Happy Free Comic Book Day 2015! What You Need To Know

Happy Free Comic Book Day! While the first Saturday in May might be more famous in the general public for another reason — something about horses trying to run really fast, I believe — comic book fans know it’s the day to hit up your local comic book store.

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If you’ve never experienced a Free Comic Book Day before, there are two things to keep in mind. The first is that your LCS is going to be more crowded than you’ve ever seen it. That’s the downside, although it’s never bad to be in the company of fellow enthusiasts, and there’s something reaffirming about seeing everyone there at the same time. It just makes you feel like the future of the medium is bright.

The second thing is that you really can get comics for free. A whole bunch of publishers, including Marvel, DC and Image, have been doing this for years now, using Free Comic Book Day to promote the wide variety of stories and genres the industry supports. Some companies go with reprinted material while others opt for brand new stuff, but all of them do their best to give you something worth reading.

How many free comics can you get? That depends. Every participating store (and that’s just about all of them in the U.S., plus a bunch in other countries as well) has its own rules and policies about how they distribute the goodies. My LCS is Comix Connection in Mechanicsburg, PA, and it’s quite generous. Everyone who shows up gets three free comics (while supplies last), and if you bring non-expired canned goods to give to a local charity, you can get an extra comic for each can.

Stores generally run sales and have other things going on too. You might have local creators on hand for autograph signings, costume contests, and all kinds of related activities. Again, you’ll need to check with your own store to know for sure, which is why you should check here to find one near you.

Ah, but you probably want to hear about the comics, right? We laid out the Gold tier comics a while ago, but there’s also a Silver tier. The official FCBD site has all the details, including looks at the covers and short descriptions. Parents take note: there are always at least a handful of free comics suitable for kids, and if you need help identifying them, the folks at your shop will no doubt be happy to point you in the right direction.

So that’s it, really. Get out there and grab a free comic or two, maybe buy something to support your LCS, and have fun. I can’t think of a better way to spend the first Saturday in May — except for maybe following it up with a viewing of Avengers: Age of Ultron!

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