On April 1st the Mont Clare Elmwood Parks Chamber of Commerce's moving sign (located on the Elmwood Park Circle Shopping Center sign) began running this message for an entire month:

 Free Comic Book Day - Saturday, May 4th, 2002
at Rays Mini Video in the Circle
www.freecomicbookday.com

I placed various flyers throughout the area promoting FCBD and various specials I was running on May 4th.  My web page (which is down at the moment because of a new server is being installed) had info on Free Comic Book Day.  I sent out over 30 of the press releases to various news outlets on FCBD.  I briefly mentioned FCBD on my buddies show, Kevin Matthews 105.9 FM WCKG and his website 'The Kevhead University of Stupidity' at www.kevhead.com had a link to the Free Comic Book Day website.

On Wednesday May 1st, The Elm Leaves had a full-page story on Free Comic Book Day with pictures of Raymond G. Iniquez, Jr. and the four main giveaway comic books.

9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 4th.  D-day has arrived and Spider-Man has started its record web sling to the top with a $114 million dollar opening weekend.  The crowds start gathering with a few youths shoving each other for first place in line (which was quite strange since they were the first 2 persons in line =) ).

A long line forms and they settle down and my Aunt Anna Rizzo, who came to help out during the morning, waits to get in after the others in line so as not to ruffle feathers, etc.
                 

10:30 a.m. comes and my father, Ray Iniquez, Sr., opens the front door asking for the people to file in single file...but alas the entire line of 25 plus people all rushed the door at the same time to get in.  Luckily my Father stepped out of their way.
                

My mom, Rose Marie Iniquez, waited by the cash register pointing towards myself Raymond G. Iniquez, Jr. - governor of the circle & owner of Rays Mini Video & Comics - started passing out the free comics: Marvel Comic's Ultimate Spider-Man #1, DC Comic's Justice League Adventures #1, Dark Hose Comic's Star Wars: Jedi Knight #1 and Image's Tomb Raider #1/2. 

A ton of smiles and thank you's as the crowd gathered their free comics and various purchases at Rays Mini Video.  Over the course of the day over 200 various people came into our shop and I gave out between 400 and 1000 sets of free comics.

The Chicago Tribune had a photographer taking pictures for a few hours throughout the day.  Also a reporter from the Chicago Tribune stopped in and was interviewing not only the customers but myself as well.  He finished with a repeat visit on Tuesday May 7th, and hopefully some time over the next week the article and pictures should be in the Tribune's Tempo section.         

Our day ended very late at 11:00 p.m.  We were all very tired and went to bed for Cinco De Mayo.  The Iniquez Family helped contribute to the opening weekend of the Spider-Man movie! =)

True Believers, the film was 100% accurate to the comic book...I was not disappointed.  Action, thrills and chills a love story, a tragedy, and a comic book story with a coming of age story all webbed into a long roller coaster ride!  The amazing Spider-Man will be around the movies for a long time. =)