Who doesn’t love free stuff? This Saturday is Free Comic Book Day, an annual event put on by the comic-book industry to promote its wares — usually ahead of the summer’s big superhero movie (in this case, Iron Man 2).
How does it work? Every year, comic book publishers print thousands of freebie comics and ship them out to stores around the country. Some of these books are reprints, some are teasers of things to come, while a few are even brand-new stories ready to get you hooked.
Each comic-book store (find your local shop here) handles Free Comic Book Day (or FCBD as the kids call it) a little bit differently. Some will hand you a free comic just for walking in the door, while others offer free comics if you also purchase something. Some will let you take just one comic, while others will give you a stack. Many shops will also use the occasion to have in-store signings by cartoonists, making it a perfect chance to get an autograph or a free sketch.
This year, there are 30 different free comics available for FCBD. Here are 10 of the best that you should be on the lookout for this year:
1. Iron Man/Thor – Of course, the big draw of FCBD this year is Iron Man 2, so the big comic is a Thor freebie starring old Shellhead and Thor (who’s coming to the big screen next year). Written by the always excellent Matt Fraction, and illustrated by John Romita Jr. (who drew the comic that the move Kick-Ass was based on), this is definitely the top book to seek out.
2. Green Hornet # 1 – A free reprint of a recent comic, this harkens back to the days of yesteryear when the Green Hornet was the most popular super-hero on the radio. He’s never had much success in comics, but this new run (written by Clerks creator Kevin Smith!) is outstanding.
3. Archie’s Summer Splash – Who doesn’t love Archie? This one’s written and drawn by Dan Parent, one of the best cartoonists out there, so it’ll be both pretty and funny.
4. YOW! The John Stanley Library – John Stanley was one of the top comic-book cartoonists of the 50s, 60s and 70s. Canada’s Drawn & Quarterly is reprinting a lot of his old strips in gorgeous looking new books, and this sampler will give you previews of the all.
5. Toy Story – Yup, another movie tie-in, coming a few months ahead of Toy Story 3. Why check it out? It’s written by Jesse Blaze Snider, son of Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider.
6. Oni Press Free for All! – I don’t have a clue what’s in this, but Oni Press publishes some of the smartest, coolest graphic novels around. If it has their name on it, I’m checking it out.
7. Owly and Friends! Andy Runton’s Owly graphic novels are gems — hilarious and sweet, and almost completely wordless. He shares this freebie with a couple of other great cartoonists, including James Kochalka. A bit edgy, but perfect for kids of all ages.
8. War of the Supermen # 0 – This freebie kicks off DC Comics’ next big mega-crossover event, and will tie into literally dozens of new comics over the next few months. Last year, DC used FCBD to launch their other big event, Blackest Night, which just wrapped up after enthralling fanboys for almost a year.
9. Shrek & The Penguins of Madagascar – Another movie tie-in? Why not. Published by Ape Entertainment, whose books are always fun and great looking, this should be an unexpected gem. (Oh, and Shrek and the penguins star in two different stories. Sorry team-up fans.)
10. Bongo Comics Free-For-All! What’s Bongo? It’s the name Matt Groening picked for the company publishing comics based on The Simpsons, Futurama, etc. This annual freebie is always packed with good stories, so try not to have a cow if you miss out on it.
Not every shop will have every comic, and most will be available in limited quantities, so show up early and see what you find!
Images courtesy of Free Comic Book Day and Diamond Comic Distributors.