COLUMBUS - On Spider-Man's web, or by the side of Las Vegas crime scene investigators or battling clones in a galaxy far, far away - on Saturday, George Ryck of Columbus can put you there for free.
Ryck is the owner of Little King restaurant and LK Sports Cards and Comics, at 2457 33rd Ave., Suite A. He is one of thousands of comic book store owners participating in Free Comic Book Day, a one-day event when comic book shops across North America and around the world are giving away comic books to anyone who's interested.
"This is the third year of the event," Ryck said. "We'll be giving away free comics on Saturday. It's in conjunction with the "Spider-Man 2" movie that just came out."
Both major and independent comic book publishers contribute to the event, leaving the public with a variety of titles to choose from on Saturday.
"We'll be giving away 'Teen Titans,' 'Star Wars,' 'Archie,' Walt Disney, 'CSI,' '24' ... pretty much something for everyone," Ryck said.
Comic books, an original American art form, were first created at the dawn of the 20th century. Today, the graphic stories of superheroes and villains, good vs. evil, compete with radio, television, movies, video games and the Internet for consumers' attention and dollars.
Ryck said comic books are a healthy entertainment alternative for everyone, especially children.
"It gets them away from the TV and computer games for a while," Ryck said. "They can use their imagination as they're reading. Hopefully, reading comics can help them with their reading in school."
Born in Omaha, Ryck moved to Columbus after purchasing the Little King restaurant in 1985. In 1993, he opened the comic and sports card shop in the same building.
A comic book enthusiast most of his life, Ryck started reading and collecting comics 50 years ago.
"I like the adventure," said Ryck, a Superman and Spider-Man fan. "I don't remember which one was my first, but I got it at a drugstore for 10 cents."
He's been hooked ever since. Several movies released in recent years, namely "Spider-Man," "X-Men," "Hulk," "Hellboy" and "The Punisher," have attracted a new generation of fans.
"It's spurred it some," Ryck said of the motion-picture adaptations of comics. "Not as much as I would like, but some."
The industry currently caters to fans old and new alike. Marvel, a comic publishing giant, has created multiple titles in recent years aimed at children, including "Marvel Age Spider-man." In 2001, Marvel launched an adult-only MAX line of books.
In the same thread, DC, Marvel's chief competitor, is currently releasing "Identity Crisis," a critically acclaimed seven-part series written by Brad Meltzer, an author of several novels ("The Zero Game," "The Millionaires") who's also written for the New York Times and Washington Post.
"Comics are great for kids, but adults can enjoy them, too," Ryck said. "Just about anybody could find something they'd be interested in."
On Saturday, the price is right for everybody.
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