2025 Free Comic Book Day

The press releases for FCBD 2025 have begun.

MARVEL REVEALS ITS 2025 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY TITLES INCLUDING NEW STORIES STARRING THE FANTASTIC FOUR, X-MEN AND MORE

See what Marvel has in store for Free Comic Day 2025!

New York, NY— November 18, 2024 — Free Comic Book Day is on May 3 this year, and once again, Marvel Comics celebrates this exciting day for the industry with something for every fan! Readers can look forward to the entry points for all-new eras of Fantastic Four and Amazing Spider-Man, a prelude to an upcoming X-Men saga, and a glimpse at the very first event set in the new Ultimate Universe!

For the second year in a row, Marvel also proudly presents a Star Wars Free Comic Book Day title which explores the what’s to come in the galaxy far, far away. Plus, see creators and characters from different cultures, communities, and identities spotlighted in a special Free Comic Book edition of Marvel’s Voices. And last but not least, you’ll find the perfect first comic book for the young ones in your life with an all-new Free Comic Book Day: Spidey & His Amazing Friends.

Read on to learn more!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: FANTASTIC FOUR/GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1

Written by Ryan North, Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing & Chip Zdarsky

Art by Humberto Ramos, Edgar Delgado, Chip Zdarsky & Iban Coello

In advance of Marvel’s First Family arriving on the big screen this summer, Ryan North and Humberto Ramos craft an unusual story in which the FANTASTIC FOUR respond to a most unusual interdimensional summons! And on the eve of the birth of the ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT X-MEN, there is one extra mutant in attendance. WHO is it? Only Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing can tell you! Plus, ANOTHER surprise from Chip Zdarsky! We’re simply too good to you!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN/ULTIMATE UNIVERSE #1

Written by Joe Kelly, Deniz Camp & Cody Ziglar

Art by John Romita Jr. & Jonas Scharf

Joe Kelly and John Romita Jr. remind us who Peter Parker and SPIDER-MAN are! Plus, an exclusive prologue to this summer’s blockbuster ULTIMATE event from Deniz Camp, Cody Ziglar & Jonas Scharf!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: STAR WARS #1

Written by Alex Segura, Charles Soule & Marc Guggenheim

Art by Phil Noto, Luke Ross, Stefano Raffaele & Madibek Musabekov

CELEBRATING THE NEW ERA OF STAR WARS COMICS!

LUKE SKYWALKER finds himself in a wretched hive of scum and villainy facing off against pirates! JEDI KNIGHTS QUI-GON JINN & TENSU RUN are on the hunt for the villainous CORLIS RATH! Who is the mysterious VANEE and what is his connection to DARTH VADER & KYLO REN?

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: IRONHEART/MARVEL’S VOICES #1

Written by Justina Ireland & More

Art by Julian Shaw & More

CELEBRATING A YEAR OF MARVEL’S VOICES WITH A BRAND-NEW STORY STARRING IRONHEART!

Bestselling writer Justina Ireland blasts Ironheart into Chicago’s past for a story of Black innovation through the ages! And explore the past year of Voices anthologies with selections from Mystique and Destiny’s star-studded wedding issue, Patriot’s explosive return to super-heroing, the introduction of a brand-new Ghost Rider and more!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: IRON MAN & HIS AWESOME FRIENDS/SPIDEY & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS #1

SWING INTO THIS YEAR’S FREE COMIC BOOK DAY SPECIAL WITH

NEW AND FAVORITE CHARACTERS FROM TWO DISNEY JR. SHOWS!

FIRST, ARMOR UP with Iron Man and his Awesome Friends, Iron Heart and Iron Hulk, in this not-to-be-missed all-new comic featuring characters from the forthcoming Disney Jr. show! Then the web-slinging fun continues with everyone’s favorite heroes from Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends! There’s no shortage of baddies creating mischief in New York and Spidey, Ghost-Spider, and Spin need help keeping the city safe through thrilling activity pages and easy-to-read stories.

Check out the covers and stay tuned for more news about FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025 in the months ahead.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN/ULTIMATE UNIVERSE #1

Written by JOE KELLY, DENIZ CAMP & CODY ZIGLAR

Art by JOHN ROMITA JR. & JONAS SCHARF

Cover by PAT GLEASON

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: FANTASTIC FOUR/GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1

Written by RYAN NORTH, COLLIN KELLY, JACKSON LANZING, CHIP ZDARSKY & MORE

Art by HUMBERTO RAMOS, EDGAR DELGADO, CHIP ZDARSKY & MORE

Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: STAR WARS #1

Written by ALEX SEGURA, CHARLES SOULE & MARC GUGGENHEIM

Art by PHIL NOTO, LUKE ROSS, STEFANO RAFFAELE & MADIBEK MUSABEKOV

Cover by PHIL NOTO

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: IRONHEART/MARVEL’S VOICES #1

Written by JUSTINA IRELAND & MORE

Art by JULIAN SHAW & MORE
Cover by EDWIN GALMON

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2025: IRON MAN & HIS AWESOME FRIENDS/SPIDEY & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS #1

I read a few more from the FCBD stack (I have many stacks, with many names):

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 202: MARVEL VOICES: Everyone reading this is probably more familiar with the "Voices" concept than I am, since I don't buy them. But for the record,they are usually out-of-continuity anthologies, usually written and drawn by newcomers and featuring less-than-A-list characters. They usually have a theme, like "all Black characters" or "all gay characters" or "all Asian characters" or something. I think this one is "all female characters."

