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Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: FCBD 2015, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 4 of 4
1. Free Comic Book Day 2015: Read It Or Leave It? Part Three: Silver Titles, Part Two

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)

FCBD Mercury HeatPublisher: AVATAR PRESS INC
(W) Kieron Gillen (A/CA) Omar Francia
[No summary, age rating.]
Kieron Gillen also wrote Phonogram, and Über, which I recommended last year.
This is hard science fiction, set in a future where Mercury is used as a solar energy farm.  Luiza, deemed psychologically unfit to be a police officer on Earth, instead becomes a freelance cop on Mercury.
Half of the book is text and sketches, detailing the creation of this fascinating world.  (Did you know Mercury is habitable?  But you have to keep moving ahead of the sunrise.)  The trade is worth a read.
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FCBD 2015 MOTORCYCLE SAMURAI

motorcycle samuraiPublisher: IDW – TOP SHELF
(W/A/CA) Chris Sheridan
Look 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
Yup… the latest iteration of the American Monomyth!  Part Western, part Martial Arts, with a straightforward smile reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim.  This should appeal to younger and older readers.

FCBD 2015 OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK MARKETPLACE

FCBD OverstreetPublisher: GEMSTONE PUBLISHING
(W) Robert M. Overstreet, J. C. Vaughn
When 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
Their yearly magazine, with some interesting articles.

FCBD 2015 PHANTOM SPECIAL

FCBD15 PhantomPublisher: HERMES PRESS
(A) Bill Lignante & Various
The 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
A nice reprint volume of Phantom stories.

FCBD 2015 RABBIDS

FCBD15 RabbidsPublisher: PAPERCUTZ
(W) Thitaume (A/CA) Romain Pujol
Spinning 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
The Rabbids engage in one-page gags.  Ariol, collector of sticker albums, meets a disgruntled fan.  Gargamel meets his long-lost twin (and we meet Sassette Smurf!)  Garfield saves the day.

FCBD 2015 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG MEGA MAN WORLDS UNITE PRELUDE

FCBD15 Sonic MegamanPublisher: ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS
(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.]
First note…  this flip cover?  It’s one cover.  The blast and dimensional ripple continue across the spine!
We get recaps of What Has Gone Before, explaining the villains, and some history.
I think this ties in with the latest Sonic videogame…no idea about Capcom.  A 14-issue crossover.

FCBD 2015 STAN LEE CHAKRA THE INVINCIBLE

FCBD 2015 ChakraPublisher: GRAPHIC INDIA
(W) Stan Lee & Various (A) Jeevan Kang & Various (CA) Jeevan Kang
Based 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
Stan Lee creates a young hero!  Lots of fun, not too heavy on the message, and multi-platform-ic.

FCBD 2015 STEAMPUNK GOLDILOCKS

FCBD15 SteampunkPublisher: ANTARCTIC PRESS
(W/A) Rod Espinosa
[No summary posted.]
An interesting idea… Goldilocks and Miss Muffett are hired by the Dark Queen to steal a MacGuffin from the Three Bears.  Unfortunately, their appetites get in the way.
Fun, cute characters by Rod Espinoza!

FCBD 2015 STREET FIGHTER SUPER COMBO SPECIAL

FCBD15 Street FighterPublisher: UDON ENTERTAINMENT CORP
(W) Matt Moylan (A) Jeffrey Chamba Cruz & Various (CA) Joe Ng
Five 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
A bunch of vignettes.  I do love the Tom of Finland physiques, and would love to see a Capcom-sponsored DC superhero comic!

 FCBD 2015 STUFF OF LEGEND CALL TO ARMS

FCBD15 stuff legendPublisher: TH3RD WORLD STUDIOS
(W) Mike Raicht & Various (A) Charles Paul Wilson, Alex Eckman-Lawn (CA) Mike Raicht
Th3rd 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
A brief prologue, and then silent pages from an upcoming story?
Thanatos Diver sets the stage, but doesn’t hit the cliffhanger mentioned above in the solicitation.  A webcomic, it has an interesting art style.

