Next Saturday is May Day, May 1st. Since 2002, the first Saturday in May some of the best comic book companies in the business have put aside their differences to help promote comics. Much as the name of the event implies, you get a choice of some comics to take home. It is a full day event with many stores also bringing in artists to sign their books along with a full day of events. Many stores even have some pretty big sales going on so that they can get rid some of their old stock to make room for new.
Don’t take my word for it, take Hugh Jackman’s:
And Milo Ventimiglia’s:
It is, also, a perfect way to get those that don’t read comics to start somewhere, not to just be interested in seeing the movie of a comic book/graphic novel. Here is a list of some books that may be available at your local store.
GOLD
SPLASH! #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION “Whose BEACH is it Anyway?”: Sun, sand, swimsuits and cool rockin’ tunes — no, it’s not a cinematic “beach party” blast from the past, but a whole new summer splash from Archie and his friends! In this fun-filled free issue, Cheryl and her snooty friends from Pembrooke form an all-girl group to compete head on with the Archies at a summer beach music festival. Will Cheryl’s group be a tuneful treat, or mistaken for bellowing whales?
Doctor Solar/Magnus FCBD 2010 EDITION The dawn of a new age of superhero excitement begins on Free Comic Book Day as Dark Horse Comics proudly presents the return of two of the most legendary characters in the annals of comics: Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom and Magnus, Robot Fighter — re-imagined for the 21st century by comics legend, writer Jim Shooter! This FCBD extravaganza offers all-new Solar and Magnus stories, each heralding new series launches in summer 2010, and featuring interior art by fan-favorite Dennis Calero (X-Men Noir) and cover art by Raymond Swanland!
FRACTURED FABLES FCBD 2010 EDITION This special FCBD offers a small taste of the new hardcover anthology from Silverline Books due later in the year. An all-star cast of writers and artists have been assembled to turn familiar fairy tales and nursery rhymes on their ear to make kids LAUGH! These humorous interpretations will delight any reader, regardless of their age!
G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #155½ FCBD 2010 EDITION This is what you really want! Larry Hama continues his original and ground-breaking G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero saga with the VERY NEXT ISSUE (but, you know, 15 years later). G.I. Joe has closed its doors, leaving COBRA to pillage, burn, and plunder!
IRON MAN/THOR FCBD 2010 EDITION The perfect jumping-on point for any and all readers...and it's FREE! When rogue mega-billionaires with world-destroying technology threaten the safety of the entire world...and the moon...Thor and Iron Man join forces! In time for the exciting launch of new stories and a bold new direction for Invincible Iron Man and Thor, superstars Matt Fraction and John Romita Jr. team up to bring you two of Marvel's heaviest hitters like you've never seen them before! A major new direction for the Marvel Universe kicks off HERE - on Free Comic Book Day!
MOUSE GUARD/FRAGGLE ROCK FCBD 2010 Edition Archaia is proud to present two amazing all-new stories in one fantastic flip-book! In the spring of 1153 the Mouse Guard deal with the onset of the spring thaw and the havoc it wreaks on their territories. Meanwhile, it’s time to dance your cares away as Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober and Red return for a brand-new series of hilarious and heartfelt Fraggle Rock adventures written and drawn by some of the most imaginative creators in comics!
KiZOIC Presents: Shrek & The Penguins Of Madagascar FCBD 2010 Edition Ape Entertainment proudly offers KiZOIC Presents: Shrek & The Penguins of Madagascar! Featuring four stories by the artists and writers of the up-coming Shrek and Penguins of Madagascar comic books, these stories are guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and leave you begging for more! All-ages fun for everyone!
YOW! The John Stanley Library FCBD 2010 Edition D&Q delivers another wholly original and boisterous FCBD issue that will entertain readers of all ages! YOW! The John Stanley Library spotlights the world's greatest all-ages cartoonist, John Stanley, in a beautiful package designed by Seth. YOW! features new stories from the John Stanley Library: Melvin Monster, Nancy and 13 Going On 18, plus a story from the legendary one-shot Choo Choo Charlie and a Tubby story!
TOY STORY FCBD 2010 EDITION With Toy Story 3 hitting theaters this summer, don’t miss this opportunity to get kids hooked on comics with a FREE issue from the ongoing Toy Story series from BOOM Kids! More all-new adventures featuring the world's favorite toys with Woody, Buzz and the gang!
WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #0 FCBD 2010 EDITION A war is coming, and all that stands between Earth and 100,000 vengeful supermen is one Superman! The conflict between Superman and General Zod erupts into all-out war this summer in a series that will shatter the worlds of Superman, Supergirl and the entire DC Universe — all brought to you by the hit creative team of James Robinson and Eddy Barrows! This special #0 issue featuring all-new material previews the conflicts to come while spotlighting a savage strike on Metropolis and the world — an attack that will shake Superman to his very core. After this, there’s no turning back — the War of the Supermen is here!
SILVER
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG FCBD 2010 EDITION "Hide & Seek & DESTROY!": Dr. Eggman has vanished - or has he? As Sonic searches for clues, he stumbles across an old weapon from the bygone days of his childhood. Will Dr. Eggman allow Sonic to be destroyed by this threat from yesteryear? Will Sonic discover the truth behind his old rival's disappearance? All the answers lie in this free issue!
WORLDS OF ASPEN FCBD 2010 EDITION A special compilation issue featuring four exciting outtakes from several of Aspen's hottest titles including Soulfire (Vol 2), and Executive Assistant: Iris! Also showcased are two of Aspen's newest titles, Fathom: Blue Descent and Mindfield!!
FEARLESS DAWN/ASYLUM PRESS SAMPLER FCBD 2010 EDITION Featuring a sampling of new and upcoming Asylum Press titles! Steve Mannion's Fearless Dawn features our favorite new heroine battling a troop of mutants; Black Powder, a bloody frontier adventure by Dwayne Harris; Warlash: Origins is a tale of Bladeviper by Royal McGraw and J.C. Wong; Farmhouse by Elizabeth J. Musgrave and Szymon Kudranski, a tale of a drifter who falls in love with an artist undergoing an experimental art therapy; armored hero vs. brain-eating monsters in Warlash: Zombie Mutant Genesis by Frank Forte; and a look at Jason Paulos' EEEK!, a retro-style horror anthology.
S.E. HINTON/FAME FCBD 2010 EDITION S.E. Hinton, author of the The Outsiders, was - and still is - one of the most popular and best known writers of Young Adult fiction. And now Bluewater Productions proudly announces an exciting new partnership with the best-selling in this special FCBD preview issue, showcasing the new titles from Hinton. Plus: Your first look at the new biography series FAME, featuring Lady Gaga
BONGO COMICS FREE-FOR-ALL! FCBD 2010 EDITION The comic company that brings you The Simpsons and Futurama in the fantastic four-color format joins with retailers to reel in new readers, with a comic cornucopia of tantalizing tidbits and a spectacular sampling of the best in humor comics!
IRREDEEMABLE #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION Last year's comic book industry event is this year's best way to get more readers hooked on Mark Waid's best-selling original title, Irredeemable, the series that dared to ask the question: what if the world's greatest hero decided to become the world's greatest villain? And 12 issues later, that question has been answered with a best-selling comic series, two best-selling trade collections and Incorruptible, the companion series.
DC KIDS MEGA-SAMPLER FCBD 2010 EDITION This sampler is the perfect place to check out the sensational line of titles aimed at readers of all ages! It includes exciting, all-new stories starring Batman: The Brave & The Bold, Tiny Titans, Billy Batson & the Magic of Shazam! and Super Friends!
DEL REY SHOWCASE FCBD 2010 EDITION Featuring previews of Del Rey's upcoming comics and graphic novels including: The Last Airbender by Dave Roman, Alison Wilgus, and Nina Matsumoto; The Talisman: A Collision of Worlds by Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Tony Shasteen; Odd is On Our Side by Dean Koontz, Fred Van Lente, and Queenie Chan; Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies: The Graphic Novel by Jane Austen, Seth Grahame-Smith, Tony Lee, and Cliff Richards.
GREEN HORNET #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION Dynamite Entertainment proudly presents the return of the Green Hornet! In 2010, Dynamite will unveil three brand-new Green Hornet series, starting with the worldwide debut of Kevin Smith's vision for the masked crusader (based on his unproduced screenplay)! Get a first look with this special edition featuring not only Smith's version, but the award-winning work of creators Matt Wagner and Brett Matthews as well! All in one Free Comic Book Day comic event!
WEATHERCRAFT: A FRANK COMIC FCBD 2010 EDITION Are you ready? Because your life is about to change! Perception as you know it will cease! Fantagraphics proudly presents Jim Woodring's Weathercraft! Every other free comic book will pale in comparison to our powerful and supernatural print-barge for both the enlightened and perplexed masses. Marvel at the toothy preview of Jim Woodring's first original graphic novel, do your detective work with exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews, and gasp at rare out-of-print images, comics and transmissions, all from Jimland! Beware! Manhog lurks near...
THE OVERSTREET GUIDE TO COLLECTING COMICS FCBD 2010 EDITION How do you collect comics? How do you take care of the comics you buy? How do you grade comics? How do you sell your comics? How do you evaluate their worth? The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide answers the questions and more facing new collectors and experienced enthusiasts alike!
LIBRARY OF AMERICAN COMICS #0 FCBD 2010 EDITION Presenting excerpts from the greatest comic strips of all time - from action/adventure to high drama, to fall-on-the-floor hilarious! IDW and the Library of American Comics present 32 pages of previews from upcoming volumes including Archie by Bob Montana, Secret Agent Corrigan by Al Williamson, Blondie by Chic Young, The Complete Bloom County Library by Berkeley Breathed, Rip Kirby by Alex Raymond, Polly and Her Pals by Chris Sterrett, Dick Tracy by Chester Gould, and Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray.
ARTIFACTS: FIRST LOOK FCBD 2010 EDITION Building on the success of First Born and Broken Trinity, Top Cow finally reveals the secrets of all 13 Artifacts - which include The Darkness, Witchblade, Angelus, Magdalena's Spear of Destiny, and more. Launching a massive 13-issue event beginning in July 2010, this series will literally define and redefine the nature of the Top Cow Universe! The final identity of the remaining hidden Artifacts will be revealed, characters will perish, and the very existence of the Top Cow Universe will be at stake. And it begins here!
LOVE AND CAPES #13 FCBD 2010 EDITION The wedding and the honeymoon are over for comicdom's favorite super couple, so what's next? Getting settled, starting their new life… and finding out what really happened at the reception. It's a whole new start for "Love and Capes", and a great lead-in to the second trade coming from IDW in summer 2010!
IRON MAN: SUPERNOVA FCBD 2010 EDITION What happens when an armored billionaire teams up with a hot-headed, cosmic-powered teen to fight a trio of massively-powered super-apes? Find out when Iron Man and Nova take on Red Ghost and The Super-Apes! Out-numbered, the Golden Avenger and the Human Rocket will have to trust an apparent traitor in the gorillas' midst if they are to survive and save an entire city. Will they succeed or are they being played? Find out in this all-new, action-packed adventure, which happens to be FREE!
THE TICK #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION In honor of this year's Free Comic Book Day, and to commemorate the first appearance of The Tick 24 years ago, NEC Press offers this special re-presentation of Ben Edlund's legendary first issue of The Tick, in a special Free Comic Book Day special edition! The complete original first comic book appearance of The Tick, as it originally hit the stands in 1986!
