FCBD 2019: Celebrating At Conquest Comics!

 Photos by Russell Shannon

Though every Free Comic Book Day in recent years seems to get bigger at Conquest Comics in New Jersey, this year really blew the roof off. Not literally!

But for a comic shop that’s not located near any major urban centers, it attracted large crowds, with lines that snaked throughout the shop, and encouraged plenty of purchasing, which is, after all, a major goal of creating a celebratory day just for comic retailers!

We could barely get into the shop, immediately encountering lines that led to free comic selection, but also purchasing.

Like many comic shops, Conquest had a pretty hefty sale going on, bringing big discounts to back issues, trades, and collectibles. They are already known as a major shop for helping fans collect Funko POPs, with a huge selection of standard and variant/exclusive items.

But key issues of comics in great condition are also a major draw for the shop, displayed on their “wall”. Those issues were on sale too.

Conquest kept the lines moving pretty briskly, and had a reasonable 5 free comic cap on selection. Lots of young kids attended on Free Comic Book Day, a good sign for the future of the comics medium.

And plenty of geeky crafts made the shop feel like it was hosting its own mini-con. Complete with original comic art. Here’s our haul from Free Comic Book Day 2019—great deals and a lot of excellent stuff to read.