Free Comic Book Day

Category: Culture
Free Comic Book Day around the world in 2025
Image by Joe Ciciarelli , from Unsplash. CC0

About Free Comic Book Day

How long until Free Comic Book Day?
Free Comic Book Day .
Dates of Free Comic Book Day
2026 InternationalMay 2
International Sat, May 2Observances Holiday
2025 InternationalMay 3
International Sat, May 3Observances Holiday
2024 InternationalMay 4
International Sat, May 4Observances Holiday
2023 InternationalMay 6
International Sat, May 6Observances Holiday
2022 InternationalMay 7
International Sat, May 7Observances Holiday
Summary
Free Comic Book Day is a national holiday where you can visit your local comic shop and get free comic books!

Celebrate and discover the amazing world of comic books on Free Comic Book Day! Taking place annually on the first Saturday in May, Free Comic Book Day is a single day when participating comic book specialty shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops!

Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is the biggest event in the comic book industry—a single day when participating comic book speciality shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops! 

Promoted by the North American comic book industry, the aim is to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores.

The website freecomicbookday.com states, “Free Comic Book Day is the biggest event in the comic book industry — a single day when participating comic book specialty shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops. Founded on the belief that for every person out there, there’s a comic book they’ll love, the annual event offers a huge selection of free titles designed to appeal to a broad range of age levels and their tastes.

“Every year, on the first Saturday in May, the industry comes together to give away free comics and encourage both curious, first-time comic book readers and seasoned comic book fans to flock to the best place in the comic book community: local comic shops. Each one is unique in its community, with a style and personality all its own, and each one carries a full line of comics, graphic novels, toys and related products. Local comic shops are the hubs of our community, where fans can come together to discover new comics, make lifelong friends, and find a sense of commonality.”

It began in 2001 by Joe Field, a California-based comics retailer, event promoter and partner in WonderCon. Though originally a North American event, it has spread to countries in Asia, Europe, and Australia. 

Major publishers such as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, and Image Comics, along with a slew of independent publishers, put out free comics for fans to enjoy at the more than 2,300 local comic shops that participate in Free Comic Book Day.

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