DC’s Free Comic Book Day books have just been annoucned and they are pretty crafty: DC SUper HEro Girls and Suicide Squad. The former hits the target demo that DC is seeking to build up (kids, girls) and has strong licensing partner support; Suicide Squad should get more mainstream recognition with the movie coming out […]
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Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: FCBD, Suicide Squad, dc super hero girls, FCBD 2016, DC, Add a tag
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JacketFlap tags: Comics, Doctor Who, Breaking News, Titan, Top News, FCBD, Assassin's Creed, Titan Comics, 11th Doctor, 10th doctor, 9th Doctor, 12th Doctor, FCBD 2016, Add a tag
Titan Comics announced today that they'll be offering two FCBD options from popular titles Assassin's Creed and Doctor Who. Read on for the creative teams behind the upcoming stories and preview their cover art.
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Top Shelf, Top Cow, FCBD, free comics, Tales of Honor, Add a tag
It’s Free Comic Book Day worldwide, and even if you can’t get to a shop, here’s one free comic you can read right now, Top Cow’s Free Comic Book Day book Tales of Honor: Bred to Kill #1 by Matt Hawkins and Linda Sejic. This issue is a zero issue for a new arc in the series, inspired by David Weber’s novels of the same name and done with his blessing.
The first issue of this second arc ships in June.
Hawkins is signing twice today:
10-2
FLYING COLORS
Oak Grove Plaza Shopping Center
2980 Treat Blvd
Concord, CA 94518
http://www.flyingcolorscomics.com/
4-6
TREASURE ISLAND COMICS
5018 Mowry Ave.
Fremont, CA 94538
http://treasureislandcomics.com/
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Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Reviews, Top News, FCBD, FCBD 2015, Add a tag
Silver sponsors are titles which are optional for stores to order.
Not all stores will have the following titles, and many that do will probably order smaller quantities.
Please remember that stores pay for these free copies, so be sure to check out the cool merchandise while you visit, and maybe buy a comic or t-shirt!
FCBD 2015 MERCURY HEAT DEBUT (MR)
(W) Kieron Gillen (A/CA) Omar Francia[No summary, age rating.]
FCBD 2015 MOTORCYCLE SAMURAI
(W/A/CA) Chris SheridanLook hard into the storm clouds. You may yet see her, mounted on her electric steed, streaking past. The last hero of the West… THE MOTORCYCLE SAMURAI! It’s been called “the new benchmark for indie digital comics.” Now discover the mad genius of The Motorcycle Samurai for yourself, as Chris Sheridan does the unthinkable: brings his creation to print! Top Shelf celebrates FREE COMIC BOOK DAY with 24 pages of full-color action, whetting appetites around the world for the future release of The Motorcycle Samurai graphic novel. Now saddle up and let’s ride!
Rating: Teen
FCBD 2015 OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK MARKETPLACE
(W) Robert M. Overstreet, J. C. VaughnWhen Action Comics #1 sells for $3.2 million, Incredible Hulk #1 sells for $326,000, the original art for Wolverine’s first brief appearance sells for $657,000, and when cosplay has exploded to unparalleled heights, it’s time for a look inside the market. The Free Comic Book Day 2015 issue of Overstreet’s Comic Book Marketplace from the team behind The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide and the new Overstreet “How To” series is a perfect introduction to the fun and history of comic book collecting.
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 PHANTOM SPECIAL
(A) Bill Lignante & VariousThe Phantom, the grand-daddy of costumed heroes celebrates Free Comic Book Day 2015 with a volume showcasing stories by some of the greatest artists to ever create tales for this ground-breaking title featuring The Ghost Who Walks. This 32 page book will feature work from the Gold Key and King Phantom comics created by Bill Lignante; from the Charlton Phantom comics created by Jim Aparo and Don Newton and will offer samples of the newest Phantom story created by Peter David and Sal Velluto. Hermes Press’ Phantom FDBD issue will also offer bonus material and tons of surprises!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 RABBIDS
Publisher: PAPERCUTZ(W) Thitaume (A/CA) Romain PujolSpinning Out of the hit videogame and TV series, the Rabbids are taking over FCBD. Their hilarious antics are sure to entertain fans of all ages!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG MEGA MAN WORLDS UNITE PRELUDE
(W) Ian Flynn (A) Gary Martin & Various (CA) Evan Stanley & Various[No summary. Didn’t they do this last year? Oh, wait… that was World’s Collide.]
FCBD 2015 STAN LEE CHAKRA THE INVINCIBLE
(W) Stan Lee & Various (A) Jeevan Kang & Various (CA) Jeevan KangBased on the animated shorts seen on Angry Birds ToonsTV with over 25 Million views worldwide, ‘Chakra The Invincible’ is the latest superhero from legendary creator, Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men, The Avengers, X-Men, Iron Man, and more. This all-ages comic features short stories of Chakra The Invincible for kids and superhero fans of all ages.
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 STEAMPUNK GOLDILOCKS
(W/A) Rod Espinosa[No summary posted.]
FCBD 2015 STREET FIGHTER SUPER COMBO SPECIAL
(W) Matt Moylan (A) Jeffrey Chamba Cruz & Various (CA) Joe NgFive generations of World Warriors collide in this epic new Street Fighter story for Free Comic Book Day 2015! Ryu, Charlie, Crimson Viper, Ibuki, and more put their martial arts skills to the test as they battle across the globe. A self-contained story, perfect for newcomers to the Street Fighter universe, or longtime fans!
Rating: Teen
FCBD 2015 STUFF OF LEGEND CALL TO ARMS
(W) Mike Raicht & Various (A) Charles Paul Wilson, Alex Eckman-Lawn (CA) Mike RaichtTh3rd World Studios is proud to announce the triumphant return of The New York Times bestselling series, THE STUFF OF LEGEND. Left scattered across the Dark in the aftermath of the Boogeyman’s deceit, our band of Toys must pick up the pieces or risk losing their boy forever in this Preview of The Stuff of Legend, Volume 5 – A Call to Arms. Also featured is a preview of the brand new all-ages original graphic novel series being hailed as the next Avatar – The Last Airbender: THANATOS DIVER! When Samantha dares to search for adventure in the sunken city beneath her boring island home, she discovers a portal to a world both impossibly exciting and even more dangerous than anything she’d ever imagined. While opening the portal brings Sam to a place full of mysterious creatures, strange cities, and uncharted lands!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 SUPERMUTANT MAGIC ACADEMY STEP ASIDE POPS COMBO
(W/A/CA) Jillian Tamaki, Kate BeatonDrawn & Quarterly celebrates its 25th year in publishing with this special edition all-ages FCBD previewing two of its biggest books for 2015.
Kate Beaton is back with Step Aside, Pops! her 2015 follow-up to her bestselling debut, Hark! A Vagrant, with more irreverent and hilarious comics on history and literature. Sharing the billing is Jillian Tamaki, best known for co-creating Skim and This One Summer – moody and atmospheric award winners. SuperMutant Magic Academy, which Jillian has been serializing online for the past four years, paints a teenaged world filled with just as much ennui and uncertainty, but also with a sharp dose of humor. Drawn & Quarterly’s FCBD showcases two of the best known women in comics today and is ideal for retailers looking to expand and diversify their customer base.
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 TALES OF HONOR
(W) Matt Hawkins (A/CA) Linda SejicAn original Honor Harrington story! Set in the universe of the best-selling military science fiction novels by David Weber, this self-contained zero issue is the lead in for the new ongoing series also launching in May. On patrol in the Silesian Confederacy, Honor and crew chase a pirate vessel only to have it eject its human cargo of slaves into space. Horrified at the callous disregard for life, the crew of the HMS Fearless investigate and uncover a vast conspiracy by the planet Mesa to provide genetically enhanced slaves to the seedy underbelly of the various Star Kingdoms.
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 TEEN TITANS GO SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP
DC Entertainment’s all-ages FCBD special edition has two tales for readers of all ages! The Teen Titans are back in Teen Titans Go! Chapter 10, and Scooby Doo Team Up! #6 features the Super Friends! Readers will want to follow the adventures of the Teen Titans in Teen Titans Go! Volume 1, and Scooby Doo’s adventure with the Super Friends will continue in the forthcoming collected edition of Scooby Doo Team-Up! Super-hero adventures for readers of all ages have never been so much fun!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 TERRIBLE LIZARD #1
(W) Cullen Bunn (A/CA) Drew MossThe touching story of a girl and her T-Rex… with a healthy dose of collateral damage and kaiju fighting on the side! When the scientists of Cosmos Labs punch a hole through spacetime, they pull a ferocious dinosaur into the present. The dinosaur imprints on teenage Jessica, proving to be more mischievous than vicious. But he is not alone, as transdimensional monsters begin attacking our world, and now Jessica and her new friend Wrex have to save the universe! For fans of bad science, dinosaurs, giant monster battles, and friendship, the all-ages friendly and action-packed TERRIBLE LIZARD begins here!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 THE TICK
(W) Jeff McClelland (A/CA) Duane RedheadTHE TICK returns for FCBD 2015 with 32 pages of FULL-COLOR comic book fun! In the ALL-NEW lead story, The Tick & Arthur’s apartment is haunted by a ghost from The Tick’s mysterious past—an entity who claims to be The Tick’s FIRST sidekick and it won’t rest in peace until… well, we can’t give everything away! Plus more full-color story fun featuring The Tick! Great for fans new and old!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 TMNT PRELUDE TO VENGEANCE
(W) Tom Waltz, Bobby Curnow (A/CA) Mateus SantoloucoThe Turtles’ final battle with Shredder begins here! This book will take us inside the minds of key characters in the TMNT universe, revealing the epic moments that have led to the present, as well as setting the stage for the biggest storyline yet with all new material!
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 VALIANT 25TH ANNIVERSAY SPECIAL
(W) Jeff Lemire & Various (A) Butch Guice & Various (CA) Rafa SandovalValiant’s 25th year is going to be the biggest one yet! The silver anniversary celebration begins right here on Free Comic Book Day! Bloodshot, X-O Manowar and the rest of Valiant’s fearless heroes are taking center stage for a star-studded, jam-packed anniversary smash celebrating 25 years of Valiant comics!
The year’s can’t-miss celebration officially kicks off on May 2nd in the FCBD 2015: Valiant 25th Anniversary Special – featuring two all-new stories and a myriad of never-before-seen special features chronicling Valiant’s storied place in comics history! First, New York Times-bestselling writer Jeff Lemire and blockbuster artist Butch Guice chronicle the devastating fallout of The Valiant as Bloodshot rises from the ashes to unleash a never-before-seen prelude to Bloodshot Reborn! Then, Valiant superstars Robert Venditti and Rafa Sandoval throw down the gauntlet for an action-packed introduction to the world of X-O Manowar and an all-new tale of Dead Hand! Plus: Ninjak; Imperium; Divinity; Ivar, Timewalker; Rai; special guests from throughout Valiant’s decades-long history; a cavalcade of special surprises!
Jump on board here to relive the ground-breaking journey that established Valiant as the largest and most acclaimed independent universe in comics – and witness the action-packed first steps toward 25 more history-making years!
Rating: Teen
FCBD 2015 WORLDS OF ASPEN
(W) J. T. Krul, Vince Hernandez (A) Alex Konat, Claudio Avella (CA) Alex Konat[No summary or age rating given.]
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Reviews, Top News, FCBD, FCBD 2015, Add a tag
Silver sponsors are titles which are optional for stores to order.
Not all stores will have the following titles, and many that do will probably order smaller quantities.
Please remember that stores pay for these free copies, so be sure to check out the cool merchandise while you visit, and maybe buy a comic or t-shirt!
FCBD 2015 2000 AD SPECIAL
(W) Matt Smith & Various (A) Norm Breyfogle & VariousThe galaxy’s greatest Eisner-nominated SF anthology returns to Free Comic Book Day with a 48 page zarjaz line-up of stories. In Through the Out Door, a brand new story from Matt Smith and Norm Breyfogle, Judge Dredd uses the iron fist of the law to settle a block dispute; in 3000 AD some jobs are murder, as proved by The Traveller from Mick McMahon; galactic frontiersman Ajax Bloodthirsty meets his match on the astronomical object of oblivion known as the Death Rock in a new tale from Ben Willsher and Barry Krishna; the Grand Master of Termight is sickened to find that his final resting place has been defiled by the legendary alien freedom fighter, Nemesis the Warlock in Tomb of Torquemada by Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill; wizened master of the occult, Doctor Sin returns to pass on his mantle (and battle a demon) in Don’t Call It A Comeback by Rob Williams and Luca Pizzari; pilot of the future, Dan Dare, discovers an alien satellite in Star Slayer by Dave Gibbons and Gerry-Finley Day; Celtic warrior Sláine acquaints more enemies with his axe in A Simple Killing by Pat Mills and Simon Davis; Judge Dredd upholds the law in some classic Dredd newspaper strips by John Wagner, Alan Grant and Ron Smith; and Prepare your mind to be melted by Tharg’s Alien Invasions from supreme craz-o-naut Henry Flint.If this wasn’t enough each strip comes with a FREE digital story attached!
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 AVENGERS #1
WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE FREE COMIC BOOK DAY THEN BY ASSEMBLING EARTH’S MIGHTIEST-AND MOST POPULAR-HEROES?!
Iron Man! Captain America! Thor! Black Widow! Hawkeye! Hulk! Vision! Everyone’s favorite heroes take on a dangerous new threat!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 AND THEN EMILY WAS GONE (MR)
Publisher: COMIXTRIBE(W) John Lees (A) Iain Laurie (CA) Ryan StegmanA chilling prelude to the cult horror sensation, And Then Emily Was Gone! Bonnie Shaw is a terrifying creature of Scottish folklore who would grant parents their hearts’ desire… in exchange for their child. Young Billy McTaggart has nothing to fear from Ol’ Bonnie, as his mother and father love him, don’t they? DON’T THEY?! Featuring a cover by superstar artist Ryan Stegman (Inhumans, Wolverine.)
Rating: Mature Readers
FCBD 2015 BODIE TROLL & FRIENDS
(W/A/CA) Jay P. FosgittWith a mix of playfully irreverant humor, attention-grabbing art and incredible heart, BODIE TROLL is a perfect first comic to give to a non-comic-reader of any age. In an all-new exclusive adventure, things turn ugly for cute BODIE TROLL when he gets hijacked into that most agonizing of events – a little girl’s tea party! Plus, an all-new adventure from the world of DRONE and previews of 2015 Red 5 favorites and new faces.
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 CAPTAIN CANUCK
(W/A) Kalman Andrasofszky & VariousCaptain Canuck is a hero born in battle, tested in war, and granted the choice of how to use his incredible powers and advanced technology, which could alter the fate of the world.Tom Evans is a brave but troubled Canadian soldier. When he and his brother Michael gain superpowers from an alien artifact, they both must work through a lifetime of differences to ensure their gifts are used for the betterment of all humankind. Thrust into battle by Equilibrium, a fledgling intervention agency, Tom must find his way as figurehead and hero Captain Canuck to save humanity- and his brother’s soul- from the machinations of Mr. Gold… and even more dangerous forces that lurk in the shadows.The complete reboot of the classic comic book hero featuring words and art by Kalman Andrasofszky, George Freeman and Ed Brisson, premieres with #0 on FCBD and the ongoing monthly later in May 2015. Don’t miss out!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 CBLDF DEFEND COMICS
(W/A) Various (CA) Dean TrippeFor over 25 years, the CBLDF has fought to protect your right to read, and that crusade continues with this light-hearted look at a serious topic. Defend Comics is a sampler of the great YA comics available, and explores the censorship of comics with some of today’s most talented creators!
Writers on Defend Comics include Andi Watson, Gene Yang, George O’Connor, Dan Parent, Larry Marder and Jorge Aguirre, with art by Watson, Sonny Liew, O’Connor, Parent, Marder, and Rafael Rosado.
Stories include “The Green Turtle Fights for Free Speech!” by Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew, “Rabbids!,” “Princess Decompsia and Count Spatula” by Andi Watson, “Beanworld” by Larry Marder, “Archie Presents Kevin Keller” by Dan Parent, “Giants Beware!” by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado, and “A Tale of the Olympians: The Ears of King Midas” by George O’Connor.
