Free Comic Book Day coming Saturday

There are more reasons to be excited for Saturday's Free Comic Book Day than simply "Blackest Night #1" ... even if that is likely going to be the biggest headline (trust me, I've seen the book, I know!) For instance, around the area we're about to be invaded by comic book talent, just waiting to sign their names. Here's a rundown:

Alterniverse (in Salt Point) will have a couple of local boys to sign and illustrate sketches for fans, Mark Holmes and Luke Mierisch.

Upstate Comics (in Freedom Plains) is hosting a few of the top names in the biz, Cliff Chiang ("Green Arrow/Black Canary"), Ivan Brandon ("Secret Invasion," "Faces of Evil," "NYC Mech Viking") and Andy MacDonald ("NYC Mech Viking," "Punisher War Journal").

Dragon's Den (in Poughkeepsie) will host the creators of "The Entophilezzz," a Web comic you can check out at THIS LINK.

And while October Country Comics (in New Paltz) will not have any guests, the store will be giving away much more than the average list of company-supplied free comics, there will also be free comics from the stock, free books, free toys and free videos.

If you're outside the mid-Hudson Valley area, THIS LINK will take you to a list of other creator signings on a state-by-state, store-by-store basis.

Speaking of the full list of company-supplied comics, here it is:

ALIENS PREDATOR
APE CARTOONAPALOOZA #2
ARCANA STUDIO PRESENTS
ARCHIE PRESENTS MIGHTY ARCHIE ART PLAYERS
ATTACK O/T ALTERNA ZOMBIES
ATOMIC ROBO & FRIENDS
AVENGERS
BONGO COMICS FREE FOR ALL
CARS
COMICS FESTIVAL
CONTRACT SPECIAL
CYBERFORCE / HUNTER-KILLER PREVIEW
DABEL BROTHES SHOWCASE
DC KIDS MEGA SAMPLER
EC SAMPLER
FCHS (MR)
FIST OF JUSTICE #1
GOLD DIGGER #101 SPECIAL
GREEN LANTERN BLACKEST NIGHT #0
GUMBY TWO IN ONE ED
IMPACT UNIVERSITY VOL 05
LANYARDS
LIFE & TIMES SCROOGE MCDUCK MICKEY & GANG
LOVE & CAPES
LOVE & ROCKETS
MERCY SPARKS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
NASCAR HEROES ORIGINS #1
NANCY & MELVIN MONSTER
OWLY & FRIENDS
RADICAL COMICS PREVIEW
RESURRECTION #0
SAVAGE DRAGON #148
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG EVOLUTION OF A HERO
SHONEN JUMP
STAR WARS CLONE WARS
STUDIO 407 SAMPLER
STUFF OF LEGEND PREVIEW
TMNT #1 25TH ANNIV RPRNT
TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED / GI JOE
WARHAMMER ONLINE
WIZARD HOT LIST
WILLIAM SHATNER PRESENTS #1
WORLDS OF ASPEN #4
WOLVERINE ORIGIN OF AN X-MAN