Dean Phillips of Krypton Comics in Omaha, Nebraska sent us his Free Comic Book Day 2006 experience, and says it paid off 'big time:'

I have a saying that sometimes gets me into trouble and it directly applies to our FCBD celebration this year -- 'If something is worth doing, it's worth overdoing.' 

Needless to say, I spent a lot of money on advertising.  Ads were placed in school newspapers, local weekly papers, and we ran TV spots during hit shows like 24 and Smallville on the local Fox and WB affiliates. 

Since we were overdoing things as usual, Krypton sponsored Free Comic Night at Rosenblatt Stadium for an Omaha Royals Baseball game in which we gave away more than 2000 comics stuffed with FCBD fliers.

Finally, we did a mass-mailing of a coupon mentioning FCBD that got sent out to 30,000 homes, placed dozens of FCBD posters along with Krypton fliers in local libraries and schools and ran a radio spot the day of the event.

From experience, you only get out of a promotion what you put into it. With that in mind and FCBD being such a great way to bring in new customers, we decided to give this year's FCBD promotion all we had.  We decided this year's guest should be a special one as well.  Every year we invite a comic artist as our guest of honor, and have had great success in doing so, but this year I went with a media guest in attempt to reach a wider audience.

Through a chance couple of meetings I managed to get Sarah Dougla (star of Superman I & II, Conan the Destroyer and Babylon 5) to join us for FCBD along with fan favorite artist Phil Hester (Green Arrow, Nightwing, upcoming Ant-man).  We also highlight local creators every year in our artist's alley where customers can talk to artists face to face and hear about their work. 

This year's local guests included: Max Riffner (Markosia -- Golden Boy) Bruce McCorkindale (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Nameless), John Sullivan and Eric Luna (Digital Underwear Hour), Mike Sgier (Between Dreaming and Morning), Kyle Morton (The Last Days of El Rey), and Louis Simpson (Ragon Lo).

The stormtroopers of the Local 501st came out in FORCE posing for hundreds of pictures along with their very own R2D2 and Darth Vader.  Sketches and photos were free and Sarah Douglas sold autographed pictures for a $5.00 donation to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation through which we raised $500.00. 

The highlight of FCBD for me was when a just married couple, in tux and dress, came in minutes after their ceremony ended to get their free comics and meet Sarah Douglas.  Sarah stopped her line and rushed to give the bride a hug and pose for pictures.  The whole crowd gave the happy couple a loud round of applause as they left for their reception.

Did I spend a lot of money on FCBD?  Oh, yeah!  Did it pay off?  Big time!  Krypton went from 800 people last year to over 1,200 for this year's turn out.  I couldn't have asked for a better Free Comic Book Day, although I have no idea how we're going to top it next year...  Yet...