Grand Rapids celebrates Free Comic Book Day!

Fiction lovers and avid readers flocked to Tardy's Collectors Corner in Grand Rapids for Free Comic Book Day Saturday.

The annual event is held by comic book retailers all across North America to attract readers to local independent stories. Customers of all ages were able to walk away with five free comics. Some of those titles included Monster High, Pokemon, Spiderman, and Flash Gordon.

"The cool thing about it is there's all these new choices all the time this year was really cool because they featured a lot of older comic books," said Gavin Willard, owner of Tardy's Collectors.

There were also special in-store sales, grab bags, and members of the Star Wars 501st available for photo opportunities. Owners estimated over 300-500 people came out for the celebration, with lines starting at 10 a.m.

"Free Comic Book Day is great because it gets people reading comic books. So even if you can't come in and spend $50 A month or $100 a month in comic books, you can still walk away with something cool to read," he told FOX 17.

Tardy's is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. The shop is open Monday through Saturday. For hours and events, visit their website .

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