A Free Comic Book Day Andy Runton Interview

Interview by Scott Tingley, April 21, 2007.

Free Comic Book Day is almost here! One of my favorite times of year is here again!

Andy Runton, creator of the popular OWLY series, has taken a few minutes out of his busy schedule to answer a couple of quick questions about his new FCBD comic (published by Top Shelf) and his plans for this year's Free Comic Book Day.

Comics in the Classroom – Scott: Hello Andy. So what is this year's book about?

Andy Runton : Well, in this book, Owly uses a lesson he learned from his mom to  help a little Bunny he knows face her own fears. It's a charming  little story about teamwork, friendship, sharing, giving and making  the best of a bad situation.

CitC : What is it like having a publisher stick with you like this;  using you for their FCBD for three years in a row.

A.R : It's really been an honor. I can still remember when Chris (Staros) told me that he and Brett (Warnock) wanted me to do the 2005 FCBD. They had tried a more adult-themed anthology approach the year  before, but Free Comic Book Day is really about bringing all ages of 
fans back into comics. They wanted to try something different and  feature Owly. Originally they were just going to collect some of my  older mini-comics that I had done earlier, but we decided it would be  even better if I did a brand-new self-contained story. This would be  something to really let people know what Owly was all about. Well,  the response was overwhelming and it really helped get Owly's name  out there. So, we just stuck with what worked. The shorter stories  don't take as long to produce (they still take a few months) and its  brought lots and lots of new readers to Owly's world, so I'm very happy.

CitC : Do you make appearances on FCBD, and if so, what has the  response been like?

A.R : I do! Different comic shops from all over invite me to do in-store signings on that day. The energy on that day is absolutely amazing! Every store handles it differently but the response is always  phenomenal. I sign and sketch in all of the comics and we also sell  graphic novels and other Owly related goodies on that day. It's just  wonderful to see so many fans and kids of all-ages in the stores. I  think it's an absolutely amazing concept.  One year, I went to  Minnesota , and this year, it will be Strange Adventures in Halifax ,  Nova Scotia !

CitC : Hey! That;s only a couple of hours away from me. It is a great store.

We are going to do an interview for Owly Vol. 4 before it comes out. Let us know how FCBD goes.

A.R : Take care and I'll talk to you soon!

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I just found this posted on Andy's website:

Strange Adventures' Free Comic Book Day Extravaganza has actually outgrown the comic shop and will be held in a nearby hall! Come on down and say, “Hi!” if you live nearby, but don't feel left out if you can't make it to Halifax! Free Comic Book Day is a wold-wide event! All you have to do is walk into any comic book store and you'll get a selection of comic books for absolutely FREE! Find a participating shop near you by clicking here and then get there early to get your very own Owly and Korgi Free Comic because supplies are limited! Take care and I hope you all have a great time and enjoy the new story!!! :)