Free Comic Book Day: Difference between revisions
From MediaWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
feel free to jump in at any moment, folks |
Powermetal (talk | contribs) |
||
| (58 intermediate revisions by 18 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
' | [[File:FCBD logo.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.]] | ||
'''Free Comic Book Day''', aka '''FCBD''', is a wondrous event in which good little boys and girls all over the world get free comics! ''FREE!'' It is held on the first Saturday of May every year. | |||
In celebrating FCBD, publishers typically opt for one of two options: | |||
#Create entirely new mini-comics that feature brand new stories that have not been, and will likely never be, available by other means. It can prove to be quite an expensive and time-consuming project to undertake, so this usually limits the publisher to making only a handful of releases of this kind without affecting their regular business. | |||
#Reprint parts of stories from a few current comic lines in a bid to draw <s>money</s> attention to the series from which they originated. Since these stories are already written and drawn, this option is considerably cheaper than the first, allowing publishers to produce several books of this kind while adhering to the same budget and schedule. | |||
It's swings and roundabouts. | |||
==Free Comic Book Day issues== | ==Free Comic Book Day issues== | ||
===2003=== | ===2003=== | ||
[[ | [[File:FCBD 2003 cover.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]] | ||
*'''Published by:''' [[Dreamwave Productions]] | * '''Published by:''' [[Dreamwave Productions]] | ||
*'''Date:''' [[May 3]]rd, 2003. | * '''Date:''' [[May 3]]rd, [[2003]]. | ||
*'''Cover:''' Reprint of a panel from [[Dreamwave Armada issue 3| | * '''Cover:''' Reprint of a panel from ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' [[Dreamwave Armada issue 3|#3]] by [[James Raiz]], [[Erik Sander]], and [[Rob Armstrong]]. | ||
**'''Featured series:''' '' | ** '''Featured series:''' ''Armada'' | ||
***'''Story:''' | *** '''Story:''' [[Armada Free Comic Book Day|Free Comic Book Day Edition]] | ||
;Advertisements | ;Advertisements | ||
*''Armada'' | * ''Armada'' | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
===2006=== | ===2006=== | ||
[[ | [[File:FCBD 2006 coverA.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]] | ||
[[ | [[File:FCBD 2006 coverB.jpg|thumb|upright=0.55]] | ||
*'''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | * '''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | ||
*'''Date:''' [[May 6]]th, 2006. | * '''Date:''' [[May 6]]th, [[2006]]. | ||
*'''Cover A:''' | * '''Cover A:''' Reprint of page 1 from ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering]]'' [[The Gathering issue 2|#2]] by [[Don Figueroa]]. | ||
*'''Cover B:''' Reprint of cover D from [[Infiltration issue 1]] by [[Guido Guidi]]. | * '''Cover B:''' Reprint of cover D from ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' [[Infiltration issue 1|#1]] by [[Guido Guidi]]. | ||
**'''Featured series #1:''' '' | ** '''Featured series #1:''' ''The Gathering'' | ||
***'''Story:''' | *** '''Story:''' ''The Gathering'' [[The Gathering issue 1|#1]] (preview) | ||
**'''Featured series #2: | ** '''Featured series #2:''' [[2005 IDW continuity]] | ||
***'''Story #1:''' [[Stormbringer | *** '''Story #1:''' ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' [[Stormbringer issue 1|#1]] (preview) | ||
***'''Story #2:''' | *** '''Story #2:''' ''Infiltration'' [[Infiltration issue 3|#3]] (preview) | ||
**'''Featured series #3:''' ''[[ | ** '''Featured series #3:''' ''[[Hearts of Steel]]'' | ||
***'''Story:''' | *** '''Story:''' ''Hearts of Steel'' [[Hearts of Steel issue 1|#1]] (preview) | ||
;Advertisements | ;Advertisements | ||
*''Beast Wars: The Gathering'' | * ''[[List of Beast Wars comics|Beast Wars]]: The Gathering'' | ||
*''Stormbringer'' #1 | * ''Stormbringer'' #1 | ||
*''[[Generations (comic | * ''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|Generations]]'' | ||
*''Infiltration'' | * ''Infiltration'' | ||
*''Evolutions: | * ''[[The Transformers: Evolutions|Evolutions]]: Hearts of Steel'' #1 | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
===2007=== | ===2007=== | ||
[[ | [[File:FCBD 2007 cover.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]] | ||
*'''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | * '''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | ||
*'''Date:''' [[May 5]]th, 2007. | * '''Date:''' [[May 5]]th, [[2007]]. | ||
