By Marc Strom
THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #1 made its debut Tuesday night at midnight in more than 80 stores across the country, and Marvel.com was on the scene at Midtown Comics in New York City for the event, which included a special signing by series artist Mike Perkins!
Before the doors to Midtown even opened, a line of eager Stephen King fans formed outside its entrance for the opportunity to be the first to get their hands on the initial chapter in Marvel's complete adaptation of Stephen King's fan-favorite novel, "The Stand," courtesy of writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Perkins.
Similar to previous midnight launches, Tuesday night's festivities brought out the most hardcore King fans in droves, anxious to see their favorite characters brought to life on the comics page for the first time ever.
As Perkins told Marvel.com at the event, the night was a rather unique experience for him, and one he enjoyed immensely:
"With the normal store signing the fans kind of come into the shop, they kind of flow into the shop. Here there's a [line]. There's a lot more sense of excitement there. It's excellent."
After purchasing their books, the fans started lining up for a chance to talk with Perkins and get his autograph while several other media outlets' cameramen circled around, bringing news of the series' launch to potential readers outside the comics community.
While we interviewed a wide array of fans—including two hailing all the way from France—the sense of anticipation rose as the signing began, with Perkins heartily placing his John Hancock on freshly minted copies of CAPTAIN TRIPS #1 and sketching out headshots for many attendees.
After the rush had died down, Perkins, who will spend the next few years drawing the comic adaptation of "The Stand," told Marvel.com he hopes that fans will enjoy his visualization of the novel.
"We've kind of gone back to the unabridged novel," the artist explains. "I've tried to follow it as closely as that, as Stephen King's perception of it. So I think the hardcore fans will be pleased, as will anybody else who picks it up."
The night wrapped around 1:00 a.m., allowing Midtown's tireless staffers to prep the store with all the next day's new releases. All in all, more than 50 fans made their way to the opening, and the festive atmosphere helped launch THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS in style.
Stay tuned to Marvel.com for the latest news and info on THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS!
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