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 COMICS FESTIVAL
(W/A) VariousIt’s a Comics Festival! Continuing the tradition of featuring all-new short stories by some of the greatest comics creators in Canada! A wonderful showcase for existing and forthcoming comics & graphic novels! Here’s who’s inside:
* Cover by Isabelle Arsenault (Jane, The Fox, and Me).
* Back Cover by Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy, Teen Boat)
Plus:
* Lady’s Favor, by Kate Beaton (Hark, A Vagrant)
* The Boss, by Mariko Tamaki (Skim, This One Summer) and Gillian Goerz
* In Real Life: Con Game, by Cory Doctorow (Little Brother) and Jen Wang (Koko Be Good).
* Once Upon a Pony, by Svetlana Chmakova (Nightschool)
* Superhero Girl: The Death of Kevin, by Faith Erin Hicks (Friends with Boys)
* Costume Quest, by Zac Gorman (Magical Game Time)
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 DARK HORSE ALL AGES AVATAR PVZ BANDETTE
(W) Gene Luen Yang, Paul Tobin (A) Carla Speed McNeil & Various (CA) Carla Speed McNeilAll-ages action, fantasy, and humor! All-new stories that make great entry points to new worlds! Gene Luen Yang and Carla Speed McNeil deliver an Avatar: The Last Airbender adventure! Dr. Zomboss and Crazy Dave clash in a new Plants vs. Zombies battle! And the crafty Bandette stars in a tale of her own!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 GFT WONDERLAND SPECIAL EDITION ONE SHOT (MR)
Someone’s up to their old tricks in Wonderland and it’s up to Callie, the White Queen, to stop them! Nothing is ever as it seems in the dark, twisted, nightmare world of Wonderland, and the madness never stops reaching out to Callie’s friends and foes alike. Is there a traitor in the White Queen’s court?
Rating: Mature
FCBD 2015 GRAPHIX SPOTLIGHT CLEOPATRA IN SPACE
(W/A/CA) Mike MaihackWhen a young Cleopatra (yes, that Cleopatra) finds a mysterious tablet that zaps her to the far, really far future, she learns of an ancient prophecy that says she is destined to save the galaxy from the tyrannical rule of the evil Xaius Octavian.
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 GRONK AND FRIENDS
(W/A/CA) Katie CookGronk is a monster…and not a very good one! Follow Gronk’s continuing adventures as she learns about the world around her from her “teacher”, Dale, in this all-new Gronk story from fan favorite Katie Cook!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 HATTER M LOVE OF WONDER
(W) Frank Beddor, Liz Cavalier (A) Sami Makkonen (CA) Vincent ProceLooking Glasses shatter as heroes and villains from Wonderland arrive to aid or block Hatter in his quest to find Alyss. Hatter’s reunion with his brother Dalton leads to an epic showdown as savior meets assassin in the struggle for Wonderland’s future!
Rating: Teen
FCBD 2015 HIP HOP FAMILY TREE 3-IN-1 FEATURING COSPLAYERS (MR)
(W) Ed Piskor, Dash Shaw (A) Ed Piskor & Various (CA) Ed PiskorFeaturing Ed Piskor’s Hip Hop Family Tree series and Dash Shaw’s Cosplayers! Piskor’s half features excerpts from all three existing HHFT volumes, plus the Rob Liefeld/Spike Lee commercial adaptation and exclusive pinups by R Crumb, Scottie Young, Jim Rugg, Ben Marra, and more…! Shaw’s side delivers an all-new, 24-page issue of his thoughtful and funny exploration of human endeavor and social interaction as seen through the lives of two cosplayers. Enjoy the works of two of the great contemporary graphic novelists of their generation! With exclusive wraparound cover by Piskor.
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 ICE BAYOU BLACKOUT
(W) Doug Wagner, Ron Marz (A) Daniel Hillyard, Nelson Blake (CA) Jason PearsonWhen a group of Chechen mercenaries attacks New Orleans, I.C.E. agents Cole and Ezra must stop them before they can complete their mission to destroy a main hub of the US power grid! To keep these murdering psychopaths from achieving their goal, Cole must let go of his fear and unleash his true self. As an added bonus, this FCBD issue includes an extended preview of the next installment of critically acclaimed anthology The Ride, from writer Ron Marz and artist Nelson Blake!
Rating: Teen
FCBD 2015 JOJOS BIZARRE ADVENTURE AND YU GI OH
(W/A) Hirohiko Araki, Kazuki TakahashiJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, from Hirohiko Araki, is a groundbreaking manga famous for its outlandish characters, wild humor and frenetic battles. A multigenerational tale of the heroic Joestar family and their never-ending battle against evil! Yu-Gi-Oh! by Kazuki Takahashi tells the story of 10th grader Yugi, a game obsessed kid who one day solves the “Millennium Puzzle”, an Egyptian artifact that holds the spirit of a master gambler from the age of the Pharoahs! Possessed by the puzzle, Yugi becomes Yu-Gi-Oh, the King of Games, and battles evildoers in the Shadow Games… weird games with high stakes and high risks!
Rating: Teen
FCBD 2015 JURASSIC STRIKE FORCE 5 ONE SHOT
This is the prequel issue to Silver Dragon Books’ All-Ages hit series featuring Earth’s Original heroes!
The evil Zalex has returned to shatter Earth’s peace with his army of mutated dino-soldiers. Now the Jurassic Strike Force 5 will be called into action to stop Zalex’s evil plan!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 KODANSHA COMICS SAMPLER
Publisher: KODANSHA COMICS(W/A) Various (CA) Hajime IsayamaIf you aren’t reading Attack on Titan, you’re missing out on the biggest manga and anime phenomenon to sweep the world in years. But don’t worry, now you have the chance to see what all the fuss is about with an excerpt from the first volume, along with samples from other top manga series, including Fairy Tail, The Seven Deadly Sins, Noragami, and more!
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 LADY JUSTICE
(W) C. J. Henderson (A) Daniel Brereton & Various (CA) Michael Netzer & VariousBack in print for the first time in two decades! Lady Justice FCBD edition reprints issue #1 of Neil Gaiman’s lost comics classic.
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 LEGENDARY COMICS SAMPLER
Working with industry-leading talent such as Grant Morrison, Frazer Irving, Matt Wagner, Simon Bisley, Judd Winick, Geoff Shaw, Jonathan Hennessey and Shane Davis, we’ve created an ever-growing library of thrilling sagas including Annihilator, Epochalypse, A Town Called Dragon, The Harvester, The Tower Chronicles: DreadStalker and more, alongside cinematic tie-ins such as Godzilla: Awakening and the best-selling Pacific Rim: Tales from Year Zero. Join us this Free Comic Book Day as we unveil an exclusive first look at the exciting next chapter of Legendary Comics
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 MARCH GRAND PRIX
(W/A/CA) Kean SooA Free Comic Book Day 2015 sneak peek of the new, turbo-charged graphic novel by Kean Soo, author of the award-winning series JELLABY! March Hare wants to be the fastest and furriest racecar driver around. But first, this rabbit racer must prove his skills at the speedway, on the streets, and in the desert. With pedal-to-the-metal illustrations and full-throttle action, MARCH GRAND PRIX is sure to be a winner! Featuring a full tank of bonus materials: creator Q & A, pinup art, and much more.
Rating: All-Ages
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Reviews, Top News, FCBD, FCBD 2015, Add a tag
I’ve finished reading all fifty Free Comic Book Day titles for 2015!
This year’s been better than most… there were very few which made me wonder why someone spent time and money to produce something so lackluster.
Since most stores limit how many titles a customer can select, I have selected what I think are the best titles from this year.
To make it easier, I’ve selected two titles, one for adults, one for kids, which I think are the best of the lot. They are:
FCBD 2015 HIP HOP FAMILY TREE 3-IN-1 FEATURING COSPLAYERS (MR)
and
FCBD 2015 COMICS FESTIVAL
Please realize that the best titles this year are all Silver sponsors, which means that some stores may have limited quantities available, or none at all.
Honorable Mention:
FCBD 2015 DARK HORSE ALL AGES AVATAR PVZ BANDETTE
FCBD 2015 STEAMPUNK GOLDILOCKS
FCBD 2015 MERCURY HEAT DEBUT (MR)
(W) Kieron Gillen (A/CA) Omar Francia[No summary, age rating.]
FCBD 2015 MOTORCYCLE SAMURAI
(W/A/CA) Chris SheridanLook hard into the storm clouds. You may yet see her, mounted on her electric steed, streaking past. The last hero of the West… THE MOTORCYCLE SAMURAI! It’s been called “the new benchmark for indie digital comics.” Now discover the mad genius of The Motorcycle Samurai for yourself, as Chris Sheridan does the unthinkable: brings his creation to print! Top Shelf celebrates FREE COMIC BOOK DAY with 24 pages of full-color action, whetting appetites around the world for the future release of The Motorcycle Samurai graphic novel. Now saddle up and let’s ride!
Rating: Teen
FCBD 2015 SUPERMUTANT MAGIC ACADEMY STEP ASIDE POPS COMBO
(W/A/CA) Jillian Tamaki, Kate BeatonDrawn & Quarterly celebrates its 25th year in publishing with this special edition all-ages FCBD previewing two of its biggest books for 2015.
Kate Beaton is back with Step Aside, Pops! her 2015 follow-up to her bestselling debut, Hark! A Vagrant, with more irreverent and hilarious comics on history and literature. Sharing the billing is Jillian Tamaki, best known for co-creating Skim and This One Summer – moody and atmospheric award winners. SuperMutant Magic Academy, which Jillian has been serializing online for the past four years, paints a teenaged world filled with just as much ennui and uncertainty, but also with a sharp dose of humor. Drawn & Quarterly’s FCBD showcases two of the best known women in comics today and is ideal for retailers looking to expand and diversify their customer base.
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 TEEN TITANS GO SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP
DC Entertainment’s all-ages FCBD special edition has two tales for readers of all ages! The Teen Titans are back in Teen Titans Go! Chapter 10, and Scooby Doo Team Up! #6 features the Super Friends! Readers will want to follow the adventures of the Teen Titans in Teen Titans Go! Volume 1, and Scooby Doo’s adventure with the Super Friends will continue in the forthcoming collected edition of Scooby Doo Team-Up! Super-hero adventures for readers of all ages have never been so much fun!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 2000 AD SPECIAL
(W) Matt Smith & Various (A) Norm Breyfogle & VariousThe galaxy’s greatest Eisner-nominated SF anthology returns to Free Comic Book Day with a 48 page zarjaz line-up of stories. In Through the Out Door, a brand new story from Matt Smith and Norm Breyfogle, Judge Dredd uses the iron fist of the law to settle a block dispute; in 3000 AD some jobs are murder, as proved by The Traveller from Mick McMahon; galactic frontiersman Ajax Bloodthirsty meets his match on the astronomical object of oblivion known as the Death Rock in a new tale from Ben Willsher and Barry Krishna; the Grand Master of Termight is sickened to find that his final resting place has been defiled by the legendary alien freedom fighter, Nemesis the Warlock in Tomb of Torquemada by Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill; wizened master of the occult, Doctor Sin returns to pass on his mantle (and battle a demon) in Don’t Call It A Comeback by Rob Williams and Luca Pizzari; pilot of the future, Dan Dare, discovers an alien satellite in Star Slayer by Dave Gibbons and Gerry-Finley Day; Celtic warrior Sláine acquaints more enemies with his axe in A Simple Killing by Pat Mills and Simon Davis; Judge Dredd upholds the law in some classic Dredd newspaper strips by John Wagner, Alan Grant and Ron Smith; and Prepare your mind to be melted by Tharg’s Alien Invasions from supreme craz-o-naut Henry Flint.If this wasn’t enough each strip comes with a FREE digital story attached!
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 AVENGERS #1
WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE FREE COMIC BOOK DAY THEN BY ASSEMBLING EARTH’S MIGHTIEST-AND MOST POPULAR-HEROES?!
Iron Man! Captain America! Thor! Black Widow! Hawkeye! Hulk! Vision! Everyone’s favorite heroes take on a dangerous new threat!
Rating: All-Ages
(W/A/CA) Jay P. FosgittWith a mix of playfully irreverant humor, attention-grabbing art and incredible heart, BODIE TROLL is a perfect first comic to give to a non-comic-reader of any age. In an all-new exclusive adventure, things turn ugly for cute BODIE TROLL when he gets hijacked into that most agonizing of events – a little girl’s tea party! Plus, an all-new adventure from the world of DRONE and previews of 2015 Red 5 favorites and new faces.
Rating: All-Ages
(W/A) Various (CA) Dean TrippeFor over 25 years, the CBLDF has fought to protect your right to read, and that crusade continues with this light-hearted look at a serious topic. Defend Comics is a sampler of the great YA comics available, and explores the censorship of comics with some of today’s most talented creators!
Writers on Defend Comics include Andi Watson, Gene Yang, George O’Connor, Dan Parent, Larry Marder and Jorge Aguirre, with art by Watson, Sonny Liew, O’Connor, Parent, Marder, and Rafael Rosado.
Stories include “The Green Turtle Fights for Free Speech!” by Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew, “Rabbids!,” “Princess Decompsia and Count Spatula” by Andi Watson, “Beanworld” by Larry Marder, “Archie Presents Kevin Keller” by Dan Parent, “Giants Beware!” by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado, and “A Tale of the Olympians: The Ears of King Midas” by George O’Connor.
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 COMICS FESTIVAL
(W/A) VariousIt’s a Comics Festival! Continuing the tradition of featuring all-new short stories by some of the greatest comics creators in Canada! A wonderful showcase for existing and forthcoming comics & graphic novels! Here’s who’s inside:
* Cover by Isabelle Arsenault (Jane, The Fox, and Me).
* Back Cover by Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy, Teen Boat)
Plus:
* Lady’s Favor, by Kate Beaton (Hark, A Vagrant)
* The Boss, by Mariko Tamaki (Skim, This One Summer) and Gillian Goerz
* In Real Life: Con Game, by Cory Doctorow (Little Brother) and Jen Wang (Koko Be Good).
* Once Upon a Pony, by Svetlana Chmakova (Nightschool)
* Superhero Girl: The Death of Kevin, by Faith Erin Hicks (Friends with Boys)
* Costume Quest, by Zac Gorman (Magical Game Time)
Rating: Teen+
(W) Ed Piskor, Dash Shaw (A) Ed Piskor & Various (CA) Ed PiskorFeaturing Ed Piskor’s Hip Hop Family Tree series and Dash Shaw’s Cosplayers! Piskor’s half features excerpts from all three existing HHFT volumes, plus the Rob Liefeld/Spike Lee commercial adaptation and exclusive pinups by R Crumb, Scottie Young, Jim Rugg, Ben Marra, and more…! Shaw’s side delivers an all-new, 24-page issue of his thoughtful and funny exploration of human endeavor and social interaction as seen through the lives of two cosplayers. Enjoy the works of two of the great contemporary graphic novelists of their generation! With exclusive wraparound cover by Piskor.
Rating: Teen+
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FCBD 2015 BOBS BURGERS
Publisher: D. E.(W) Mike Olsen & Various (A) Bradley C. Rader & VariousBob’s Burgers, the hit TV show created by Loren Bouchard, is now a comic book! The Belcher family – parents Bob and Linda, and their children Tina, Gene, and Louise – appear in this special Free Comic Book Day edition that collects the “Best Of” in-canon stories from Dynamite’s first-ever Bob’s Burgers comic book series. Thrill to Tina’s Friend Fiction, Louise’s Unsolved Mysteries and Curious Curiosities, Gene Belcher Presents: The Musical, and more! It’s an all-ages extravaganza that captures the feel of Bob’s Burgers perfectly – because it’s a comic 100% created by show writers and animators!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 BONGO COMICS FREE-FOR-ALL!
(W/A/CA) Matt GroeningGet in line for the foremost Free Comic Book Day four-color giveaway of the year! When Bart brings one of Professor Frink’s recent discoveries to school, it leads to some hair-raising hilarity. Then, Lisa finds a doorway to an ancient past, CBG gets a hip -new girlfriend, and Homer tries his hand at some home improvement. And much more.
