Valentine's Day Reminder: Go Local!

Fifty Years Later, the Amazing Spider-Man Gets a Second Chance to Warn His First Issue Readers....

(Click on Image for Larger Size)

From the pages of 
Amazing Spider-Man #1, cover-dated March 1963, but released sometime in late '62.






























And for a list of this coming week's New Releases, please click HERE!

New JayBee Funnies!

(Click on Images for Larger Size)

 

More Jeff Bonivert comics, including his

72 page Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

graphic novel "Muscle & Faith"

can be found HERE!

100 Days Until FREE Comic Book Day!

The 12th Annual Free Comic Book Day will be Saturday May 4 at Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff and 2000 other comic book stores in 50 countries all over the world.

We'll be announcing our Special Guests for the event soon! In the meantime, here's a cool video produced by Dusty Caravan Productions that was shot here at Flying Colors on Free Comic Book Day 2012.



More:
The official Free Comic Book Day site has info about the comics we'll be giving away!
Here's an interview I did with Comics Bulletin about FCBD.
And here's the column I wrote back in 2001 that started it all!

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

FlyCo Fans Pizza night Friday Jan 25!

Are you a fan of Flying Colors? Love comics and want to meet others who also love comics? Then consider yourself invited to the first FlyCo Fans Pizza Night at Flying Colors Comics, Friday January 25 from 6:30-8:30pm.

We'll supply the pizza and beverages. All we ask is that you respond to the invitation so we can plan the right amount of pizza and drinks.  Please RSVP by visiting our Flying Colors Facebook Fan Page. The Pizza Party event is HERE! Then hit "Going."

Hope to see you Friday (and of course, we hope to see you sooner than that since our New Releases Day is every Wednesday at Flying Colors!)---

Peace!

FlyCoJoe

2012 Top-Selling Books @ Flying Colors Comics

The results are in! Here are 

Flying Colors Top-Selling Book-Format Comics for 2012!

   

1. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 01 DAYS GONE BYE                
2. AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 01 PROMISE       
3. BATMAN EARTH ONE HC                  
4. SAGA TP VOL 01                    
5. AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 02 PROMISE       
6. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 02 MILES BEHIND US                                                                                                    AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 03 PROMISE       
7. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 16 A LARGER WORLD                       
8. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 03 SAFETY BEHIND BARS              
9. NINJAGO GN VOL 03 RISE O/T SERPENTINE             
10. LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN III CENTURY #3              
11. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 17 SOMETHING TO FEAR              
12. AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER LOST ADVENTURES TP VOL 01                    
13. BATMAN HUSH COMPLETE TP            
14. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 04 HEARTS DESIRE            
15. BATMAN THE LONG HALLOWEEN TP NEW ED                   

