If you’re a fan of superheroes and pop culture then you’ve probably heard of the holy holiday of geekdom: Free Comic Book Day, in which hordes of eager fans head to their local comic shop to snag the latest swag from the biggest publishers in the business. This year’s Free Comic Book Day is on Saturday, May 7th, 2022.
As usual, 2022’s Free Comic Book Day will coincide with the theatrical release of a major Hollywood comic book film, which in this year’s case is Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness. To find out if there’s a store near you participating, you can use this official FCBD store locator.
You can also learn more about past and present FCBD events in our guide below.
Table of Contents
- What Comics Are Available for FCBD 2022?
- What is Free Comic Book Day?
- When Did Free Comic Book Day Start?
- How Does Free Comic Book Day Work?
- Are FCBD Comics Worth Anything?
What Comics Are Available for Free Comic Book Day 2022?
This year’s FCBD offers an assortment of new comic books, samplers, and even magazines about comic books. Below is the full list of titles available from major publishers.
Marvel Free Comics
DC Free Comics
Image Free Comics
Dark Horse Free Comics
IDW Free Comics
BOOM! Free Comics
Other Publishers’ Free Comics
You can also learn more about the full list of titles for Free Comic Book Day 2022 in the video below.
What is Free Comic Book Day?
As the name implies, Free Comic Book Day (also known as FCBD) is a single day when participating comic book specialty shops across North America and around the world give away comic books for free to anyone who comes into their shops. The day is traditionally held the first Saturday in May each year and usually coincides with the first major superhero film of the summer (which in almost all cases is a Marvel movie).
Originally launched as a North American event, Free Comic Book Day has since become a global event and is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, Australia, Asia and Europe. Currently, FCBD is organized and facilitated by Diamond Comics Distributors, with support from a committee representing publishers, industry journalists and retailers, all of whom decide which books will be added.
When Did Free Comic Book Day Start?
Free Comic Book Day was originally conceived in 2001 by Joe Field, a California-based comics retailer, and convention promoter. At that time, Field noted how successful superhero movies were bringing new readers into comic book stores.
Inspired by Free Scoop Night at Baskin-Robbins, Field suggested the idea of a Free Comic Book Day in a featured column he wrote for the August 2001 issue of Comics & Games Retailer magazine.
The column received positive reaction from the industry, including Image Comics co-founder Jim Valentino, who suggested having the very first FCBD take place on the same weekend as the release of the Sam Raimi 2002 Spider-Man film, in order to take advantage of the film’s buzz and related press coverage about comic books.
The very first Free Comic Book Day was held on May 4th 2002, the day after the Spider-Man movie’s release. Since then the event has usually been held on the first Saturday in May, and is often cross-promoted with the release of the first big-budget superhero film of the summer.
How Does Free Comic Book Day Work?
For fans, all you need to do is simply show up to a participating local comic store and snag your free issues. It’s important to note, however, there are only so many copies available at select stores.
Additionally, although the comics are intended to be free for readers, there are costs involved in both creating and printing the books (which publishers pay for) and purchasing and shipping the books (which retailers pay for).
Each individual store makes its own policy as to how to distribute them to visitors to their stores. Some will limit the number of books available and may actually charge customers for additional copies (for example, some retailers will offer 3 free books and then charge customers 50 cents for each additional copy). You may want to check with your local comic shop before you arrive (most usually post on social media ahead of the event) and be sure to show up early to ensure you get the books you want.
Are Free Comic Book Day Comics Worth Anything?
Surprisingly, the answer is yes. Despite being “free”, many FCBD comics can end up being worth a significant amount of money on eBay and the secondary collectors market. Below are a few examples of Free Comic Book Day titles that are now sought after by collectors.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it: the answer to the question: when is Free Comic Book Day. This unique annual event is a chance for both new and existing fans to get together and celebrate their love of the greatest art form in the world. Happy FCBD, everyone!
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