*'''Cover:''' Reprint of the back half of the [[ | * '''Cover:''' Reprint of the back half of the ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]'' [[Movie Prequel issue 1|#1]] wraparound cover by [[Don Figueroa]]. | ||
**'''Featured series:''' '' | ** '''Featured series:''' ''Movie Prequel'' | ||
***'''Story:''' | *** '''Story:''' ''Movie Prequel'' #1 (preview) | ||
;Advertisements | ;Advertisements | ||
| Line 51: | Line 56: | ||
===2008=== | ===2008=== | ||
[[ | [[File:FCBD 2008 cover.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]] | ||
*'''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | * '''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | ||
*'''Date:''' [[May 3]]rd, 2008. | * '''Date:''' [[May 3]]rd, [[2008]]. | ||
*'''Cover:''' | * '''Cover:''' Reprint of the stock-art cover from ''[[Transformers Animated (IDW)|Animated]]'' [[Transformers Animated Volume 1|Volume 1]], recropped to show more of the image. | ||
**'''Featured series:''' '' | ** '''Featured series:''' ''Animated'' | ||
***'''Story:''' | *** '''Story:''' ''Animated'' Volume 1 (preview) | ||
;Advertisements | ;Advertisements | ||
*''[[The Reign of Starscream]]'' | * ''[[Transformers (2007 comics)|Transformers]]: [[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' | ||
*'' | * ''Animated'' Volumes 1–4 | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
===2009=== | ===2009=== | ||
[[ | [[File:FCBD 2009 cover.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Stop steaming up my optics!]] | ||
*'''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | [[File:FCBD 2009 coverB.jpg|thumb|upright=0.55|Yo us!]] | ||
*'''Date:''' [[May 2]]nd, 2009. | * '''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | ||
*'''Cover:''' Reprint of cover A from [[The Arrival issue 5]] by [[Marcelo Matere]]. | * '''Date:''' [[May 2]]nd, [[2009]]. | ||
**'''Featured series #1:''' ''[[Transformers Animated ( | * '''Cover A:''' Reprint of cover A from ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|The Arrival]]'' [[The Arrival issue 5|#5]] by [[Marcelo Matere]]. | ||
***'''Story:''' "[[The | * '''Cover B:''' Reprint of cover B from {{i|G.I. Joe issue 1|''G.I. Joe'' #1}} by [[Robert Atkins]]. | ||
**'''Featured | ** '''Featured series #1:''' ''The Arrival'' | ||
***'''Story:''' " | *** '''Story:''' "[[The Arrival issue 5#"Survival Skills"|Survival Skills]]" | ||
**'''Featured | ** '''Featured series #2:''' ''{{i|G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe}}'' | ||
***'''Story:''' | *** '''Story:''' "{{i|One Word}}" | ||
** '''Featured series #3:''' ''{{i|G.I. Joe: Origins|Origins}}'' | |||
*** '''Story:''' "{{i|In or Out?}}" | |||
;Advertisements | |||
* ''The Arrival'' TPB | |||
* ''[[Transformers Animated (IDW)|Animated]]'' Volumes 1–4 | |||
* ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' | |||
* ''[[Transformers: Destiny|Destiny]]'', ''[[Transformers: Alliance|Alliance]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Defiance|Defiance]]'' | |||
* ''Speed Racer: The Next Generation'' Volumes 1–3 | |||
{{-}} | |||
;Notes | |||
* The online preview for this issue featured an image composed of equal parts of the ''Animated'' and ''G.I. Joe'' covers, divided diagonally. | |||
{{-}} | |||
===2012=== | |||
[[File:RG1 80pt5 cvr.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]] | |||
* '''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | |||
* '''Date:''' [[May 5]]th, [[2012]]. | |||
* '''Cover A:''' A scarred Optimus Prime amongst important Marvel G1 events by [[Andrew Wildman]]. | |||
** '''Featured series:''' ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' | |||
*** '''Story:''' "[[Counterpoint]]" | |||
;Advertisements | |||
* ''[[The Transformers Classics]]'' | |||
* ''[[The Transformers Classics UK]]'' | |||
* ''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection]]'' | |||
* IDW ''Transformers'' comics | |||
* ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye]]'' | |||
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' | |||
* ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy]]'' (including three-page preview) | |||
* ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]: Retaliation'' prequel | |||
* IDW ''G.I. Joe'' comics | |||
{{-}} | |||
===2014=== | |||
[[File:TFvsJoe0.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]] | |||
* '''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | |||
* '''Date:''' [[May 3]]rd, [[2014]]. | |||
** '''Featured series:''' ''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' | |||
*** '''Story:''' "[[The Golden Boys]]" | |||
===2015=== | |||
* '''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | |||
* '''Date:''' [[May 2]]nd, [[2015]]. | |||
** '''Featured series #1:''' ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)|Robots in Disguise]]'' | |||
*** '''Story:''' "[[Fire, When Ready!]]" | |||
** '''Featured series #2:''' ''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' | |||
*** '''Story:''' "[[FCBD Funnies]]" | |||
===2018=== | |||
* '''Published by:''' [[IDW Publishing]] | |||
* '''Date:''' [[May 3]]rd, [[2018]]. | |||
** '''Featured series:''' ''[[Transformers: Unicron|Unicron]]'' | |||
*** '''Story:''' "[[Our Darkest]]" | |||
===2024=== | |||
[[File:Energon Universe 2024 Special FCBD Cover.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]] | |||
* '''Published by:''' [[Skybound Entertainment]] | |||
* '''Date:''' [[May 4]]th, [[2024]]. | |||
** '''Featured series:''' [[Energon Universe 2024 Special]] | |||
*** '''Story #1:''' ''[[Transformers Energon Universe 2024 Special story|Transformers]]'' | |||
*** '''Story #2:''' ''[[Void Rivals Energon Universe 2024 Special story|Void Rivals]]'' | |||
*** '''Story #3:''' ''[[G.I. Joe Energon Universe 2024 Special story|G.I. Joe]]'' | |||
===2025=== | |||
[[File:Energon Universe 2025 Special FCBD Cover.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]] | |||
[[File:Worst Bot Ever.jpg|thumb|upright=0.55]] | |||
* '''Published by:''' [[Skybound Entertainment]] | |||
* '''Date:''' [[May 3]]rd, [[2025]]. | |||
** '''Featured series #1:''' [[Energon Universe 2025 Special]] | |||
*** '''Story #1:''' ''[[G.I. Joe Energon Universe 2025 Special story|G.I. Joe]]'' | |||
*** '''Story #2:''' ''[[Transformers Energon Universe 2025 Special story|Transformers]]'' | |||
*** '''Story #3:''' ''[[Void Rivals Energon Universe 2025 Special story|Void Rivals]]'' | |||
** '''Featured series #2:''' ''[[Transformers: Worst Bot Ever]]'' | |||
*** '''Story:''' [[Meet Ballpoint!#Chapter 1|''Meet Ballpoint!'' (Chapter 1)]] | |||
;Advertisements | ;Advertisements | ||
*'' | * ''Family Force V'' (including nine-page preview) | ||
===2026=== | |||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
==Other free Transformers comics== | ==Other free ''Transformers'' comics== | ||
==="Halloween Special Edition"=== | ==="Halloween Special Edition"=== | ||
[[ | [[File:MarvelUSG2-00.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]] | ||
*'''Published by:''' [[Marvel Comics]] | * '''Published by:''' [[Marvel Comics]] | ||
*'''Date:''' [[October 31]]st, 1993. | * '''Date:''' [[October 31]]st, [[1993]]. | ||
*'''Cover:''' Original art by [[Geoff Senior]]. | * '''Cover:''' Original art by [[Geoff Senior]]. | ||
**'''Featured series:''' ''[[Generation 2 (Marvel | ** '''Featured series:''' ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' | ||
***'''Story:''' "[[Ghosts]]" | *** '''Story:''' "[[Ghosts]]" | ||
;Advertisements | ;Advertisements | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
== | ==Notes== | ||
*[ | * While [[IDW Publishing]] didn't release a ''Transformers'' comic for Free Comic Book Day 2016, they ''did'' release a dual ''[[ROM (comic)|ROM]]'' / ''[[Action Man (comic)|Action Man]]'' issue, containing preludes for ''[[Earthfall: Prelude|ROM]]'' and ''[[To the Victors the Spoils|Action Man]]''. | ||
==External links== | |||
* [https://www.freecomicbookday.com FreeComicBookDay.com] | |||
* {{w|Free Comic Book Day}} at Wikipedia | |||
[[Category:Comics]] | [[Category:Comics]] | ||
Latest revision as of 21:35, 8 January 2026

Free Comic Book Day, aka FCBD, is a wondrous event in which good little boys and girls all over the world get free comics! FREE! It is held on the first Saturday of May every year.
In celebrating FCBD, publishers typically opt for one of two options:
- Create entirely new mini-comics that feature brand new stories that have not been, and will likely never be, available by other means. It can prove to be quite an expensive and time-consuming project to undertake, so this usually limits the publisher to making only a handful of releases of this kind without affecting their regular business.
- Reprint parts of stories from a few current comic lines in a bid to draw
moneyattention to the series from which they originated. Since these stories are already written and drawn, this option is considerably cheaper than the first, allowing publishers to produce several books of this kind while adhering to the same budget and schedule.
It's swings and roundabouts.
Free Comic Book Day issues
[edit]2003
[edit]
- Published by: Dreamwave Productions
- Date: May 3rd, 2003.
- Cover: Reprint of a panel from Armada #3 by James Raiz, Erik Sander, and Rob Armstrong.
- Featured series: Armada
- Story: Free Comic Book Day Edition
- Featured series: Armada
- Advertisements
- Armada
2006
[edit]

- Published by: IDW Publishing
- Date: May 6th, 2006.
