This Saturday, May 7 is Free Comic Book Day, which means exactly what you think it means: Go to any fine comic book shop on Saturday, and you’ll be able to choose from a variety of 100 percent free comic books, including as diverse a selection as Spider-Man, The Tick and … Kung Fu Panda? Anyway, it’s a great opportunity to introduce kids to a love of reading (many of the titles are kid-friendly), as well as to re-discover what wonders await inside your local comic shop. No longer are these stores dingy, musty domains of unwashed, basement-dwelling geeks. Especially here in Las Vegas (for the most part), we are blessed with brightly lit, welcoming, diverse stores owned and staffed by smart, passionate people who even shower occasionally!

I’ll be spending the day at MaximuM Comics‘ Henderson location (at Marks and Sunset, in the Wal-Mart shopping center), doing sketches and possibly signing comics if you, I dunno, buy something I wrote or drew or whatever. The Henderson MaximuM store is something like 3,000 square feet, loaded with tons of comics, graphic novels, toys, apparel, games and more. Be sure to stop by early to get the best selection of free comics, and to catch me before my arm falls off. Doors open at 10 a.m.