Here’s where you can celebrate Free Comic Book Day in Toronto

On Saturday, May 6, there will be comics ... for free.

It’s about fostering a love of reading, and encouraging interested people of all ages to visit their local comic book shops — and it involves free stuff.

What’s not to like?

Started in 2002, Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is held annually on the first Saturday in May. It takes place at shops across North America, and offers up a selection of new, specially created comics free of charge. All readers have to do is find a store on May 6 and see which books strike their fancy.

The Beguiling is one of the Greater Toronto Area comic shops participating this year. Owner Peter Birkemoe says the shop participates in FCBD for the same reasons it helped start the Toronto Comic Arts Festival as a free-to-attend event.

“All of these things remove traditional barriers to someone interested in trying out comics for the first time,” says Birkemoe. “As people who love the medium, we are convinced that if you are able to put the right comic in someone’s hand, you have the chance to turn them into a reader for life.”

In addition to handing out free comics, several shops also run special events on FCBD. This year, award-winning comic creator Jeff Lemire — whose works include Sweet Tooth, Essex County, and Black Hammer — will be appearing at The Beguiling.

We mapped several Greater Toronto Area shops participating in FCBD on Sat., May 6. Check the map to find the one nearest you, and read on for more info about the day.

What comics will be available during Free Comic Book Day?

There will be 42 FCBD comics available this year. These are split into two larger categories — gold and silver. While gold comics will be available at every participating shop, silver ones will be available only at shops that specifically request them.

Something else to keep in mind: Each FCBD comic comes with a colour-coded logo indicating a suggested age range. Green is for all ages, blue for teens and up, and red for mature audiences (or 18+).

Here’s the list of gold comics, colour coded by age range:

• Dog Man and the League of Misfits, Graphix/ Scholastic
• Ranger Academy, BOOM! Studios
• Archie Horror Presents: The Cursed Library, Archie Comics
• Avengers/ X-Men, Marvel
• Choujin X/ Rooster Fighter, VIZ Media
• Red Sonja: She-Devil with a Sword #0, Dynamite Entertainment
• Seismic Stories, AfterShock Comics
• Amazing Spider-Man/ Venom, Marvel
• Star Trek, IDW Publishing
• Conan the Barbarian, Titan Comics
• FishFlies #1 Preview Edition, Image Comics
• Umbrella Academy/ The Witcher, Dark Horse Comics

And here’s the list of silver comics:

• 2000 AD Regened Presents: The Best Comic Ever!, Rebellion Publishing
• Animal Crossing/ Kirby Manga Mania, VIZ Media
• Babysitter's Little Sister: Karen's Haircut, Graphix/ Scholastic
• I Am Stan, Ten Speed Press
• InvestiGators: All Tide Up, First Second Books
• Kotto Kotorra, Arcana Comics
• The Last Comics on Earth, Viking Books
• Madballs vs. Garbage Pail Kids, Dynamite Entertainment
• Mech Cadets, BOOM! Studios
• Mexikid, Dial Books
• The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Battle for Pumpkin King, TOKYOPOP
• The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Comics, Gemstone Publishing
• Punch Up! Preview, Oni Press
• Smurfs 65th Anniversary Special, Papercutz
• Spidey and His Amazing Friends #1, Marvel
• Star Wars/ Avatar: The Last Airbender, Dark Horse Comics
• Sweet Valley Twins: Teacher's Pet, Random House Children's Books
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, IDW Publishing
• Animal Castle, ABLAZE
• Crimebuster Season 1, Issue 1, Lev Gleason/ Comichouse
• Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Fantagraphics Books
• Marvel Voices #1, Marvel
• Runescape: Untold Tales of the God Wars, Titan Comics
• The Sacrificers #1, Image Comics
• Shadowman Dark Legacy, Valiant Entertainment
• Shaman King Flowers & Welcome to Demon School, Kodansha
• Street Fighter 6 #0, UDON Entertainment
• Tom Holland's Fright Night, American Mythology
• FrazettaVerse #0, Opus Comics
• West of Sundown, Vault Comics

For more information on Free Comic Book Day, tap or click here to head to the event website.

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Code and markup by Kyle Duncan. ©Torontoverse, 2023