- Cover A: Reprint of page 1 from The Gathering #2 by Don Figueroa.
- Cover B: Reprint of cover D from Infiltration #1 by Guido Guidi.
- Featured series #1: The Gathering
- Story: The Gathering #1 (preview)
- Featured series #2: 2005 IDW continuity
- Story #1: Stormbringer #1 (preview)
- Story #2: Infiltration #3 (preview)
- Featured series #3: Hearts of Steel
- Story: Hearts of Steel #1 (preview)
- Featured series #1: The Gathering
- Advertisements
- Beast Wars: The Gathering
- Stormbringer #1
- Generations
- Infiltration
- Evolutions: Hearts of Steel #1
2007
[edit]
- Published by: IDW Publishing
- Date: May 5th, 2007.
- Cover: Reprint of the back half of the Movie Prequel #1 wraparound cover by Don Figueroa.
- Featured series: Movie Prequel
- Story: Movie Prequel #1 (preview)
- Featured series: Movie Prequel
- Advertisements
2008
[edit]
- Published by: IDW Publishing
- Date: May 3rd, 2008.
- Cover: Reprint of the stock-art cover from Animated Volume 1, recropped to show more of the image.
- Featured series: Animated
- Story: Animated Volume 1 (preview)
- Featured series: Animated
- Advertisements
- Transformers: The Reign of Starscream
- Animated Volumes 1–4
2009
[edit]

- Published by: IDW Publishing
- Date: May 2nd, 2009.
- Cover A: Reprint of cover A from The Arrival #5 by Marcelo Matere.
- Cover B: Reprint of cover B from G.I. Joe #1 by Robert Atkins.
- Featured series #1: The Arrival
- Story: "Survival Skills"
- Featured series #2: G.I. Joe
- Story: "One Word"
- Featured series #3: Origins
- Story: "In or Out?"
- Featured series #1: The Arrival
- Advertisements
- The Arrival TPB
- Animated Volumes 1–4
- Revenge of the Fallen
- Destiny, Alliance, and Defiance
- Speed Racer: The Next Generation Volumes 1–3
- Notes
- The online preview for this issue featured an image composed of equal parts of the Animated and G.I. Joe covers, divided diagonally.
2012
[edit]
- Published by: IDW Publishing
- Date: May 5th, 2012.
- Cover A: A scarred Optimus Prime amongst important Marvel G1 events by Andrew Wildman.
- Featured series: Regeneration One
- Story: "Counterpoint"
- Featured series: Regeneration One
- Advertisements
- The Transformers Classics
- The Transformers Classics UK
- The Transformers: The IDW Collection
- IDW Transformers comics
- The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
- The Transformers: Robots in Disguise
- The Transformers: Autocracy (including three-page preview)
- G.I. Joe: Retaliation prequel
- IDW G.I. Joe comics
2014
[edit]
- Published by: IDW Publishing
- Date: May 3rd, 2014.
- Featured series: Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
- Story: "The Golden Boys"
- Featured series: Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
2015
[edit]- Published by: IDW Publishing
- Date: May 2nd, 2015.
- Featured series #1: Robots in Disguise
- Story: "Fire, When Ready!"
- Featured series #2: Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
- Story: "FCBD Funnies"
- Featured series #1: Robots in Disguise
2018
[edit]- Published by: IDW Publishing
- Date: May 3rd, 2018.
- Featured series: Unicron
- Story: "Our Darkest"
- Featured series: Unicron
2024
[edit]
- Published by: Skybound Entertainment
- Date: May 4th, 2024.
- Featured series: Energon Universe 2024 Special
- Story #1: Transformers
- Story #2: Void Rivals
- Story #3: G.I. Joe
- Featured series: Energon Universe 2024 Special
2025
[edit]

- Published by: Skybound Entertainment
- Date: May 3rd, 2025.
- Featured series #1: Energon Universe 2025 Special
- Story #1: G.I. Joe
- Story #2: Transformers
- Story #3: Void Rivals
- Featured series #2: Transformers: Worst Bot Ever
- Story: Meet Ballpoint! (Chapter 1)
- Featured series #1: Energon Universe 2025 Special
- Advertisements
- Family Force V (including nine-page preview)
2026
[edit]
Other free Transformers comics
[edit]"Halloween Special Edition"
[edit]
- Published by: Marvel Comics
- Date: October 31st, 1993.
- Cover: Original art by Geoff Senior.
- Featured series: Generation 2
- Story: "Ghosts"
- Featured series: Generation 2
- Advertisements
Notes
[edit]- While IDW Publishing didn't release a Transformers comic for Free Comic Book Day 2016, they did release a dual ROM / Action Man issue, containing preludes for ROM and Action Man.
External links
[edit]- FreeComicBookDay.com
- Free Comic Book Day at Wikipedia

