In a press release from DC Entertainment earlier today, the publisher announced that July 19 will be “Dark Knight Rises Day” in the direct market, with retailers handing out a free preview of upcoming Batman comics projects to fans eager to see Christopher Nolan’s film, which will be in theaters the next day.”The arrival of The Dark Knight Rises in theaters is a seminal moment for comic book readers and moviegoers; what better way to mark the occasion than with a free Batman comic book that rewards a broad range of fans and taps into the unprecedented excitement surrounding this film?” said John Cunningham, DC Entertainment’s Vice President of Marketing.Stores around the country will be inundated by 500,000 copies of the book which will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. The book will preview Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s upcoming Batman: Earth One graphic novel, the recently-released Batman Volume 1: The Court of Owls by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo and more, according to the press release.