      NINJAGO GN VOL 04 TOMB O/T FANGPYRE      

             WALKING DEAD TP VOL 15 WE FIND OURSELVES

    19.   JUSTICE LEAGUE HC VOL 01 ORIGIN            

     TUNE SUMO GN        

     WALKING DEAD TP VOL 05 BEST DEFENSE

22. BATMAN HC VOL 01 THE COURT OF OWLS              

      SUPERMAN EARTH ONE HC VOL 02            

      THANOS QUEST #1  

25. DAREDEVIL BY MARK WAID TP VOL 01                    
26. WALKING DEAD TP VOL 14 NO WAY OUT
27. DESTROYER TP                   

     WALKING DEAD TP VOL 13 TOO FAR GONE        

29. BATMAN & ROBIN HC VOL 01 BORN TO KILL                

      BATMAN DARK KNIGHT RETURNS TP             

      BATMAN YEAR ONE DELUXE SC             

      SANDMAN TP VOL 01 PRELUDES & NOCTURNES   

      WALKING DEAD TP VOL 12 LIFE AMONG THEM

34. CHEW TP VOL 05 MAJOR LEAGUE CHEW             

      FABLES TP VOL 17 INHERIT THE WIND       

      TINY TITANS TP VOL 07 GROWING UP TINY          

      WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM TP VOL 01              

      WATCHMEN TP

39. BATMAN THE KILLING JOKE SPECIAL ED HC                  

            BONE COLOR ED SC VOL 01 OUT BONEVILLE1   

      HELLBOY TP VOL 12 THE STORM AND THE FURY              

      INFINITY GAUNTLET TP NEW PTG                 

      SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 00 BEGINNING

44. AMULET SC VOL 05 PRINCE OF THE ELVES             

      DEADPOOL TP VOL 01 SECRET INVASION       

      EMPOWERED TP VOL 07              

      SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 01       

      TINY TITANS TP VOL 04 THE FIRST RULE OF PET CLUB       

      WALKING DEAD TP VOL 06 SORROWFUL LIFE           

      WALKING DEAD TP VOL 08 MADE TO SUFFER          

      WALKING DEAD TP VOL 10 WHAT WE BECOME

       52. AMULET SC VOL 01 STONEKEEPER            

      BATMAN AND ROBIN TP VOL 01 BATMAN REBORN          

      BATMAN HAUNTED KNIGHT TP      

      BATMAN KNIGHTFALL TP NEW EDITION VOL 01            

      BLACKEST NIGHT TP        

      RICHARD STARKS PARKER THE SCORE            

      SCOTT PILGRIM COLOR HC VOL 01 (OF 6)              

      SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 18       

      TINY TITANS TP VOL 02 ADVENTURES IN AWESOMENESS               

      TINY TITANS TP VOL 06 THE TREEHOUSE AND BEYOND          

      WALKING DEAD TP VOL 09 HERE WE REMAIN

63. ANIMAL MAN TP VOL 01 THE HUNT              

      FATALE TP VOL 01 DEATH CHASES ME            

      POWER RANGERS SUPER SAMURAI GN VOL 01  SHORT   MEMORY                  

      POWERPUFF GIRLS TP VOL 01 TITANS OF TOWNSVILLE             

      STAR WARS CLONE WARS ADVENTURES TP VOL 03              

      STAR WARS CLONE WARS YR TP VOL 07 ENEMY WITHIN           

      WALKING DEAD TP VOL 11 FEAR THE HUNTERS

70. COW BOY A BOY AND HIS HORSE HC                  

      FLASHPOINT TP                          

      KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA ARCHIVES TP VOL 02       

      NINJAGO GN VOL 01 CHALLENGE OF SAMUKAI        

      SUPERGIRL COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE EIGHTH GRADE TP       

      TINY TITANS TP VOL 05 FIELD TRIPPIN          

      WALKING DEAD TP VOL 07 THE CALM BEFORE    

77. AMULET SC VOL 04 LAST COUNCIL                    

     ATOMIC ROBO TP VOL 01 NEW PTG        

     ATOMIC ROBO TP VOL 06 GHOST OF STATION X      

     BATMAN AND ROBIN TP VOL 03 BATMAN ROBIN MUST DIE       

     CATWOMAN TP VOL 01 THE GAME             

     CHEW TP VOL 01       

     CIVIL WAR TP          

     DRAMA GN            

     FLEX MENTALLO MAN OF MUSCLE MYSTERY DLX HC           

     MARVEL MASTERWORKS AVENGERS TP VOL 01       

     SAILOR MOON TP KODANSHA ED VOL 04              

     SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 02       

     SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 17       

     STAR WARS CLONE WARS ADVENTURES TP VOL 04              

     SUPERMAN RED SON TP             

     UNDERWATER WELDER GN

93. AQUAMAN HC VOL 01 THE TRENCH                     

      BATMAN CHRONICLES TP VOL 01              

      BATMAN DEATH BY DESIGN DELUXE ED HC             

      BATMAN NINE LIVES SC             

      CHEW TP VOL 04 FLAMBE          

      COMIC BOOK HISTORY OF COMICS GN            

     FRANKLIN RICHARDS TP SON OF GENIUS ULT COLL          

     GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS WAR TP          

     INCOGNEGRO SC             

     NINJAGO GN VOL 05 KINGDOM O/T SNAKES          

     PRO ONE SHOT       

     SAILOR MOON TP KODANSHA ED VOL 01              

     SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES VOL 5 TP         

     STUFF OF LEGEND TP     

107. ALL STAR SUPERMAN TP                

      AMULET SC VOL 02 STONEKEEPERS CURSE            

      ATOMIC ROBO TP VOL 02 DOGS OF WAR               

      BATMAN AND ROBIN TP VOL 02 BATMAN VS ROBIN        

      BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL TP        

      BATMAN DARK VICTORY TP             

      BATMAN THE MAN WHO LAUGHS TP             

      BRIDES STORY HC GN BOOK 01              

      CAPTAIN AMERICA WINTER SOLDIER ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP             