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 BOOM STUDIOS 10TH ANNIVERSARY FCBD SPECIAL
(W) Grace Ellis & Various (A) Vicki Scott & Various
2015 is BOOM! Studios’ Tenth Anniversary year, and to help us celebrate we’ve gathered short stories from several current and new all-ages titles for Free Comic Book Day, offering an oversized, full-color issue that showcases 10 all-ages-friendly titles from our Archaia, BOOM! Box, and KaBOOM! imprints. The BOOM! Studios Ten Year Celebration 2015 Free Comic Book Day Special features a cover illustrated by Mouse Guard creator David Petersen and will contain the following stories:
Jim Henson’s Labyrinth
“Wisdom and Idioms” Written and Illustrated by Cory Godbey
An all-new short based on Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. The Wiseman and his bird try to find some humor in the magical world of Labyrinth.Iscariot
Written and Illustrated by S.M. Vidaurri
Young Carson discusses magic and time with a wizard in this special preview of the upcoming Archaia original graphic novel written and illustrated by Iron: Or, the War After creator S.M. Vidaurri.Mouse Guard
“Service to Seyan”
Written and Illustrated by David Petersen
An excerpt from Mouse Guard: Baldwin the Brave and Other Tales. Gwendolyn learns about her mother Alma and the great warrior hall of Seyan.Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake: Card Wards
Created by Pendleton Ward
Written by Jen Wang
Illustrated by Britt Wilson
A brand-new Fionna & Cake short from writer Jen Wang (In Real Life) and Britt Wilson (Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake)! Fionna and Cake are on the search for an opponent for Cake to play against in Card Wars.Regular Show
“Coffee Shop Special!”
Created by JG Quintel
Written by Kevin Church
Illustrated by Coleman Engle
Based on the hit Cartoon Network animated series, Eileen and Margaret make Muscle Man his special drink.Peanuts
“Dogstoevsky”
Created by Charles M. Schulz
Story by Charles M. Schulz
Pencils by Vicki Scott
Snoopy looks to finally become the World’s Greatest Author, but Lucy’s help may not be the helpful push he needs.Garfield
“Fast Feline”
Created by Jim Davis
Written by Mark Evanier
Illustrated by Andy Hirsch
Nothing can keep Garfield from a good meal, even if it means having to beat the fastest cat to get it.Lumberjanes
Created by Shannon Watters, Noelle Stevenson & Grace Ellis
Written by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis
Illustrated by Brooke Allen
When the Lumberjanes aren’t taking care of pesky critters or crazy demigods, they’re making fun crafts like friendship bracelets. Friendship to the max!Munchkin
“Table of Contents”
Written and Illustrated by John Kovalic
Fight the monsters, steal the treasure, and backstab your buddy! A wandering monster table appears in this short from the illustrator of the hit card game Munchkin, John Kovalic.Help Us! Great Warrior
Written and illustrated by Madeleine Flores
Based on the hit webcomic and new miniseries from Madeleine Flores. Great Warrior gets attacked on the road!Rating: All-Ages
I really want to see a raccoon rodeo…
FCBD 2015 DARK CIRCLE COMICS #1 (MR)
(W) Duane Swierczynski & Various (A) Michael Gaydos & Various (CA) Francesco FrancavillaTHE BLACK HOOD! THE FOX! THE SHIELD! Get in on the ground floor of Dark Circle Comics and experience the cinematic and creator-driven reinventions of these iconic properties. Who is the new Shield? How did the Black Hood come to be? Can things get more unpredictable for The Fox? Learn the secrets of the Dark Circle universe from the creators themselves via sneak peeks at the new series, creator interviews and a first glance at the next Dark Circle series – all held together by an eye-popping cover from Afterlife with Archie artist Francesco Francavilla!
Rating: Mature Readers
FCBD 2015 DARK HORSE FIGHT CLUB THE GOON THE STRAIN (MR)
(W) Chuck Palahniuk & Various (A) Cameron Stewart & Various (CA) David MackDark Horse Comic’s most thrilling FCBD to date . . . Chuck Palahniuk and Cameron Stewart premiere Fight Club! Eric Powell with all-new tragedy in The Goon! And Guillermo del Toro presents an all-new chapter from The Strain! Need we say more?
Rating: Mature Readers
FCBD 2015 DC COMICS DIVERGENCE
Publisher: DCA first look at upcoming storylines! DC Comics: Divergence features three 8-page previews for the June releases of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman, as well as Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok’s launch of the “Darkseid War” within Justice League featuring the biggest villains in the DCU – Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor, and Gene Luen Yang’s DC Comics debut with celebrated artist John Romita, Jr on Superman.
Rating: Teen
FCBD 2015 DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL
(W) Robbie Morrison & Various (A) Elena Casagrande & VariousTake a blistering trip through time and space with three stunning ALL-NEW short stories featuring Tenth Doctor, Eleventh Doctor and the brand-new Twelfth Doctor by the ongoing DOCTOR WHO creative teams – PLUS a sneak peek of the TOP SECRET Summer 2015 event! Be the first to get a hint of the epic that will shake the Doctor to his core! It’s an unmissable read for fans, and the perfect primer for anyone looking to jump on board the TARDIS!
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 PERFECT SQUARE PRESENTS POKEMON
(W) Hidenori Kusaka (A) VariousAll your favorite Pokémon game characters jump out of the screen into the pages of this action-packed comic! Legendary Pokémon Xerneas and Yveltal ‘s battle against each other is destroying Vaniville Town. Can X and Y save the town in Pokémon X o Y?!
Bonus Feature: More action in Pokémon Adventures and Pokémon Adventures Black and White!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 SAVAGE DRAGON LEGACY
(W/A/CA) Erik LarsenThe generational saga of Savage Dragon reaches a new milestone as Malcolm Dragon graduates high school and follows his father’s footsteps to the Chicago Police Department. Every young new officer has a lot to live up to, but for the son of a world famous figure as renowned as he is reviled, navigating the world of law enforcement is especially challenging. The cost of failure is high in a city becoming more dangerous by the day: Can Malcolm step out of his father’s shadow and become the hero Chicago needs, or is he doomed to make the same mistakes?
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 SECRET WARS #0
Prepare yourself for the final days of the Marvel Universe as you know it as the march to the biggest comic event of the year continues! From the ashes of a decimated cosmos rises…Battleworld! Amid the strange, patchwork realm, refugees from thousands of obliterated universes struggle for survival. Even if they can endure the horrors of Battleworld – the home they knew has been destroyed! Time has run out, and the opening salvo of Secret Wars has been fired. But can anything restore the Marvel Universe that once was?
Rating: Teen+
FCBD 2015 SPONGEBOB FREESTYLE FUNNIES
(W/A) Graham Anable (CA) Gregg Schigiel, Rick NeilsenThis year’s SpongeBob Comics FCBD offering features a 22-page story by Boxtrolls director and Grickle cartoonist Graham Annable. In “Tangy!” Plankton’s new special sauce made from jellyfish jelly has strange effects on SpongeBob and Bikini Bottom’s residents. The only one unaffected, the only one who can save them all, is a very reluctant Squidward. Plus more undersea sequential stories by James Kochalka, Maris Wicks, Gregg Schigiel. and other awesome aquatic artists!
Rating: All-Ages
FCBD 2015 TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE #0
(W) John Barber, Tom Scioli (A) Priscilla Tramontano, Tom Scioli (CA) Priscilla TramontanoOPTIMUS PRIME is gone-and DECEPTICONS are on the loose! It’s up to BUMBLEBEE and an elite crew of AUTOBOTS to track them down before their rampage spreads across Earth! TRANSFORMERS comics have never been hotter, and the excitement spreads to this all-original comic inspired by the all-new animated series! Plus: previews of IDW and Hasbro unbelievable publishing slate for 2015, including an exclusive TRANSFORMERS VS. G.I. JOE strip!
Rating: All-Ages
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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WOW! Forbidden Planet in New York City, one of the oldest and best comics retailers in the country, has an amazing amount of events planned this week!
First off, on New Comics Wednesday:
Dan Slott and Chris Miskiewicz will be signing from 6 PM until…?
Then, on Thursday, the 30th, things get really interesting!
Words fail me, so here’s some PR:
Forbidden Planet is stoked to announce a Troma signing on Thursday April 30th at 7PM! The Troma Team and Ship to Shore Phone Co. are celebrating the release of the Class of Nuke ‘Em High Original Soundtrack Lp and the Blu-ray releases of Class of Nuke “Em High Part 2 and The Toxic Avenger part 2!
Meet Lloyd Kaufman (Troma President and creator of The Toxic Avenger), Ethan Hurt(Composer of the Class of Nuke ‘Em High Theme), and Lisa Gaye (star of Class of Nuke ‘ Em High 2 & 3, Toxic Avenger 2-4, and many more Troma classiscs!
That’s right! Blu-Ray!
Friday? They take a break. Because Saturday is Free Comic Book Day!!!!
And what an amazing signing! Ed Piskor! Dash Shaw! At Noon! (Oooh… what if they collaborated? My mind reels…)
Here’s the fine print, and it’s mighty fine!
Forbidden Planet NYC will be giving away bags of comics starting at 9am, May 2nd. All ages bags will also be provided as this is a family-friendly event and there’s little else we like more than comics in the hands of a new generation of readers. We give away COMPLETE bags of books until we start running out of titles, and will do so as supplies last, so remember to ARRIVE EARLY.
Didja see that? COMPLETE BAGS!
Madness.
But pretty dang cool.
What’s more, ALL comic books, graphic novels and manga in stock will be ON SALE at 15% OFF for the entire day!!!
Buy one of those gigantic colossal Artist Editions. Or grab something for your niece, nephew, cousin in their great kids section! Lots of toys, games, t-shirts, collectibles as well!
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Doctor Who is here to stay…at least for the next five years. Whovians around the world have reason to celebrate today, as the BBC reported executive producer Steven Moffat’s comments to Doctor Who Magazine that the rebooted series would do a “minimum of 15 years” in total. Ben Stephenson, BBC’s outgoing head of drama commissioning was even more optimistic, saying: “As long as the people looking after it are passionate about it… there’s absolutely no reason why it can’t do another 50 years.” This announcement comes on the heels of the new series’ 10 year anniversary, celebrated by fans across the world. The show’s popularity has led even mainstream outlets like MTV News to cover the anniversary, ranking the modern episodes in order of quality.
When the modern version of the series went on the air in 2005, Doctor Who was largely unknown to mainstream America. The adventures of the time-traveling, two-hearted alien known only as “The Doctor” were confined to PBS rebroadcasts of the original or “Classic” series, which was produced by the BBC from 1963-1989. Low production values and the show’s undeniable Britishness were barriers to crossover success in the States, though a cult following developed among science fiction fans who grew up watching the series.
That all changed in 2010 when BBC America licensed the show for broadcast in the United States. Instead of waiting months for rebroadcasts of episodes, they now waited weeks. Perhaps there is no better bellwether of the shows immense Stateside popularity than the town of Denton, TX. Local comic book store retailer Tim Stoltzfus of More Fun Comics lobbied to nab an exclusive cover and won. Titan Comics released 29 variant covers for Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Issue 1 and among them was a cover featuring the TARDIS parked outside the Denton County Courthouse.
The recognition drew the attention of Denton Mayor Chris Watts, who drew up a proclamation declaring April 4, 2015 “Dr. Who Day” in Denton. Local Whovians attended a reading of the proclamation in front of the courthouse where local a local cosplay group erected a TARDIS prop. Brothers Travis and Tom Huston attended the ceremony, dressed as the Eleventh and Tenth Doctors, respectively. Tom, 12, liked seeing “so many Whovians,” while Travis, 9, said: “there aren’t many great shows on like it, our whole family watches it together.” Both brothers agreed it was “really awesome that our courthouse is on the cover.”
Likely the Houston brothers are among the fans excited for the upcoming three Doctor issue to be released on May 2nd, Free Comic Book Day. Check out the cover and preview pages below:
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[When visiting the German-language sites below, I suggest using Google Chrome, or another web browser which allows for easy translation of German. And if you read only one thing from this post, it should be this.]
Guten Tag!
Germany… it’s a bit of a conundrum in Continental comics.
Smack dab in the middle of Europe, it gets a lot of comics imported from other countries, mostly from neighboring Belgium and France. It has a bit of a comics tradition, especially with “Sarkasmus”. Satirical and social commentary, usually featuring tricksters, has been a literary tradition of Germany since at least Til Eulenspiegel, and even the official comics museum in Hannover, Deutsches Museum für Karikatur und Zeichenkunst Wilhelm Busch, features as much emphasis on caricature and editorial cartoons as it does on comics.
Yet, with numerous outlets for comics for both children and adults (Micky Maus Magazin sold over a million copies weekly at its peak, and there are numerous comics aimed at adults), there haven’t been many notable comics produced until recently. However, with the rise of the Internet and the worldwide popularity of manga, coupled with American publishers acquiring titles which are then licensed worldwide, there is a vibrant comics scene in Germany, and many titles worthy of export.An interesting ripple… A lot of Germans speak and read English, as the two languages are closely related linguistically, and many students learn it early in school. It is not uncommon to walk into a German comics shop and see a wall full of the latest Wednesday comics imported from the U.S. (actually Diamond UK). Fans, regardless of nationality, hate to wait for the translation, and will read the comics in the original American. Does this impact the circulation of the licensed translations? Probably not… as with America, there seems to be two markets: comics shops aimed at collectors, newsstands aimed at the general reader. Generally, with the superhero soap opera comics, the German publisher will collect multiple issues into an omnibus-style magazine, either as a thick digest, or a slimmer square-bound magazine. (Click the Panini link below for examples.)
So, here’s a brief introduction, with a few suggestions for further exploration if you’re curious.
In English:
The Goethe Institute has a great introductory website for German comics! (It also includes links to various sites and publishers.)
- An independent cultural organization funded in part by the German government.
- 160 locations in 94 countries worldwide. In the U.S.: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, DC, New York City, Boston. Each location has a library.
- And an online library catalog! (76 “comics” titles at NYC! 564 worldwide!)
[Anyone have a list of German comics translated into English?]
Wer ist wem? (Who’s who)
Rupolphe Töpffer, from Geneva, Switzerland, is one of the forefathers of comics, creative during the first half of the Nineteenth Century. Writing originally in French, his influence spread to Germany and the United States. (The University Press of Mississippi has published two massive volumes on his work.)
Wilhelm Busch is the godfather of German comics. An illustrator and writer, he is best known for “Max und Moritz”, a cautionary tale of two scamps. (You can read an old English translation here.) His satirical poetry caused many an uproar, and he was censored for satirizing the hypocrisy of the Catholic church.
Dr. Erika Fuchs is the second-most influential person in German comics. From 1951 until retiring in 1988, she was the chief editor and translator of Disney comics in Germany. Her high standards and references to classical German texts gained her renown among Disney fans. Her use of verbs as onomatopoeia and soundless events (such as “shiver” or “gulp”) has influenced Internet chat dialogue in Germany, where the use of such terms (such as *runs away*) is known as Erikativ. (A detailed explanation for grammaticists, linguists, and Donaldists can be found here, with animated comparisons between the original English comics and German translations. Please note that Disney comics no longer use machine lettering.)
Where should you go?
Here’s a “Comics Messe” list of conventions in German-speaking Europe.
The biggest comics show in Germany is held in northern Bavaria: the International Comics Salon Erlangen. A biennial comics art festival, it is the German equivalent of Angoulême, although not yet as crowded. (2014 attendance: 25,000) They award the Max und Moritz Preis via a jury, with one audience-voted prize. The titles are international in scope, honoring both local cartoonists as well as translated works. (Read my recap of the 2012 show.)
The other big show? The Frankurt Book Fair. A massive publishing trade show, they allow the public in on the weekend. Since comics have always been popular, publishers and organizers know to schedule events to entice fans. They even host the German Cosplay championship! Of course, there’s also an award: the annual Deutsche Cartoonpreis.
Since 2006, the Frankfurt Book Fair and Carlsen Verlag have awarded the “German Cartoon Prize for new talent”. Since 2012 the “German Cartoon Prize” in categories A and B have been awarded.
“A” stands for cartoonists who have not yet published a book. “B” is for cartoonists who have already published at least one book.
You can buy the anthology book here. Here are the winners from last year:
A museum:
Wilhelm Busch – Deutsches Museum für Karikatur und Zeichenkunst
In addition to the greater part of Wilhelm Busch’s complete artistic oeuvre, the German Museum for Caricature and Graphic Art in the George Garden in Hannover is home to a collection of more than 35.000 works by internationally celebrated representatives of the art of pictorial satire.
