Free Comic Book Day is back for another year! It happens on its traditional day, the first Saturday of May, and this year, the 3rd of May. It’s one of the biggest days on the comic book community’s calendar. The event is a fantastic opportunity to come together – whether you’ve been reading comics for years or are brand new to them – and celebrate the medium. Oh, and you can score yourself some free comics.
Is your first Free Comic Book Day? Then you’re in for a good time. Yes, it’s about giving away free comics, but you’ll soon find out it’s so much more than that. Read on to find out how to celebrate the day and how to find a Free Comic Book Day event near you.
Since 2002, Free Comic Book Day’s mission has been to introduce the general public to the marvellous medium of comics by enticing regular, lapsed, and potential readers into comic book shops with free comic books. While offering free stuff is always an enticing carrot to get people through the door, the day is a gateway for new readers to experience comics. It creates a low barrier for people to sample the medium for the first time and experience the unique culture that comic book shops cultivate.
Many comic book shops mark the occasion by turning Free Comic Book Day into a big event. They host parties, offer generous discounts, host creator signings and artist sketches, stage cosplay competitions, and other wonderful activities. These events are a lot of fun, and it’s fantastic to witness people of all ages enjoying the festivities.
The Free Comic Book website lists all the participating stores. However, I’ve noticed in previous years that the store listings can be sparse or out-of-date when detailing the activities. Here are a few methods to find out what’s going on:
- Check out the comic book shop’s website. It’s also a good way of confirming the address, opening hours, parking, covid-safety practices, and public transport information.
- Check out their Facebook page. Most shops have one and probably have an event page you can RSVP to. It’s a great way to keep up with information and any last-minute changes.
- Call the shop during business hours leading up to Free Comic Book Day. Keep in mind: they’ll be busy on the day of the event and might not have the ability to answer the phone.
Sadly, 2025 could be the final year of Free Comic Book Day. Diamond Comic Distributors, who manage the event’s logistics, have recently been purchased in a bankruptcy sale. While it’s business as usual for now, Free Comic Book Day’s future is unclear for 2026 and beyond. While we’ll have to wait and see what the future holds for Free Comic Book Day, at least we can enjoy it this year.
While it’s called “Free Comic Book Day”, not every comic in the shop is free. (That’s a great way to go out of business!) Each year, there is a selection of special comics from participating publishers. Each year includes a different offering, which features reprints, previews of upcoming comics/graphic novels, and original stories.
This year features a selection of more than 45 comics to choose from. Some include:
- Fantastic Four/X-Men
- Speed Racer
- Minecraft: The Manga/Beyblade X
- IDW Dark: Find Your New Fear
- Star Wars
- The Phantom
- Herobear and the Kid
- Transformers: The Worst Bot Ever
- Kagurbachi/Boruto: Blue Vortex
- Godzilla: The New Heroes
- Creaky Acres
- Best of 2000 AD
Discover all of the titles here. The Free Comic Book Day website also offers short previews of some comics. It can help you decide which comics you want or if they’re appropriate for a kid.
One thing you might notice browsing the offering of free comics is a lack of DC Comics. This is due to the publisher not having a distribution agreement with Diamond Comic Distributors. However, DC will have multiple free comics available on the day.
It’s also worth noting that the titles have age ratings. According to the website, the Free Comic Book Day logos on the cover are colour-coded for different age groups.
- Green is All-Ages. These comics are appropriate for kids.
- Blue is Teen(+). These comics are for ages 13 and older.
- Red is Mature. These comics are for adults.
Most shops will stock every title or at least most of them – however, often in varying quantities. Additionally, the first-come, first-serve aspect of the day can mean that some titles may not be available if you arrive in the afternoon. Many shops limit how many free comics you can get so that as many customers can participate on the day. While each store differs, many will allow you to choose additional free comics beyond the limit if you purchase something in-store.
Another thing to be aware of is that the comics are free for customers but cost the shop money to order them. So make sure you give them a big “thank you” and maybe spend some money there if something interests you.
Don’t stress if you can’t make it on the day. Some shops will offer free comics in their online stores. Additionally, publishers make the comics available for free digitally – either on the day or soon after.
Finally, the most important thing to remember about Free Comic Book Day is to have fun. Bring along family and friends and join in the festivities. Mingle with like-minded individuals and discover some fantastic new comics.
Will you be going to a Free Comic Book Day event?
Share your thoughts in the comments below or via Bluesky, Facebook, X, or Mastodon.
English (US) · 