Everything you need to know about Free Comic Book Day


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SALT LAKE CITY — Free Comic Book Day, which falls on the first Saturday of May every year, is one of the biggest days of the year for comic book retailers. Here's what you need to know.

The history:

Free Comic Book Day began in 2002 as a way to help the North American comic book industry bring new readers into independent comic book stores.

The idea was first made public by Joe Field of Flying Colors Comics in Concord, Calif. Field wrote about the theoretical event in a column for Comics & Games Retailer magazine in Aug. 2001. The first event was in 2002 and has become an annual tradition.

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Coordinated by Diamond Comic Distributors, the largest comic book distributor in North America, the day is often coordinated with the theater release of a superhero film.

On Free Comic Book Day, participating comic book stores give away special copies of comic books for free, and some offer discounts on other comic books. The stores pay 12–50 cents per copy of the books.

2013 Sponsored comics:
Title, publisher

Gold comics:

- *Bongo Free-For-All*, Bongo Comics - *DH Star Wars Captain Midnight Avatar*, Dark Horse - *Infinity*, Marvel Comics - *It's an Ugly Doll Comic & Other Stuff*, VIZ LLC - *Kaboom Summer Blast (Net)*, Boom Entertainment - *Sesame Street & Strawberry Shortcake*, Ape Entertainment

Silver comics: -------------- - Endangered Weapon B, Aam Markosia

  • Molly Danger/Princeless, Action Lab Entertainment
  • NFL Rush Zone: Season of the Guardians, Action Lab Entertainment
  • Fubar FCBD 2013 Special, Alterna Comics
  • Action Time Buddies, Antarctic Press
  • Steampunk Originals Presents: The Steam Engines of Oz, Arcana Studios
  • Mouse Guard/Rust FCBD 2013 Flip Book, Archaia Entertainment
  • FCBD 2013 Sonic the Hedgehog Mega Man Flipbook, Archie Comics
  • Worlds of Aspen 2013, Aspen Comics
  • Absolution: The Beginning, Avatar Press
  • Bleeding Cool Magazine FCBD, Bleeding Cool
  • Capstone Presents: Mr. Puzzle, Capstone Comics
  • The Red Ten #0, Comixtribe
  • Mass Effects/Killjoys/R.I.P.D., Dark Horse Comics
  • DC Nation Super Sampler, DC Comics
  • Damsels, D.E./Dynamite Entertainment
  • Grimm FCBD 2013, D.E./Dynamite Entertainment
  • Marble Season, Drawn & Quarterly
  • Pippi Longstocking Color Special, Drawn & Quarterly

- SpongeBob Comics Freestyle Funnies, United Plankton Pictures
  • Superman Special Edition, DC
  • The Smurfs, NBM
  • TMNT New Animated Adventures, Idea & Design Works LLC
  • Walking Dead Special, Image Comics
  • World of Archie Digest, Archie Comic Publication
  1. Hal Foster's Prince Valiant, Fantagraphics Books
  2. Overstreet Comic Book Marketplace, Gemstone Publishing
  3. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Hermes Press
  4. Scratch9 FCBD, Hermes Press
  5. Judge Dredd Classics, IDW Publishing
  6. Aphrodite IX, Image Comics
  7. Stan Lee's Chakra the Invincible, Liquid Comics
  8. Ramayan Reloaded Preview, Liquid Comics
  9. Avengers Assemble/Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. #1, Marvel Comics
  10. The Tick, New England Comics
  11. Rated "Free" for Everyone Starring Mermin & Crogan's Adventure, Oni Press
  12. The Strangers, Oni Press
  13. Disney Fairies, Papercutz
  14. 2000 AD FCBD 2013 Special, Rebellion
  15. Atomic Robo & Friends, Red 5 Comicsv
  16. Finding Gossamyr/Stuff of Legend, Th3rd World Studios
  17. Top Shelf Kids Club, Top Shelf Productions
  18. Harbinger Wars FCBD 2013 Special, Valiant Entertainment
  19. Valiant Masters Showcase FCBD 2013 Edition, Valiant Entertainment
  20. Kellerman/L'Amour FCBD 2013 Sampler, Villard Books
  21. Shonen Jump Presents: Dragon Ball/Rurouni Kenshin Restoration, Viz Media
Descriptions of the comics can be found here.

Comic book stores

Northern Utah:

Everything you need to know about Free Comic Book Day

Salt Lake Valley:

Utah Valley:

Southern Utah:

Do you know of a participating store? Let us know on the comment board.



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Stephanie Grimes

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