Free Comic Book Day is here, so here's all the free comics you can grab (2024)

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It's the most wonderful time of the year.

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Free Comic Book Day is here, so here's all the free comics you can grab (1)

The Avengers, X-Men, and Eternals are just a few of the colorful characters you can check out this Free Comic Book Day.Credit: Marvel Comics

Comic book nerd Christmas has arrived, with Free Comic Book Day kicking off on Saturday, May 7. This year is the 20th anniversary of this annual event, which offers free comics to anyone who asks. However, this doesn't mean you can just show up to your local comic book store and clear the shelves like you're on Supermarket Sweep.

Here's how to navigate Free Comic Book Day, as well as all the comics on offer.

How does Free Comic Book Day work?

Comic book stores that participate in Free Comic Book Day will have a curated selection of free comics to choose from, all of which are clearly labeled with the Free Comic Book Day logo. Generally, a green logo indicates the comic is suitable for all ages, blue is for teens and up, while red logos are for mature audiences. Most of the comics are also categorised as either Gold Comics or Silver Comics, with Gold Comics typically being more popular titles.

All these comics are specifically printed for this event, but that doesn't mean all the content is new. Comics can contain reprints of old stories, previews of upcoming stories, or completely original stories created exclusively for Free Comic Book Day.

SEE ALSO:

What it's like to read every Marvel superhero comic ever

How many comics you can take will vary according to each individual store's policy. For example, one store may allow you to request one Gold Comic and two Silver Comics, while another might let you pick four from either category.

Of course, there will be some comics that are more in demand than others. It's probably safe to assume that Marvel titles will be highly sought after — though there will also likely be decent supply. Still, if you want to give yourself the best chance of grabbing the issues you want, it's a good idea to show up early.

Where is my nearest comic book store?

If you've never visited a comic book store before, the Free Comic Book Day website has a handy store locator that can help you find your nearest one. Though celebrating Free Comic Book Day isn't mandatory, the two-decade old event is well established enough that there's a good chance your local shop will have something going on. Depending on the store, there may even be other freebies and discounts available.

What are the comic books available on Free Comic Book Day 2022?

While a last-minute change dropped Kult Cable featuring Jack Black from the 2022 Free Comic Book Day lineup, there are still over four dozen comics to choose from, spanning all age ranges.

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Gold Comics

Free Comic Book Day is here, so here's all the free comics you can grab (2)

Left to right: Dav Pilkey Sampler; The Amazing Spider-Man and Venom; Stranger Things / Resident Alien; The Bone Orchard Mythos: Prelude.Credit: Graphix / Marvel Comics / Dark Horse Comics / Image Comics

All Ages

Teen (or Teen+)

Mature

Silver Comics

All Ages

Free Comic Book Day is here, so here's all the free comics you can grab (3)

Left to right: Avatar: The Last Airbender / The Legend of Korra; The Guardian of f*ckushima; The Rema Chronicles: Realm of the Blue Mist; Pokémon Journeys / Pokémon Legends XY.Credit: Dark Horse Comics / Tokyopop / Graphix / Viz Media

Teen (or Teen+)

Free Comic Book Day is here, so here's all the free comics you can grab (4)

Left to right: Marvel Voices; Clementine #1; Neverlanders; Bunny Mask Tales.Credit: Marvel Comics / Image Comics / Penguin Young Readers / Aftershock Comics

Mature

DC Comics

DC Comics' distributor doesn't categorise their Free Comic Book Day releases as Gold Comics or Silver Comics, but that doesn't mean Batman's publisher is sitting this out.

All Ages

Teen

UPDATE: May. 6, 2022, 8:40 a.m. Diamond Comic Distributors corrected the age ratings listed online for several free comics after Mashable reached them for clarification. This article has been updated accordingly.

UPDATE: May. 6, 2022, 11:29 p.m. This article has been updated to include the age ratings of DC Comics' releases provided to Mashable by Lunar Distribution.

TopicsComicsDC ComicsMarvel

Free Comic Book Day is here, so here's all the free comics you can grab (5)

Amanda Yeo

Assistant Editor

Amanda Yeo is an Assistant Editor at Mashable, covering entertainment, culture, tech, science, and social good. Based in Australia, she writes about everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets.

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Free Comic Book Day is here, so here's all the free comics you can grab (2024)

FAQs

How to get free comics on free comic day? ›

Check with your local comics store or bookstore. Even some libraries participate. Not every location will offer FCBD books, but the FCBD site has a shop locator you can use.

