Free Comic Book Day 2020 was scheduled to take place in the first week of May. But then the global pandemic hit and the idea of crowds of people turning up to grab free comic books was not a perfect plan. Some publishers such as Image and Marvel have stated that they will be releasing their free comic book titles on certain data – but now that has been extended to all of the books, and spread out across nine weeks rather than one weekend. Hurrah!
Diamond Comic Distributors have announced the Free Comic Day will be Free Comic Book Weeks for this year – beginning on Wednesday, July 15, and concluding with Wednesday, September 9th. It will be full 9 weeks for comic book readers.
According to Diamond, retailers will receive staggered shipments of Free Comic Book Day 2020 titles across nine weeks, with retailers encouraged to make them available to customers as they see fit. Traditionally, Free Comic Book Day is — as the name suggests — one day when all releases, typically numbering above 40, are available for free.
“Every year, Free Comic Book Day is our big event to thank current Comics fans, welcome back former fans, and invite those new to comics to join the fun,” retailer Joe Field, who came up with the initial idea of the annual event, said in a statement. “In this very different year, Free Comic Book Day is more like Free Comic Book Summer. … and there’s so much fun to discover in this year’s FCBD comics! So many cool stories are available for this stretched-out Free Comic Book Day 2020. I’m confident longtime fans and newcomers alike are going to find a story that’ll make them want to visit their local comic shop every week!”
Publishers participating in this 9-week comic book bonanza include Marvel Entertainment, DC, Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Boom! Studios and more; in total, 45 issues will be distributed across the FCBD 2020 period, along with two additional “educational support” releases.
Free Comic Book Weeks – Release Schedule
Here’s a list of all our favorite comic books and their release dates:
JULY 15
- BOOM! Studios | POWER RANGERS: RANGER SLAYER
- IDW Publishing | MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC
- Marvel Comics | X-MEN
- Chapterhouse Publishing | CAPTAIN CANUCK BEYOND AND CAPTAIN BATTLE
- Papercutz | ASTERIX
- Yen Press| THE WEIRN BOOKS
JULY 22
- Valiant Entertainment | VALIANT 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
- AfterShock Comics | DARK ARK: INSTINCT
- Drawn & Quarterly | MANHWA: CONTEMPORARY KOREAN COMICS
- Marvel Comics | SPIDER-MAN/ VENOM
- Titan Comics | HORIZON ZERO DAWN #0
JULY 29
- Archie Comics | ARCHIE BLUE RIBBON PRESENTS
- Dark Horse Comics | STRANGER THINGS/ MINECRAFT
- DC Comics | BATMAN OVERDRIVE/ BATMAN: ONCE UPON A CRIME
- Dynamite Entertainment | THE BOYS #1
- Golden Apple Books | RICHARD FAIRGRAY’S MONSTER SHOWCASE
- RH Graphic | STEPPING STONES/ MAX & THE MIDKNIGHTS
AUGUST 5
- Artists, Writers & Artisans | THE RESISTANCE
- BOOM! Studios | LUMBERJANES: FAREWELL TO SUMMER
- New England Comics | THE TICK
- Penguin Workshop | ZOO PATROL SQUAD: KINGDOM CAPER
- TOKYOPOP | BIBI & MIYU/ THE FOX & THE LITTLE TANUKI
- Image Comics | INVINCIBLE #1
AUGUST 12
- Dark Horse Comics | NORSE MYTHOLOGY/ CRITICAL ROLE
- Albatross Funnybooks | HILLBILLY: THE LIZARD OF RUSTY CREEK CAVE
- Drawn & Quarterly | LITTLE LULU: NO BOYS ALLOWED
- Oni Press | SUPER MERCADO MIX TAPE
- Titan Comics | BLADE RUNNER 2019
AUGUST 19
- Macmillan/ First Second Books| INVESTIGATORS: TAKE THE PLUNGE SNEAK PEEK
- Fantagraphics Books | DISNEY MASTERS: DONALD DUCK
- Papercutz | THE LOUD HOUSE FCBD 2020 SPECIAL
- UDON Entertainment | STREET FIGHTER #100: RYU VS. CHUN-LI
- Comic Book Legal Defense Fund | CBLDF & BOOM! DEFEND COMICS
- Gemstone Publishing | THE OVERSTREET GUIDE TO COLLECTING – FCBD 2020
AUGUST 26
- Random House Children’s Books | ONLY A MATTER OF SPACE-TIME
- Graphix | DONUT THE DESTROYER
- Rebellion | BEST OF 2000 AD ISSUE #0
- Vault Comics | BRANDON SANDERSON’S DARK ONE #1
- IDW Publishing | USAGI YOJIMBO
SEPTEMBER 2
- Ten Speed Press | JACK KIRBY: THE EPIC LIFE OF THE KING OF COMICS
- Graphix | OWLY: THE WAY HOME
- Insight Comics | MEAN GIRLS: SENIOR YEAR
- VIZ Media | NARUTO/ SAMURAI 8
- Benitez Productions | LADY MECHANIKA
SEPTEMBER 9
- VIZ Media | THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS / SPLATOON: SQUID KIDS COMEDY SHOW
- Humanoids | ENTER THE INCAL
- Kodansha Comics| SUE AND TAI-CHAN PREVIEW
(The release schedule is subject to change)
The announcement of the changed release schedule follows Marvel’s decision to release its titles in July.
More information about the event can be found here.
