All holidays seem to have some agenda behind them. This isn’t limited to Hallmark money makers like Valentine’s day or the redundant Sweetheart’s day. From Christmas and Easter to the disgustingly exploitive Patriot’s Day, holidays are used as mass marketing events.

The comic book industry carries on this tradition in ways that go above and beyond automotive dealer’s 4^th of July blow-out extravaganzas. Two comic book holidays that are just around the corner should be marked on your calendar.

April 23^rd-24^th is 24 Hour Comics Day (24hourcomics.com). On this day, thousands of people worldwide embark on the challenge of drawing 24 pages (or 100 panels if it’s a webcomic) of improvisational comics within twenty-four hours. The few rules, dreamed up by influential comic theorist Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics, are often ignored. Last year, there were reports of people working in assembly lines or using characters from their weekly strip to make the daunting page-per-hour deadline. But even cheating is generally tolerated, so long as it doesn’t violate the spirit of the event, which is to push oneself creatively. There is no right or wrong way to create the comics, as long as you’re telling a story through a sequence of images. Participants have used such diverse media as pencil, India ink, watercolor, and digital cameras.

The drawing marathon can be done from the privacy of home, but I suggest seeking out (or setting up!) a group event. Working in a group significantly increases one’s ability to stay awake. I fell asleep twice on my first attempt—I was stupid enough to start after I’d already been awake twelve hours. 

The event becomes performance art when held in public places, such as the many comic shops that stay open during the entire 24-hour span, drawing out supporters of the artists and curious night owls alike.

May 7^th is Free Comic Book Day (freecomicbookday.com). The name pretty much says it all; if you get to a comic shop early enough, you get a free comic. The comics are supplied by publishers who hope to rope in new readers by providing the most inclusive selections from their catalogs. For example, Chicago-based Devil’s Due will most likely be adding a G.I. Joe comic to the mix. Many independent creators provided their local stores with comics.

Almost all comic book stores will be participating in the give-away. To find your local comic stores go to comicshoplocator.com or call (888) COMICBOOK. (Yes, that’s two more numbers than it you need, but that’s OK…get it?)

24hourcomics.com suggests taking advantage of the proximity of the two events by making copies of your twenty-four hour creation (or that of your group) and giving them away. Personally, I’ll be spending Free Comic Book Day recovering from 24 Hour Comics Day. 

To see how 24 Hour Comics Day went last year, go to Kyle Thiessen's photo gallery: humancartoon.com/24hr2004.