Free Comic Book Day is the first Saturday of May, and that means the festivities are nearly upon us. All the major comic publishers pitch in to make the annual holiday something special, primarily by giving away comics that will be read by thousands of people.
It seems like the event only gets bigger year after year, and Free Comic Book Day's 2016 lineup certainly seems to back up that notion.
There are a ton of free comics that fans of Marvel, DC, Doctor Who, anime and more will want to check out this year, so best find a comic store near you that lets you grab one of each.
If your bag is going to be anything like ours, it's going to be hard to carry so much free comic goodness.
With that being said, let's dive into some of the highlights this year. This is in no way an exhaustive list of every comic that will be available for free (there are 50 in total), but serves more as a way to put the spotlight on the big comics that fans will definitely want to grab this Saturday.
Civil War #1 FCBD Edition
Marvel's upcoming summer event will pit hero against hero, making this preview of the conflict a must-grab for fans. It also contains a separate All New, All Different Avengers story from Mark Waid and Alan Davis. What's not to like?
Captain America #1 FCBD Edition
The original Captain America, Steve Rogers, is set to make a comeback later in the month. This issue will serve as a refresher course for those who have been out of the loop, while also teasing a major new Captain America storyline to come later in the year called "Dead No More."
Suicide Squad #1 FCBD Edition
DC's Suicide Squad movie will be bringing the 2016 summer movie season to a close with a bang. With that in mind, it's only natural DC would want to build up hype for the blockbuster by promoting its new Suicide Squad comic. This issue will see Harley Quinn, Deadshot and King Shark leading a team of super villains on a — you guessed it — suicide mission.
Dark Horse Serenity, Hellboy, Aliens
A beloved sci-fi TV series from Joss Whedon, a classic Dark Horse comic book character and one of the greatest sci-fi franchises of all time, all in one comic? Yeah, you should probably grab this one.
Doctor Who: Four Doctors Special
Fans of BBC's quirky sci-fi series will want to snag this issue, which will feature four short stories about the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors.
Archie #1 FCBD Edition
Mark Waid's reboot brought new life to Archie and the city of Riverdale, and now, readers can see what all the buzz was about by snagging this free reprint of the comic's first issue. No, this isn't simply a preview of a comic or a short story. It's the entire first issue in its entirety, making it a must-grab this Saturday.
ROM #0 FCBD Edition
ROM hasn't been seen in comics for a while now, but he's making a comeback later this summer in a new series from IDW. This zero issue will help to introduce newcomers to what ROM's all about and leads directly into issue #1 of the new series.
Camp Midnight #1 FCBD Edition
The creator of Ben 10 and Big Hero Six has a new comic from Image, and it sounds like a monstrously good time. A young girl is accidently sent to a summer camp for monsters. Whoops. After always wishing to stand out, she'll have to try and fit in if she wants to make it out in one piece.
Attack on Titan Anthology Preview
Attack on Titan is by far one of the most popular anime in the past five years. With two live-action movies, numerous spin-offs and multiple video games, there is nowhere the franchise can't go. Come later in 2016, American comic creators will get the chance to put their own spin on Attack on Titan with the Attack on Titan Anthology, a collection of art and stories from some of the biggest names in comics. This preview should definitely whet our appetite for the full product.
Bob's Burgers FCBD Edition
Funny, quirky and regularly heartwarming, Bob's Burgers is an Emmy award-winning cartoon series for a reason. The comic of the same name comes from the actual creators of the show, meaning fans of the Belcher family will want to pick up this free issue that includes three different adventures for Tina, Gene and Louise.
One-Punch Man/My Hero Academia FCBD Edition
A superhero who can defeat anybody (or anything) in one hit? That's the idea behind One-Punch Man, the manga and anime series that has quickly found a place in American pop culture thanks to its unique and often hilarious premise. You can get a glimpse at what all the fuss is about with this free comic from Viz Media.
That's just our rundown of the highlights, but you can check out the full list of free comic books over on the official Free Comic Book Day website. Happy hunting!