FCBD 2015 SUPERMUTANT MAGIC ACADEMY STEP ASIDE POPS COMBO

FCBD15 Super MutantPublisher: DRAWN & QUARTERLY
(W/A/CA) Jillian Tamaki, Kate Beaton
Drawn & 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

For all the cool kids who hang out in the school library!  Kate Beaton continues her Hark! webcomic, covering a wide variety of subjects!
Jillian Tamaki, one of the latest greatest cartoonists, offers samples from her new book, available NOW!  (Well done, D+Q!)

 FCBD 2015 TALES OF HONOR

FCBD15 Tales of HonorPublisher: IMAGE COMICS
(W) Matt Hawkins (A/CA) Linda Sejic
An 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+
A franchise, set a few centuries into the future, of your typical “space empires go to war” storyline.  I liked the map schematics up front, along with the summary.  The story was interesting, but nothing special.

FCBD 2015 TEEN TITANS GO SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP

FCBD15 DC kidsPublisher: DC
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
Teen Titans Go! is very similar to the cartoon.  Scooby-Doo Team-Up is a guilty pleasure, as those meddling kids share adventures with other cartoon superstars!  (Superfriends! Johnny Quest!  Secret Squirrel!  The Jetsons!) If you don’t want to waste your pick on this title, then I STRONGLY  recommend you buy S-DT-U#6!  Were I editing a collection of the best DC team-ups from the past 75 years, this would be one of the stories included!
Yes, Batman is smiling. dun Dun DUNNNN...

Yes, Batman is smiling.
dun Dun DUNNNN…


 FCBD 2015 TERRIBLE LIZARD #1

FCBD15 Terrible LizardPublisher: ONI PRESS INC.
(W) Cullen Bunn (A/CA) Drew Moss
The 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
Jessica’s father, funded by the U. S. military, manages to teleport a dinosaur via time travel.  It instantly imprints on Jessica!  But… there’s a cliffhanger… what happens next?  Find out in the trade paperback, IN STORES NOW!  (Well done, Oni!  But I’m also curious about those titles advertised in the back of the book.  How about some digital downloads online?)

FCBD 2015 THE TICK

Publisher: NEW ENGLFCBD15 TickAND COMICS
(W) Jeff McClelland (A/CA) Duane Redhead
THE 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
We learn (maybe) of The Tick’s pre-history.  We learn what happens between the panels from an old story.  And Art tries to see some art, but real life gets in the way!

 FCBD 2015 TMNT PRELUDE TO VENGEANCE

FCBD15 TMNTPublisher: IDW PUBLISHING
(W) Tom Waltz, Bobby Curnow (A/CA) Mateus Santolouco
The 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+
Wow…  the turtles have really changed!  Nice bit of backstory and recaps, lots of fighting!
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FCBD 2015 VALIANT 25TH ANNIVERSAY SPECIAL

FCBD15 ValiantPublisher: VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC
(W) Jeff Lemire & Various (A) Butch Guice & Various (CA) Rafa Sandoval
Valiant’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


We get a nice interview with Jeff Lemire and a preview of the new, depowered Bloodshot! A short tone piece on X-O Manowar, plus a nice pin-up. Also, a nice selection of reading lists which intrigues me! Valiant seems to be a nice tight universe, without too many complications, even when considering the earlier output.

FCBD 2015 WORLDS OF ASPEN

FCBD15 AspenPublisher: ASPEN MLT INC
(W) J. T. Krul, Vince Hernandez (A) Alex Konat, Claudio Avella (CA) Alex Konat
[No summary or age rating given.]
Fathom Blue and Eternal Soulfire are introduced in this issue.  Soulfire looks interesting, but not my cuppa.
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2. Free Comic Book Day 2015: Read It Or Leave It? Part Two: Silver Titles, Part One

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

FCBD15 2000ADPublisher: REBELLION / 2000AD
(W) Matt Smith & Various (A) Norm Breyfogle & Various
The 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+
Wow!  What a stellar bang!  This is just like the weekly comic, with a variety of stories! Unfortunately, Norm Breyfogle suffered a stroke, so the lead story was reassigned. And as the summary above states, there are free digital comics available!  Just scan the Q-codes!

