May 3, 2025 is the first Saturday of the month of May, and many geek bibliophiles - or, more accurately, "Pannapictagraphists" (yes, someone who collects a comic or anime) - have that day circled. It's Free Comic Book Day. This year promises to be one of its most significant to date.
Most recently, DC Comics entered the fray by confirming its Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) line-up and sharing about the preeminent Dan Slott's upcoming Superman Unlimited. The quill behind Amazing Spider-Man in 2014 and 2016's Eisner-winning Silver Surfer No. 11 is partnering with DC and Jim Lee to help James Gunn and Peter Safran make 2025 Kal-El's biggest year since, well...since you know when with that "cut" thingamajig.
That announcement helped bolster the news about the reinvention of the label's major heroes and villains called DC All In, which is coming this fall. The other labels also have some offerings for true comic fans. Let's review what we will see on the shelves this summer.
Featured Free Comic Book Day labels
Image
The label of revered The Walking Dead, Kick-Ass, Spawn, and Invincible is creating a 10th-anniversary version of another celebrated series, I Hate Fairyland. Young, the focal character of the series, provides exclusive behind-the-scenes commentary on his favorite Fairyland kingdoms. It should be sweet.
DC
The Superman Unlimited / DC All-In combo generates the most excitement for the label. Other offerings for FCBD feature a preview of Superman's Good Guy Gang, a graphic novel targeted at children aged 5-7. In addition to an eight-year-old Clark Kent, the elementary-school superheroes making the story are Hawkgirl and Green Lantern Guy Gardner, which is not coincidental given that both are set to appear in James Gunn's Superman movie.
A YA anime story called Kanga-U: Tests and Tournaments by writer Sholly Fisch and artist Yancey Labat. The tale centers on Wonder Woman as a teenager on her home island of Themyscira, choosing a particular kangaroo for transportation during the Amazon's annual "Bonding Day."
Dark Horse
A fantastic indie label known for novelty favorites Hellboy, Predator, and Berserk announced that two other popular series are getting an FCBD spotlight. Critical Role: The Mighty Bein Origins will get a new spellbinding tale that could detour into Vox Machina—maybe that's just being hopeful. The other is Black Hammer, written by Jeff Lemire (A.D.: After Death, Tenement) and illustrated by Letizia Cadonici (Book of Slaughter).
Marvel
Likewise, Marvel has a few things brewing in 2025 and hopes to steal some DC headlines with the umpteenth formation of The Fantastic Four and their first steps. To wit, here comes a giant X-Men from writer Ryan North and artist Humberto Ramos featuring the label's first family.
Marvel Comics' Joe Kelly and stellar penciler John Romita, Jr. will bring us Amazing Spider-Man: Ultimate Universe. If you dig fantastic illustration, Romita is at his best. Super balance. There is also a compelling Marvel's Voices, with a new Ironheart and a delve into Mystique and Destiny's wedding. Lastly, Star Wars nerds, we get one with the Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Tensu Run.
Valiant
Fred Van Lente (Marvel-Verse: Iron-Man, The Comic Book Story of Basketball) enters the Undeadside with Valiant Zombies: Resurrection. If you dig the netherregions of humanity, this may be the comic series you didn't know you needed from a label that should get more love than it does. (P.S. Ninjak needs a movie, Hollywood.)
BOOM!
Boom! Studios is working on a grandiose 20th Anniversary Special for Free Comic Book Day. If you know the publisher, this won't surprise you. However, we could see artwork from Buffy (yes, the Vampire Slayer), "The Many Deaths of Laila Starr," and the effortlessly entertaining BRZRKR, created by the Keanu Reeves. (Hey Hollywood, we're looking at you for this too.)
We left one collection out that is arguably the golden child at Boom!, because a new story featuring the Power Rangers/VR Troopers will hit the shelves on May 3.
Mad Cave Studios
Based out of Miami, Mad Cave is an introspective label. Their characters make you think, but the ones coming on Free Comic Book Day could just make you smile--Speed Racer, The Phantom, and Phineas and Ferb. That's the best part of FCBD: Hitting the library or neighborhood comic store, and casuals get amazed with, "I had no idea that was a comic!" A close second is when folks are shocked it's not DC or Marvel.
Vault
Some Gen X music lovers may have reached out to Spotify and Pandora, but an FCBD surprise is coming for them and other audiophiles: Def Leppard's Hysteria. And it's Special Issue No.0 to tantalize the fans. The comic is written by band guitarist Phil Collen, who takes a dive into the history of the guitar, so there's that.
IDW
For Free Comic Book Day 2025, IDW does what the fans demand and brings us a new adventure of the world's most feared nuclear lizard, Godzilla! The premise is "The New Heroes." According to line editor Jake Williams, the comic brings "kaiju half-breeds" and "super-powered humans." Regretfully, no mention of Jet Jaguar. (But there should be.)
Fantagraphics
The label of rotund-calved sailors (Popeye), intergalactic soft-core (Any Joe Galaxy fans out there?), and alternative space travel (Same for Daisy Goes to the Moon) brings FCBD, something fans may not expect. Lost Marvels, as in something from Marvel Comics. Consider this Marvel's B-League in a "horror anthology series" from the great Jim Steranko (Nick Fury, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Neal Adams (2018's Batman), and Barry Windsor-Smith (Conan, Weapon X). Cool, right?
If you're so inclined, follow FCBD on X-witter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. (It doesn't appear they've decided on BlueSky and Threads.)