Among those represented are such great names from the past as Hogarth, Daumier, Grandville and Goya, as well as popular “modern classics” of the world of humour such as Ungerer, Sempé and Loriot. And of course, Wilhelm Busch simply can’t be left out.
Want to follow what’s going on NOW in German comics?
An online retailer.
(Yeah, Amazon also has a German branch…)
Free Comic Book Day in Germany!
34 titles! (Wow! That French “Beauty and the Beast” comic looks amazing!)
Newspapers and news sites covering comics!
- Der Tagesspiegel (Here’s a link to their Best of 2014 titles.)
- Süddeutschen Zeitung
- Spiegel
- A German webcomics portal!
- MyComics.de, a very robust comics site! (Their blog!)
- Zack Magazine “The magazine of European comics culture” They also publish graphic albums, mostly French comics.
- Comicforum Yup. An online forum for German comics! (And all the other stuff comics geeks follow!)
- Animexx.de A German online site for fans of manga, anime, and Japanese culture.
- Graphic Novels A German news blog about graphic novels.
A brief listing of German publishers:
Carlsen Verlag, strong in German manga, but also strong in licensed and original work
Ehapa, owned by powerhouse Egmont. As with other Egmont houses throughout Europe, they publish, almost exclusively, licensed titles aimed at kids. That means Disney, Asterix, Lucky Luke, as well as other imports. (Jaw dropping fact: Micky Maus Magazin has a weekly circulation of 125,000, and a weekly readership of 623,000! 10.7% of kids ages 6-13! Of course, adults read it too! To put that into perspective… there are some 54 million kids age 5-17 in the U.S.! Imagine five million kids reading a comic book each week….)
Panini Comics Deutschland Once owned by Marvel in the 1990s, Panini is best known in the U.S. for their sticker albums. In Germany, they license just about every American comics title available.
Reprodukt is a publisher of literary graphic novels. If you flip through their catalogs, you’ll see the usual suspects. A very good list!
Avant Verlag is a general publisher, but has a very strong catalog of original German graphic novels, as well as imports.
Tokyopop [No! Really!] Apparently, Kodansha and Viz haven’t figured out the German market yet, so Tokyopop has the German licenses for Deathnote, Bleach, Hetalia… as well as publishing local talent.
And some recommendations:
- Haarmann (Hardcover) von Peer Meter, Isabel Kreitz
“Fritz Haarmann, one of the most brutal serial killer in Europe, worked as an informant for the Hanover police. Night after night he roamed the waiting rooms of the station looking for young, unaccompanied men. With the help of his police identification card he could gain the trust of his victims. He led them to his apartment, raped them and with a sexual frenzy, bit them in the throat.” (One of the inspiration for “M”, and the subject of Fassbinder’s “The Tenderness of Wolves”.)
- Genius of Wilhelm Busch: Comedy of Frustration by Wilhelm Busch; translated by Walter Arndt
Readily available in the United States. English translation of Busch’s work.
- Deutsche Welle has a nice video report on a travelling exhibition of German comics art, which I can’t embed. Here’s the catalog to the exhibition. (Here’s hoping it crosses the pond!)
- E. O. Plauen was a popular, and tragic, figure in German cartooning. A master of the silent cartoon, best known for Vater und Sohn, he was arrested by the Nazi regime in 1944 and committed suicide the day before his trial.
- An actual professional organization! Der Interessenverband Comic, Cartoon, Illustration und Trickfilm e.V. ICOM. They represent cartoonists, comics creators, and animators as a trade group, publishing guidelines and promoting the craft.
- And finally…. from 2011, a book list from the Frankfurt Book Fair which inspired this post! “Borders”.
- …and another list from 2013, in German AND English!
Comics in German have now made it into the mainstream of society. For this reason, more and more publishers are now showing an interest in the new forms of storytelling that are unique to this illustrated genre. Our selection demonstrates this with a wealth of new names, who represent a broad spectrum of both subject matter and graphical techniques. It was the term “graphic novel” that first broke the ice. Booksellers and readers alike expect that the comics listed under this heading will offer meaningful content as well as a wide diversity of styles. For instance, it is now just as common to see journalism in comic form as it is to find experimental design work in terms of page architecture or picture structure.
At the same time, an intriguing development can be seen with the rapid growth in the number of literary adaptations. This means comics are tapping into entirely new strata of readership.
They are now gaining some cachet among the sort of booklovers who would, until now, have been sceptical of the quality of their subject matter.
From fairy tales to novellas and novels, every literary genre now seems to provide a suitable challenge for the comics illustrator. Publishers such as Suhrkamp and Edition Büchergilde have even launched their own special comics series for adaptations of famous works.
German-language comics have therefore broken into a field that was hitherto covered only by foreign language publications. And new opportunities are emerging for illustrators, who for years have complained about the dearth of good stories. The enthusiastic reactions of readers and critics alike to the new works make it clear that the comic has now arrived in the German book market[Heilig Bimbam! Emil and the Detectives!?!]
- …and another from 2014! And the 2015 edition!
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By: Alexander Jones
After revealing the first wave of Free Comic Book Day titles, it was only a matter of time before the rest of them started to pop up. This next batch is very exciting, and full of fun offerings from all your favorite publishers with the big guns like Marvel and DC, along with Valiant, Comix Tribe, IDW, Image, Oni and the mysterious new Legendary Comics imprint that kicked off with Grant Morrison’s Annihilator. DC still has their titles blocked out with the letters ‘TOP SECRET’ sitting on the front page, it’s likely whatever these comics are will be revealed closer towards Convergence. Of course, Marvel is launching Avengers material close to their upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron film. Included in this silver collection of titles is a lot of material from other media, meant to turn you non-comics reading friends completely addicted to this medium. See if Attack on Titan, Avatar, or Sonic can hook your non-reading friends. Free Comic Book Day is on the first Saturday of May. CBR broke the news this morning with covers, and quick description information. All these titles are considered silver comics, with the gold titles being the first wave of books.
- 2000 AD Special–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- And Then Emily Was Gone–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Avengers #1–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Bodie Troll & Friends–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Captain Canuck–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- CBLDF Defend Comics–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Comics Festival–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Dark Horse All Ages Avatar PVZ Bandette–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- DC Comics Silver Book–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- GFT Wonderland Special Edition One Shot (MR)–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Graphix Spotlight Cleopatra In Space–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Gronk and Friends–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Hatter M Love of Wonder–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Hip Hop Family Tree 3-in-1 Featuring Cosplayers (MR)–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Ice Bayou Blackout–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Jojos Bizarre Adventure and Yu Gi Oh–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Jurassic Strike Force 5 One Shot–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Kodansha Comics Sampler–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Lady Justice–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Legendary Comics Sampler–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- March Grand Prix–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Mercury Heat Debut (MR)–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Motorcycle Samurai–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Overstreet Comic Book Marketplace–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Phantom Special–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Rabbids–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Sonic the Hedgehog Mega Man Worlds Unite Prelude–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Stan Lee Chakra The Invincible–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Steampunk Goldilocks–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Street Fighter Super Combo Special–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Stuff of Legend Call to Arms–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Supermutant Magic Academy Step Aside Pops Combo–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Tales of Honor–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Terrible Lizard #1–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- The Tick–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- TMNT Prelude to Vengeance–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Valiant 25TH Anniversary Special–FCBD 2015 EDITION
- Worlds of Aspen–FCBD 2015 EDITION
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This year’s Diamond Retailer Summit just wrapped up in Vegas and although we couldn’t be there, retailers have been socialing pictures and what not and I’ll have a round up on the news in a bit. Diamond also released some figures on Free Comic Book Day and it was a rousing success again:
• 4.65 million comic books ordered (3% increase)
• Over 2,100 participating store locations
• Over $3.2 Million in free publicity (45% increase)
• Over 380,000 fans on the FCBD Facebook page
• It was a nationally trending twitter topic Sat. from 8:30am-3pm
• Over 100K+ tweets (up 51% over 2013)
• 30K+ followers for FCBD (up 123%)
• 87% of retailers rated the event as Extremely Successful; 40% responded they had 500 or more customers.
I’ll have more statistics from the Summit shortly.
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: FCBD, Top Comics, FCBD 2014, Add a tag
And here are the final 24 (of 60) Free Comic Book Day titles!
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INTRINSIC VOL 2
Publisher: ARCANA STUDIO(W) Sean O’Reilly, Chris “Doc” Wyatt (A/CA) TBDTHE PHILOSOPHERS are an ancient secret order of magic-users who protect Earth. One of their number, ISHMAEL STONE, known as PHILOSOPHER REX, has assembled an elite team, called THE INTRINSIC to deal with the most serious threats from the outer realms. The team includes: KADE – the immortal warrior, KORE – the massive Demon-spawn, KINETIC – master of mental powers, JAS – a young spiritual warrior monk, and CANDICE CROW – the living embodiment of heat. But how will the Intrinsic react when they are called not to protect the Earth, but to protect themselves from it?
A slim volume, with character introductions and a brief comic story. Not interesting enough to grab my attention, and the artwork seems half-baked.
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IPSO FACTO (MR)
Publisher: AUTOMATIC PICTURES PUBLISHING(W) J.R. Rothenberg (A/CA) Jason Badower, Annette KwokA peaceful alien race secretly inhabiting Earth suddenly begins to flee when a satellite intended to eliminate nuclear war is launched. Meanwhile, a boy in Colorado, a lovestruck rebel without a cause, believes he’s going insane; his mind replaying a single message: “remember who you are… or this world ends.”
Some mystery, some conspiracy… Worth a look, but not my thing.
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LES MISERABLES FALL OF FANTINE
Publisher: UDON ENTERTAINMENT CORP(W) Victor Hugo (A/CA) Sunmei Lee18th Century France-REVOLUTION! The Monarchy has been overthrown, society has collapsed, the people are destitute… and desperate! In 2014 UDON Entertainment will bring Victor Hugo’s classic novel Les Miserables to comics in a bold new graphic novel adaptation! But this Free Comic Book Day, learn the story of Fantine, the beautiful, fragile, doomed heroine of Les Miz in this special stand-alone chapter. She will fall into poverty… and worse… and she will find salvation in the deeds of a stranger named Jean Valjean! This issue will be printed at UDON’s standard manga size of 5.25″ x 8.25″, and feature 48 pages of gripping story and brilliant artwork.
Les Mis has the generic uniform-line-width/colored-with-screens style. P&P has much more interesting artwork.
[Oooh… crazy idea: DC Elseworlds: “Batman: A Song of Angry Men”! Fantine=Catwoman]
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MAGIC WIND
Publisher: EPICENTER COMICS(W) Gianfranco Manfredi (A/CA) Pasquale FrisendaWith a shard of metal in his brain allowing him limited access to his past memories, and only being left with an astonishing ability to foresee the future through visions and premonitions, Ned Ellis is no ordinary man. Once a U.S soldier, he is now a Sioux Shaman who goes by the name of Magic Wind. This FCBD edition will give you an exciting extended preview of the thrilling upcoming graphic novel!
Spaghetti western comic from Italy. It might read better as a graphic novel.
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MOUSE GUARD LABYRINTH RUST HC
Publisher: BOOM ENTERTAINMENT(W/A) David Petersen & Various (CA) David PetersenWhen Archaia released their first hardcover FCBD offering two years ago, it was a rousing success with fans and retailers alike. Now they’re doing it again! Readers will get original, all-ages content from a powerhouse lineup of Archaia creators. Plus, the debut of FARSCAPE comics under the Archaia imprint!
Mouseguard, as expected, offers a nice story with a message. The Rust story is a snippet… but probably fits in somwhere in the bigger story. Labyrinth features Ludo and the Four Guards. Bolivar is about a dinosaur? Will O’ The Wisp features Missy, a normal raccoon, while Farscape is just a nice interlude.
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OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK MARKETPLACE
Publisher: GEMSTONE PUBLISHING(W) Robert M. Overstreet, J. C. VaughnA stunning visual representation of Batman’s 75th anniversary, a look (way) back at the origins of The Winter Soldier, a 20th anniversary chat with Billy Tucci about Shi, a look at the long and sometimes hidden history of Archie’s “Red Circle” line, a forgotten first appearance, and much more are featured in this FCBD 2014 issue of Overstreet’s Comic Book Marketplace!
Almost all text, as should be expected from a magazine such as this.
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PREVIEWSWORLD SPECTACULAR
Publisher: DIAMOND PUBLICATIONSThere’s no place like your favorite local comic shop, and every month PREVIEWS celebrates the cool comic books and merchandise available in stores! Now the team behind PREVIEWS and PREVIEWSworld.com takes an enthusiastic look at the worlds of FCBD and your local comic shop in this FCBD 2014 special! First, you get a primer on PREVIEWS with our comics story on how to use the PREVIEWS catalog and buy through your local comic shop’s subscription service. Plus, a “FCBD & Collecting Comics” story from the folks behind the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide on what makes reading and collecting comics so cool! Finally, we’ll take you behind the scenes of 2014′s FCBD titles with interviews with some of this year’s creators, including FCBD 2014′s Commemorative T-Shirt artist, Skottie Young! And we top all of that off with invaluable info on online resources, 2014 convention dates, cool contests to enter and more – all for FREE! Features a cool, Skottie Young cover celebrating FCBD!
A comic book guide to Diamonds Previews. Not a bad primer to comics, comics shops, and the industry. (Look! Charts!)
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SCAM CROSSWORDS #0
Publisher: COMIXTRIBE(W) Jason Ciaramella (A/CA) Joe MulveySpinning out of the pages of the super-powered con-man series, SCAM, Eisner-nominated writer Jason Ciaramella (The Cape) and “the most dangerous man in comics” Joe Mulvey bring you an explosive one-shot featuring SCAM’s ultimate villain: Crosswords! After being exiled from “Sin City”, Crosswords makes a power grab in Europe, using extreme means to take what he wants. His focus, however, never strays far from his ultimate goal of revenge on his old crew back in Vegas.
So Crosswords is a hitman/crime lord? Not quite sure what’s going on here.
The backup feature, “Hammered”, features a conman who muscles up by drinking copious amounts of alcohol. Popeye gets pickled?
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SCRATCH 9
Publisher: HERMES PRESS(W) Rob M. Worley (A) Jason T. Kruse (CA) Armand VillavertHe’s back for Free Comic Book Day! The world’s greatest superhero cat returns in this all-ages, all-cat, all-free funny-book featuring all-new stories! Scratch is an ordinary cat who can summon his nine lives to get himself and his pet posse out of a jam. This new edition is a direct lead-in to the summer’s monthly Scratch9 series: Cat of Nine Worlds! The fur starts flying here!
Scratch can access the abilities of his former lives. There’s supervillains, and a cameo by President Obama and Bo! The flipbook features Run & Amuk, featuring an orphan and his giant monster. When the monster gets worked up, the duo get zapped into the time stream.
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SHERWOOD TX BOONDOCK SAINTS DOUBLE FEAT
Publisher: 12 GAUGE COMICS LLC(W) Shane Berryhill & Various (A) Daniel Hillyard, Toby Cypress (CA) Andrew RobinsonA story older than all of us, told now for the first time… After the same biker gang who murdered his father leaves ROB HOOD for dead, he returns to seek revenge on an epic, blood-soaked scale. Combining the biker gang epic with Spaghetti Western sensibilities, SHERWOOD, TX retells the legend of Robin Hood as a modern day, noir-action opus. Hood is joined on his quest by Padre Elvin Tuck, Will Scarlet, and Little John, as they take on the crooked Sheriff of Nottingham, TX and his partners in crime, The Nobles biker gang and their leader John Prince. Included in this 12-Gauge FCBD issue is a special BOONDOCK SAINTS co-feature, written by film-franchise creator/writer/director Troy Duffy and comic scribe J.B. Love, with art by Toby Cypress! Fans of the film series won’t want to miss this short story/deleted scene from the original cult-classic film, as the MacManus brothers bring their brand of justice to the criminals of Boston, MA.
The initial story gives a decent introduction to the series, setting up the conflicts. Boondock Saints… no idea what’s going on, but it’s a nice story with some gratuitous violence.
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SHOWA HISTORY OF JAPAN
Publisher: DRAWN & QUARTERLY(W/A/CA) Shigeru MizukiShigeru Mizuki’s Showa: A History of Japan FCBD 2014 will offer a rare preview of the 2,000 page masterpiece on the history of modern Japan. The D+Q series will be published in four separate volumes throughout 2014 and early 2015 and this special FCBD edition will offer an excerpt of the harrowing period covering World War 2 and beyond. Award-winning author Shigeru Mizuki writes affectingly about the impact on the Japanese populace of world-changing moments including the devastating Second Sino-Japanese War, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the first half of the Pacific War. Mizuki is one of the early pioneers of manga and is one of the most beloved creators in Japanese comics.
http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/shopCatalogLong.php?item=a514204cdae83d Biographical, depicting the artist’s enlistment in the Japanese Navy.
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SKYWARD & MIDNIGHT TIGER
Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT(W) Jeremy Dale & Various (A) Jeremy Dale, Ray-Anthony Height (CA) Jeremy DaleBehold the Berserkers! Quinn and crew find themselves facing uncomfortable truths as sins of the past come back to reveal themselves. Fans old and new won’t want to miss the first look at what’s on the horizon for Quinn and Jack! And in Midnight Tiger, sometimes all it takes to become a hero is an unfortunate incident and a single split second decision. The origin of Midnight Tiger!
Skyward is a fantasy tale, in the style of Vikings or Game of Thrones (although not as ruthless). Midnight Tiger is the story of a teen who gets slashed by a super villain, then saved by a serum from a super hero.
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SONIC THE HEDGEHOG MEGA MAN FLIPBOOK #1
Publisher: ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS(W) Ian Flynn (A) Gary Martin & Various (CA) Tracy Yardley, T.RexIts TWO free comic books in ONE! Hot off the heels of the ultra-successful Sonic/Mega Man crossover event, “Worlds Collide”, comes a showcase issue of the hottest new storylines in both characters’ universes – exclusively for Free Comic Book Day! Sonic stars in “Blast to the Past” and the origin of his Freedom Fighters! Then, on the flipside of this issue, get ready for the “Mega Man X” crossover event with this primer story!
Mega Man X looks like a next-generation character (possibly the original Mega Man locked away until the world is ready for him). Sonic acts as a introductory primer, telling the backstories of the Freedom Fighters.
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STEAM WARS
Publisher: ANTARCTIC PRESS(W/A/CA) Fred PerryA not so long ago, in a galaxy relatively close by began an epic struggle on a world seized in the grip of an evil Victorian empire. Only a ragged alliance of rebels oppose the emperor and his black guard, but hope is fading. While fleeing from the steam-driven war machines of her imperial pursuers, Duchess Imoen stumbles across the home of the last Dragoon: the legendary storm foil warriors of ancient lore! This new (but strangely familiar) steam-fantasy epic will give thrills that haven’t been felt since 1977!
Cybersteampunk (yup… there are spaceships) version of “Star Wars”, with a few twists in the DNA to keep it legal and fun. If you like manga and/or parody, grab a copy.
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STREET FIGHTER #0
Publisher: UDON ENTERTAINMENT CORP(W) Ken Siu-Chong (A) Joe Ng & VariousSHO-RYU-KEN! UDON’s Street Fighter comics are back, and bigger than ever! Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, and all of the hadoken-hurling action you love graces the pages of this oversized new comic book! Developed specially for Free Comic Book Day, this issue includes brand-new stories for hardcore Street Fighter fans, and a stand-alone chapter from Street Fighter Origins: Akuma-the perfect introduction for newcomers to the Street Fighter universe!
I’ve never played the game (too many buttons, moves, combinations), so don’t know who any of these characters are. The stories are readable, but not memorable.
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TEEN TITANS GO #1 SPEC ED
Publisher: DC(W) Sholly Fisch, Merrill Hagan (A) Ben Bates, Jorge Corona (CA) Dan HippThis FCBD issue is the perfect place to start reading the sensational series based on Warner Bros. Animation’s hit animated show featured on Cartoon Network’s DC Nation Saturday morning programming block! Join Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Raven as they display their unique brand of hi-jinks, mayhem and justice! But giant pizza monsters aren’t the only dastardly and delicious villains on the menu… so dig in, Titans! Includes two exciting, action-packed stories that readers of all ages will enjoy!
A reprint of the first issue, showcasing the zaniness of the cartoon.
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THE SMURFS
Publisher: PAPERCUTZThe Smurfs return to Free Comic Book Day! This year’s offering features never-before-seen comic stories from Péyo starring everyone’s favorite blue bombshell: the Smurfette! It’s Smurftastically Free!
A Smurfette-centric story, complete with footnotes! Annoying Orange visits Comic-Con! Ariol meets his favorite author! And you’ll learn something about dinosaurs!
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THE TICK
Publisher: NEW ENGLAND COMICS(W) Jeff McClelland (A/CA) Duane Redhead[no summary]
This is a done-in-one story, where the Tick and Arthur must rescue their city from the Hoarder.
A fun read, as zany as the rest of the oeuvre.
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TOP SHELF KIDS CLUB
Publisher: TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS(W/A) Eric Orchard, Rob Harrell (CA) Eric OrchardHere at Top Shelf, we’re celebrating FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2014 with friends old and new — the latest lineup of the Top Shelf Kids Club! This FREE comic book contains an extensive preview of the upcoming MADDY KETTLE by Eric Orchard, as well as other stories by MONSTER ON THE HILL’s Rob Harrel, and the rest of the Top Shelf crew. Come on in and join the party!
The Maddy Kettle story hooks the reader, while the Monster on the Hill story shows that not all Monsters cause the same troubles.
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UBER THE FIRST CYCLE (MR)
Publisher: AVATAR PRESS INCAn ideal entry point into the world of Uber! Kieron Gillen and Caanan White electrified the comics community with their runaway hit, UBER in 2013. Now the creative team that revolutionized the super soldier genre is presenting a special Free Comic Book Day edition, Uber: The First Cycle! This is a history book told with the events of the first two story arcs woven into real-World history and with tons of all-new writing from Gillen, special new art and sneak-peaks of upcoming pages. This issue will bring readers new and old up to speed on the first two arcs of the Uber series, without ruining all the fun of reading the collected editions. It also serves as a direct teaser into the summer 2014 Uber story that promises to be the biggest and most shocking yet!
What if, as Russian troops entered Berlin towards the end of World War II, a mad German scientist unleashed super soldiers, decimating the Russian army, thereby changing the war dynamic? Yes, there are lots of text pieces, but it is an intriguing alternate history tale.
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VALIANT UNIVERSE HANDBOOK
Publisher: VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC(W/A) Various (CA) Lewis LaRosaThe Valiant Universe from A to Z! Discover for the very first time the untold origins and secrets of Valiant’s heroes and villains, all in one place! Everything you need to know about the Valiant Universe in 2014 and beyond can be found right here in the first official Valiant Handbook release… ever! Featuring artwork from a “murderer’s row” of comics brightest talents: Doug Braithwaite, Bryan Hitch, J.G. Jones, Esad Ribic, Clayton Crain, Clayton Henry, and more!
TL;DR
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V-WARS (Net) (MR)
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING(W) Jonathan Maberry (A) Alan Robinson (CA) Kevin EastmanNew York Times bestselling horror author Jonathan Maberry presents the chronicle of the first Vampire War in V-Wars! This all-new tale leading into this summer’s ongoing V-Wars series offers the first salvo in the battle between humans and hundreds of new species of vampires!
A virus escapes from the melting icecaps, and uses junk DNA to turn humans into various species (!) of vampire. Some vampires are normal citizens, others have become radical. There is a prose series as well. I found the text section in the back to be boring. (It should have been formatted as a Congressional hearing transcript.)
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WORLDS OF ASPEN
Publisher: ASPEN MLT INC(W) Vince Hernandez (A) Peter Steigerwald & VariousAspen’s popular zero issues return, and only in this exclusive Free Comic Book Day issue featuring two all new stories by Aspen’s finest! Vince Hernandez, creator of Charismagic and Trish Out of Water, offers his latest creation, the upcoming fairy-tale adventure series Damsels in Excess, along with brilliant series artist Mirka Andolfo (Trish Out of Water) in this special zero issue prelude–just in time for its summer release! Then, superstar colorist and creator Peter Steigerwald (Fathom, Soulfire), takes a journey into the furthest reaches of the universe in his first all-new Aspen series, The ZooHunters! Coming this fall, this new action-adventure series will redefine what it means to voyage beyond your wildest imagination! Get an exclusive first look with these thrilling zero issues, only available in Worlds of Aspen 2014!
Damsels in Excess, while maintaining the Aspen style of beauty, does offer an interesting setting: a realm ruled by five princesses, bereft of men. The art is a bit cartoony, which makes it accessible, and less cheesecakey. ZooHunters features a world of hunters and trappers, dealing in xenobiology. This could be interesting. I’ll wait for the trade.
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ZOMBIE TRAMP & EHMM THEORY (NET) (MR)
Publisher: DANGER ZONE(W) Dan Mendoza, Brockton McKinney (A) Dan Mendoza, Larkin Ford (CA) Dan MendozaAre you bold enough to take a ride with Janey, the Zombie Tramp?!? If you pick her up, she might just share the story of how she came to be the street walking dead!! Be brave so you can be ready for her all new series following this special issue! You also get a mind shattering sneak preview from the second volume of the coolest comic series you haven’t read yet… Ehmm Theory!
Ehmm Theory… he’s a guy who can travel the multiverse. Seems that there is an evil jester chimpanzee on his trail. Apparently the universe he’s in, in this story doesn’t have backgrounds. The Dry Spell preview? It doesn’t work.
Um… Yes, she’s a zombie. She has the magical ability to appear human. That is, a human female with inflated breasts and hips, no waist, and just enough clothing to keep her from breaking public indecency laws. No brokeback poses, at least… Yes, I get the joke… But if they had made her a rockerbilly rollergirl with some tats, more natural yet sexy curves, and a brain and wit, well, I would be more inclined to read it. And recommend it. It’s at the bottom of the list alphabetically and critically.
I guess I’m just disappointed in Action Lab. After Princeless and Molly Danger, I expected better. This issue could have been better. A wasted opportunity to showcase their more adult titles.
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Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: FCBD, Top Comics, FCBD 2014, Add a tag
The first half of the 2014 Silver Books (45 48 titles)!
Some were a bit hard to score (thanks to JHU Comics for offering ALL 60 titles! Four comics per customer.), but we preserved, trekking all over midtown!
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2000 AD SPECIAL
Publisher: REBELLION / 2000AD(W) John Wagner & Various (A) Ronald Smith & VariousThe Galaxy’s Greatest SF anthology returns to FCBD with this stellar line-up of stories! Dredd races to save a fellow Judge in “The Badge” from Matt Smith & Chris Burnham; Sláine stars in “Lord of the Beasts” by Pat Mills & Rafael Garres; Rogue Trooper recounts his bloody past in “Glass Zone” by Gerry Finley-Day & Dave Gibbons; and Psi-Judge Anderson faces a magical monstrosity in “Golem” by Alan Grant & Enric Romero! Plus: D.I. Harry Absalom (by Gordon Rennie & Tiernen Trevallion), Durham Red (by Leah Moore, John Reppion & Jan Duursema), Future Shock (by Henry Flint), and classic Dredd newspaper strips by John Wagner & Ron Smith!
A nice selection of stories, just like the regular weekly title.
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ADVENTURES OF JELLABY
Publisher: CAPSTONE PRESS(W/A/CA) Kean SooCapstone celebrates Jellaby, the award-winning series by Kean Soo! In this Free Comic Book Day 2014 special, ten-year-old Portia Bennett and her beloved purple monster, Jellaby, head to the great outdoors in two comic shorts, including the exclusive, never-before-in-print adventure “The Knot.” Also featuring a monster load of bonus materials: creator Q & A, pinup art, super-secret previews, and much, much more!
Yay! Jellaby is back! This issue contains the first few pages of the original story, plus some self-contained stories in the back.
https://www.capstonepub.com/product/9781434264206
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ALL ROCKET RACCOON
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS(W) Joe Caramagna (A) Adam Archer (CA) Ron Lim, Richard IsanoveSpotlighting Marvel’s BIGGEST star! No, we’re not talking about Iron Man! Not Captain America! Not Thor! It’s Rocket Raccoon! The madcap mammal takes on the cosmos in an all-new FREE COMIC BOOK DAY adventure!
Okay… I had to do a little thinking at the end of the story… so I don’t know if regular readers will get it. Enjoyable story!
The Ultimate Spider-Man backup showcases Spider-Man, White Tiger, and Nova on the Moon, fighting an … orthodontist?
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ALL YOU NEED IS KILL TERRA FORMARS
Publisher: VIZ MEDIA LLC(W) Hiroshi Sakurazaka, Yu Sasuga (A) Lee Ferguson, Kenichi TachibanaNow a major motion picture starring Tom Cruise! When the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is one of many recruits shoved into battle armor Jackets and sent out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn to fight and die again and again. He receives a message from a mysterious ally–is she the key to Keiji’s escape or his final death? The official graphic novel adaptation based on the original novel! Also, in Terra Formars, the colonization of Mars is an epoch-making event, but an unintended side effect of the terraforming process unleashes a horror no one could ever have imagined…
This is an adaptation of the Japanese novel, which is also being adapted into the movie “Edge of Tomorrow”. The story spotlights one of the characters, and explains how the aliens invaded.
Not quite sure what’s going on in Terra Formars… but it’s mature science fiction, so give the first volume a try.
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ARMOR HUNTERS SPECIAL
Publisher: VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC(W) Robert Venditti & Various (A) Doug Braithwaite & Various (CA) J. G. JonesThe “Armor Hunters”, a group of the universe’s fiercest warriors, have come to destroy the X-O Manowar for the good of all. What horrible secrets does the armor hold? And how many armors have they destroyed before this one? These answers and more are revealed in the Valiant Universe event of 2014 – and it all starts right here with exclusive previews, character designs, and interviews from the biggest guns the Valiant Universe has to offer!
A six-page story serves as a teaser, but gives no clear sense of why the reader should continue with the summer event. The Rai preview is more intriguing… set far in the future, giving a taste of that Japan, without really showing the hero.
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ATOMIC ROBO & FRIENDS
Publisher: REBELLION / 2000AD [really?]
(W) Brian Clevinger, Jay P. Fosgitt (A) Jay P. Fosgitt, Scott Wegener (CA) Scott WegenerUnanimously heralded by fans, creators, retailers and critics as the perfect first comic to give to a non-comic-reader. ATOMIC ROBO has defeated the greatest foes of the last century, but his latest discovery has reduced him to a mere play thing for the Yonkers Devil. Plus, an all-new adventure from mischievously-lovable BODIE TROLL and previews of 2014 Red 5 favorites and new faces.
Not much of a story for Atomic Robo, but enjoyable, at least. Bodie Troll is a lot more fun, as he must travel to No Man’s Patch to sate his appetite. Lots of wacky humor, great art! It’s almost animated! The Haunted preview… meh.
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BLEEDING COOL MAGAZINE
Publisher: BLEEDING COOLBleeding Cool Magazine celebrates Free Comic Book Day and the launch of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 film with an All-New issue dedicated to introducing new fans to comic books! We packed this special issue full of features that will turn FCBD visitors into comic shop regulars. This year’s issue is the perfect tool for local comic shops to introduce new fans to the hobby. With features on collecting, shopping, preserving, and developing their collections, it is a must have for every Free Comic Book Day event. The features include new top Graphic Novel lists, Tips and Tricks for growing your collection, and a guide to your friendly neighborhood comic shop! This perfect entry point into Bleeding Cool Magazine is ideal for giving readers tons of extra FCBD content and to introduce our hot comics, speculation, and unique brand of entertainment to a host of new customers. It’s not just cool…it’s Bleeding Cool!
Lots of short articles, all worth a read. Grab this at the first store you visit, then read it while you wait in line to pick up more FCBD comics at the next stores. I especially liked the article on National Cinema Day in the UK, when movie theaters charged £1 for admission.
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BUCK ROGERS
Publisher: HERMES PRESS(W) Howard Chaykin, Russell Keaton (A) Howard Chaykin & VariousBuck Rogers in the 25th Century, the first, best and original sci-fi hero, is supporting Free Comic Book day with a special re-print of one complete Sunday story, “Prophet of the Fire Demon,” by fabled artist Russell Keaton! This story has been painstakingly digitally-reconstructed to perfection, and looks better than the original newspaper Sundays! Hermes Press’ Buck Rogers FCBD issue will also offer bonus material and tons of surprises!