FCBD 2015 AVENGERS #1

FCBD15 AvengersPublisher: MARVEL COMICS
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

They left out “Mark Waid!”  Judging from the advertising blurbs, this is part of the new Marvel Universe?  Part of Battleworld?  Doesn’t matter.  We have the camouflaged Spidey, Ms. Marvel, and teen Nova are on the Avengers, partnering with “Crystal” Iron Man (“Sam”?), Lady Thor, Vision, and the new Captain America.  Fun stuff!
The backup story is from the Uncanny Inhumans.  Beautiful artwork!  The story is a nice tone-piece, explaining the Terrigen cloud that is turning ordinary humans into Inhumans.  I’m a bit confused by some of the social dynamics, but I’m sure that will be detailed in the ongoing series.
There’s also a short preview of “Max Ride: First Flight”, and a two-page ad for the Disney Kingdoms titles.
My advice?  Grab this instead of the Secret Wars prologue.

FCBD 2015 AND THEN EMILY WAS GONE (MR)

FCBD15 EmilyPublisher: COMIXTRIBE
(W) John Lees (A) Iain Laurie (CA) Ryan Stegman
A 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
Horror’s not my thing, and I wasn’t really shocked by the cover story.  It doesn’t explain who “Bonnie Shaw” is, as told in the above solicitation, so it’s just a simple bogeyman story.  If that that been explained, perhaps it would have had more depth.
The solicitation also omits the Oxymoron prologue story, where he sets about time traveling to “muck about”.  If I come across the trade later, I’ll give it a read.  Think “Deadpool meets Quantum Leap by way of Doctor Who”.

FCBD 2015 BODIE TROLL & FRIENDS

FCBD15 Bodie TrollPublisher: RED 5 COMICS
(W/A/CA) Jay P. Fosgitt
With 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
Bodie gets drunk!  (On root beer, so it’s okay.)  Seriously… after you read this, you’ll want to buy the trade!  Jay P. Fosgitt is a master of cartooning, on a level with Jeff Smith.  Humor, amazing figure drawing…  you almost wish it were a cartoon, but this is better, because you can linger over every panel at your leisure!
Oh… right…. there are two more stories!  “Drone” sets up an interesting premise…the military uses remote-controlled robot soldiers. The main protagonist is a gamer, not a soldier, and thus the misfit of the squad. This looks promising.  Also, “Creature Academy” has nice art, but the story is a bit lacking.

FCBD 2015 CAPTAIN CANUCK

FCBD14 Captain CanuckPublisher: CHAPTER HOUSE PUBLISHING, INC
(W/A) Kalman Andrasofszky & Various
  Captain 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
One of TWO Canadian comics this year!  Here, Captain Canuck, forgotten hero of Canada, is re-imagined for a new generation.  He’s got powers, but nobody else has, so he’s a special ops agent for the Canadian (?) government. A good start to what looks like an interesting series.

FCBD 2015 CBLDF DEFEND COMICS

FCBD15 CBLDFPublisher: COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
(W/A) Various (CA) Dean Trippe
For 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


Only the Archie story is a bit preachy (which is okay).  The rest nicely express the themes of the CBLDF.  I want to read more Princess Decomposia stories!  (And Beanworld, of course, but it’s worth the wait!)

FCBD 2015 COMICS FESTIVAL

FCBD15 Comics FestivalPublisher: COMICS FESTIVAL
(W/A) Various
  It’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+









The other Canadian comic, sponsored by the Toronto Comics Arts Festival (being held next week!)
Lots of good stuff in this one, for everyone!

FCBD 2015 DARK HORSE ALL AGES AVATAR PVZ BANDETTE

FCBD15 AvatarPublisher: DARK HORSE COMICS
(W) Gene Luen Yang, Paul Tobin (A) Carla Speed McNeil & Various (CA) Carla Speed McNeil
All-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
Sweet Kirby Krackle!  Check out that talent!  Four Eisner Award winners (among other literary honors)!  Zombies! Plants! Avatars! Thieves!  And I haven’t even seen the book yet!
Okay… I read the book.  Avatar has a nice story, and we learn something new about Ty Lee!
PvZ is mindless fun.  (Get it?  Brrrraiiinns, Mindless.  Thank you, I’ll be here all night, try the tartare.)
Bandette is charming, if a bit unrepentant.  Go read the books now!

