Join the Hero Society: Help Build the New Flying Colors!

We recently posted a photo from inside the space that will be the new home of Flying Colors Comics in the coming months. 

We've had lots of guesses where this new location is, but since there's nothing to see there (yet!), we're not giving away the address.

After all, until we move, we honestly and truly need everyone our FlyCo Faithful to keep shopping at our long-time Treat Blvd at Oak Grove Rd  location.  

On Free Comic Book Day,  Saturday May 4, we introduced the Flying Colors Hero Society, a reciprocal way to help us with the building fund for the new shop. Since FCBD, we've had many of our Faithful join the Hero Society in-store. We're so truly grateful! 

Now, we know many people aren't local enough to visit the shop regularly. 

Maybe you used to shop here when you lived in the area.
Maybe you were a kid from way back when for whom Flying Colors was your refuge. 
Maybe you have good memories of the times you've had here at our special events.
Maybe you're a faraway fan of Free Comic Book Day, the world's largest comic book related event that was born here at Flying Colors.

For all fans of what we do here at Flying Colors, we've pleased to add an online component to our Hero Society. 

For a $100 Hero Society one-time online membership, you'll receive:
* Your Name on the Hero Society Honor Scroll that will be in our new shop! 
* A Comics Gift in Your Name to a local organization. 
* Our long-lasting gratitude for helping us build-out our new shop. 
(Yes, you can buy more than one Hero Society membership and designate the names you'd like added to our Hero Society Honor Scroll!) 

One more appeal:
We honestly and totally under-estimated what the build-out costs will be moving into a different space. It looks like the build-out for our new shop may wind up costing twice our initial estimated.

When we lost our lease in Oak Grove Plaza, Libby and I faced two stark choices: Either find a new and suitable location in Concord allowing us to operate a full-line, full-service comic shop in an area that will continue to be convenient for long-time FlyCo Faithful while also hopefully bringing more people into the wonderful world of comics...  or we could have retired. Yes, the choices were that stark...and yes, we're that old. 😆

Our choice is to continue to serve the community we've built over these last 36 years, continuing to be a bright, fun spot Bringing Happiness through Comics. We invite you to join our Flying Colors Hero Society and help us continue our mission. 

Thank you for your consideration! 
--- Joe "FlyCoJoe" Field 
on behalf of the Field Family and the Flying Colors Retailing Brigade

Join the Hero Society NOW!

Sneak Peek at the New Flying Colors!

First photo of the new Flying Colors location!

Yeah, we hope it doesn't give anything away yet! We've been asked a lot why we're not sharing the address of the new place?

Well, for the simple reason that now more than ever, we really need you to keep shopping at 2980 Treat Blvd in Oak Grove Plaza!

When you visit, we'll encourage you to join the many other already signed up for the Flying Colors Hero Society, our way of having you help us with the build-out for the new shop. If you've joined already, THANK YOU! (For non-local online followers wanting to join, we'll be adding an online component to the Hero Society soon.)

What we can tell about the new space is we are staying in the great City of Concord,-- and we're excited by this! The City has been very good to Flying Colors and other small businesses over the years and our commitment to keeping Flying Colors in Concord is testament to that.

To sum up:

1) Please keep shopping with us at our long-time location at 2980 Treat Blvd in Concord.

2) If you haven't yet, please help us with the building fund for the new shop when you join the Flying Colors Hero Society (sign up in-store or online).

3) Admire this photo of FlyCoLibby in our new space (to be filled in the coming months). 😀

We've Got Your Cool Stuff Right Here (and soon to be Right There) in Flying Colors!

Event Photos!

Free Comic Book Day at Flying Colors was a lot of fun! 
Find photos from the event HERE!

At Free Comic book Day, Concord Mayor Edi Birsan presented a proclamation naming May 4 2024 as "Flying Colors Comics Day" in the City of Concord.
Find photos from the event HERE!

Wednesday May 8 we happily hosted artist/writers Derek Kirk Kim (Image Comics The Last Mermaid) and Gene Luen Yang (Lunar New year Love Story, American Born Chinese, Books of Clash).
Find photos from the event HERE!

This is a year of BIG changes for Flying Colors Comics! In the coming months, we'll be moving to a new storefront.

We don't know yet when the move will happen, so we hope you'll keep shopping at our Oak Grove Plaza location until we move to the new shop.

