Free Comic Book Day is almost upon us, and the hype is real. In addition to all of the big sales and special events put on by local comic book stores, there’s the original draw of this holiday: lots and lots of free comics. That raises the question of which ones we want to grab. Many stores need to impose limits on the total number of free comics per customer, as stores still have to pay for each issue you take home for free. So it is worth prioritizing the special issues that best fit your own taste and interests.
Videos by ComicBook.com
That’s why we’ve composed a top 10 countdown of the very best comics being published this year. It runs the gamut from all-ages family fun to some seriously intense cartooning. Our ranking has it all and emphasizes the uniqueness of each issue and how much it has to offer. As you prepare to support your local comic book store this Saturday and get some great new reads in the process, take a look ahead for the absolute best free comics of 2018.
10. Shadowman Special
Published by Valiant Entertainment
Written by Andy Diggle, Matt Kindt, and Eric Heisserer
Art by Stephen Segovia, Tomas Giorello, and Raul Allen
Valiant is putting their best foot forward with this issue. Not only does it highlight one of their more underrated properties, but it features several of the publisher’s most talented, regular contributors. If you haven’t considered checking out the superhero universe of Valiant before, this presents a great opportunity to see what it’s all about.
9. The Amazing Spider-Man
Published by Marvel Comics
Written by Nick Spencer
Art by Ryan Ottley
There is a lot of buzz surrounding Amazing Spider-Man with Dan Slott’s imminent departure looming in the horizon. This special offers fans a very special first peek at what is to come from the new creative team for the series. The cover offers some very intriguing hints, including the return of Spencer’s favorite C-list villain Boomerang and an important reminder that inimitable Ryan Ottley is drawing the series. Hopefully this taste is enough to tide us over until the team makes their monthly debut.
8. Adventure Time: Fiona & Cake Special
Published by Boom! Studios
Written by Grace Kraft
Art by Christine Larsen
Adventure Time is one of the most consistent quality all-ages comics around. Whether or not you’ve seen the television series, their paper outings have proven to be entertaining based entirely on their own merits. This issue ought to provide a fun adventure no matter your familiarity, guaranteed to mix plenty of laughs in with whatever thrills it has to offer.
7. Berlin
Published by Drawn & Quarterly
Created by Jason Lutes
Drawn & Quarterly is emphasizing one of their most distinguished cartoonists with an introduction point to his historical narrative Berlin. In addition to the opening chapter, this issue is also loaded with special content including an interview with Jason Lutes. If you’re looking for a great new graphic novel, this is definitely a fine starting point. Lutes’ narrative examining the transformation of Germany from democracy to fascist state concludes this fall and already appears to be an unfortunately relevant masterwork in comics.
6. Star Wars Adventures
Published by IDW Publishing
Written by Cavan Scott
Art by Derek Charm
In spite of Marvel Comics’ great Star Wars line, this series from IDW remains the most fun comic featuring Luke, Han, Leia, and the rest of the gang. Its all-ages approach reminds fans of the humor and joy that is ever-present through the movies, and allows for some great digressions into subject matter like the life of Porgs. If you are a fan of Star Wars and haven’t read Star Wars Adventures yet, this is definitely a comic to check out on Saturday.
5. The Avengers / Captain America
Published by Marvel Comics
Written by Jason Aaron and Ta-Nehisi Coates
Art by Sara Pichelli and Leinil Francis Yu
If the Avengers are the greatest Marvel heroes, then this is the Avengers of Marvel Comics in 2018. This one-two punch of new and upcoming series shows off the absolute best talent working at the publisher today. The Avengers works in tandem with a #1 issue this week to launch a bold new era and Captain America provides a much-needed preview of what’s to come in the Coates’ second ongoing series. We can’t wait for more of these books and that’s exactly what we’re getting.
4. DC Superhero Girls
Published by DC Comics
Written by Shea Fontana
Art by Yancy Labat
There is a reason this line of stories and figures have become so popular outside of the direct market. They are charming and a whole lot of fun. If you haven’t considered it before, DC Superhero Girls provides a great chance to see what the buzz is about with a delightful story centered on finding Jim Gordon a date. This is a top pick for parents and young readers alike.
3. World’s Greatest Cartoonists
Published by Fantagraphics Books
Created by Sophie Goldstein, Simon Hanselmann, Dash Shaw, and many more
Fantagraphics excels at curation, and that’s exactly what their FCBD contribution represents. It is packed with original content from an incredible array of cartoonists, providing so much content that readers are bound to find a talented new favorite in the pack. This is a great sampler of the many styles and stories being told in comics today beyond the world of superheroes.
2. Barrier
Published by Image Comics
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Marcos Martin
Image Comics offers the most bang for your (lack of) buck, considering just how much they are giving away for free. Barrier #1 was originally a digital-only comic from two of the medium’s most talented creators. Bringing it to print means an oversized publication format (as it was designed for the width of computer screens) and more than 50 pages of content. It’s not just that Barrier is a great comic, but you get a whole lot of it here for free.
1. My Hero Academia
Published by Viz Media
Created by Kouhei Horikoshi and Shirow Miwa
My Hero Academia is the best superhero comic being published today, and now you can find out why for free. This is a series that everyone at ComicBook.com loves, whether we come from a manga or superhero background. It’s the best of two very popular worlds, one we cannot recommend enough.
This also represents a great opportunity for many local comic book stores to expand their reach, finding a crossover between dedicated superhero readers and the manga market that is primarily sold in bookstores. There’s no reason that manga shouldn’t be more popular in the direct market and checking out My Hero Academia on Saturday is a great starting point.
