Free Comic Book Day is an annual event founded on the belief that for every person out there, there’s a comic book they’ll love. Every year, on the first Saturday in May, the industry comes together to give away free comics and encourage fans, both old and new, to flock to the best place in the comic book community: local comic shops. These are the hubs of the comic book community, where fans can come together and discover new comics, make lifelong friends, and find a sense of commonality.
Major publishers such as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment and Image Comics put out free comics for fans to enjoy at the more than 2,300 local comic shops that participate in Free Comic Book Day. The diverse range of titles available each year proves that there’s truly a book for everyone: from superheroes, to popular film and television shows, to beloved video games, and all-ages tales. Popular series available this year include Pokemon, Doctor Who, SpongeBob, Riverdale, Overwatch and Star Wars.
My personal favorite is the new Welcome to the Whedonverse by Boom Studios, featuring their hit series Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Firefly. First, Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his first mate Zoe Alleyne Washburne have a bond that was forged in blood during the war that shaped the ‘Verse…but when the awful secret at the core of that bond is finally revealed and they’re called to answer, the people who love them are left to pick up the pieces. And in the second exclusive story, there’s something evil lurking under Sunnydale High School, namely a gateway to a hell dimension that’s been foretold to destroy the world as we know it. Buffy and the gang have mostly got it under control…as long as everything stays exactly as it is, and we mean zero new plot points, no new characters, and absolutely no twists, turns, or misunderstood prophecies. Easy peasy!
Cosplay is also a central part of Free Comic Book Day, as fans love dressing up in costume to show off their favorite character or series. Many stores even throw their own events, bringing in cosplayers and local comic book creators, and partnering with local businesses to make Free Comic Book Day one of the best family events of the year.
Free Comic Book Day is almost here and as comic book shops are getting ready for the sea of people, you should also be getting ready to have an amazing day of fun. Participating stores for Free Comic Book Day 2019 in your area can be found at comicshoplocator.com
Here are some tips for an unforgettable Free Comic Book Day:
1. Find A Participating Comic Book Shop: Make sure you find a participating comic shop so you know where you are going to get your free comics. You can use the FCBD Official Store Locator to find a comic shop near you. If there are multiple comic shops near you participating, plan out which stores you will go to during the day so you can get a variety of the FCBD comics.
2. Contact Your Local Comic Shop: Call your local comic shop, check out their social media pages and/or website to see what their Free Comic Book Day policy is, in addition to what extra events are going to be taking place during their FCBD. Some comics shops give out 1-2 comics, while others give out more. It is good to know how many comics you can expect to get for free so you can plan out if you want to visit other comics shops to see if you can get more free comics and different books. Also, keep in mind that stores will be adding their FCBD event details (creator signings, specials, etc.) to their listing on the FCBD Official Store Locator, so that is a good resources to find out how your store will be celebrating Free Comic Book Day.
3. Browse the Comic Selection Ahead of Time: The Official FCBD Website provides a list of all the comic books that will be available on Free Comic Book Day, as well as summaries and preview pages for each. This is a great way to find out ahead of time what books you’re interested in picking up so you walk away with books that you are excited about. It’s also a good opportunity to try out titles you may not have picked up otherwise.
4. Check out the Free Comic Book Day Social Media Pages: Check out Free Comic Book Day on Facebook to get up-to-date news about the FCBD comics, special events, interviews from the FCBD comic creators and artists, cosplayers, videos about FCBD, and more. There are also giveaways each week that take place, featuring items that can be found at your local comic book specialty shop.
5. Plan Out your Cosplay: Free Comic Book Day is the perfect time to celebrate your favorite comic book character. From Superman to Spider-Man to Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and everyone in between, Free Comic Book Day is a great opportunity to bust out that cosplay you’ve been perfecting. Or, if you’re feeling inspired, Free Comic Book Day might be your chance to try out cosplaying for the first time. Regardless, there’s sure to be tons of other fans cosplaying and it’s the perfect opportunity for a super-powered photo-op.
6. Plan to Arrive Early: Some comic shops may have lines for receiving the free comics and some may not. If this is your first Free Comic Book Day, when you contact your local comic shop about their free comic policy, ask them what the lines have been like in the past to see how early they recommend arriving and how long the wait tends to be. Some quantities of the FCBD comics tend to go quickly, so arriving early will help increase your chances of getting the comics you are most looking forward too.
If your local participating comic shop says they tend to have long lines to receive the free comics, we advise bringing snacks, water and entertainment for the possible wait. Line and crowd control is determined by the comic shop staff, so make sure to follow all directions so you can get your free comics and check out your local comic shop in an organized manner.
Note: Each comic shop pays for the comics they give away for free. They cost less than a regular comic, but they do cost the retailer money, which is why quantities are limited at each comic shop. Make sure to thank your retailer for participating.
7. Have Fun! Free Comic Book Day is the biggest celebration of comic books and a great time to discover new types of comics. It’s the perfect time to see what your local comic shop has in store, a time to read new comics, get kids involved in reading and have fun as a community. You will be able to meet a variety of comic fans and those who are new to comics that are discovering them for the first time. Head to your local participating comic shop for a day of fun and memories. One of the best ways to have fun is to dress up as your favorite comic book character.
GOLD COMICS
Item Code Description
0008 13th Doctor
0007 Avengers
0010 Bloodshot Special
0003 Dark Horse Stranger Things & Black Hammer (Net)
0006 Deadly Class Killer Set (One-Shot) (Mr)
0009 Disney Descendants Dizzy New Fortune
0011 Interceptor #1 (Mr)
0012 Pokemon I Chose You & Pokemon Adventures
0001 Riverdale Season 3 Special
0005 Tmnt Casualty Of War
0004 Under The Moon A Catwoman Tale Special Edition (Ne
0002 Welcome To Whedonverse
Silver Comics
Item Code Description
0036 A Sheets Story
0013 Animosity Tales
0030 Blastosaurus Annual #1
0025 Bobs Burgers
0021 Captain Canuck Equilibrium Shift #1 (Net)
0016 Caspers Spookville
0028 Cristiano Ronaldo Striker Force 7 Fcbd Special (Ne
0043 Dark Age Afterburn One Shot
0023 Dear Justice League Special Edition (Net)
0014 Dragonfly And Dragonflyman
0040 Ghost Hog #1
0038 Gillbert Fcbd Ed
0019 Go Fish
0015 Grumble Vs The Goon
0032 H1 Ignition #1
0045 Hope #1 (Mr)
0049 Kinos Journey Beautiful World Sampler
0033 Kodansha Comics All Ages Sampler
0018 Lady Mechanika
0024 Little Lulu Worlds Best Comic Book
0041 Lucy & Andy Neanderthal Big & Bolder
0020 Lumberjanes Shape Of Friendship
0051 Malika – Fire & Frost
0022 Minecraft & Incredibles 2 Ed
0029 My Favorite Thing Is Monsters (Mr)
0050 My Hero Academia & Promised Neverland
0017 Punchline #1 Fcbd Ed
0047 Robotech
0044 Scout Comics Presents Midnight Sky
0035 Spawn #1
0037 Spider-Man
0034 Star Wars Adventures Droid Hunters
0046 Starburns Presents
0048 Street Fighter Sakura Vs Karin
0039 The Tick
0042 Treasury Of British Comics Presents Funny Pages (N
0026 Vampirella 50th Anniversary
0031 Wolfie Monster & Big Bad Pizza Battle
0027 Zagor The Alien Saga