     DEADPOOL TP VOL 02 DARK REIGN             

     DISNEY FAIRIES GN VOL 09 TINKER BELL & HER MAGICAL ARRIVAL        

     GET JIRO HC          

     GRAND DUKE HC        

     INVINCIBLE TP VOL 16 FAMILY TIES                

     JOKER HC            

     KICK-ASS 2 PREM HC        

     KING CITY TP          

     KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA ARCHIVES TP VOL 03       

     MORNING GLORIES TP VOL 03 P.E.                 

     NINJAGO GN VOL 02 MASK OF THE SENSEI            

     POKEMON BLACK & WHITE GN VOL 01            

     RACHEL RISING TP VOL 01 SHADOW OF DEATH       

     SANDMAN TP VOL 02 THE DOLLS HOUSE            

     SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 03       

     SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 10       

     STAR WARS CLONE WARS YR TP VOL 09 SITH HUNTERS        

     TINTIN GN SECRET OF THE UNICORN  

    134. ADVENTURE TIME TP VOL 011

      ARKHAM ASYLUM ANNIVERSARY ED SC

      ATOMIC ROBO TP VOL 04 OTHER STRANGENESS           

      BABYS IN BLACK HC

      BATMAN DETECTIVE COMICS HC VOL 01 FACES OF DEATH      

      BATMAN INCORPORATED DELUXE HC VOL 01

      BATMAN KNIGHTFALL TP NEW ED VOL 02 KNIGHTQUEST           

      BATMAN MAD LOVE AND OTHER STORIES TP 

      BLACKSAD SILENT HELL HC   

      CARNAGE FAMILY FEUD TP   

CHEW TP VOL 06 SPACE CAKES      

CINDERELLA FABLES ARE FOREVER TP 

EPIC MAD TP    

FABLES TP VOL 01 LEGENDS IN EXILE

FRANKLIN RICHARDS TP SON OF GENIUS ULT COL GN BK 02   

GREEN LANTERN HC VOL 01 SINESTRO 

GREEN LANTERN SECRET ORIGIN TP 

HELLBLAZER TP VOL 01 ORIGINAL SINS          

HOBBIT TP 

I KILL GIANTS TP

KICK-ASS TP      

KORGI GN VOL 01 SPROUTING WINGS   

LOCKE & KEY TP VOL 01 WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT   

LOCKE & KEY TP VOL 04 KEYS TO THE KINGDOM 

MARVEL MASTERWORKS FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 08      

POKEMON BLACK & WHITE GN VOL 08

PUNISHER MAX TP VOL 01 IN THE BEGINNING

SMILE SC 

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES VOL 6 TP   

STAR WARS CLONE WARS ADVENTURES TP VOL 01

WALKING DEAD HC VOL 01 NEW PTG  

WONDER WOMAN HC VOL 01 BLOOD      

X-MEN SEASON ONE PREM HC

Y THE LAST MAN TP VOL 01 UNMANNED   

Y THE LAST MAN TP VOL 05 RING OF TRUTH      

Y THE LAST MAN TP VOL 07 PAPER DOLLS      

                    

Possibly my favorite Christmas gift...

...is this email I received from overseas:

As a soldier stationed in Afghanistan I just wanted to take the time to say thank you to the Flying Colors Comics staff.

A care package arrived at our base and to my surprise there were comics in it. I grabbed a few and handed them over to other service members who did the same. It is rare to get this form of entertainment out here so everyone was pleased to get them.

Back in the States I am a very big collector so the comics in the care package are a nice taste of home. Thank you very much for thinking of us and putting forth the effort. Support from home makes our job a little bit easier.

