Halloween is coming!

That’s right kids. It isn’t too early to start thinking about Halloween, especially with a quintet of mini comics that are now available at your local comic shop. I discovered them myself when I visited the shop yesterday. The five mini comics are Popeye (Fantagraphics), Betty Cooper Confidential (Archie), Domo (Tokyo Pop), Caspar/Little Lulu and Star Wars (Dark Horse).

These are all 7.5" x 5.5" 12-page books (plus covers), and while I can imagine getting one of these for Halloween (hey, I already have!), but I’m guessing that if you haven’t already ordered a boat-load of these comics, you simply won’t have enough to give them away.

Needless to say, all of the minis are essentially preview copies for up-coming series (or square bound collections) of up-coming material.

Dark Horse is preparing to issue bound volumes of Caspar and Little Lulu, plus it always has a number of on-going Star Wars series in the works.

Archie Comics always has comics featuring the ever-lovely Betty Cooper (even though Archie has apparently married Veronica Lodge!?), but there is also a new upcoming comic that delves into her secret diary.

Fantagraphics continues its long tradition of bring back and collecting complete volumes of classic newspaper strips with a collection of E.S. Segar’s Popeye work.

And then there’s Tokyo Pop that is bringing Domo the Manga to the American shores for the first time.

I’m suggesting that the next time you good folk visit your local comic shop you check out these free giveaway minis, and then, look for the books that they are promoting in the coming months.

I know that in the past other comicbook companies (Marvel included) have resorted to producing Halloween mini giveaways, and I’m really glad to see that this tradition is continuing with these comics, as it gives me (and, well you) the opportunity to check out some comics that you might not be reading,. but just might, if you could get a taste.

I heartily endorse the practice, and urge other companies to follow suit. Plus it just might lead to a bigger turnout of Free Comic Book Day (or a FCBD 2.0 version)