Is Free Comic Book Day actually free? ›

Taking place this Saturday, Free Comic Book Day is an annual event during which comic book shops give free comics to anyone who requests them. However, this doesn't mean you can just wander around picking whatever you fancy off the shelves without paying.

What are the free comics for Free Comic Book Day 2024? ›

2024 Comics
ITEM CODEDESCRIPTION
DEC230011FCBD 2024 POKEMON ADV RUBY ALPHA SAPPHIRE & SPLATTOON 3 (NET
DEC230005FCBD 2024 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (BUNDLES OF 20)
DEC230003FCBD 2024 THE WORLDS OF JAMES TYNION IV
DEC230007FCBD 2024 ULTIMATE UNIVERSE SPIDER-MAN #1 (BUNDLES OF 20) (N
7 more rows

How many comics can you get on Free Comic Book Day? ›

Each participating shop has their own policies on how many free comics you can receive, but you will receive at least one free comic if you enter a participating shop location. Check with your retailer for their policies and plans for FCBD.

Where can I get comics for free? ›

The Best Free Comic Book Sites and Apps in 2024
  • Webtoon. The easiest to navigate — and most used — service on our list is Webtoon. ...
  • Hoopla. Our next recommendation is the brilliant library app Hoopla. ...
  • Viz. ...
  • Shonen Jump. ...
  • Marvel.com. ...
  • DC Universe Infinite. ...
  • Dark Horse Comics. ...
  • Barnes & Noble.
Jan 25, 2024

How can I read free comics legally? ›

There are several legal websites where you can read comics online for free without downloading them . Some popular options include Comic Book Plus , Digital Comic Museum , and DriveThru Comics .

Is reading comics for free online illegal? ›

Legally, yes, but especially illegally, as a proliferation of sites offering pirated comic books have made virtually any series you can think of naught but a Google search away from instant access.

Are Free Comic Book Day comics worth anything? ›

However ... Free Comic Book Day comics are given away for free at participating comic book stores, and are not typically considered to be valuable collectibles. However, some of these issues have become sought after by collectors and fans, with a few rare issues being sold for pretty high prices.

Who participates in Free Comic Book Day? ›

Major publishers such as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, and Image Comics, along with a slew of independent publishers, put out free comics for fans to enjoy at the more than 2,300 local comic shops that participate in Free Comic Book Day.

What happens to unsold comics? ›

Every week, tens of thousands of unsold comics and magazines are returned from shops to retailers, who send them to be pulped, it's been revealed. Instead of this destruction, one national waste and recycling company suggests that they are redistributed at cost to hospitals and charities where they can be enjoyed.

Is Free Comic Book Day only one day? ›

Annually held on the first Saturday in May, Free Comic Book Day is a major event for comic fans around the world. Publishers use the day to premiere new titles and promote upcoming events. Local comic shops and libraries use it to encourage literacy and lure in new readers.

Do you get free comics with Amazon Prime? ›

Log in . Every Amazon Prime subscription includes a limited ComiXology subscription. With this subscription, you get all the free comics, as well as full access to a special section called "ComiXology Originals." Here's everything you need to know about using ComiXology with an Amazon Prime membership.

What is the point of Free Comic Book Day? ›

Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to attract new readers to independent comic book stores.

What is the age limit for comics? ›

The Marvel Rating System assigns each comic book one of the following ratings: ALL AGES – Appropriate for all ages. A – Appropriate for age 9 and up. T – Appropriate for most readers 13 and up, but parents are advised that they might want to read before or with younger children.

Do comics sell anymore? ›

Coming off the high-water mark of 2021, adult graphic novels still boasted a modest 4.6% sales increase in 2022, according to NPD BookScan, with YA comics sales rising a surprising 20%. Though kids' and middle grade graphic novels dipped by 3%, the category is still up 29% over 2020. Overall, it was a welcome result.

How to get WEBTOON comics for free? ›

The WEBTOON app is free to download and use! WEBTOON exclusive Original series are free to read, and ongoing series are updated weekly. You can purchase Coins to read the latest episodes before anyone else with Fast Pass. Fast Pass lets you read the latest episodes earlier than the regular release date.

How to get Marvel comics for free? ›

  1. Many Marvel and DC Comics are available for free OR legally, but not many are both. Services such as Comixology allow you to purchase digital copies, and there are a few that are free. ...
  2. So, if you want some free digital comics, go to Comixology or another service and do a search for free comics.
  3. Edit:
May 14, 2013

Are Free Comic Book Day comics valuable? ›

However ... Free Comic Book Day comics are given away for free at participating comic book stores, and are not typically considered to be valuable collectibles. However, some of these issues have become sought after by collectors and fans, with a few rare issues being sold for pretty high prices.

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