So please stay in touch with Flying Colors Comics!
Sign up for our Infrequent Flyer Email list. We don't send emails often, but when we do they are packed with information about upcoming events and FlyCo News You Need to Know!

Sign up HERE!

New Video: FlyCoJoe Looks Back

Free Comic Book Day is Saturday May 5, and we hope you'll be here for the final FCBD at its birthplace.

In preparation for that fun event, here's a video interview with a look back at the history of FCBD and Flying Colors. I hope you enjoy it.

Many thanks to my pal Joe Elardy for producing this video.

--- Joe "FlyCoJoe" Field

 

May 8 Special Event: Derek Kirk Kim & Gene Luen Yang!

SPECIAL EVENT
MAY 8 2024, 5PM-7PM
at Flying Colors Comics


Wondering what to do in the days after Free Comic Book Day?

We invite you to the first New Comic Book Day after FCBD with a Special Event featuring two fantastic talents!

Derek Kirk Kim is an award-winning writer, artist and director of comics and television. He is the creator of “The Last Mermaid” from Image Comics and the Eisner, Harvey, and Ignatz Award-winning graphic novel, “Same Difference and Other Stories.” He garnered his second Eisner Award with “The Eternal Smile,” a collaboration with MacArthur Fellow Gene Luen Yang. In television, Kim has directed, storyboarded, and designed characters for numerous shows including Disney’s “Amphibia,” “Adventure Time,” and “Green Eggs and Ham” on Netflix. He eats chips with chopsticks.  Follow Derek on Instagram: @derekkirkkim


Gene Luen Yang is the writer and co-creator of Lunar New Year Love Story, published in 2024 by First Second. He is the the creator of American Born Chinese, the award-winning graphic novel and recent Disney+ show. He has written Avatar the Last Airbender for Dark Horse Comics, Superman for DC Comics and Shang-Chi Master of Kung Fu for Marvel Comics, among so many other credits!

Artist/Animator Bobby Rubio is Flying Colors Special Guest on Free Comic Book Day!

FCBD SPECIAL GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT! 

Artist/Animator BOBBY RUBIO Scheduled to sign at Flying Colors on Saturday May 4 for Free Comic Book Day!

Bobby Rubio is a highly accomplished Animation Artist with work for Pixar, Disney, Nickelodeon and Paramount Animation. He is currently the Story Supervisor on "Transformers One" for Paramount Animation.

Among Bobby's notable projects are the Peabody-nominated animated Pixar short "Float" for which he was the Writer and Director. He served as Story Artist on "Inside Out," "Up," "Incredibles 2" and "Brave." For "Avatar the Last Airbender" at Nickelodeon, Bobby was an Assistant Director and Storyboard Artist. At Disney, Bobby was a Traditional Animator on "Treasure Planet."

 

With all of that, Bobby's first love was always comic books! His favorite comics were NEW TEEN TITANS and X-MEN. His all-time favorite artist is George Perez.

After graduating from CALARTS with a BFA in Animation, Bobby interned with Jim Lee at Wildstorm Studios. Even though he's mostly doing Animation work, Bobby still tries to keep his childhood comic book dreams alive, doing artwork for Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics and Image Comics.

Bobby has also created his own independent comics "Alcatraz High," "4 Gun Conclusion" and his latest title, "Neighborhood Legend" coming soon!
Follow Bobby Rubio on Instagram, Facebook and X!

------------
Free Comic Book Day is the world's largest comic book related event. The event on May 4, 2024 marks the 23rd year of this pop culture holiday. FCBD was founded by Flying Colors owner Joe Field as a way to invite everyone into the fun found every day in Local Comic Shops all over the world.

Since its start in 2002, tens of millions of comic books have been given away by more than 2000 Local Comic Shops in more than 60 countries. The yearly attendance at FCBD shops has eclipsed more than one MILLION people. 

Free Comic Book Day at Flying Colors on May 4 2024 will be the final FCBD at the original shop where the event was founded. After more than 35 years in Oak Grove Plaza,

the future for Flying Colors remains a mystery.

"We are working to find a new home in Concord for Flying Colors," said Field. "Our goal is to keep slinging comics to Concord, Contra Costa and the Cosmos, but honestly, much of this is out of our control.

