Article by Chris Foti
Free Comic Book Day traditionally takes place on the first Saturday in May. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it couldn’t go ahead this year. If there’s one thing we could use right now, it’s a distraction from the pandemic, in the form of a good comic book. Luckily, this event will be rescheduled to take place throughout July and early September, turning it into Free Comic Book Summer!
Starting on July 15 and ending on September 9, comic book retailers will receive five to six Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) titles in their weekly shipments during each week of the promotional window. The release of these titles might vary from shop to shop.
Joe Field, the originator of FCBD had this to say:
Every year, Free Comic book Day is our big event to thank current comics fans, welcome back former fans and invite those new to comics to join the fun. In this very different year, Free Comic Book Day is more like Free Comic Book Summer…and there’s so much fun to discover in this year’s FCBD comics! So many cool stories are available for this stretched-out Free Comic Book Day 2020. I’m confident long-time fans and newcomers alike are going to find a story that’ll make them want to visit their local comic shop every week! Fans, bring your friends and family and head to your local comic shop every week starting July 15 through September 9 to check out the new, and fantastic, free comics available that week!
Free Comic Book Summer features titles from publishers like Marvel, DC, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Dynamite Entertainment, and more! These titles have a broad range from superheroes, to TV and movie tie-ins, sci-fi adventures, all-ages tales, and beyond.
Here is a release schedule of which titles will be hitting shops, and when:
COMICS AVAILABLE ON JULY 15
BOOM! Studios | POWER RANGERS: RANGER SLAYER
IDW Publishing | MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC
Marvel Comics | X-MEN
Chapterhouse Publishing | CAPTAIN CANUCK BEYOND AND CAPTAIN BATTLE
Papercutz | ASTERIX
Yen Press| THE WEIRN BOOKS
COMICS AVAILABLE ON JULY 22
Valiant Entertainment | VALIANT 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
AfterShock Comics | DARK ARK: INSTINCT
Drawn & Quarterly | MANHWA: CONTEMPORARY KOREAN COMICS
Marvel Comics | SPIDER-MAN/ VENOM
Titan Comics | HORIZON ZERO DAWN #0
COMICS AVAILABLE ON JULY 29
Archie Comics | ARCHIE BLUE RIBBON PRESENTS
Dark Horse Comics | STRANGER THINGS/MINECRAFT
DC Comics | BATMAN OVERDRIVE/BATMAN: ONCE UPON A CRIME
Dynamite Entertainment | THE BOYS #1
Golden Apple Books | RICHARD FAIRGRAY’S MONSTER SHOWCASE
RH Graphic | STEPPING STONES/ MAX & THE MIDKNIGHTS
COMICS AVAILABLE ON AUGUST 5
Artists, Writers & Artisans | THE RESISTANCE
BOOM! Studios | LUMBERJANES: FAREWELL TO SUMMER
New England Comics | THE TICK
Penguin Workshop | ZOO PATROL SQUAD: KINGDOM CAPER
TOKYOPOP | BIBI & MIYU/THE FOX & THE LITTLE TANUKI
Image Comics | INVINCIBLE #1
COMICS AVAILABLE ON AUGUST 12
Dark Horse Comics | NORSE MYTHOLOGY/CRITICAL ROLE
Albatross Funnybooks | HILLBILLY: THE LIZARD OF RUSTY CREEK CAVE
Drawn & Quarterly | LITTLE LULU: NO BOYS ALLOWED
Oni Press | SUPER MERCADO MIX TAPE
Titan Comics | BLADE RUNNER 2019
COMICS AVAILABLE ON AUGUST 19
Macmillan/ First Second Books| INVESTIGATORS: TAKE THE PLUNGE SNEAK PEEK
Fantagraphics Books | DISNEY MASTERS: DONALD DUCK
Papercutz | THE LOUD HOUSE FCBD 2020 SPECIAL
UDON Entertainment | STREET FIGHTER #100: RYU VS. CHUN-LI
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund | CBLDF & BOOM! DEFEND COMICS
Gemstone Publishing | THE OVERSTREET GUIDE TO COLLECTING – FCBD 2020
COMICS AVAILABLE ON AUGUST 26
Random House Children’s Books | ONLY A MATTER OF SPACE TIME
Graphix | DONUT THE DESTROYER
Rebellion | BEST OF 2000 AD ISSUE #0
Vault Comics | BRANDON SANDERSON’S DARK ONE #1
IDW Publishing | USAGI YOJIMBO
COMICS AVAILABLE ON SEPTEMBER 2
Ten Speed Press | JACK KIRBY: THE EPIC LIFE OF THE KING OF COMICS
Graphix | OWLY: THE WAY HOME
Insight Comics | MEAN GIRLS: SENIOR YEAR
VIZ Media | NARUTO/ SAMURAI 8
Benitez Productions | LADY MECHANIKA
COMICS AVAILABLE ON SEPTEMBER 9
VIZ Media | THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS / SPLATOON: SQUID KIDS COMEDY SHOW
Humanoids | ENTER THE INCAL
Kodansha Comics| SUE AND TAI-CHAN PREVIEW
A full breakdown can be seen at Free Comic Book Day’s website.
Any of these titles catch your eye? Let us know! It’s going to be a sizzling summer!