer, only they have no money to begin with. Seeing how anyone can freely purchase online seems like a kick in the teeth to comic book stores. Especially this last month here. On comixology.com, you could buy 700+ free Marvel comics. On Dark Horse, you could get a pack of fifty.
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