Ironheart: Reads like an Iron Man story, except that Riri Williams isn't as interesting as Tony Stark.
Black Panther: T'challa, now a grandfather, tells a bedtime story to his two super-powered grandchildren. He is married to Storm. I don't know what this is -- a possible future? The Absolute universe? A dream, hoax or imaginary tale? I don't know, but shrug. I've long since outgrown bedtime tales, and precocious children annoy me.
Mystique: More on the love story between Mystique and Destiny. Awww. Except that they're both black-hearted, gleeful mass murderers who would slaughter every non-mutant in the world if they had the means, but are currently doing it one at a time. The story doesn't remind you of that, but I will.
Ghost Rider: There's a female GR now, apparently, and I'm uncertain of her age. Her head flame comes out of her motorcycle helmet like pigtails, suggesting youth. Also suggesting "I might want to read something else," because that's really stupid and not demonic at all. I'd reather be reading about Robbie Reyes.
Kahhori: A character my wife and I have disliked since her creation on What If. I skimmed it, and nothing changed my mind.

MARK SPEARS' MONSTERS #0: I've admired the covers for this series since it began, especially the many homages. (This one is an homage to an album cover, but I can't remember which one. I keep thinking "Rubber Soul" or "Queen II," but I don't think that's right.)

The story is about an evil clown (looks like Pennywise) who eats children, and works for an evil clown organization, and he wants to kill his evil clown leader (looks like Violator). The art is some sort of 3D modeling which is sometimes very effective and sometimes very uncanny valley, but always stiff. The color palette is limited to deep blues and purples with red highlights, which is not ideal for older eyes that have had retinal surgery. Regular readers may find that it enhances the story, or is aggravating. I liked the story OK, but it sets up an ongoing premise, which I'm not interested in following. At least I got some good clown fights.

THE PHANTOM: This would have been above-average Phantom story in 1975. In 2025, the Phantom concept is fraying around the edges pretty badly. That's my fault, not the story's, so you may well find it satisfying. (The Phantom ruminates on the meaning of being The Phantom and stares down a tiger.) This version of The Phantom doesn't have his striped trunks, which I confess I miss. Yeah, they didn't make sense, but the whole costume doesn't make sense. (Why full-body covering in the hot jungle? Why purple instead of camouflage?) If we're going to have a white guy dispensing justice in the jungle with a horse, a wolf and two .45s, we're already in nonsense territory, so give me my striped trunks back!

Replies

Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) May 15, 2025 at 4:43pm

Cap, the first DCU character who's encountered the Absolute Universe is Booster Gold, right as the universe launched. We haven't seen him since, as far as I know.

And I've heard that Absolute Martian Manhunter has been so well received it's been upgraded to 12 issues now.
- Captain Comics > Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) May 16, 2025 at 1:22pm
  
  Oh yeah, now I remember Booster Gold. Thanks!
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) May 16, 2025 at 10:58am

I love Ryan North's FF, so it's no big surprise I enjoyed the Fantastic Four FCBD story. I liked Ramos's art more than I was expecting; I was envisioning his 90s work, which I enjoyed also, but he's grown as an artist and this feels more at home with the current tone of the FF than his wackier Impulse-era art.

I liked the X-Men story too -- it seemed like a pretty good preview for a story I'm unlikely to read. I haven't read the other one yet.
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) May 16, 2025 at 1:36pm

Of the DC FCBD book, I can't say I was really impressed with either side. I liked the changes to the Daily Planet -- I kind of think Imani Edge has been introduced not only because, as a Melinda Gates/MacKenzie Scott figure, she rings true, and can be a new character while not being another zillionaire created completely out of the blue -- she has connections to a major player, but there's a solid reason we haven't seen her before. I think it's a decent choice, and I'll be interested in seeing where that story goes.

But as for the main Super-plot: the Kryptonite meteor? It's fine. Seems solid, and will certainly give a bunch of villains a sense that they have a reasonable shot at beating Superman. If that gives us another Prankster story, for example, that's good enough for me.

As for the Absolute side, I like the idea of Mirror Master and his dark reflection being the big bads of an event. But the travelogue around the Absolute Universe didn't grab me... and I really like most of the books!
Jeff of Earth-J May 17, 2025 at 9:28am

"If I were a woman, I would find this story offensive."

"I don’t consider myself a neanderthal, but this didn’t bother me at all."

"I think it's a decent choice, and I'll be interested in seeing where that story goes."

