Happy Free Comic Book Day / Thunderbolts* weekend! It’s that magical day of the year when comic shops (pay to) give away select free titles from publishers in a bid to get folks excited about a Marvel movie to check out the source material.
The observance comes at a weird time, both for the industry and for yours truly. For the industry, the event is organized by Diamond Comic Distributors, which has spent the past few months in Chapter 11 bankruptcy hearings, which recently resulted in an agreement to sell the comics portions of Diamond’s assets to a California-based company called Ad Populum whose holdings include, among other things, toymakers NECA and Kidrobot, the Chia Pet (y’know, the pottery that grows?) and Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate.
For me, this is my first FCBD since my local shop closed at the end of January, meaning if I want a physical copy of, say, Marvel’s Fantastic Four/X-Men comic, I’d have to drive about an hour out of my way.
But if you are still lucky enough to have a local comic shop, treat them well today. Pick up the free comics, sure, but take advantage of whatever back issue or trade sale they’re having. If your shop is hosting a comics creator, pick up something of theirs to get signed. It’s not your job to support these places financially, but better to support a small business than to see one more piece of our culture crushed under the weight of a modern world that would just as soon wipe it out and replace it with AI slop.
ANYWHO (deep sigh), if you’re headed out to your local shop today, here’s a quick rundown of the free comics on offer, with extra info on some of the bigger books of the day:
GOLD COMICS
Archie Comics | ARCHIE’S COMIC SPECTACULAR: Jump into Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica’s wild world, filled with magic, mayhem, and merriment! Meet both new faces that have debuted in Riverdale (including Casey and Cassie Cloud, Pool Noodle, and more) and all-time favorites like Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
BOOM! Studios | POWER RANGERS/ VR TROOPERS: For the first time in 30 years, the VR Troopers make their return to comics. This original story will lead directly into the new VR Troopers series launching in June and expand the Power Rangers Prime universe. But that’s not all! Much like how the VR Troopers debuted in comics in 1995, this will be a special flipbook that includes a special Power Rangers feature.
DC | DC ALL IN / ABSOLUTE UNIVERSE 2025 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION: A flipbook written by Dan Slott and Jeff Lemire with art by Rafael Albuquerque and Marcelo Maiolo (Superman Unlimited), Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Nesi (DC’s Absolute Universe). An additional foil variant cover by Rafael Albuquerque, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stefano Nesi and Frank Martin will be available for purchase for $4.99 US.
Dark Horse Comics | STAR WARS: YOUNG JEDI ADVENTURES/ AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER: In Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures everyone’s favorite Jedi younglings Kai, Lys, and Nubs travel to a mysterious (and smelly) swamp, where Master Yoda has set up an elaborate scavenger hunt. As the younglings look for clues, they find an unexpected friend and learn an important lesson about what it means to be a Jedi Knight. Meanwhile, in a special Avatar: The Last Airbender tale, the sky bison and winged lemur find themselves at a beleaguered Fire Nation noodle house where some of the clientele are tougher customers than the owner would like.
Dynamite Entertainment | THUNDERCATS / POWERPUFF GIRLS: Two titans of animation, together for the first time! The POWERPUFF GIRLS travel to Third Earth, and discover the world of the THUNDERCATS.
Image Comics | I HATE FAIRYLAND: In celebration of the series’ 10 year anniversary, series creator Skottie Young takes a stroll down memory lane providing behind-the-scenes commentary as he revisits various iconic and beloved Fairyland kingdoms—and some of Gert’s most infamous stomping (literal) grounds. Fans may also be treated to a sneak glimpse of what new I Hate Fairyland adventures await them.
Mad Cave Studios | SPEED RACER #0: They say Palm City is the ultimate racing town … but the thrill of Formula X isn’t limited to the tracks! Because in the back alleys of Palm City, there’s a demon on wheels, winning prestige and pink slips from behind the wheel of the legendary Mach 5. His name is Speed Racer, and the greatest race of his life begins now… if he can survive long enough to cross the finish line! Plus, an all-new Racer X backup story from Mark Russell and Chris Batista. For more on this comic, listen to writer David Pepose on The ComicsXF Interview Podcast.
Marvel Comics | FANTASTIC FOUR / X-MEN #1: 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! And on the eve of the birth of the ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT X-MEN, there is one extra mutant in attendance. WHO is it? Only Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing can tell you! Plus, ANOTHER surprise from Chip Zdarsky! We’re simply too good to you! Listen to Lanzing and Kelly on The ComicsXF Interview Podcast.
Marvel Comics | SPIDER-MAN / ULTIMATE UNIVERSE #1: Joe Kelly and John Romita Jr. remind us who Peter Parker and SPIDER-MAN are! Plus, an exclusive prologue to this summer’s blockbuster ULTIMATE event from Deniz Camp, Cody Ziglar & Jonas Scharf!
