The first Saturday of May marks free comic book day each year. We’re going to break down what to expect for first-time goers and highlight some of the big books to keep your eyes open for this weekend.
What is free comic book day?
Free comic book day or FCBD for short is held on the first Saturday of May every year when the majority of comic book speciality shops give away a selection of free comic books.
That’s right! Completely Free!
Where can I go to get my free comics?
Most comic shops, large and small, participate in the promotion.
However, it is not mandatory for them as they still have to pay for the books they will be giving away for free. Your heavy hitter chain store like Forbidden Planet will definitely be participating, with their London store even hosting a signing with current Venom co-scribe Ram V. signing copies of his first volume on the run.
But if you’d like to find out if your local comic shop is participating, FCBD’s official website has a handy store locator tool you can use.
How many comics can I get?
So the number of comics you can get can vary from store to store.
Some may limit you to 3 to 5 books while others might let you take 1 of everything.
Keep in mind, FCBD is a chance to read something new. Take a chance on something you wouldn’t usually pick. You might discover a new favourite.
So what comics can I get for free?
There is a setlist of comics that are specifically published to be given away at FCBD.
So bad news if you’ve been waiting for FCBD to ask for the pristine Amazing Spider-Man #300 from behind the counter of your local comic book store (but if you find a store giving away comics like that, please let me know).
But this also isn’t to say that the comics on offer aren’t a lot of fun, most major publishers get involved and it’s well worth picking up a comic you may have passed over otherwise, it is free afterall.
Here are a few of the books we recommend to look out for this Saturday:
Avenger/X-men: Day of Judgment
Written by Keiron Gillen and Gerry Duggan with art by Dustin Weaver.
Setting up a major marvel event coming later this year. A must-read for fans of both teams.
Dark Crisis #0
With a team of writers led by Joshua Williamson and illustrated by such great talents as Jim Cheung and Daniel Sampere.
We follow up on the events of Justice League #75, the DC universe prepares for its biggest threat yet, following the loss of its greatest heroes.
The stakes are high and you won’t want to miss this one!
The Bone Orchard Mythos Prelude
Sweet Tooth comics scribe Jeff Lemire with Gideon Falls co-creator Andrea Sorrentino reunite for this new horror series.
With the likes of H.P. Lovecraft and David Lynch cited as inspirations, The Bone Orchard Mythos looks to be a terrifying new world of surrealist horror. Get a sneak peek at what’s to come in FCBDs prelude.
And there are many more free comics where they come from. See the link below for the full list of free comics available.
Free Comic Book Day Catalog – Free Comic Book Day
So what’s the catch?
For the free Comics?
None whatsoever. Honestly!
The idea of FCBD is to get people into comic shops. So have a browse while you’re there. Maybe your favourite character is starting a new story arc in their own book. Maybe there’s an issue 1 for a new indie book, and if you don’t want to pick up a monthly series there are always graphic novels and trade paperbacks. So if you can support your local comic shop, please do
Is this your first Free Comic Book Day? What comics are you most excited for? Go let us know over on our Instagram page.
By Liam Priestley