FAITH ORCINO
STAFF WRITER

Assembling the Avengers

As the official release date of “The Avengers” movie comes close, fans are given the opportunity to read more into the characters. Last March, Marvel published the first issue of “Avengers Assemble,” a brand new monthly series featuring the same team in the movies, but in the mainstream Marvel Universe (Earth-616). Artist Mark Bagley and writer Brian Michael Bendis created a new saga for the cast. Currently, issues one and two are on the shelves with the third releasing the week after the movie premier. Though it is the same cast, the Ultimate Marvel Universe (Earth-1610) has a more accurate comic version to the cinematic crew. Whether you want to read from Earth-616 or Earth-1610, there is a massive selection of comics featuring the characters of the Avengers movie.

The Countdown to Free Comic Book Day Begins!

Every year, comic book readers wait in anticipation for Free Comic Book Day (FCBD). It is always the first Saturday of May, which is May 5 this year. The annual tradition that started in 2002 is a national celebration of comics; everyone from the industry participates in the festivities. This year, publishers created very exclusive FCBD issues and previews. The list of titles includes some from DC and Marvel while others are from independent publishers. To find out what the FCBD 2012 books are and where you can get them, visit freecomicbookday.com. Not all shops will have the same offer during FCBD, so check with them on what they have planned beforehand.