SPC Carlos Corova
Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan

For the last several years, Flying Colors Comics has been honored to work with Blue Star Moms, Contra Costa Chapter of San Ramon. 

Through the volunteer work of Moms and families with sons, daughters and other family members in the various branches of military service, Flying Colors is able to get comics entertainment sent out a couple of times a year, included in the Blue Star Moms care packages.

Thank you, SPC Cordova, for taking the time to email us with your thanks for the comics. The truth is, the comics are the small way we thank you for your service, hoping that we can bring a little bit of home-style fun to you during your tour.

Thank YOU for your service!

Peace!

Joe "FlyCoJoe" Field

Happy 90th Birthday, Stan Lee!

Friday December 28 is the 90th birthday of Stan Lee!
(It used to be that when Stan Lee was mentioned, most people outside of comics wouldn't have a clue who he is, while everyone in the world of comics would definitely know that Stan Lee is the co-creator of too many Marvel Comics characters to count, let alone name. 

Working with such stellar Hall-of-Fame talents like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, along with John Romita, Don Heck, Dick Ayers, John Buscema... and so many more, Stan and crew created the foundation of the comics we still read and enjoy these days.) 

Back on Stan's 83rd birthday, I wrote a bit about how I was personally introduced to him after being a fan for the 20 years before that.   

Stan & Joe at Flying Colors in April 1990

Stan and Joe at the Cartoon Art Museum's Sparky Awards in 2001.

Here's the deal--- many others will be much more rhapsodic than I could be in talking about Stan on this milestone occasion.  The fact is, I rarely talk to him anymore. Probably been two years, even if we have traded a couple of emails. Approaching him at conventions is also a daunting task these days, with his entourage of bodyguards and handlers escorting him from appearance to appearance. 

Instead, let's go back to 1989's WonderCon, when I was his bodyguard and escort and his PR guy and his interviewer and his chauffeur! Have a look at this video:

Stockton Record headline typo!

The fact is, Stan Lee was my ticket out of a dead-end radio career and my entry into a profession I still love after more than 25 years in the business. Radio was just entering a brutal phase after broadcasting was deregulated by the Federal government. Family-owned radio companies were being bought up at astronomical prices by broadcasting conglomerates, leading to the awful state of local radio we have currently. When I got out of radio in 1988, locally owned broadcasting companies were in their death throes.


I feel like I escaped from one independently-owned business (radio) into another (comics) that is still home to thousands of entrepreneurs running their own comic book stores, not because the money is necessarily great, but because we're doing it for a good living.

Stan on the air at KJOY-AM, Stockton CA

I am indebted to Stan for his kindnesses along the way:
• He allowed me to "work" for him in promoting his wife Joan's first novel when her publisher was not doing a good enough job.

• He was my guest at WonderCon from '88-'90 to repay me for the work I did with him.

• When Flying Colors first opened in October of '88, Stan was on my store's answering machine with congratulations for the opening of the store and best wishs for my family.

• In early 1990, Stan agreed to come to Flying Colors to see this store I had talked about so much, though I'm fairly sure he wondered why in the world anyone would get out of a broadcasting career to get into comic book retailing! (He wasn't alone in that thinking--- I had to convince my father and my father-in-law that it was a rational thing to do)

Joan & Stan Lee with Joe

• He was willing to accept my invitation to attend the Cartoon Art Museum's Sparky Awards to receive their Hall of Fame Award, even if that meant listening to me give his introduction speech!

More than anything though, I am indebted to Stan because the writer-editor-creator I admired as an 11 year-old kid in 1967 has always been kind to me, and always inspired to me to do the best I can in this comic book world.



Now at 90, Stan Lee is still out there, making deals, working long hours and more than ever loving the spotlight he has. He spent the better part of 40 years finding that spotlight--- and you can bet he doesn't want to get out of it any time soon.

90 years young, you, Stan, are still "the Man!"

At Al's Comic Shop in Stockton, February '86

Happy Birthday!

Joe "FlyCoJoe" Field

Y.E.S. Event NOW @ Flying Colors!

"Psst! The Mayans were wrong!"