Thanks to all the fans who came out for Free Comic Book Day! A great time was had by all, and thanks to HeroClix judge Jake Langham, who demonstrated how to play HeroClix for approximately eight hours! Way to go, Jake!

If you want to read Matt’s live blog from the event, head over to his newspaper blog, Nerdage, where he blogged live from the event.

Speeding Bullet again gave out more than 1,000 comics, with the “Iron Man” giveaways being among the most popular, no doubt due to the excellent “Iron Man” movies, in theaters now.

The Speeding Bullet Spring Sale 2007 kicks off at 7:30 tonight (Apr 25)!

The sale is one of our favorite store traditions. All you need is a Speeding Bullet wristband to take part in the special savings. There are three ways to get a wristband:
1.) Free to subscribers! Pick up everything in your file before participating in the sale, and get your wristband free.
2.) Free with any $50 full-price purchase on or before April 25!
3.) Buy a wristband for just $10!

Check out what’s in store:
Deep discounts storewide! Every back issue in the store will be 50% off. Plus, everything else in the store, including our extensive collection of graphic novels and statues, will be 25% off, for three days only! Friday night from 7:30-10; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. As a special bonus for this sale, buy 50 or more back issues, and receive 75% off your back-issue purchase!

Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter Ave., in Norman, is one of about 80 stores across the country participating in a midnight release for “Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home” No. 1.

To celebrate the launch of the new comic book series featuring material only hinted at in King’s original novel series, the stores will be open at midnight on Tuesday (effectively 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Mar. 5) so fans can get their hands on the debut issue.

“The Long Road Home” follows last year’s groundbreaking comic book series, “Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born,” which was King’s first extended foray into the world of comics. “Gunslinger Born” was both critically acclaimed and one of Marvel Comics’s biggest selling titles of 2007.

The “Gunslinger Born” creative team (writers Robin Furth and Peter David, and artists Jae Lee and Richard Isanove) are back for “The Long Road Home.” King is supervising the comic, ensuring the story fits his vision of the series.

“We’re very excited to be finding out more information about an area of Roland’s young life that we only got a glimpse of in the novels,”
Speeding Bullet Comics manager Travis Preston said.

The Dark Tower novels, and now comics, followed Roland Deschain, the Gunslinger, as he sought the Dark Tower in a dark fantasy world.

Artist Lee, who won comics’ highest award, the Eisner, for his work on “The Inhumans,” has been a popular choice to visualize King’s world.
The original “Gunslinger Born” series is available in a hardcover collection.

“It was a huge, runaway hit with the Stephen King fans,” Preston said.
“With gorgeous artwork and a well-told story, fans are thrilled that the same creative team is returning for the second series.”

Producing comics has become a family affair for the King clan. Also on sale at Speeding Bullet is the nationally sold out first issue of “Locke & Key” by King’s son, Joe Hill. Hill, a New York Times best-selling author, writes the supernatural thriller “Locke & Key”
for IDW Publishing.

Speeding Bullet will open at 10 p.m. Mar. 4, for “The Long Road Home”
launch and offer special games and prizes until the comic goes on sale at midnight.

The following are the best-selling graphic novels and trade paperbacks for Speeding Bullet for all of 2007.
Fans had zombie fever, as “Marvel Zombies” finished No. 1, up from No. 16 in 2006 with a smaller sales window.
The new “Scott Pilgrim” debuts this year at No. 2; it’s joined by Vol. 1 of the series at No. 4. This is the third year in a row for “Scott Pilgrim” vol. 1 to finish in the top 10.
“300″ finishes No. 3, behind a strong movie performance. Anticipation for the film had the book at No. 4 in 2006.
Perennial seller “Watchmen” boosts itself to No. 5 in 2007, perhaps in anticipation of the 2008 film. “Kingdom Come” is at No. 6, up from No. 12 in 2006. Last year’s No. 1, “Superman for All Seasons,” slips to No. 7. The classic Frank Miller tale ‘Dark Knight Returns” grabs the No. 8 slot; Miller’s “Batman: Year One” is at No. 14. The “Heroes” hardcover and the first volume of “52″ round out the top 10. “52″ vols. 3 and 4 also make the chart. Joss Whedon remains well-represented, with three books in the top 25: The new “Buffy” collection at 13; “Fray” at 15; and “Serenity: Those Left Behind” at 22.

1. Marvel Zombies HC
2. Scott Pilgrim vol 4
3. 300 HC
4. Scott Pilgrim vol. 1
5. Watchmen
6. Kingdom Come
7. Superman for All Seasons
8. Batman: Dark Knight Returns
9. Heroes HC (both covers)
10. 52 vol. 1
11. Chronicles of Wormwood
12. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Black Dossier
13. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Long Road Home
14. Batman Year One
15. Fray
16. Civil War
17. Boys vol 1
18. Josh Howard Presents Sasquatch
19. Preacher vol. 1
20. Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 HC
21. Walking Dead vol. 1 sc
22. Serenity: Those Left Behind sc
23. 52 vol. 3
24. 52 vol. 4
25. Batman: Ego and Other Tails

Norman’s favorite comics writer is coming home for his first store signing!

Sterling Gates will be at Speeding Bullet from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28, signing copies of “Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman-Prime.” Plus, we’ll have his new comic “Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files.” It’s so new, folks, it comes out that day!

Come meet Sterling for the first time, or get reacquainted. We may even play a few rounds of Stump Sterling: Green Lantern Trivia!