On today’s episode of Comic Book Club News, we’re highlighting what titles you’ll want to check out on this year’s Free Comic Book Day, May 4, 2024.
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Episode Transcript:
On today’s episode, we’re highlighting some of the top picks from this year’s Free Comic Book Day books for 2024.
This is Comic Book Club News for May 3, 2024.
What Is Free Comic Book Day 2024? What To Know About The Annual Celebration:
Tomorrow, May 4, 2024, is the annual celebration known as Free Comic Book Day. First started in 2002, every year on the first Saturday of May, comic book stores all over the country open their doors and give away comic books in order to encourage new or lapsed readers to return to stores.
The books range from reprints to new issues kicking off big events; to previews of graphic novels for kids, and adults. The not-so-secondary goal of the day is to showcase the breadth of the comic book art form, and how it’s not all capes and fights.
That said, before we get into our highlights for this year’s books, a few notes up top. First of all, every store has a different deal. Some give away a whole stack of the 48 books available. Others allow one per customer. And other stores don’t participate at all. But the not-so-dirty little secret of Free Comic Book Day is that the books are free to customers — but they are decidedly not free for the stores.
As discussed with my local comic book purveyor this week, they love the extra foot traffic and new faces. And they also noted that it’s a great boon to those who can’t normally afford to buy the increasingly expensive monthly floppies. However, if you can afford comics, I always highly recommend you get your free ones — and then purchase as well. In fact, we make that a rule in my family which I joke my kids hate… If we go to a store where they’re getting free comics, and we usually hit up a couple of Free Comic Book Day, they have to pick out something to buy from the store, as well.
Okay, off my soapbox for a moment. Lets talk comics, baby!
Best Free Comic Book Day 2024 Books: What To Pick Up In Stores This Year
As mentioned, with 48 books potentially available at your local store, there’s a lot to choose from.
Let’s start with DC Comics, because why not? The publisher is officially teeing up their next big event with the Absolute Power Special Edition, which teams up Amanda Waller with The Brainiac Queen and the evil Batman of Zur en Arrh to take away all the superpowers in the DC Universe.
Over at Marvel, they’ve got a double hit of big free issues. The first is Blood Hunt/X-Men, which continues the just launched vampires versus heroes story, as well as presenting a story of Jubilee kicking off the next era of the X-Men. Meanwhile, Ultimate Universe/Spider-Man introduces a new Ultimate hero, and sets up the events of the non-Ultimate Universe Amazing Spider-Man #50.
Over at Image and Skybound, the blockbuster Energon Universe gets three new stories in one book, featuring Void Rivals, Transformers, and G.I. Joe.
Over at Dynamite, if you’ve been enjoying Warner Bros. titles like ThunderCats and Space Ghost, you can check out a preview of the next title, Jonny Quest. IDW is holding back on the big TMNT title written by Jason Aaron, but are putting out a book featuring the turtle-shaped Nightwatcher, and a backup story about Splinter hanging out at home alone.
Dark Horse has a Hellboy/Stranger Things book with short horror tales; while BOOM! Studios’ The Worlds of James Tynion IV reprints several spooky stories from the author. And staying on the creepy front, Archie Comics has The Cursed Library Prelude, which weaves together a number of their horror tales.
A few more highlights before we wrap up. Papercutz Encanto/Turning Red brings the animated properties to comics. Dying Inside from Pete Wentz seems like a dark fantasy tale. And finally, The Valiants brings back the battered but still trucking along superhero universe, once again.
For Comic Book Club News, I’m Alex Zalben. Have a great time, pick up some free books, and support your local comic book store!
Got tips or stories you’d like us to cover? Email us at comicbookclublive@gmail.com.
For more comic book news, reviews, and interviews, check out comicbookclublive.com.
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