Celebrate comic stores with Local Comic Shop Day

Word Balloons #1235: Day has moved to last Saturday in September.

This Saturday is a day to celebrate local comic shops. 

Industry appreciation day Local Comic Shop Day has moved to September. 

ComicsPRO, the comics industry’s trade organization, organizes the annual Local Comic Shop Day event. Local Comic Shop Day was first celebrated in 2011.  

According to the website, Local Comic Shop Day® is a day to celebrate all of the independently owned comic shops that have played (and continue to play) an important role in comic fandom.

A list of participating stores can be found at localcomicshopday.com. 

“We are moving Local Comic Shop Day® to the last Saturday in September for a few reasons,” said Marco Davanzo, Executive Director of ComicsPRO, in a news release. “September is usually a slow month. The new date should help retailers increase sales by bringing the spotlight to local comic shops. By moving it to the Fall, we hope more publishers, retailers, and distributors can participate as it won’t overlap with an already busy end of year/winter holiday season and to stake out its own unique space on the calendar.”

This year is a transitional year for the event, which historically has featured limited-edition items and variant covers. 

ComicsPRO initially planned to have no variant editions this year at all, but DSTLRY already had an item in the works. 

“One of the goals of Local Comic Shop Day® is to offer limited, and exclusive items.” said Marc Bowker, Board Director of ComicsPRO, in a news release. “We don’t have enough time to source these for the 2024 event. But, they will return in 2025. Specifically, we will be asking publishers to offer items that have low print runs, are released earlier or exclusively in the Direct Market, or are unique in some way.”

Therefore, the limited-edition item available this year is a variant edition of “Gone” #1 from DSTLRY. 

In “Gone,” 13-year-old Abi is stuck on an impoverished planet of menial workers. 

She stows away on a colossal luxury space-liner for a chance at a better life in an attempt to get “gone” from her planet and situation – when she’s labeled a saboteur and must evade the ship’s crew to stay alive.

Here’s DSTLRY’s description of the limited item: 

This Local Comic Shop Day, experience the acclaimed masterpiece GONE #1 like never before. DSTLRY proudly brings you a unique, limited-edition black and white version that highlights Jock's stunning line work. This all black and white edition strips away the colors, providing a fresh perspective on the narrative and artwork, emphasizing the meticulous line work that Jock is renowned for. The GONE #1 Black and White LCSD Edition will be printed to order and is available only to participating retailers. A must-have for collectors and fans alike, don't miss your chance to own this one of a kind artifact from the bestselling series. Visit your local comic shop on September 28, 2024 to secure your copy!

Only 750 copies of this edition of “Gone” were printed. 

The “Gone” series features artist Jock (“Batman: One Dark Knight”) writing and drawing a creator-owned project for the first time. 

ComicsPRO has also provided limited-edition variants to registered stores who wished to order them for the event, and some publishers and vendors provided other incentives for local comic shops.  

Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter Ave. in Norman, Oklahoma, will celebrate Local Comic Shop Day from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. 

Speeding Bullet will have a limited number of the LCSD edition of “Gone” #1 from DSTLRY as well as some additional specials and exclusive items.

Matthew Price, matthew@matthewLprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman.