Free Comic Book Day 2023: The What’s What About the Yearly Unofficial Comic Fan Holiday

When the calendars flip over to May every year, people all across the world begin thinking about two things, ‘NSYNC and Star Wars.  People also might be thinking about the May flowers promised to us from the showers of April.  But there is one other major event that gets a lot of us nerds out there very excited.  That’s right kids…Free Comic Book Day!

Now, for those of you that don’t know, Free Comic Book Day (or FCBD for short) is an unofficial holiday officially launched in 2002 by Diamond Comic Distributors.  It’s an event that’s usually cross-promoted with the release of a superhero film, and lots of other book and reading activities including but not limited to sales on selected merchandise, creator signings, prize raffles, cosplay contests, charity drives, karaoke, and art exhibitions throughout the week all over the world.

The goal of the promotion is to showcase the wide variety of the different types of comics that are available across all the different publishers, to try and draw in readers who wouldn’t normally read comics or get comic readers introduced to new titles.

Check out some of the titles coming from publishers for this year’s FCBD:

• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 #1 
• Dawn of DC Knight Terrors FCBD Special Edition
• Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story FCBD Special
• Ranger Academy
• Umbrella Academy/The Witcher
• Dog Man and the League of Misfits
• Star Trek: Day of Blood Prelude
• Fishflies #1 FCBD Preview
• Amazing Spider-Man/Venom & Ultimate Invasion
• Avengers/X-Men
• Conan the Barbarian FCBD Special
• Tom Holland’s Fright Night
• Mech Cadets FCBD Special
• Star Wars/Avatar: The Last Airbender
• Marvel Voices #1
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• The Sacrificers #1
• Punch Up! Preview
• Street Fighter 6 #0
• West of Sundown #1
• Animal Crossing/Kirby Manga Mania

Free Comic Book Day takes place every year during the first weekend in May.  If you are interested in participating or finding a store near you, check out the link!  

Journalist/Anime 1-A Host

Chris Dailey