It was Saturday, May 4, 2002. Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man swung into theaters the night before, catching audiences in its web to usher in a new era of comic book movies. As fans lined up in theaters, others lined up at comic shops to indulge their spidey senses in the source material that was fueling box office fire. By sundown, the first Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) was a success, and by Sunday night, Tobey Maguire was a bona fide movie star as Spider-Man shattered records like the Green Goblin’s helmet, becoming the first film to rake in more than $100 million at the U.S. box office in its opening weekend.
On FCBD, more than 2 million comics were scooped up as Peter Parker’s cinematic web-slinging caught the interest of eager readers on the hunt for a free copy of Marvel Comics’ Ultimate Spider-Man No. 1 alongside DC’s Justice League Adventures No. 1, Image Comics’ Tomb Raider No. ½, and Dark Horse Comics’ Star Wars Tales: A Jedi’s Weapon one-shot. It was the start of something big.
“FCBD serves as a global celebration of the medium, drawing in a diverse range of new and existing readers to local comic book shops,” says Ashton Greenwood, FCBD spokesperson at Diamond Comic Distributors. “Best of all, FCBD is a fun event that fosters community engagement, creates lasting memories, and ultimately supports the growth of the comic book market.”
Over the years, the event has grown to include in-store events, creator appearances and signings, cosplay contests, and even live musical performances.
“The importance of FCBD is threefold for my family,” explains Victor Aragon, co-founder and publisher of Fandads.com. “One, it gives us another reason to visit our local comic book shop or a new one and get free comics, buy some comics, or buy books missing from our collection. Two, the free comics introduce us to new series we wouldn’t have bought before. And three, it's great when local comic book artists are at the shops signing their books and just talking to you about their craft. Sometimes you don't get that one-on-one time with these artists and it's great for your kids to learn from them about their work,” he says.
Every Hero Has an Origin Story…
The FCBD mission of preserving the culture of comics and building fandom dates back to 1997 when Joe Field, owner of Flying Colors Comics in Concord, California, presented the idea of an “open house” in Diamond’s Dialogue magazine. In 2001, he penned a column for the late Comics & Games Retailer entitled “The Power of Free.”
“Stealing, er — adapting,” as he said, inspiration from Baskin-Robbins’ Free Scoop Day (and as Ant-Man taught us, Baskin-Robbins always finds out!), FCBD attracted immediate interest.
“FCBD was started at a time when the comic book industry was rebounding from the difficult years from 1997-2001,” Field recalls. “From those low points, we needed a mechanism to invite readers back into shops to experience all the good things going on in comics and comic shops … [that] weren’t in the spotlight due to all the drama on the business side of things.”
More than two decades later, Field is still involved, chairing a committee of retailers that decide which titles will make up FCBD’s annual selection based on several factors, including consumer appeal, available backlist, and forthcoming tie-ins. It’s a process that starts in August each year.
“In the years from 2002-2019, the business of comics had 18 of its most consistent, profitable, and stable years,” Field says. “That was interrupted by the pandemic and we’re still trying to recover from that. Comics always have a way of finding new vitality and I’m hopeful that is starting to happen again.”
Even More in ’24!
This year’s slate is a genre-spanning bounty of 48 books aimed at readers of all ages from publishers including Archie Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, DC, Dynamite, IDW Publishing, Image/Skybound, Marvel, Tokyopop, VIZ Media, and more. The lineup features entertainment-inspired titles from franchises including Doctor Who, Monster High, Pokémon, and One Piece to keep readers coming back for more.
“I have been reading comic books for more than 40 years and I still get my new issues each week. Comics inspire me with art and storytelling, and they drive what we see in film, animation, and TV in the future.”
-Matthew Hoffman, founder of Bleacher Creatures and president of Uncanny Brands.
While there isn’t a big comic book movie to attach to this year, FCBD is back in alignment with Star Wars Day on May 4 (May the 4th be with you!) to debut an exclusive Star Wars Young Jedi Adventures comic.
Cool Collectibles
Fans wishing to score more than just free comics can purchase a host of limited-edition items from Diamond Select Toys, NECA’s WizKids, Surreal Entertainment, and others that are expected to sell out fast.
“One of the goals of FCBD is to highlight comic shops as premier destinations for all things pop culture. Exclusive collectibles serve as an additional draw to showcase what treasures are available at comic shops beyond just comics,” Greenwood says. “This year’s lineup includes fleece blankets, old-school lunchboxes, plush dolls, and Funko Pops, among other items. We’re particularly excited about our partnership with GreenLight Collectibles. We’ve worked with them to develop a one-of-a-kind die-cast van exclusive to FCBD 2024 and we’ve recreated the van design in our first-ever FCBD collectible vinyl sticker.”
Two additional stand-out items come from Bleacher Creatures, including X-Men’s Doop as an 8-inch Kuricha Plush and a 24-inch X-Men Sentinel “Under Attack” Bleacher Buddy.
“Erique Watson at Diamond is a super talented merchant and a comic book fan’s fan. He cares about the weird characters, the up-and-coming characters, and the history of the stories,” Hoffman says, noting that this year’s X-Men offerings are inspired by the forthcoming continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series as X-Men ‘97 on Disney+ and the July launch of X-Men: From the Ashes in comic stores.
While the opportunity to score some must-have merch is compelling, the paper-and-ink world of comics remains the core of FCBD in bringing folks together, and this year’s lineup is poised to do just that.
“Gatchaman was my favorite cartoon growing up and Marvel Voices is such a great series that shows not only the diversity in Marvel but in the talented artists and writers out there,” Aragon adds. “I love getting horror comics and anything having to do with Spider-Man, and my son will probably grab Spidey and His Amazing Friends No. 1.”
Hoffman agrees, looking forward to FCBD not just as a partner, but first as a comic book fan.
“We need local comic book stores to thrive. Comic books inspire reading, creativity, and community for fans of all ages,” he says.
And what does Field think about the continued evolution of his little “open house” concept?
“For me, the most surprising thing is that FCBD started as a sales promotion and has morphed into a bonafide geek holiday,” he adds. “Along with that, it still fits the original vision of calling back former readers, exciting current fans, and being the single largest event for bringing new comic readers and fans into comic shops.”
Presented by Certified Guaranty Company (CGC), Free Comic Book Day 2024 looks to be another epic event. Visit freecomicbookday.com to find a participating local comic shop near you. Happy reading and collecting!