Reprints Sunday strips from Spring 1933 (at comic book size). There is also a feature on strips drawn by Murphy Anderson from 1948. Examples from Howard Chaykin’s new stories fill up the rest of the issue.
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CBLDF PRESENTS RAISING A READER
Publisher: CBLDF(W) Meryl Jaffe (A) Matthew Holm (CA) Raina TelgemeierCBLDF’s publication, “Raising a Reader!,” answers parents’ and educators’ questions about using comics: What skills do they offer kids? What resources are available for using graphic novels in education? How do you teach reading with a comics page? How can graphic novels create reading dialogues? And much more! (16pp. Text with Illustrations)
Available for free at the CBLDF site! http://cbldf.org/resources/raising-a-reader/
(Smart retailers ordered extra bundles, to hand out to parents, teachers, and librarians thrughout the year.)
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COURTNEY CRUMRIN #1
Publisher: ONI PRESS INC.(W/A/CA) Ted NaifehA full-color Courtney Crumrin adventure for all ages! Holly is new to the creature-filled and magic-made town of Hillsborough and her classmates all agree on one thing – Courtney Crumrin is bad news! Will Holly heed their warnings or will Courtney finally find a friend?
Whoa… This is a serious young adult series! The short story makes me want to read more!
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DEFEND COMICS
Publisher: CBLDF(W) Mark Evanier & Various (A) Sergio Aragones & Various (CA) Cully HamnerFor over 25 years, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has fought to protect your right to read, and this year we bring our mission to Free Comic Book Day, with a light-hearted look at a serious topic. Explore censorship of comics with some of today’s most talented creators!
An excerpt from “The Comic Book History of Comics” dealing with the Comics Code, plus a “High Crimes” story, Amelia Cole, Mark Evanier, and Gene Luan Yang!
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PROJECT BLACK SKY (MR)
Publisher: DARK HORSE COMICS(A/CA) Michael BroussardWhen a biological weapon is hijacked from a secret facility in Nevada, the president calls in two of his top guns: Captain Midnight and Brain Boy! Will the two disparate heroes, a time-displaced inventor from World War II and a snotty psychic Secret Service agent, be able to work together to stop the threat released from Block 13? And what does the mysterious rogue agency Project Black Sky have to do with it?!
A full issue of story, featuring superheroes, cyber-apes, and a conspiracy! Process Junkies will want to read the text piece by Nate Piekos, on how he created the American Sign Language font used by the apes in the comic!
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ENTROPY
Publisher: EPICENTER COMICS(W) Davor Radoja (A/CA) Well-BeeA society divided into two classes: the Haves and the Have Nots. Controlled by a government that has banned and destroyed any form of media that it feels will corrupt the human mind. Yet there are those who hold secrets, who hold meetings, and who are prepared to fight for a better future… Get the special sneak-peak of the breathtaking and thrilling SF graphic novel, Entropy, in Previews this May! Also including, two short complete comics: Crosses and Vegetable.
Meh.
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EPIC #0
Publisher: COMIXTRIBE(W) Tyler James (A) Matt Zolman, Fico Ossio (CA) Fico OssioAfter a freak experiment gives teenager Eric Ardor incredible powers, he does what you would do…he puts on a costume and becomes EPIC! Super strength, speed, flight, optic blasts…it’s a fanboy’s dream come true. Unfortunately, he’s just discovered he has one weakness…pretty girls! While most boys his age lose their cool around the hotties, EPIC loses his powers! Living in Miami, home to the zaniest super-villains AND the most bikinis per capita in America, it’s gonna be a problem…Not a dinky preview or a unfulfilling teaser, this is a super-sized, action packed, 32-page pilot issue of your new favorite super hero book…for FREE! Get it on May 3, and then grab the first issue of the new EPIC ongoing series the following Wednesday at your local comic shop!
Okay, aside from the “next week” marketing mistake (yeah… how many stores will have copies of an unproven #1 title in stock), the issue is solid. It’s complete, shows the character’s origin, his powers and weaknesses, teases villains, and sets up the series nicely.
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FINDING GOSSAMYR WAY OF THE BLADESLINGER
Publisher: TH3RD WORLD STUDIOS(W) Paul Allor, David Rodriguez (A) Thomas Boatwright, Sarah Ellerton (CA) Sarah Ellerton, Thomas BoatwrightReturn to the fantastic world of Finding Gossamyr as Th3rd World’s critically acclaimed series continues in a brand new Free Comic Book Day adventure that leads into the upcoming Volume 2! Eloric helped Jenna and her brother Denny save an entire city from the evil of the Skaythe and has been celebrated as one of the heroes of Gossamyr. But there are events in his past that will return to haunt him and challenge this young farmer’s ambition to become a true Bladeslinger of Gossamyr!
Also featured in this issue, a preview of a brand new Th3rd World Studios series, “Past the Last Mountain”, where humanity has won an epic war against creatures of fantasy and locked them all away in penal colonies. But a young troll, dragon and faun challenge the authority of their human captors and escape in search of the fabled sanctuary known only as “Dragon Lake”.
Okay… I kinda know the story of Gossamyr, but this book doesn’t help the new reader understand what’s happening. The flip side, “Past the Last Mountain”, does a better job. Apparently, mythical creatures exist in the real world, and are kept in ghettos/camps. Some escape…
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FUBAR ACE OF SPADES (MR)
Publisher: ALTERNA COMICS INC(W) Chuck Dixon (A) Jeff McComsey, Steve Becker (CA) Steve BeckerIt’s 2003 and the hunt is on for Saddam Hussein. The men of Operation Urgent Surprise think they’ve found the Butcher of Baghdad but instead uncover weapons of mass destruction in the form of ZOMBIES! Shock and awe turns to bite and claw on the bloody sands of Iraq in this full-length FUBAR Spec-Ops spectacular.
Modern warfare. Iraq. Zombies.
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GIANT-SIZE 4-COMIC BUNDLE
Publisher: REBELLION / 2000AD [really?](W) Benny Powell & Various (A) Nigel Raynor & Various (CA) VariousIn GIANT-SIZE ACTION: A spin-off to “Wayward Sons” the legendary webcomic series follows the adult children of beings who were once worshipped as Gods. At the turn of the century, Nikola Tesla and his trusty side-kick, Mark Twain, join forces to battle the Illuminati, led by the nefarious Thomas Edison in “Tesla”. IN GIANT-SIZE FANTASY: The world’s greatest superhero is actually the world’s greatest assassin in “Duel Identity”. “Pandora’s Blog” follows a young girl who moves to a new town, and blogs about the strange things she sees, receiving some unwanted attention as a result. In GIANT-SIZE ADVENTURE: A young boy discovers a magical world filled with strange mystical creatures who come into our world through a mound in his grandparents’ backyard in the story “Magika”. In “The First Daughter”, the President’s daughter learns her destiny when she is pulled into a secret, supernatural enclave beneath the White House. In GIANT-SIZE THRILLS: “Darchon” introduces a dark world of supernatural threats that can only be handled by one man – but is he what he claims to be? When children are brought to another realm and acquire supernatural powers to become members in an army of darkness, they are the “Shadow Children”.
“Thrills” was the only weak title in this bundle, a shrink-wrapped bundle of four flip books. Red Giant does tease that one can read future issues for free, but doesn’t explain or advertise how. Red Giant, which seems to be very savvy, should overprint these bundles, and hand them out at shows.
[Hey... next year, a publisher should replicate the old 3-comics-in-a-bag that Western Publishing pioneered!]
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GRAPHIX SPOTLIGHT DUMBEST IDEA EVER
Publisher: GRAPHIX
Graphix (publishers of Bone, Smile, and the Amulet series) makes its FCBD debut with this stand-alone excerpt from The Dumbest Idea Ever! Renowned comics creator Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules!) shares his real life adventures of becoming a teenage comic book artist! Called “an inspirational book that could help launch the next great cartoonist” by Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) this is the perfect book for anyone who loves comics . . . and any kid who dreams of someday making comics of their own.
A condensed excerpt from Jimmy Gownley’s memoir.
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GRIMM FAIRY TALES #0
Publisher: ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC(W) Joe Brusha (A/CA) Anthony SpayExtinct for millennia the most powerful and terrifying creatures to ever exist in the Grimm Universe have now returned. They are the Bloodhunters, and their sole purpose is to hunt down and exterminate Highborns and they have their sights set on their first prey since returning…Professor Sela Mathers. This special Free Comic Book Day edition of Grimm Fairy Tales ties directly into GFT #100 and the upcoming Age of Darkness Grimm Universe event.
A too-brief introduction to an upcoming event from Zenescope.
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HATTER M FAR FROM WONDER
Publisher: AUTOMATIC PICTURES PUBLISHING(W) Frank Beddor, Liz Cavalier (A) Ben Templesmith (CA) Vincent ProcePut to rest any delusions or disinformation you have of the tea-guzzling madman of faux literary history and prepare to expand your consciousness as the saga of Hatter Madigan and his relentless search for the lost Princess of Wonderland unfolds in Issue 1 of the Hatter M series!
This is a reprint of the Ben Templesmith-drawn miniseries. It sets the stage of an Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired tale. If you like remixed fantasy, give it a read!
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HIP HOP FAMILY TREE TWO-IN-ONE (MR)
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS(W/A/CA) Ed PiskorHip Hop Family Tree Two-In-One by Ed Piskor is the perfect introduction and bridge to Piskor’s fun and crtitically acclaimed 5 volume book series! This full-color comic book offers two self-contained stories form Hip Hop Family Tree Volumes 1 & 2 as well as new guest pin-ups and content just for FCBD! Lovingly produced and designed in homage to Marvel Comic’s beloved Marvel Two-In-One-Make mine Hip Hop!
“…He’s a fairy, I do suppose…flyin’ through the air in pantyhose…”
This book contains excerpts from the ongoing series, and is probably the easiest title to give away. Like hip hop? Fan of pop music from the 70s and 80s? Remember the 70s and 80s? Remember New York City from back in the day? Then you will want to read this comic! (Damn… wish I’d ordered a stack to hand out on the subway!)
(If you’re curious, that Curtis 02458 code equals the Avengers, but it doesn’t match the issue number in that box. Avengers #187=September 1979. That issue number box seems to have been altered…Marvel’s layout for newsstand copies during this period was: price/#/month/Curtis code. Also, the Marvel Anniversary frame was dated November 1986. Marvel Two-In-One ended in 1983. The UPC = 0 71486 0×031 9, and denotes an issue dated December. The mystery chunk would refer to the Curtis code. 071486010319 = Punisher War Journal, the only valid UPC. )
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ARCHIE DIGEST #1
Publisher: ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS(W) Various, George Gladir (A) Various, Fernando Ruiz (CA) Dan Parent, Rich KoslowskiThe world’s most famous teenagers for over seven decades are all here in this FREE digest! Packed with non-stop laughs and gaffs, we challenge you to find a FCBD offering with more pages than this! The perfect introduction to the world of Archie and his friends, this digest is filled with stories from some of the best creators in the business!
A great collection of short stories from a variety of eras! There’s an interesting “She’s Josie” section (before she formed a band) featuring a very hipster-ish Pepper.
BONGO FREE-FOR-ALL
Publisher: BONGO COMICS(W/A/CA) Matt GroeningIt’s the foremost FCBD four-color giveaway of the year! Bart and Milhouse seek superheroic origin stories by attempting to acquire “accidental” superpowers… and learn that with trying to obtain great power comes great irresponsibility! Plus: Bart and Prof. Frink become trapped in between dimensions when a science demonstration goes awry, and C. Montgomery Burns takes us on a guided tour through the bowels of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant!
Old-timers might remember the Jack Benny episode where he visits his vault… Montgomery Burns’ vault is way more interesting!
Milhouse pictures how Krustyburgers are made, and Itchy whitewashes Scratchy!
DC THE NEW 52 FUTURES END SPECIAL EDITION
Publisher: DC(W) Brian Azzarello & Various (A) Ethan Van (CA) Ryan SookJump on board DC Comics’ epic weekly series beginning with this all-new FCBD issue that features tomorrow’s Dark Knight, Batman Beyond (making his first appearance in The New 52), battling an army of cyborgs to avert an Apocalypse in the future which could destroy the DC Universe of the present! But that’s not all; there are still more surprises to come. Stay tuned for more details!
Issue #0 to this summer’s event from DC. The comic is a bit bleak, if only to set the stage for how important Terry Batman’s mission really is! Yeah, Ultron stole Brother Eye’s shtick, and this series kinda steals the plot from Terminator. But that’s comics…
DH AVATAR HELLBOY JUICE SQUEEZERS
Publisher: DARK HORSE COMICS(W) Gene Luen Yang & Various (A) Faith Erin Hicks & Various (CA) Faith Erin HicksIn Avatar: The Last Airbender, Sokka follows Suki as she gives a lesson in manners and encourages a young girl’s strength. Itty Bitty Hellboy has fun toying with nemesis Rasputin, and the Juice Squeezers crew leap into action to defend one of their own against a persistent bully. Hilarity ensues
ZING! Avatar exploits the bullying zeitgeist, and offers a solution: martial arts! Juice Squeezers was fun, but I have no idea what the series is about. David Lapham is the author, so it must be good…
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GUARDIANS OF GALAXY
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS(W) Brian Michael Bendis, Dan Slott (A) Nick Bradshaw (CA) Sara PichelliIn an all-new story by award-winning writer Brian Michael Bendis and acclaimed artist Nick Bradshaw, the Guardians of the Galaxy welcome Venom and Captain Marvel to the team for the launch of a not-to-be-missed death-defying epic! PLUS: Writer Dan Slott lays the foundation for 2014′s top secret Spider-Man event that will rock the Wall Crawler’s world forever!
A good intro to the Marvel 616 version, featuring Flash Thompson and Tony Stark.
Then there’s an appearance by Thanos, to tease “Infinity Revelation”, and Spider-Man celebrates Talk Like Shakespeare Day!
HELLO KITTY SURPRISE
Publisher: PERFECT SQUARE(W/A) VariousHello Kitty and her friends star in all-new comic book adventures, and this time they’re letting their imaginations run wild! Plus: Don’t miss the sneak peek of Perfect Square’s upcoming tribute book celebrating Hello Kitty’s 40th anniversary.
Bonus feature! Perfect Square introduces exciting Bravest Warriors adventures featuring the irrepressible Catbug!
A great title for young readers, as there is very little text, but lots of story to decipher! (Have the child read the story to you!) Yes, Boom! Studios has the license for Bravest Warriors comics, but Viz/Perfect Square publishes search-and-find books!
KABOOM SUMMER BLAST
Publisher: BOOM ENTERTAINMENT(W/A) Mike Kunkel & Various (CA) VariousKaBOOM! Summer Blast is the perfect way to share timeless properties like Peanuts, Garfield, Adventure Time, Regular Show, Steven Universe, and Herobear & The Kid with new readers young and old! KaBOOM! Summer Blast also features the debut of a brand new all-ages series!
Tons of fun! Those question marks? One of them is “The Amazing World of Gumball”, the other is “Uncle Grandpa”!
There’s a modern Peanuts story, as well as some Sunday reprints. Finn and Jake visit a bog.
Nermal is the star of the Garfield story, and we get a teaser of the new Hero Bear series.
Mordecai and Rigby roll a d20, and Stephen Universe creator Rebecca Sugar pens a story involving every fanboy’s nightmare!
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS
Publisher: PAPERCUTZIn 1993, The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers burst on the scene in an explosion of colorful combat, bizarre monsters, incredible robot battles, and Megazord-sized fun, spawning a global phenomenon and an ever-expanding storytelling universe. These comics present the stories fans have been waiting over 20 years for: all-new stories featuring the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers! This is a never-before-seen Power Rangers story starring the six Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and is not a reprint of any existing material.
An introduction to the six Rangers and their powers, as well as a story where the Rangers must defeat an ally gone rogue!
RISE OF THE MAGI
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS(W) Marc Silvestri (A) Sumeyye Kesgin (CA) Marc Silvestri[no summary]
So we get a teaser of the series, which doesn’t explain how the fantasy realm in the story ties in with the modern image on the cover. Eleven pages of story, the rest is sketches.
SPONGEBOB FREESTYLE FUNNIES
Publisher: UNITED PLANKTON PICTURES(W) Graham Annable & Various (A) Jacob Chabot & Various (CA) Jacob ChabotUnited Plankton’s all-new SpongeBob comic book for FCBD 2014 starts with “Relocate!”, in which we finally learn the answer to the age-old question: “What if Squidward, SpongeBob, and Patrick’s houses all became giant robot creatures and stomped around Bikini Bottom?” Also: the debut of the saltwater super-sensation, Mermaid Girl, and SpongeBob schools Patrick in the ways of comic-book making in “SpongeBob ComicSnob!” Plus: comics from James Kochalka, Sam Henderson, Nate Neal, and Andy Rementer!
Squidward moves his house (giving new meaning to the term “mobile home”) to escape his pesty neighbors.
Then we meet the mysterious “Mermaid Girl” for the first time!
And then SpongeBob teaches Patrick and readers how comics are made!
TRANSFORMERS VS GI JOE
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING(W) Tom Scioli, John Barber (A/CA) Tom Scioli[no summary]
This is pretty cool… it’s got the Bizarro/Strange Tales vibe, as Tom Scioli goes somewhat off model. This story takes place before the initial G.I. Joe cartoon/comic book series, and, well, just read the commentary at the end of the book to catch all the stuff you missed. (Seriously, there are five splash pages in a sixteen page story!)
WALT DISNEY SCROOGE DONALD DUCK GRAVITY
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS(W/A/CA) Don RosaIn “A Matter of Some Gravity” by fan-favorite Don Rosa, saucy sorceress Magica De Spell turns Scrooge’s life sideways – literally! – when she distorts the forces of gravity! Then, in “The Sign of the Triple Distelfink”, Lucky Gladstone Gander faces a 24-hour luck jinx – and battles to hide it from a gloating Cousin Donald! Only ever published in the USA in under-printed mid-1990′s editions, these Rosa classics are back like you’ve never seen them before!©
Fantagraphics is collecting Don Rosa’s Disney stories into ten volumes!
This issue reprints “A Matter of Some Gravity”, in which Donald and Scrooge get side-swiped by Magica De Spell! Rosa has lots of fun with this, using the layout to help tell the story! Plus an “anniversary” story for Gladstone, where we learn his secret origin!
Two variant covers?!
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Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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You’ve been standing in line, wishing you had something to read!
You’ve finally reached the comics Santa and are flabbergasted at the cornucopia of comics being offered for FREE!
Listen little boy, we have A LOT of people waiting here, so GET GOING!
What do you say? Which do you pick? How do you keep from getting stuck with an old copy of Super Pro, or an old Radio Shack Whiz Kids comic?
Well, that’s where this handy list comes in!
We here at Beat Manor got liquored up on the distilled essence of rotting newsprint (AKA “comics schnapps”) and read almost every copy being given away today, on Free Comic Book Day!
Why? So don’t have to! (Get liquored up, that is… we still see the occasional Ben Day Kirby Krackle when watching TV. Kids! Stick to huffing comics! Don’t end up like us, forced to blog to support our nasty habits!)
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Escape Pod Comics in Huntington Long Island is closed on Sturday6s, so you’ll get a second bite at the FCBD apple on Sunday at their store. And the first 10 people to buy a copy of this print by Riley Schmitz get a bonus drawing.
DETAILS:
Free Comic book day, the national event in which Comic Shops give out free books created by dozens of comic book companies, is this weekend! All over the country, this Saturday, people can pick up free books featuring Archie, Batman, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Steven Universe, Spider-Man, and more!
But at Escape Pod Comics in Huntington, NY (302 Main Street, Huntington Village) Free Comic Book day is SUNDAY, MAY 4TH! We’ll have all the giveaway books, a storewide sale, cosplayers, and special guests doing signings! All customers are entitled to 5 free books, while those in costume get two extra for a total of seven! Items in the shop will be on sale ranging from 10-50% off, including our huge catalogue of back issues, new issues and trade paperbacks.
A regular destination for Cosplayers, Escape Pod Comics has a monthly day where people from all over the island come out and show off their best costumes. In honor of Free Comic Book Day, they have all promised to turn out, so expect to see Magical Girls, Super-Heroes, Cartoon characters and more when you show up!
From 1-5 pm, comic creator Jimmy Gownley of the hit young adult series Amelia Rules! And the new Scholastic Books The Dumbest Idea Ever will be here, signing the Free offering from Scholastic, a chapter from his new book. The book chronicles Jimmy’s teenage years, a time when he SELF-PUBLISHED his own comic, Shades of Grey.
Following that, from 6-9pm Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder will be signing and selling copies of their hit Image Comics book Rocket Girl, as well as giving away promotional posters. Montclare and Reeder have worked together for years, starting with his editing her artwork for DC comics on the Madame Xanadu comic. Rocket Girl, which tell the story of a teenage rocket-pack wearing police officer displaced in time, got its start as a Kickstarter project (much like their Halloween Eve one-shot comic of last year.)
Escape Pod Comics is located on Main Street in Huntington, three doors down from Ben & Jerry’s and right across the street from the Huntington Play N’ Trade. On May 4th, the stores hours will be 11am-9pm
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I thought this announcement of global comic book love was worth it’s very own post. This is the second time this event has been held, sponsored by the Comic Con India. And instead of going to stores, you download free comics from various Indian publishers. Sounds like a great way to experience some new stuff from publishers Amar Chitra Katha, Campfire Graphic Novels, Pop Culture Publishing, Vimanika Comics, Diamond Comics, Chariot Comics, Orange Radius and Astute Media Vision. Last year, 15,000 free comics were downloaded. Organizers expect more this year.
The comics are available from Readwhere.com or via the Readwhere App. Comics will be available from Saturday 3rd May at 12AM and End on 4th May at 11:59PM. I hope it’s worldwide, because I want to read some Indian comics!
Last year, with an aim to expand the scope and access of comics across India, Online digital content marketplace Readwhere.com partnered with Comic Con India to launch a new initiative called Free Comic Book Weekend, to allow comics enthusiasts download Indian comics for free. This year also, Readwhere.com will be providing the platform to serve free digital comics to fans across India.
Jatin Varma, Founder, Comic Con India shared, “FCBW was started last year with the simple aim of generating interest in Indian comics beyond our conventions. We are taking steps ahead and making Indian comics available for fans right at their fingertips via digital editions powered by Readwhere. We had a great response last year, there were over 15,000 unique fans who claimed free comics during the 1st Free Comic Book Weekend in 2013. We expect to take that further and keep building upon this concept in the coming years.”
Manish Dhingra, Director & Co-Founder, Readwhere.com shared, “It’s the second year of the Free Comic Book Weekend in India. The debut year was very successful where we delivered copies of comics digitally to more than 15000 comic book aficionados, all over a weekend. In the second year a lot of focus will be on to get comic book lovers to read more, especially on their mobile and tablet devices. So the center focus this year is Mobile and tablet comic reading.”
Manish further added, “Just like in the US we will be offering a set of titles for free and a larger set at a special weekend discount.”
Readwhere.com will be offering a total of (approx) 15 titles from various publishers. Users will have the option of choosing any 5 for free. The rest will be available at a very nominal price as a bundle.
Manas Mohan, COO, ACK Media said, “ACK is very excited to be a part of the World Free Comic day, and are glad that Comic Con India is bringing such fun events to the forefront in India.”
The leading publisher, Campfire is entering the digital field in a big way with its own app. So fans can Download the Campfire App for their titles. “The FREE Comic Book Weekend gives all fans of the medium the perfect chance to read and enjoy one of Campfire’s best loved and most enduring graphic novels. It is the perfect introduction to Campfire’s library of great books, including World War One: 1914-1918, and many more” shared Girija Jhunjhunwala, Director, Campfire Graphic Novels.
The titles featured this year will be a mix of iconic and latest. Some of the most interesting titles that will be available to fans for free includes Draupadi: The Fire-Born Princess by Campfire, Satya Police by Pop Culture Publishing, Tinkle by ACK, Godslayer by Chariot Comics, Some of the favourite titles by Diamond Comics and more.
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Please note this is not a comprehensive listing of Free Comic Book Events –it’s just info that people sent me. To find an event near you, go here. But it is indicative of some of the amazing things happening tomorrow, from an Eastman/Laird joint appearance to just about every other creator under the sun. It won’t be boring. And the comics are awesome.Rochester, NH
Eastman and Laird together at Jetpack Comics!
(Lots of rules on this one — check the link)
That’s right, the NH creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be the guests of honor for this years Rochester, NH Free Comic Book Day Festival! People are flying in from all over the country to meet these superstars, so we expect the lines to be long. With this in mind, we are going to have to place limits on how many things you can get signed. If you have more than the limit please feel free to jump back in line and do it all over again. We want to be fair to everyone that wants to visit Kevin and Peter.
PLEASE NOTE: Sketches will not be available that day. Please don’t embarrass yourself or the creators by asking for a sketch. If you do we just may have to eject you from the line! There’s simply not enough time (see the Eastman & Laird Guidelines below for more information). Of course there will be a vendor table of great Eastman and Laird works!
Montreal, Quebec
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly is happy to be participating in Free Comic Book Day 2014 on Saturday, May 3!
As always, we’ll be giving out specially created comic books, free, all day!
Drawn & Quarterly’s special comic this year comes from Shigeru Mizuki – it features an excerpt from his second volume of Showa: A History of Japan, covering the period from 1939 to 1944. Pretty exciting!
This is a kid-friendly event! There will be snacks!
New York, NY
JHU
Free comics for everyone who attends, while they last! There is a specific assortment to choose from and we’ll also have our anniversary sale still going on, with Buy 2 get 1 Free on all graphic novels and back issues (bagged and boarded) for all JHU Members, which is free to join if you haven’t already!
On top of that, we will be having some guests there to sign for us!
10am – Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder (Rocket Girl, Halloween Eve)
11 am – Reilly Brown (Deadpool: The Gauntlet, Incredible Hercules, DHP: St. George)
12pm – Dan Slott (Amazing Spider-Man, Superior Spider-Man, Silver Surfer)
3pm – Vivek J. Tiwary (The Fifth Beatle)
Brooklyn, New York
Bergen street Comics
A 7PM Book Release Party with LUKE PEARSON!
That’s right! Starting at 7PM, Luke Pearson, the cartoonist responsible for Hildafolk, Hilda and the Midnight Giant and Hilda and the Bird Parade will be stopping by to help us celebrate. And yes, he’ll be bringing a stack of early copies of Hilda and the Black Hound, her latest adventure!
While we’re giving away the final free comics, Luke will be signing copies of Hilda and the Black Hound and regaling us with tales of life in Sherwood Forest (that’s where he lives! seriously!) while we all have drinks and begin the recovery process.
Free Comic Book Day with Top Cow
On Saturday, May 3rd, Southern California comic fans have not one, but two opportunities to meet the Head of the Herd himself – Marc Silvestri! Marc will be signing books and promoting his new miniseries, Rise of the Magi, the zero issue of which is Top Cow’s Free Comic Book this year!
First, catch him from 12 – 2 PM at Golden Apple Comics on Melrose in Los Angeles.
Then, at 3:30, Marc will be zooming up to Earth 2 Comics in Sherman Oaks.
Check out this interview that Marc did for Free Comic Book Day’s official website to learn more!
Also making an FCBD appearance is Top Cow’s President and C.O.O, Matt Hawkins! Matt will be at 4 Color Fantasies in Rancho Cucamonga, starting at 11:00 AM, signing issues of his many books, including Think Tank and Aphrodite IX, as well as giving out posters and discussing his new series, Tales of Honor!
WATSON AND HOLMES #1 Simonson Etching Variant
Copies of this will be given away at various shops around the country as found here.
ARCHIE COMICS
Archie Comics writers and artists will be visiting comic shops around the globe! They will be on hand to sign books discuss their work. Here’s a rundown of where they’ll be and how you can find out more:
- Dawn Best (Sonic the Hedgehog) – Packrat Comics in Hilliard, OH
- Craig Boldman (Jughead) – University of Akron’s Quaker Square General Store & Newsstand Comics in Akron, OH (10am-4pm)
- Steven Butler (Sonic the Hedgehog) – 3 Alarm Comics in St. Martin, MS (11am-6pm Saturday)
- Steven Butler (Sonic the Hedgehog) – 99 Issues in Mobile, AL (2pm-6pm Sunday)
- Bill Galvan (Betty & Veronica) – Dragons Keep in Lehi, UT in the morning and Provo, UT in the afternoon
- Jerry Gaylord (Sonic the Hedgehog) – Captain Blue Hen Comics in Newark, DE (10am-5pm)
- Dean Haspiel (The Fox) – Carmine Street Comics in New York, NY (1pm-4pm)
- Ben Hunzeker (Sonic the Hedgehog) – Challenger Comics in Chicago, IL
- Rich Koslowski (Archie) – Art Supplies, Ink. in Aptos, CA (2pm-5pm)
- Gary Martin (Mega Man) – Odyssey Comics in Vancouver, WA (9am-5pm)
- Alice Meichi Li (Mega Man) – “Women in Comics” panel at the Bronx Heroes Comic Con in Bronx, NY (3:30pm-4:30pm)
- Dan Parent (Archie) – Main Street Comics in Middletown, NY (2pm-4pm)
- Fernando Ruiz (Archie) – Dewey’s Comic City in Madison, NJ (1pm-4pm)
- Jeff Shultz (Betty & Veronica) – That’s Entertainment in Worcester, MA
- Evan Stanley (Sonic the Hedgehog) – Flying Colors Comics in Concord, CA (11am-3pm)
- J. Torres (Jinx) – Stadium Comics in Brampton, Ontario (10am-2pm)
- Stephanie Vozzo (Betty & Veronica) – Granite City Comics in Saint Cloud, MN (10am-12pm)
- Mark Waid (The Fox) – Alter Ego Comics in Muncie, IN (12pm-4pm)
New York, NY
Midtown Comics
Midtown Comics is excited to celebrate Free Comic Book Day with two days this year – in-store on Saturday, May 3rd, and online on Monday, May 5th. This is one of the largest events in the comic book industry, and Midtown is ready to celebrate!
Midtown will offer free new comics including every title from every publisher participating in this event. Some of the hottest titles from Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dark Horse, and Image Comics will be available with no purchase required, while supplies last. Over two million comic books for readers of all ages will be given away by participating stores nationwide, introducing as many people as possible to the excitement of comic books!
SATURDAY, MAY 3rd IN-STORE:
Midtown Comics celebrates Free Comic Book Day in-store on Saturday, May 3rd, Please note: some titles will be in very limited quantities and are not expected to last all day, and we recommend that you arrive early.
Store hours:
FCBD starts at 8:00AM at Midtown Times Square, and 11:00AM at Grand Central and Downtown.
MONDAY MAY 5TH ONLINE:
All FCBD titles will be posted online at MidtownComics.com at approximately 11:00AM EST on Monday, May 05th and will be offered while supplies last. We recommend that you order early.
What’s special only at Midtown: This year, we are thrilled to present our very own Midtown Comics exclusives of the FCBD book Future’s End from DC Comics, and the Armor Hunters Special from Valiant Entertainment! Both releases feature the Midtown Comics logo and are ONLY available through Midtown Comics!
Future’s End is a great issue to jump on board DC Comics’ epic weekly series, featuring tomorrow’s Dark Knight, Batman Beyond (making his first appearance in The New 52). Watch as he battles an army of cyborgs to avert an Apocalypse in the future, which could destroy the present DC Universe!
Armor Hunters features a group of the universe’s fiercest warriors that are eager to destroy the X-O Manowar for the good of all. What horrible secrets does the armor hold? And how many armors have they destroyed before this one? These answers and more are revealed in the Valiant Universe events of 2014 – and it all starts right here with exclusive previews, character designs, and interviews from the biggest guns the Valiant Universe has to offer!
Chicago, IL
Quimby’s and CAKE
Join the Chicago Alternative Comics Expo [CAKE] at Quimby’s Bookstore [1854 W North Ave] on Saturday May 3rd 7pm to celebrate Free Comic Book Day with Chicago’s Trubble Club!
This year, the Trubble Club has modified the Quimby’s photo booth to capture your true essence. Come hang out with some of Chicago’s best comics artists as they collaboratively reveal your inner self by interpreting psychic signals from their magical photobooth. Snacks and refreshments will be provided by CAKE, and free comic books will be available for pick up (while supplies last).
