IRON MAN 2 update including Johansson in a Black Widow suit

SUDDENLY I’M A MUCH MORE POPULAR FANATIC
In a recent post, I discussed the amazing work done by Diamond Comic Distributors Elissa Lynch (and Leslie Jackson) as she successfully got Hugh Jackman to record a PSA promoting Free Comic Book Day and comics in general. (CLICK HERE) Thanks to links from many of the comic blogosphere’s best read sites, more people came to Funny Book Fanatic to check out the “story behind the story,” nearly four times more than on any usual day. I want to take this opportunity to thank …

1) Heidi MacDonald @ The Beat

2) Tom Spurgeon @ Comics Reporter

3) J.C. Vaughn @ Diamond’s SCOOP

4) The cool Robot 6 folks @ Comic Resources

Plus an honorable mention to the website home of Joe Field’s Flying Colors store. (Free Comic Book Day was Joe’s idea.)

Jackman/Wolverine Free Comic Book Day PSA: The story behind the story

In yesterday’s post, I wrote about how Concord California retailer Joe Field came up with the idea for Free Comic Book Day, a great promotional tool for the industry since 2002. I also wrote about the watershed event (IMHO) of Wolverine Hugh Jackman standing in front of a camera in Malibu California and talking about Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) and how great comic books are. 

This SATURDAY is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! Don't forget!

Yesterday’s post also included a brief discussion about the huge amount of wasted time and wasted discussion that went into the pursuit of getting a high visibility celebrity to endorse comic books. More than one organization was formed, meetings held and organizations ultimately abandoned, all in the pursuit of an endorsement from a popular movie or music star.

When Joe Field said of the Wolverine PSA that he had waited 25 years for it to happen, he also revealed another secret that I had not heard before. Joe said, “We had three of the four actors from the Fantastic Four movie a couple of years ago, they recorded a Free Comic Book Day PSA, but something happened with the studio and the deal fell apart.”

Thank you Wolverine … or Hugh Jackman is the holy grail of comics

OKAY … HE’S PROMOTING A MOVIE … BUT STILL …

I’m assuming that at this point, with the X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie opening just days away, that most comic book fans have already seen the Public Service Announcement that was recorded by MOVIE STAR Hugh Jackman. If you haven’t, I’m including it here and now because there are many longtime comic book professionals that wondered (mostly in the past) if it would ever happen.  

JOE FIELD HAD TO WAIT 25 YEARS FOR THIS 

When the news broke many days ago about this video combo promoting the Wolverine movie that included a PSA for Free Comic Book Day, I got on the phone and called one of my favorite retailers, Joe Field. Joe’s store, Flyer Colors is, regrettably, one of those great comic book retail outlets that I’ve never had the good sense or good luck to actually visit.