FCBD 2015 GFT WONDERLAND SPECIAL EDITION ONE SHOT (MR)

FCBD15 WonderlandPublisher: ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC
  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
Here’s the thing with Zenescope… the covers, whether sexy or horrific, generally do not reflect the content inside the books.  Apparently the Dodgsons and Liddles both have a connection to Wonderland, and this issue sums up all of what has transpired so far.
See also: Hatter M.

FCBD 2015 GRAPHIX SPOTLIGHT CLEOPATRA IN SPACE

FCBD14 CleopatraPublisher: GRAPHIX
(W/A/CA) Mike Maihack
When 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
Remember those delightful Batgirl and Supergirl webcomics?  He has another series, published by Scholastic!  Full of adventure, fun, and the usual problems ancient Egyptian royalty have fitting in.
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FCBD 2015 GRONK AND FRIENDS

FCBD15 GronkPublisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
(W/A/CA) Katie Cook
Gronk 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
Adorable!
Hero Cats of Stellar City is intriguing.  One is a space alien stranded on Earth.  Another is a member of a family which includes a superhero. The rest…fight crime?  Nice art, and the conflict is set up well.
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FCBD 2015 HATTER M LOVE OF WONDER

FCBD15 Hatter MPublisher: AUTOMATIC PICTURES
(W) Frank Beddor, Liz Cavalier (A) Sami Makkonen (CA) Vincent Proce
Looking 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
Alyss is getting married to Prince Leopold.  But, she’s also a Queen of Wonderland, and various factions are trying to fetch her back.  Alas, Alyss thinks it all a dream, until her wedding at Westminster is so rudely interrupted.

FCBD 2015 HIP HOP FAMILY TREE 3-IN-1 FEATURING COSPLAYERS (MR)

FCBD15 Hip HopPublisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
(W) Ed Piskor, Dash Shaw (A) Ed Piskor & Various (CA) Ed Piskor
  Featuring 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+
Wow.  Excerpts from volumes 1, 2, and 3, mostly featuring Rick Rubin.  Also appearing: Russell Simmons, Ladies Love Cool James!
But wait…
Howabout pinups by Skottie Young, R. Crumb, Marra, and Jim Ruff?  Not enough?  How about Rob Liefeld and Spike Lee?
Not enough?  Sheesh.  Okay…  I know what will get you to read this!
Dash Shaw doing comics about cosplayers!  (And just because you were so reticent…JACK KIRBY!)

FCBD 2015 ICE BAYOU BLACKOUT

FCBD15 Ice BayouPublisher: 12 GAUGE COMICS LLC
(W) Doug Wagner, Ron Marz (A) Daniel Hillyard, Nelson Blake (CA) Jason Pearson
When 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
This is a prologue to an ongoing series.  Nice dialogue, but it doesn’t grab me.  What’s the conflict?  I don’t know these characters.  Once again, the solicitation text seen above doesn’t appear in the comic, and the preview doesn’t set up the bigger storyline.  (Don’t feel bad, 12 Gauge, Marvel made the same mistake with their Secret War comics.)
The backup story, part of The Ride series, tells a nice “devil at the crossroads” story in black-and-white with some crazy zipatone!  No explanation about the series itself, not even in the advertising.

FCBD 2015 JOJOS BIZARRE ADVENTURE AND YU GI OH

VIZ_201502FCBD2015SolicitationCover.inddPublisher: VIZ MEDIA LLC
(W/A) Hirohiko Araki, Kazuki Takahashi
JoJo’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
Yes, that’s Manga artwork above.  While the artwork is atypical for Japanese comics (produced in 1986), the story seems to deal with lots of the fighting of evil.  I have no idea who any of these people are, or why I should seek out the trades.
The Yu-Gi-Oh backup is a nice stand-alone story.

FCBD 2015 JURASSIC STRIKE FORCE 5 ONE SHOT

FCBD15 Jurassic Strike Force 5Publisher: ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC
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

A nice young readers series involving dinosaurs with guns.  Overall, the story is fun, the artwork interesting, and how can you go wrong with a villain named Doctor Terror?
.

FCBD 2015 KODANSHA COMICS SAMPLER

FCBD15 Attack On TitanPublisher: KODANSHA COMICS
(W/A) Various (CA) Hajime Isayama
If 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+
A sampler.  I like Vinland Empire, which is viking manga.  (Nicely rendered.)
Inuyashiki is a story about an old man who develops superpowers.  Seinen?  Worth a read when it gets published.

FCBD 2015 LADY JUSTICE

FCBD15 Lady JusticePublisher: SUPER GENIUS
(W) C. J. Henderson (A) Daniel Brereton & Various (CA) Michael Netzer & Various
Back 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+
The teen imprint for Papercutz, Super Genius offers Lady JusticeMr. HeroTeknophage, and WWE Superstars.
Lady Justice was created by Neil Gaiman, but produced by other talent.  Tekno is still around, according to the copyright.  Worth a read if you like vengeful superheroes.

FCBD 2015 LEGENDARY COMICS SAMPLER

FCBD15 LegendaryPublisher: LEGENDARY COMICS
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+
UGH.  A catalog.

FCBD 2015 MARCH GRAND PRIX

FCBD15 March Grand PrixPublisher: CAPSTONE PRESS
(W/A/CA) Kean Soo
A 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
A fun title!  Animals racing!

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3. Free Comic Book Day 2015: Read It! The Ten Best Comics

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 TERRIBLE LIZARD #1

FCBD 2015 STEAMPUNK GOLDILOCKS



FCBD 2015 MERCURY HEAT DEBUT (MR)

FCBD Mercury HeatPublisher: AVATAR PRESS INC
(W) Kieron Gillen (A/CA) Omar Francia
[No summary, age rating.]
Kieron Gillen also wrote Phonogram, and Über, which I recommended last year.
This is hard science fiction, set in a future where Mercury is used as a solar energy farm.  Luiza, deemed psychologically unfit to be a police officer on Earth, instead becomes a freelance cop on Mercury.
Half of the book is text and sketches, detailing the creation of this fascinating world.  (Did you know Mercury is habitable?  But you have to keep moving ahead of the sunrise.)  The trade is worth a read went it comes out.

FCBD 2015 MOTORCYCLE SAMURAI

motorcycle samuraiPublisher: IDW – TOP SHELF
(W/A/CA) Chris Sheridan
Look 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
Yup… the latest iteration of the American Monomyth!  Part Western, part Martial Arts, with a straightforward smile reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim.  This should appeal to younger and older readers.

FCBD 2015 SUPERMUTANT MAGIC ACADEMY STEP ASIDE POPS COMBO

FCBD15 Super MutantPublisher: DRAWN & QUARTERLY
(W/A/CA) Jillian Tamaki, Kate Beaton
Drawn & 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

For all the cool kids who hang out in the school library!  Kate Beaton continues her Hark! webcomic, covering a wide variety of subjects!
Jillian Tamaki, one of the latest greatest cartoonists, offers samples from her new book, available NOW!  (Well done, D+Q!)

FCBD 2015 TEEN TITANS GO SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP

FCBD15 DC kidsPublisher: DC
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
Teen Titans Go! is very similar to the cartoon.  Scooby-Doo Team-Up is a guilty pleasure, as those meddling kids share adventures with other cartoon superstars!  (Superfriends! Johnny Quest!  Secret Squirrel!  The Jetsons!) If you don’t want to waste your pick on this title, then I STRONGLY  recommend you buy S-DT-U#6!  Were I editing a collection of the best DC team-ups from the past 75 years, this would be one of the stories included!
Yes, Batman is smiling. dun Dun DUNNNN...

Yes, Batman is smiling.
dun Dun DUNNNN…


FCBD 2015 2000 AD SPECIAL

FCBD15 2000ADPublisher: REBELLION / 2000AD
(W) Matt Smith & Various (A) Norm Breyfogle & Various
The 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+
Wow!  What a stellar bang!  This is just like the weekly comic, with a variety of stories! Unfortunately, Norm Breyfogle suffered a stroke, so the lead story was reassigned. And as the summary above states, there are free digital comics available!  Just scan the Q-codes!