Trubble Club started as a group of Chicago-based cartoonist making jam comics. While we still do that, and love doing that, we’ve been branching out. The Infinite Corpse is a never-ending webcomic spearheaded by Trubble Club, that includes panels by both totally unknown artists, and institutions, like Art Speigelman and Kim Deitch. We have also recently done commissioned installations for the Museum of Contemporary Art, The DePaul Art Museum, and the John Michael Kohler Art Center.
The Chicago Alternative Comics Expo [CAKE] is a weekend-long celebration of independent comics, inspired by Chicago’s rich legacy as home to many of underground and alternative comics’ most talented artists– past, present and future. Featuring comics for sale, workshops, exhibitions, panel discussions and more, CAKE is dedicated to fostering community and dialogue amongst independent artists, small presses, publishers and readers. This year’s CAKE is May 31 & June 1st at the Center on Halsted (3656 N Halsted), and is free and open to the public.
Visit http://cakechicago.com or e-mail [email protected] for more information.
Madison, NJ
Dewey’s Comics
Our FCBD 2014 celebration will include appearances by Keith Giffen and Fernando Ruiz, whose work will be appearing among this year’s FCBD offerings, as well as an appearance by fan favorite artist Charles Paul Wilson III.
The full ARTIST ALLEY lineup includes veteran comic creator Keith Giffen (FCBD 2014 New 52 Future End), Archie Comics artist and writer Fernando Ruiz (FCBD 2014 Archie Digest), Charles Paul Wilson III (Wraith, Stuff of Legend), artist and editor Anthony Marques (DC Assistant Editor), Andre Szymanowicz (Hell Yeah, Image Comics), artist Nick Justice (Jesus E Lee), Kubert School alums and freelance artists Fabio Redivo, Max Fuchs and Mike Morrocco, writer Adam McGoven (Magic Bullet, Dr. Id, the forthcoming Image series Nightworld), and artist Ellen Stedfeld (Magic Bullet). And as we do every year, we’ll be hosting a number of graduating 3rd year students from The Kubert School.
We’ll also be offering bonus goodie bags for the first 100 or so folks in line, free face painting for kids, free sketches in artist alley, entry into a drawing to WIN two tickets to his year New York Comic Con for everyone who comes in costume, a visit from members of the 501st Legion of Star Wars costuming organization, the only place in New Jersey to get the Washington DC based independent comic newspaper MAGIC BULLET on FCBD, bonus giveaway for folks in line, and what we think may be the world’s LARGEST bowl of OREO cookies! And lots of free comics of course!
FLorida
Coliseum Comics – various events
Free Comic Book Day will run throughout the day on May 3rd at all Central Florida Coliseum of Comics locations, including the brand new Tampa location. Each location will have their own slate of special events scheduled. (Scheduled appearances subject to change. Please contact individual stores for more details.):
Coliseum of Comics Millenia
4672 Millenia Plaza Way
Orlando, FL 32839
407-363-7676
[email protected]
Appearances by:
Costumed characters in support of the Hero Alliance
Balloon artist Denzil Jackson
Coliseum of Comics Kissimmee
3159 W. Vine St. (US Hwy. 192)
Kissimmee, FL 34741
407-870-5322
[email protected]
Appearances by:
Star Wars characters from the 501st Legion and the Mandalorian Mercs
Costumed characters in support of the Hero Alliance
Balloon artist Denzil Jackson
Coliseum of Comics Fashion Square Mall
3201 E. Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32803
407-228-1210
[email protected]
Appearances by:
Artists Travis Earls and Brian Wolffe
Characters from many costumer organizations
Coliseum of Comics Downtown Lakeland
121 S. Kentucky Ave.
Lakeland, FL 33815
863-686-1350
[email protected]
Appearances by:
Sabertooth Swordsman artist Aaron Conley
Coliseum of Comics New Tampa
19402 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33647
813-528-8758
[email protected]
Appearances by:
Superhero characters
Los Angeles, CA
Brave New World
Free Comic Book Day is a celebration of the culture of comics, so along with giving away thousands of freebies, Brave New World Comics will also offer free art classes throughout the day. Free demos of the popular tabletop games Heroclix and Magic: the Gathering. Comic book creators, artists and writers from Fanboy Comics and Cartoon Network will be signing, sketching and talking about their latest work. There will be exciting FREE photo opportunities with your favorite pop culture characters! Star Wars characters from the 501st Storm Trooper Squadron’s Los Angeles Garrison will be here, along with the Southland Ghostbusters, and a few other surprise guests from the world of cartoons and comics. Free games, prizes, and a costume contest, sponsored by DK Publishing and Lego will round out the day’s events. Attendees are encouraged to participate in Free Comic Book Day Bingo, collecting stamps from various stations around the shop. Prizes for completed FCBD Bingo cards are provided by Archaia Comics and DC Entertainment. In addition to all of the super fun, super-hero themed events at Free Comic Book Day, be sure to stop by the charity bake sale, benefitting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
“There’s so much to do at our Free Comic Book Day event! Don’t sleep in too late,” warned Portlyn, Brave New World’s perky proprietress, “if this event is anything like the first twelve, the free comics could run out before the crowd does… But the fun is here all day!”
Los Angeles, CA
Golden Apple Comics
*GRAB BAGS FRENZY IS BACK!
-FIND 1 OF 10 “GOLDEN TICKETS” TO INSTANTLY WIN A BIG PRIZE!
-WIN INSTANT HAND DRAWN SKETCHES FROM SCOTT SHAW!
-FIND INSTANT DISCOUNT STORE COUPONS 10% TO 50% OFF!
-WIN EXTRA FREE COMIC DAY COMICS!
*GRAB BAGS CONSIST OF 10 RANDOM NEW COMICS (ALL AGES TO TEEN+)
WE WILL ALSO HAVE FREE JARRIOTS SODA FOR ALL!
*while supplies last
Creator Appearances
OSSM! COMICS CREW
Saturday, May 03, 2014 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
OMAR & SIIKE (BLEEDING COOL/THANIEL)
SCOTT SHAW!
Saturday, May 03, 2014 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
meet cartoonist Scott Shaw! he will be handing out free Bongo Comics from 10am-4pm. Win a Full Sized Hand-Drawn Sketch from Scott instantly in our grab bags! Limited to the first 20 winners only!
MARC SILVESTRI
Saturday, May 03, 2014 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
RISE OF THE MAGI #0 (TOP COW/IMAGE)
JOSEPH HENSON
Saturday, May 03, 2014 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Creator/Writer of the new Indy comic: The Heroes of Echo Company
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Top News, FCBD, Add a tag
It’s the biggest comics book day of the year. Wondering where to go for Free Comic Book Day? Wonder no more!
Trevor at How to Love Comics has done all the hard work and put together a Free Comic Book Day Directory with over 250 entries. Will someone buy him a big steak dinner? Or give him some comic books? He deserves it.
I don’t know the official international run down for FCBD, but there are events listed in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden and The Philippines.
Also, Levar Burton is this year’s celebrity spokesman for FCBD. Burton has hosted Reading Rainbow for 30 years, and as a comic book fan his whole life, he knows it’s a great way to encourage reading.
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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TweetFree Comic Book Day is coming up, and Marvel have today revealed what their release is going to be – Infinity, by Jonathan Hickman and Jim Cheung. This looks like a prelude to the oft-rumoured cosmic event Marvel will be running in Autumn (why have just one event a year?). However, strangely enough there’s no [...]
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The Silver level sponsors for 2013′s Free Comic Book Day have been revealed and it’s an eclectic mix, as usual.
The Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) Committee is pleased to announce the complete list of Gold and Silver Sponsors and their comic books available for FCBD 2013, which will be held Saturday, May 4, 2013. Complete descriptions of all fifty-two FCBD titles can be found online now at www.freecomicbookday.com and in the January issue of Diamond Comic Distributors’ PREVIEWS catalog, available on January 1st, 2013.
“There’s a character, creator and storyline to entertain just about everyone in this year’s lineup,” said FCBD spokesperson Leslie Bowser. “The publishers have a lot to offer comic book fans—and those new to comic books—with this year’s Free Comic Book Day titles.”
Free Comic Book Day 2013: Gold Comics can be seen here.
APE ENTERTAINMENT | KIZOIC PRESENTS: SESAME STREET/STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
ARCHIE COMICS | THE WORLD OF ARCHIE DIGEST
BONGO COMICS | BONGO COMICS FREE-FOR-ALL! FCBD 2013
BOOM! STUDIOS/KABOOM! | KABOOM! SUMMER BLAST
DARK HORSE COMICS | STAR WARS/CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT/AVATAR
DC COMICS | FCBD 2013 SUPERMAN SPECIAL EDITION
IDW PUBLISHING | TMNT NEW ANIMATED ADVENTURES
IMAGE COMICS | THE WALKING DEAD FCBD 2013 SPECIAL
MARVEL COMICS | MARVEL FCBD 2013: CLASSIFIED!
NBM PUBLISHING/PAPERCUTZ | THE SMURFS
UNITED PLANKTON PICTURES | SPONGEBOB COMICS FREESTYLE FUNNIES
VIZ MEDIA | IT’S THE UGLY DOLL COMIC & OTHER STUFF
Free Comic Book Day 2013: Silver Comics
AAM MARKOSIA | ENDANGERED WEAPON B
ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT | MOLLY DANGER/PRINCELESS
ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT | NFL RUSH ZONE: SEASON OF THE GUARDIANS
ALTERNA COMICS | FUBAR FCBD 2013 SPECIAL
ANTARCTIC PRESS | ACTION TIME BUDDIES
ARCANA STUDIOS | STEAMPUNK ORIGINALS PRESENTS: THE STEAM ENGINES OF OZ
ARCHAIA ENTERTAINMENT | MOUSE GUARD/RUST FCBD 2013 FLIP BOOK
ARCHIE COMICS | FCBD 2013 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG/MEGA MAN FLIPBOOK
ASPEN COMICS | WORLDS OF ASPEN 2013
AVATAR PRESS | ABSOLUTION: THE BEGINNING
BLEEDING COOL | BLEEDING COOL MAGAZINE FCBD
CAPSTONE COMICS | CAPSTONE PRESENTS: MR. PUZZLE
COMIXTRIBE | THE RED TEN #0
DARK HORSE COMICS | MASS EFFECT/KILLJOYS/R.I.P.D.
DC COMICS | DC NATION SUPER SAMPLER
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | DAMSELS
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | GRIMM
DRAWN & QUARTERLY | MARBLE SEASON
DRAWN & QUARTERLY | PIPPI LONGSTOCKING COLOR SPECIAL
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS | HAL FOSTER’S PRINCE VALIANT
GEMSTONE PUBLISHING | OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK MARKETPLACE
HERMES PRESS | BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY
HERMES PRESS | SCRATCH9 FCBD
IDW PUBLISHING | JUDGE DREDD CLASSICS
IMAGE COMICS | APHRODITE IX
LIQUID COMICS | STAN LEE’S CHAKRA THE INVINCIBLE
LIQUID COMICS | RAMAYAN RELOADED PREVIEW
MARVEL COMICS | AVENGERS ASSEMBLE/HULK AND THE AGENTS OF S.M.A.S.H. #1
NEW ENGLAND COMICS | THE TICK
ONI PRESS | RATED “FREE” FOR EVERYONE STARRING MERMIN & CROGAN’S ADVENTURE
ONI PRESS | THE STRANGERS
PAPERCUTZ | DISNEY FAIRIES
REBELLION | 2000 AD FCBD 2013 SPECIAL
RED 5 COMICS | ATOMIC ROBO & FRIENDS
TH3RD WORLD STUDIOS | FINDING GOSSAMYR / STUFF OF LEGEND
TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS | TOP SHELF KIDS CLUB
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT | HARBINGER WARS FCBD 2013 SPECIAL
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT | VALIANT MASTERS SHOWCASE FCBD 2013 EDITION
VILLARD BOOKS | KELLERMAN / L’AMOUR FCBD 2013 SAMPLER
VIZ MEDIA | SHONEN JUMP PRESENTS: DRAGON BALL/RUROUNI KENSHIN RESTORATION
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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A few months ago, I brainstormed about how Halloween mini-comics being offered by Diamond could be used in a variety of ways to promote comics and have some fun! (Read that again… there are event suggestions and a timeline there, which I’ve paralleled below, but did not exactly duplicate.)
During C2E2, Diamond announced that in addition to the extremely successful Free Comic Book Day, a second event, linked to Halloween, would be promoted.
With the July issue of Previews, Diamond has announced the event, titled “Halloween ComicFest“, designed to help comics shops market themselves as “Halloween Headquarters”.
Sure it’s only July, but do you know where you’re getting your Halloween costume and accessories? How about a gift for the horror fan in your life? Have you decided where the best Halloween events and parties might be?
Why it’s your local comic book shop, of course!
This year, comic shops across the world will band together for Halloween ComicFest, a celebration of your local comic shops and all the comics, tricks and treats they offer. Your local comic shop already does some great Halloween events and is a great place to visit Halloween in-store events, parties, contests, sales and more!
On the next few pages, you’ll find some new offerings from comic book publishers including some new comics that will be available during your store’s Halloween ComicFest celebrations. Make sure you mark your calendars with your local comic shop’s Halloween events!
Below are the actual mini-comics offered this year, in bundles of 20, with the text from the Diamond order form. The “Final Order Cutoff” (FOC) deadline for stores is August 30, 2012. (Westfield’s deadline is August 28.)
Ask your local retailer to order the following for you, using the Diamond codes (JUL12 xxxx). You should offer to pay for them in advance, since the comics shop will most likely consider these unusual items, and be hesitant to place the order.
Of course, if they’re a cool store, they are probably participating in Halloween ComicFest, and will be happy to add your order to their store order. Bundle orders over 25 (of all titles combined) receive an additional discount for the store.
If you do not live near a comics shop, or need to have them shipped somewhere, Westfield Comics (and many other online retailers) will allow you to order them for you. The links below for each title direct to Westfield, which I selected because I’ve used them in the past, their website is easy to navigate, they offer a discount on the price. and they were quick to answer my questions regarding the first three items. (ComicsPlus offers all the titles for sale, as well.)
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.
Once again, I collected (almost) all of the Free Comic Book Day offerings, and offer my reviews on what’s good, what’s great, and what should have been better!
Titles are arranged alphabetically by publisher, and the images and summaries come from the offical FCBD website. My comments are in purple.
What did you grab? What did you enjoy?
Kid Friendly Titles
ANTARCTICS ZOMBIE KID
(CA) David Hutchinson
All 6th-grader Bill Stokes wants is to get through middle school unnoticed so he can go on to become a big-time pro video-gamer. Then his mom comes home from her medical research volunteer job with a zombie virus. Now Bill has to deal with skin problems and body chemistry changes that make puberty look like a walk in the park! How’s he supposed to realize his dream when his life has become a festering, rotting, undead nightmare?
MOUSE GUARD LABYRINTH & MORE HC
(C) David Petersen
This Free Comic Book Day, Archaia offers readers the chance to experience history in the making with a FREE, gorgeous, 48-page, 6″ x 9″ full-color original anthology hardcover featuring all-new material! David Petersen returns with an all-new Mouse Guard tale that’s guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings! Lose yourself once again in Jim Henson’s amazing world of Labyrinth, featuring a fantastical story from Eisner Award-nominee Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin) and Cory Godbey (Fraggle Rock). Get a new perspective on Jet Jones in Royden Lepp’s
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Tomorrow, more than 3.5 MILLION comics will be given away in North America and Great Britain. It’s FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!! If you haven’t heard, FCBD takes place the first Saturday in May each year (5/5/12), and thousands of comic book shops give away special, limited-edition comics from today’s top publishers. . .for FREE! This year, Capstone is proud to take part with our 2012 Silver entry . . . THE ROCKHEAD & ZINC ALLOY 2-FOR-NONE!
But if you simply can’t wait until tomorrow, visit our website. There you’ll find more information about these characters, this contest, FCBD, and a totally rad trailer for your viewing pleasure!
So by now, you’re totally stoked about this fun-filled event, right? Then to find participating comic shops, visit the FCBD website, type in your zip code, and plan your route carefully because tomorrow...IT'S ON!
Donnie Lemke, Managing Editor
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Well at least this year there is no free tease book build up to an event that crash and burned the majority of the companies product line.