Just to clarify, I didn't find this character offensive; I speculated that "if I were a woman, I would find this story offensive." As with all things of this nature, my "go-to" expert is my wife Tracy, who not only minored in womens' studies in college but is also, y'know, a woman. I handed her the comic and asked her to read the first page, then I stepped out of the room for a moment. When I returned she had a big ol' grin on her face. She heartily approved. (That's the last time I try to "get in touch with my feminine side.")
ClarkKent_DC May 21, 2025 at 10:05pm

I didn't make it to Free Comic Book Day, owing to a minor but expensive ($$$) mishap with my car. So I went to different shops in the days after, which mostly yielded the kiddie books as, I presume, the other wooks were taken by customers on the actual day. But yesterday I went to one more place in the area I don't get to often, and it had lots of FCBD books for the grownups, which I haven't read yet.
Jeff of Earth-J May 22, 2025 at 8:12am

It’s tough slogging to read them all, though, primarily because the bulk of them ARE for kids.

I went to different shops in the days after, which mostly yielded the kiddie books...

I'm ambivalent about this. Ostensibly, an influx of young readers is needed for the field to survive, but no one is publishing the kind of comics I would have liked as a child.
- ClarkKent_DC > Jeff of Earth-J May 23, 2025 at 6:18am
  
  I'm not complaining about getting the kiddie books; I actually enjoy (most of) them. What I'm complaining about is not getting the books for older readers!
  
  For example, the story in Dynamite's Jonny Quest series began with its Free Comic Book Day issue, which I've never seen. I've enjoyed that series, but I'm irritated that I never got to see the first issue, so to speak.
Jeff of Earth-J May 23, 2025 at 1:03pm

For example, the story in Dynamite's Jonny Quest series began with its Free Comic Book Day issue, which I've never seen.

That is indeed unfortunate. I used to have no interest whatsoever in FCBD, until they started releasing fare tied into upcoming storylines available no where else.

I'm not complaining about getting the kiddie books

My point is that we don't need more kids reading comic books (that'll never happen); we need more new adult readers.
Captain Comics May 23, 2025 at 3:36pm
I read a few more from the FCBD stack (I have many stacks, with many names):

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 202: MARVEL VOICES: Everyone reading this is probably more familiar with the "Voices" concept than I am, since I don't buy them. But for the record,they are usually out-of-continuity anthologies, usually written and drawn by newcomers and featuring less-than-A-list characters. They usually have a theme, like "all Black characters" or "all gay characters" or "all Asian characters" or something. I think this one is "all female characters."
- Ironheart: Reads like an Iron Man story, except that Riri Williams isn't as interesting as Tony Stark.
- Black Panther: T'challa, now a grandfather, tells a bedtime story to his two super-powered grandchildren. He is married to Storm. I don't know what this is -- a possible future? The Absolute universe? A dream, hoax or imaginary tale? I don't know, but shrug. I've long since outgrown bedtime tales, and precocious children annoy me.
- Mystique: More on the love story between Mystique and Destiny. Awww. Except that they're both black-hearted, gleeful mass murderers who would slaughter every non-mutant in the world if they had the means, but are currently doing it one at a time. The story doesn't remind you of that, but I will.
- Ghost Rider: There's a female GR now, apparently, and I'm uncertain of her age. Her head flame comes out of her motorcycle helmet like pigtails, suggesting youth. Also suggesting "I might want to read something else," because that's really stupid and not demonic at all. I'd reather be reading about Robbie Reyes.
- Kahhori: A character my wife and I have disliked since her creation on What If. I skimmed it, and nothing changed my mind.
MARK SPEARS' MONSTERS #0: I've admired the covers for this series since it began, especially the many homages. (This one is an homage to an album cover, but I can't remember which one. I keep thinking "Rubber Soul" or "Queen II," but I don't think that's right.)

The story is about an evil clown (looks like Pennywise) who eats children, and works for an evil clown organization, and he wants to kill his evil clown leader (looks like Violator). The art is some sort of 3D modeling which is sometimes very effective and sometimes very uncanny valley, but always stiff. The color palette is limited to deep blues and purples with red highlights, which is not ideal for older eyes that have had retinal surgery. Regular readers may find that it enhances the story, or is aggravating. I liked the story OK, but it sets up an ongoing premise, which I'm not interested in following. At least I got some good clown fights.

THE PHANTOM: This would have been above-average Phantom story in 1975. In 2025, the Phantom concept is fraying around the edges pretty badly. That's my fault, not the story's, so you may well find it satisfying. (The Phantom ruminates on the meaning of being The Phantom and stares down a tiger.) This version of The Phantom doesn't have his striped trunks, which I confess I miss. Yeah, they didn't make sense, but the whole costume doesn't make sense. (Why full-body covering in the hot jungle? Why purple instead of camouflage?) If we're going to have a white guy dispensing justice in the jungle with a horse, a wolf and two .45s, we're already in nonsense territory, so give me my striped trunks back!

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