FCBD 2015 AVENGERS #1

FCBD15 AvengersPublisher: MARVEL COMICS
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

They left out “Mark Waid!”  Judging from the advertising blurbs, this is part of the new Marvel Universe?  Part of Battleworld?  Doesn’t matter.  We have the camouflaged Spidey, Ms. Marvel, and teen Nova are on the Avengers, partnering with “Crystal” Iron Man (“Sam”?), Lady Thor, Vision, and the new Captain America.  Fun stuff!
The backup story is from the Uncanny Inhumans.  Beautiful artwork!  The story is a nice tone-piece, explaining the Terrigen cloud that is turning ordinary humans into Inhumans.  I’m a bit confused by some of the social dynamics, but I’m sure that will be detailed in the ongoing series.
There’s also a short preview of “Max Ride: First Flight”, and a two-page ad for the Disney Kingdoms titles.
My advice?  Grab this instead of the Secret Wars prologue.

FCBD15 Bodie TrollPublisher: RED 5 COMICS
(W/A/CA) Jay P. Fosgitt
With 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
Bodie gets drunk!  (On root beer, so it’s okay.)  Seriously… after you read this, you’ll want to buy the trade!  Jay P. Fosgitt is a master of cartooning, on a level with Jeff Smith. Humor, amazing figure drawing…  you almost wish it were a cartoon, but this is better, because you can linger over every panel at your leisure!
Oh… right…. there are two more stories!  “Drone” sets up an interesting premise…the military uses remote-controlled robot soldiers. The main protagonist is a gamer, not a soldier, and thus the misfit of the squad. This looks promising.  Also, “Creature Academy” has nice art, but the story is a bit lacking.

FCBD15 CBLDFPublisher: COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
(W/A) Various (CA) Dean Trippe
For 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


Only the Archie story is a bit preachy (which is okay).  The rest nicely express the themes of the CBLDF.  I want to read more Princess Decomposia stories!  (And Beanworld, of course, but it’s worth the wait!)

FCBD 2015 COMICS FESTIVAL

FCBD15 Comics FestivalPublisher: COMICS FESTIVAL
(W/A) Various
It’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+









This comic is sponsored by the Toronto Comics Arts Festival (being held next week!)
Lots of good stuff in this one, for everyone!

FCBD15 Hip HopPublisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
(W) Ed Piskor, Dash Shaw (A) Ed Piskor & Various (CA) Ed Piskor
Featuring 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+
Wow.  Excerpts from volumes 1, 2, and 3, mostly featuring Rick Rubin.  Also appearing: Russell Simmons, Ladies Love Cool James!
But wait…
Howabout pinups by Skottie Young, R. Crumb, Ben Marra, and Jim Ruff?  Not enough? How about Rob Liefeld and Spike Lee?
Not enough?  Sheesh.  Okay…  I know what will get you to read this!
Dash Shaw doing comics about cosplayers!  (And just because you were so reticent…JACK KIRBY!)

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4. Free Comic Book Day 2015: Read It Or Leave It? Part One: Gold Titles

Here’s how Free Comic Book Day works:
There are two sponsorship levels: Gold and Silver.
The Gold titles?  Every participating retailers must order these titles.  (Yes, stores BUY those FCBD titles that you get for free…so buy something at every store you visit!)
Twelve titles are offered this year.  Many of the publishers listed below also offer a secondary title in the Silver section, but those are less likely to be found at each comics shop.
Of course, since stores invest a lot of time and money in celebrating this great tradition, most will limit how many copies you can grab select during your visit.  To help you make the most of your Free Comic Book Day, I offer the following reviews.  These are my personal opinions, but I’ve read just about every single FCBD issue issued since 2002, plus I’ve been reading lots of comics since 1974, so I’m jaded and patinaed and  inoculated against most forms of hyperbole.  I’m also judging these as a new reader would, because that’s the whole idea of Free Comic Book Day…to gain new readers.
Don’t agree?  Feel free to comment below.

FCBD 2015 BOBS BURGERS

Layout 1Publisher: D. E.
(W) Mike Olsen & Various (A) Bradley C. Rader & Various
Bob’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
 I haven’t watched the show, so I don’t know much of what’s going on.  It’s kind of weird… but I did like the musical episode.

