If you have a mutant-like immunity to pollen, spent the majority of the year in a Krytonian healing coma, or your previous stint in Arkham Asylum left you so far removed from time that your only awareness of the outside world rests heavily on Facebook trends and the 30-second interstitials that play before the YouTube video that you actually wanted to see, you can still probably tell that summer is upon us because of the sudden saturation of comic book movie trailers and news.
(Here are just a few that I am excited about!):
 
BAM!
 

 
ZIP!
 

 
A lesser-known fact by fringe-fans of comic book culture, however, may be that this “most wonderful time of the year” is actually punctuated by an annual celebration happening every first Sunday in May called Free Comic Book Day.  So, while Australians may get to officially celebrate Christmas during their summer months, comic-enthusiasts' summer Christmas of sorts is a single, nerdy day where participating comic book stores across North America give away the paneled parables absolutely free as a thank you to customers who come and patron their shops (take that giant, pigeon-sized spiders and animals with built-in pockets!). 
 
One of the major, understated benefits of the day, however, is actually education. Be it The Adventures of Batman and Robin, Japanese manga, or just the strips from the Sunday funnies, many of us grew up with consuming comics in one fashion or another. Free Comic Book Day is not only a way to encourage kids' exploration of art and imagination, it is also a completely free opportunity to engage many young readers through the art-driven antics that many of us grew up loving and, thereby, encourage literacy!  
 
Ker-POW!
 

     
 
Pretty solid recruiting tactic, huh?  Maybe too solid…Who could possibly be behind this?

 
Click Here to find out which of your local comic book stores are participating in this year's giveaway, then grab your grappling hooks and swing in on the action!