Free Comic Book Day is an annual event founded on the belief that for every person out there, there’s a comic book that they’ll love. Every 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. Free Comic Book Day is Saturday, May 3 this year.
“We’re excited for another fantastic year of celebrating comic books and the shops that make them special!” said Ashton Greenwood, Free Comic Book Day spokesperson. “This year’s selection has something for every kind of fan. Whether you’re new to comics or a longtime reader, you’re sure to find a title that grabs your attention.”
Shops will be giving away special comics for the event – you cannot simply take any comic book from the rack. Tell your friends, your family, your classmates – anyone you think might enjoy comics for the first time- or should start reading them again. Many comic shops host community events such as costume contests, creator signings, drawings by guest artists, raffles and prizes, photos with costumed characters, and other fun activities.
Shops have different policies on how many free comics you can receive, most in the Nashville area offer five or even ten titles per person. CALL FIRST for store hours and details on how many titles you can get. Some shops will be open again Sunday with FCBD deals. For a full list of comic shops in your area, visit: freecomicbookday.com/StoreLocator
Our friends at The Great Escape especially want you to join them at all locations of The Great Escape. Check their social media for details. In Nashville, check out one or more of these ‘Fantastic Four’ spots: The Great Escape Charlotte Avenue Superstore, 5400 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville 37209 (Phone 615-385-2116) or Madison Superstore at 105 Gallatin Road North, Madison 37115 (Phone 615-865-8052); Rick’s Comic City in Donelson at 2710 Old Lebanon Rd, Ste 3, Nashville 37214 (615) 883-7890; and Comix City Too in Rivergate, at 1574 Gallatin Pike North, Madison 37115 (615) 868-3339.
Gold Sponsor titles include Archie Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Image Comics, Mad Cave Studios, Marvel, Papercutz, Random House Children’s Books, Skybound Entertainment, Titan Comics and VIZ Media. Silver Sponsor comics include Marvel, Star Wars, Godzilla, Transformers, Mega Man, Street Fighter, Alien Books, First Second Books, Rebellion, and Vault Comics.
There are forty-six comic book titles in this year’s lineup feature something for everyone: from superheroes to TV shows and video games, beloved franchises and favorites for young readers. For complete list of titles, go to: freecomicbookday.com/catalog
I am a die-hard Marvel Comics fan, so let me tell you about some of the action in two of the four titles they have among the 46. In advance of Marvel’s First Family arriving on the big screen this summer, Ryan North and Humberto Ramos craft an unusual story in which the Fantastic Four respond to a most unusual interdimensional summons. Joe Kelly and John Romita Jr. remind us who Peter Parker and Spider-Man are. Marvel’s Voices brand-new story starring Ironheart, by Justina Ireland, blasts Ironheart into Chicago’s past for a story of Black innovation through the ages.
