On Free Comic Book Day, I took my two boys to our local shop, San Diego Comics. The boys got kid comics, and I picked up Rom #0 from IDW.

Right by the check-out, the shop manager had a bunch of $1 comic bins. I noticed that one of them had a Rom comic in the front! I dug through the bin, and saw that it was full of Rom and Micronauts comics. Mantlo fever! I loved both as a kid, don't have 'em, and bought a couple each.

When I got home and read Rom #0, I saw that IDW is relaunching Micronauts as well as Rom. Also in the middle of the Rom book there was an appeal for Bill Mantlo's healthcare fundraiser.

Think about what the store manager did:

--Set up a remainder bin linked to the offerings for FCBD (it would not surprise me if the other bins also contained comics with ties to FCBD 2016)

--Put the Rom comics together with another strong property from the same creator . . . which might also generate interest in a new ongoing release, helping both IDW and the store

--Raised the profile of Bill Mantlo at a time when that gifted writer could use help from the community

This is comics-fu on the level of a sommelier or a museum exhibit curator. Well done, guys! I know that a number of local comics and game store owners are active on the Realms. All the best to you, and thanks for bringing the love as well as the smarts and the sweat.


Edit: Those old Rom comics still bring it. There was a great creepy bit about a little girl with a dead Dire Wraith stuck in her head.