Free Comic Book Day is almost here. This unofficial geek holiday is like Christmas and your local comic book shop and major publishers are Santa Claus and his elves.
The first Saturday in May is when you can pick up FREE comic books. Different stores have different rules. For example, you may be limited to only two or you may have to buy a comic to get a free one. Just because they’re free doesn’t mean they’re just extra unsold copies. These FCBD issues are new and often connected to each publisher’s big events of summer.
Marvel’s Free Comic Book Day issue will lead into Secret Wars, the major event heralding “the end of the Marvel Universe.” Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Wars writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Paul Renaud are the creative team on Secret Wars #0 – the prologue to the first chapter of Marvel’s universe changing event. This FCBD issue includes a preview of Attack on Avengers by the creator of Attack on Titan.
The second FCBD title will be the previously teased All-New, All-Different Avengers promising a “first taste of the all-new Marvel Universe.” Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Ms. Marvel, Nova, Vision and Miles Morales, the Ultimate Spider-Man assemble under writer Mark Waid. This second FCBD title includes a preview of Uncanny Inhumans by Charles Soule with Medusa, classic and new Inhumans plus Johnny Storm in his first appearance after the end of the Fantastic Four.
DC Comics is in the middle of the two month Convergence event featuring classic heroes from across the Multiverse but in June there’s just one single universe. Divergence arrives on FCBD to show a first look at the all-new Batman, Justice League Darkseid War as two mega villains battle it out and the new Superman team that’s promising big changes for the Man of Steel.
Image Comics celebrates Savage Dragon and Titan Comics unites the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor Who, Spongebob Squarepants, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and even Goldilocks star in free comics this Saturday.
Here are the Gold Level Comics by publisher with the current creative team on aboard at this time and official descriptions:
Archie Comic Publications
Duane Swierczynski, Mark Waid, Dean Haspiel, Various
Michael Gaydos, Dean Haspiel, Various (CA) Francesco Francavilla
“THE BLACK HOOD! THE FOX! THE SHIELD! Get in on the ground floor of Dark Circle Comics and experience the cinematic and creator-driven reinventions of these iconic properties. Who is the new Shield? How did the Black Hood come to be? Can things get more unpredictable for The Fox? Learn the secrets of the Dark Circle universe from the creators themselves via sneak peeks at the new series, creator interviews and a first glance at the next Dark Circle series — all held together by an eye-popping cover from Afterlife with Archie artist, Francesco Francavilla!”
Bongo Comics
Matt Groening, Various
“Get in line for the foremost Free Comic Book Day four-color giveaway of the year! When Bart brings one of Professor Frink’s recent discoveries to school, it leads to some hair-raising hilarity! Then, Lisa finds a doorway to an ancient past, Comic Book Guy gets a hip new girlfriend, and Homer tries his hand at some home improvement… and much more!”
Boom! Studios
“2015 is BOOM! Studios’ Tenth Anniversary year, and to help us celebrate we’ve gathered short stories from several current and new all-ages titles for Free Comic Book Day. From Archaia’s Mouse Guard, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, and new title Iscariot; KaBOOM!’s Garfield, Peanuts, Regular Show, and a new Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake story; and BOOM! Box’s Lumberjanes, Munchkin, and Help Us! Great Warrior, there’s something in this free, 48-page issue for everyone!”
Dark Horse COMICS
Chuck Palahniuk, Eric Powell, David Lapham
Cameron Stewart, Eric Powell, Mike Huddleston David Mack
“Dark Horse Comic’s most thrilling FCBD to date! Chuck Palahniuk and Cameron Stewart premiere Fight Club! Eric Powell serves up an all-new tragedy in The Goon! And Guillermo del Toro presents an all-new chapter from The Strain! Need we say more?”
Dynamite Entertainment
Mike Olsen, Justin Hook, Chad Brewster
Brad Rader, Tony Gennaro, Hector Reynoso, Frank Forte
“Bob’s Burgers, the hit TV show created by Loren Bouchard, is now a comic book! The Belcher family — parents Bob and Linda, and their children Tina, Gene, and Louise — appear in this special Free Comic Book Day edition that collects the “Best Of” in-canon stories from Dynamite’s first-ever Bob’s Burgers comic book series. Thrill to Tina’s “Friend Fiction”, Louise’s “Unsolved Mysteries and Curious Curiosities”, “Gene Belcher Presents: The Musical”, and more! It’s an all-ages extravaganza that captures the feel of Bob’s Burgers perfectly — because it’s a comic 100% created by show writers and animators!”
IDW Publishing
John Barber, Tom Scioli,Priscilla Tramontano, Scioli
“Optimus Prime is gone — and Decepticons are on the loose! It’s up to Bumblebee and an elite crew of Autobots to track them down before their rampage spreads across Earth! Transformers comics have never been hotter, and the excitement spreads to this all-original comic inspired by the all-new animated series! Plus: previews of IDW and Hasbro unbelievable publishing slate for 2015, including an exclusive Transformers vs. G.I. Joe strip!”
Image Comics
Erik Larsen
“The generational saga of Savage Dragon reaches a new milestone as Malcom Dragon graduates high school and follows his father’s footsteps to the Chicago Police Department. Every young new officer has a lot to live up to, but for the son of a world famous figure as renowned as he is reviled, navigating the world of law enforcement is especially challenging. The cost of failure is high in a city becoming more dangerous by the day: Can Malcom step out of his father’s shadow and become the hero Chicago needs, or is he doomed to make the same mistakes?”
Marvel Comics
“Prepare yourself for the final days of the Marvel Universe as you know it as the march to the biggest comic event of the year continues! From the ashes of a decimated cosmos rises… Battleworld! Amid the strange, patchwork realm, refugees from thousands of obliterated universes struggle for survival. Even if they can endure the horrors of Battleworld — the home they knew has been destroyed! Time has run out, and the opening salvo of Secret Wars has been fired. But can anything restore the Marvel Universe that once was?”
Titan Comics
Nick Abadzis, Al Ewing
“Take a blistering trip through time and space with three stunning all-new short stories featuring the Tenth Doctor, the Eleventh Doctor and the brand-new Twelfth Doctor, written and drawn by the ongoing Doctor Who comics creative teams. PLUS: A sneak peek of the Top Secret Summer 2015 event! Be the first to get a hint of the epic that will shake the Doctor to his very core! It’s a must-read for fans, and the perfect primer for anyone looking to jump on board the TARDIS!”
United Plankton Pictures
Graham Anable, Gregg Schigiel, Rick Neilsen
“This year’s SpongeBob Comics FCBD offering features a 22-page story by Boxtrolls director and Grickle cartoonist, Graham Annable! In “Tangy!” Plankton’s new special sauce made from jellyfish jelly has strange effects on SpongeBob and the rest of Bikini Bottom’s residents. The only one unaffected, the only one who can save them all, is a very reluctant Squidward! Plus, more undersea sequential stories by James Kochalka, Maris Wicks, Gregg Schigiel. and other awesome aquatic artists!”
IZ Media/Perfect Square
Hidenori Kusaka
“All your favorite Pokémon game characters jump out of the screen and onto the pages of this action-packed Free Comic Book Day edition comic! Legendary Pokémon Xerneas and Yveltal ‘s battle against each other is destroying Vaniville Town. Can X and Y save the town in Pokémon X*Y?! Bonus Feature: More action in Pokémon Adventures and Pokémon Adventures Black and White!”
You can visit the Free Comic Book Day site with a store locator to find a participating comic book shop near you! Bring the family and head to your local store to get your free comic books and buy one or two to say thanks to shop for this bonus holiday!
By Editor