ONI PRESS FREE-FOR-ALL! #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION Coming your way this Free Comic Book Day: the Oni Press Free-For-All! This all-ages anthology packs in three exclusive terrific tales from The Crogan Adventures by Chris Schweizer, Salt Water Taffy by Matthew Loux and the all-new series, Possessions, by Ray Fawkes!
THE SIXTH GUN #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION During the darkest days of the Civil War, wicked cutthroats came into possession of six pistols of otherworldly power. In time, the Sixth Gun - the most dangerous of the weapons - vanished. When the gun resurfaces in the hands of an innocent girl, dark forces reawaken. Vile men thought long dead set their sights on retrieving the gun and killing the girl. Only Drake Sinclair, a gunfighter with a shadowy past, stands in their way!
RADICAL: BIGGER BOOKS! BIGGER VALUE! FCBD 2010 EDITION For FCBD 2010, fans can read the first 8 pages of 4 incredible titles showcasing Radical's innovative "Bigger Books! Bigger Value!" format. Wesley Snipes and director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) join writer Peter Milligan and artist Jeff Nentrup for the sci-fi saga, After Dark; Jonah Hex's Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray deliver Time Bomb, featuring art by comics legend Paul Gulacy; Driver for the Dead will keep your heart racing with a tale of action, horror and voodoo from writer John Heffernan (Snakes on a Plane) and artist Clint Langley (Sláine); and finally, Radical presents The Rising, from creator/writer E. Max Frye (Band of Brothers) and artist J.P. Targete (Pixar's John Carter of Mars)!
ATOMIC ROBO AND FRIENDS FCBD 2010 EDITION Eisner Award-nominated Atomic Robo knows that the rain forests of South America hide many secrets...but none so deadly as "The Terror Bird"! Forgotten by time, these prehistoric apex predators are primed to devastate the modern world! (The word 'terror' is right there in its name!) Plus! Previews of 2010 adventures of Red 5 favorites and some new faces!
FREEDOM FORMULA: SPEED METAL OVERTURES #0 FCBD 2010 EDITION Metal twisting tales of the meanest, fastest mechs in all-out heart-pounding action, the legend of the Freedom Formula races starts here in this collection of must-read stories. Spinning out of last year's acclaimed mini-series and soon to be a major motion picture from New Regency with Bryan Singer (Superman Returns).
THE STUFF OF LEGEND: MORTAL INSTRUMENTS PREVIEW FCBD 2010 EDITION Don't be left in "The Dark" this year, as Th3rd World Studios presents not only a recap of the toys' first adventure from The Stuff of Legend Volume I, The Dark, but also a first look at Volume 2, The Jungle coming in June. Also, get your first look at Th3rd World's adaptation of Cassandra Clare's New York Times best-selling novel, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, a young adult fantasy series in which a young teen girl discovers a shadowy world filled with demon-hunting warriors.
OWLY AND FRIENDS FCBD 2010 EDTION Top Shelf is proud to join the 2010 Free Comic Book Day celebration with not one, but three all-ages tales! In this FCBD edition, we'll not only present an all-new Owly adventure by Andy Runton, but also two other all-new, all-ages adventures from Owly's friends: Johnny Boo by James Kochalka and Korgi by Christian Slade. Perfect for everyone in the family, this time around with a great cover by Christian Slade!
Also, be on the look out for your very own:
MARVEL HEROCLIX: WAR MACHINE FCBD 2010 FIGURE When Iron Man needs backup, he calls upon War Machine! War Machine is slated to be a major part of the May 2010 Iron Man 2 movie, and to capitalize on this, WizKids will be modifying the popular War Machine sculpt from the Marvel HeroClix: Armor Wars series as 2010's Free Comic Book Day figure. This exclusive figure comes with an all-new dial and character card.
This Saturday, May 1st, grab your kids, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, siblings, or any other family member that likes to watch comic book movies and take them out to show them what the next big movie may very well be based on. If your local store isn’t a part of FCBD, contact them and work with them so that they can do it next year. For more information visit the site.