We encourage everyone to keep supporting their favorite local businesses, like Flying Colors, because when you look around, it really seems that 'Mom and Pop' shops that sell merchandise are more of a rarity every day."

"We are very appreciative of all the great people who shop with us regularly...and we hope you'll be here for a truly memorable final Free Comic Book Day at Flying Colors in Oak Grove Plaza."

The Final Free Comic Book Day at the place where it all started...

 April 5, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact:
Joe Field

Flying Colors Comics

joe@flyingcolorscomics.com

925-825-5410

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY AT FLYING COLORS COMICS MAY 4!

The Final Free Comic Book Day Event at its Founding Location

Free Comic Book Day Features Comics for Everyone!

 

Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff in Concord CA celebrates the biggest day in the comics, Saturday, May 4 with Free Comic Book Day. Now in its 23rd year, Free Comic Book Day is the World's Largest Comic Book related event and was founded by Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff proprietor Joe Field.

There's extra poignancy to the 2024 FCBD event at Flying Colors as it will be the last FCBD at the location where the international event was founded.

"It's really going to have all the feels," said Joe Field. "I got the inspiration for Free Comic Book Day by seeing the line next door at a Baskin-Robbins Free Scoop Night event. I thought 'What's the only thing cooler than ice cream? That's the fun found in comics for all readers!"

"We know our time here in Oak Grove is soon drawing to a close. I want to make sure to get the word out to everyone that if you've ever wanted to be a part of Free Comic Book Day at the place where it all began, May 4, 2024 is your final chance to do that."

"In years past, we've had visitors not just from Contra Costa County, the Bay Area and Northern California, but from different parts of the world, too, from Europe, Scandinavia, South America, Asia and Australia. But have no fear -- we'll still have FREE comics for everyone attending that day!"

"As for Flying Colors' legacy in Oak Grove Plaza, I'm happy to know we've been a part of the lives of so many people in this neighborhood--- generations of awesome FlyCo Faithful! We're working to continue the Flying Colors tradition of Comics & Other Cool Stuff in a new location, so we hope everything lines up to make that a reality. For now, we ask everyone to stay in touch with Flying Colors by regularly visiting the shop and via social media to get the latest info."

 

Free Comic Book Day at Flying Colors will feature dozens of new comic books with a wide range of stories and characters for readers of all ages and interests. These Free Comic Book Day special edition comics are made just for the event. Anyone who loves to read will love getting free comics on Saturday May 4.  

Founded in 2002 by Flying Colors Comics owner Joe Field, Free Comic Book Day is a way to introduce new readers to the entertainment and diversity found in contemporary comics, while also thanking long-time readers and calling back former comic book fans.

 

In addition to giving away thousands of free comic books, FCBD at Flying Colors is colorful community event with characters around every corner... it is "May the Fourth Be With You" day, too!

 

Stay in touch with Flying Colors Comics:
FlyingColorsComics.com

Facebook
X (formerly Twitter)
Instagram
Join Flying Colors Infrequent Flyer Email List!

Liam Sharp signing Wed March 6 at Flying Colors!

Please join us at Flying Colors for another fantastic New Releases Day on Wednesday March 6 at 11AM as we welcome back FlyCo Hall of Fave member and stellar artist LIAM SHARP!

Thanks to our friends at Alien Books/Valiant Comics we will have a limited number of FREE copies of X-O MANOWAR for Liam to sign for you.

Plus he'll have some good stories to share, as well as advance looks at his upcoming artwork.

Make plans to be here!

We've Got Your Cool Stuff Right Here in Flying Colors!

Free Comic Book Day is May 4 2024!

 

It feels a bit weird to say this:

Free Comic Book Day on May 4 2024 will be the last FCBD in the shop where this international event was founded. 

Please make plans to join us!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1072639757382450

Read:
"More Thoughts on Flying Colors Murky Future" HERE!

Get this Deal NOW!

 

DEAL ALERT!!

Among this week's New Releases is the BATMAN DETECTIVE COMICS Gotham Nocturne Act 1 Hardcover.

Regularly priced at $29.99, you can get it this week at Flying Colors for only $19.99... or Get it FREE with a $100 pre-tax purchase!

Every week, we post of list of New Releases here:

https://flyingcolorscomics.blogspot.com/.../new-this-week...