FCBD 2015 BONGO COMICS FREE-FOR-ALL!

Adobe Photoshop PDFPublisher: BONGO COMICS
(W/A/CA) Matt Groening
Get 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
Yup… just like the blurb says!
Side note: are the characters on the cover canonical?  I love the symmetry!

FCBD 2015 BOOM STUDIOS 10TH ANNIVERSARY FCBD SPECIAL

FCBD15 BOOMPublisher: BOOM! STUDIOS
(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)

FCBD15 Dark CirclePublisher: DARK CIRCLE COMICS
(W) Duane Swierczynski & Various (A) Michael Gaydos & Various (CA) Francesco Francavilla
THE 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
Wow… they weren’t kidding!  There’s some blacked-out swear words!  We see the prologue to the Black Hood, a teaser of The Fox, and some sketches for The Shield.  Given the various incarnations over the years, I’m curious to see if this time is the charm!

FCBD 2015 DARK HORSE FIGHT CLUB THE GOON THE STRAIN (MR)

FCBD15 Fight ClubPublisher: DARK HORSE COMICS
(W) Chuck Palahniuk & Various (A) Cameron Stewart & Various (CA) David Mack
Dark 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
Fight Club…haven’t see the movie, so I don’t get what’s going on here.  The Goon…has vampires from the Confederacy.  The Strain… again, not familiar with the source material.
.

FCBD 2015 DC COMICS DIVERGENCE

FCBD15 DivergencePublisher: DC
A 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
Three prologues… We discover what happened to Batman, Superman has gone underground, and we discover that Wonder Woman shares a birthday (and other traits) with an upcoming Justice League Bigbad.

FCBD 2015 DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL

FCBD15 Doctor WhoPublisher: TITAN
(W) Robbie Morrison & Various (A) Elena Casagrande & Various
Take 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+
#10 does laundry.  #11 drives the narrative.  #12 breaks the circuit.
Nice stories, self-contained, and you don’t really need to know much about The Doctor to enjoy them.

FCBD 2015 PERFECT SQUARE PRESENTS POKEMON

POK_201502FCBD2015SolicitationCover.inddPublisher: PERFECT SQUARE
(W) Hidenori Kusaka (A) Various
All 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

Three introductory stories.  The new series about the reclusive Pokemon trainer seems interesting, but I’m not the target audience for this series.

FCBD 2015 SAVAGE DRAGON LEGACY

FCBD15 Savage DragonPublisher: IMAGE COMICS
(W/A/CA) Erik Larsen
The 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+
So…Malcolm Dragon is the Savage Dragon’s son.   Sort of.  It’s complicated.  Larsen gets most of the exposition out of the way early, and I enjoyed his drawing style.

FCBD 2015 SECRET WARS #0

FCBD15 Secret WarsPublisher: MARVEL COMICS
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+
Issue Zero, so this is another prologue.  Not much happens…  but I enjoyed the Future Foundation kids, especially their numbered jumpsuits.

FCBD 2015 SPONGEBOB FREESTYLE FUNNIES

Layout 1Publisher: UNITED PLANKTON PICTURES
(W/A) Graham Anable (CA) Gregg Schigiel, Rick Neilsen
This 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
Fun stuff.  Nothing that knocks my socks off, just good old-fashioned cartoony comics!

FCBD 2015 TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE #0

FCBD15 transformersPublisher: IDW PUBLISHING
(W) John Barber, Tom Scioli (A) Priscilla Tramontano, Tom Scioli (CA) Priscilla Tramontano
OPTIMUS 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
The coloring was a bit murky, as if the panels were photo-comics.  Otherwise, I liked the lead story with the cartoony style and characterization.  The Transformers vs G.I. Joe strip is fun, and if you loved the old 80s cartoons, or love crazy indy-infused pop culture, pick up this series NOW.  It was one of the highlights of last year’s FCBD, and for you Hasbro fans, it’s a bit of a prequel to the original Joe cartoon series!

1 Comments on Free Comic Book Day 2015: Read It Or Leave It? Part One: Gold Titles, last added: 5/2/2015
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