Papercutz | DISNEY’S PHINEAS AND FERB
Random House Graphix | DR. SEUSS EXCLUSIVE: Experience Dr. Seuss’s whimsical world like never before with an exclusive comic based on the Dr. Seuss graphic novel Green Eggs and Ham Take a Hike from award-winning cartoonist James Kochalka. Plus, enjoy a preview of the upcoming Dr. Seuss graphic novels Thing One and Thing Two Have Homework to Do! by Art Baltazar and the next Grinch adventure by Kaeti Vandorn.
Skybound Entertainment | ENERGON UNIVERSE SPECIAL: Discover three all-new stories from the Energon Universe, with stunning revelations for the worlds of G.I. JOE, TRANSFORMERS and Void Rivals from the biggest names in comics. Energon Universe talent Joshua Williamson (Duke, Superman), Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Do a Powerbomb) pen the stories, and Andrea Milana (Cobra Commander), Conor Hughes (White Ash) and Johnson will provide art. Andrea Milana also serves as artist for the FCBD exclusive cover.
Titan Comics | CONAN THE BARBARIAN: SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT, the newest epic CONAN event, begins here. The serpent god’s influence tightens its coils around the Hyborian Age and every other age linked to it. Three stunning supernatural stories will spiral together to answer a chilling question framed in past and present: What is Set’s grand plan for humanity and, now that it has begun, can it be stopped?
VIZ Media | MINECRAFT: THE MANGA / BEYBLADE X: Peaceful life in a perfectly constructed town bores 10-year-old Nico into mischief. What he really wants is to escape the blocky confines of his home and take his crafting skills on an adventure to the ends of the Overworld. Just how big is the world, anyway, and what could stand in his way? Meanwhile, Bladers are ready to battle it out! They’ve set their sights on the top of The X tower and prepare to fight their way to victory.
SILVER COMICS
Alien Books | VALIANT UNIVERSE
BOOM! Studios | BOOM! STUDIOS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
Dark Horse Comics | CRITICAL ROLE/ BLACK HAMMER
DC | SUPERMAN’S GOOD GUY GANG 2025 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
DC | KANGA-U 2025 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
Dynamite Entertainment | GARGOYLES: DEMONA #0: For more info on this, check out our interview with Gargoyles co-creator Greg Weisman on The ComicsXF Interview Podcast.
Fantagraphics Books | LOST MARVELS
First Second Books | BAD KITTY GETS A JOB
IDW Publishing | GODZILLA: THE NEW HEROES
IDW Publishing | IDW DARK: FIND YOUR NEW FEAR
Keenspot Entertainment | KEENSPOT TOYBOX SPECIAL
Keenspot Entertainment | MARK SPEARS MONSTERS #0
Kodansha Comics | TOWER DUNGEON & ISSAK
Mad Cave Studios | THE PHANTOM #0
Marvel Comics | IRON MAN & HIS AWESOME FRIENDS/ SPIDEY & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS
Marvel Comics | IRONHEART/ MARVEL’S VOICES #1
Marvel | STAR WARS #1
Maverick | PRINCESS GWENEVERE & KING ARTHUR CROSSOVER
NBM | WILL EISNER: A COMICS BIOGRAPHY
Oni Press | EC COMICS PRESENTS: BLOOD TYPE #0
Papercutz | FLASH GORDON & THE GIRL FROM INFINITY ADVENTURES
Papercutz | HEROBEAR AND THE KID
Penguin Young Readers | CREAKY ACRES: A GRAPHIC NOVEL
Rebellion | BEST OF 2000 AD
Red 5 Comics | RED 5 COMICS YOUNG ADULT ADVENTURES
Scholastic/ Graphix | HULK TEACH
Skybound Entertainment | TRANSFORMERS: WORST BOT EVER
Ten Speed Graphic | CHAMPION
T-Pub/ Twisted Comics | BLACK MIRROR #1
Titan Comics | DIABLO
TOKYOPOP | STITCH! BEST FOOD FOREVER
UDON Entertainment | MEGA MAN #0
UDON Entertainment | STREET FIGHTER VS RIVAL SCHOOLS #1
Vault Comics | DEF LEPPARD’S HYSTERIA #0
VIZ Media | KAGURABACH/BARUTO: TWO BLUE VORTEX
For more info on Free Comic Book Day, click here.
*The asterisk is part of the Thunderbolts movie title. Just in case you scrolled down this far looking for a footnote. How often do we do that?
Dan Grote is the editor and publisher of ComicsXF, having won the site by ritual combat. By day, he’s a newspaper editor, and by night, he’s … also an editor. He co-hosts The ComicsXF Interview Podcast with Matt Lazorwitz. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, two kids and two miniature dachshunds, and his third, fictional son, Peter Paul Winston Wisdom. Follow him @danielpgrote.bsky.social.
