Kapow! Free comic day!

You don't have to be bitten by a radioactive spider.

Or be the lone survivor of an alien planet, rocketed to Earth to be mankind's savior.

You don't even have to run around in purple pants while smashing things.

All you have to do to get a free comic book Saturday is show up at a local shop.

It's the seventh annual Free Comic Book Day. Conceived by Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics in California, the industry estimates 500,000 comic books will be given away Saturday, with some stores attracting more than 1,000 customers.

"My target readers are anybody who wants to be entertained, regardless of age," Field said.

More than 2,000 stores in 30 countries are participating. Field said 42 publishers, including Image and Marvel, have signed on, making a variety of books available.

Among them is the first issue of "Tiny Titans," drawn and co-written by Streamwood's Art Baltazar with Franco Aureliani. Aimed at kids, it features youthful versions of DC Comics heroes like Wonder Woman and Aquaman.

Baltazar, 39, has been in the business for 20 years, working on self-published and independent titles. Since his book launched in February, he's been getting invitations to industry shows around the country. Working with DC's characters like is a big break for him.

"I've been waiting for this moment all my life," he said from his basement studio.

Free ones aside, loose change won't buy you a comic book these days. The average price of a title is now around $3. Some estimate the industry generates $500 million in revenue annually.

Field isn't worried. He said you don't have to have Bruce Wayne's bank account to afford comic books -- even in a slow economy.

"Traditionally, in slower economic times comics have gone up in popularity because comics are a sort of nesting entertainment," Field said.

He added he doesn't see the Internet and digital comics replacing the "tactile experience" that a paper comic books delivers. Comic books are more interactive, allowing readers to determine the pace of the story, and allowing their imaginations to flow between panels, he said.

Comics are an original American art form that spawned other media, Field added, noting movies, video games and TV shows start with storyboards, which are just rough comic illustrations.

"You wouldn't have them if it weren't for comics," he said, noting the "Iron Man" movie is due out Friday.

Librarians have debated the value of comic books, said North Suburban Library System School-Youth Liaison Sharon Ball. Many libraries work directly with local stores to select titles for collections.

"There is an audience for comic books. They tend to attract the reluctant reader, a kid who might be intimidated by a large volume or multi-page book," she said.

Baltazar and Aureliani will appear at a signing from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Challenger's Comics and Conversation, 1845 N. Western Ave. in Chicago.

Recommendations for new readers of comics

Baltazar's favorites:

• "Fables" -- "My wife reads it."

• "Amazing Spider-Man" -- "I've always loved Spidey."

• "Teen Titans" -- "I've been reading it for years."

• Anything Robert Kirkman does, "The Walking Dead," "Astounding Wolf-Man" and "Invincible."

• "Tiny Titans" -- "It's for kids and adults."

To find a store participating in the comic book giveaway, go to freecomicbookday.com/fcbd_locator.asp.