The Free Comic Book Day 2024 list has been announced and this also means there will be plenty of free manga titles alongside more traditional Western comic offerings.
As reported on the official Free Comic Book Day website, a total of 48 titles will be available for free at all participating local comic shops on May 4, 2024. 12 comics Gold Sponsor and 36 Silver Sponsor comics have been announced for the 2024 selection, including manga such as One Piece, Initial D and Pokémon Adventures, among many others.
How Free Comic Book Day Began
Free Comic Book Day, also known as FCBD, is an annual tradition that dates back to 2002. In 2001, comic book store owner Joe Field wrote a column introducing the idea in the industry magazine Comics & Games Retailer, and a year later, on May 4, 2002, the first annual Free Comic Book Day was held. More than 2,000 independent comic book stores in North America now participate in this promotional event every year, some stores even host additional events, including creator signings as well as cosplay contests and appearances by local writers and artists.
While there have always been big-name comics available during Free Comic Book Day, including titles from industry giants Marvel and DC, it now also features popular comics. For example, on Free Comic Book Day 2024, Pokémon ADV Ruby Alpha Sapphire & Splattoo written by Hidenori Kusaka, illustrated by Satoshi Yamamoto and published by VIZ Media will be available as a Gold Sponsor manga. The Pokémon franchise was originally created by Satoshi Tajiri as a role-playing game for the Game Boy in 1996. Since then, it has become a household name, with manga adaptations, card games, a series of anime and some movies.
One Piece Aces Story & Status Royale written by Eiichiro Oda and published by VIZ Media, as well as First D & Kaina of Great Show written by Shuichi Shigeno and published by Kodansha, will also be available as Silver Sponsor manga titles. Oda’s One Piece manga debuted in Shonen Jump in 1997 and is still ongoing. Likewise, the anime adaptation is still going strong and currently has over 1,000 episodes. Meanwhile, Shigeno launched the popular racing series Initial D in 1995, which ran until 2013. It is now one of the best-selling manga series today, inspiring an anime series and some movies.
Other popular titles that will be available during Free Comic Book Day 2024 include Ultimate Universe Spider-Man #1 (Marvel), DC FCBD Special Edition (DC Comics), Hellboy Stranger Things (Dark Horse Comics), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW Publishing), Archie Horror Presents Cursed Library Prelude (Archie Comic Publications, Inc.), Romeo Vs. Juliet Kill Shakespeare ADV (Gem Publishing), Doctor Who Fifteenth Doctor (Titan Comics) and Dying Inside (Vault Comics).
Free Comic Book Day 2024 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 4, 2024.
Source: Free Comic Book Day