Free Comic Book Day (“FCBD”) is traditionally held on the first Saturday in May. Families can find the closest participating comic book retailers at the link at the bottom of this article. Each year participating stores feature free sample comic books from various studios and creators. If you already know how it works, keep scrolling for a list of participating Twin Cities comic shops and 2025 titles:
How Free Comic Book Day Works
It is up to the individual comic book shops how to distribute the free comics. At some events, we were able to walk through and pick our favorites at others we were handed a prepacked bag with a random assortment of free comics.
The Best of Parts:
Free Comics:
The obvious, best part of FCBD is the free comic books. These can be good comics, too. I enjoy reading some of them as an adult. One bag of comics lasts an average reader a good long time.
Local Artists:
Besides the free samples of national comics, local artists are sometimes in attendance sharing their own comic books for sale during FCBD. Just like with books, it is fun to collect comic books with a local tie-in and an autograph from someone you could run into at the grocery store. Like independent bookstores, comic book stores tend to be locally-owned businesses that have to fight against the ease of internet sales, so by supporting these events you are supporting both local comic book artists and a locally owned business.
Meet Some Superheroes and Other Big Screen Favorites:
While waiting in line, you might just run into your favorite comic book character. You never know who you will run into – Luke Skywalker, the amazing Spider-Man, Stan Lee? Costumed characters wander the lines, plus a lot of people in line dress up to attend. This can be a fun way to mingle with other fans. It’s a good time to for kids to get some extra use out of their Halloween costumes.
Other Deals:
The stores often offer other special deals on FCBD. Did you know that some comic book stores offer free starter sets for popular role playing card games, like Magic: The Gathering?
The Downside of Free Comic Book Day
Limited Numbers:
Free Comic Book Day divides its offerings into Gold and Silver Comics. As far as I can tell, the difference is in popularity. If you see Gold Comics that you particularly want, I would recommend showing up early. Each participating store will get a limited number of comics to offer.
Long Lines & Crowds:
Having gone to a few of these events, I recommend finding a smaller store. In my experience, the bigger store has had long lines and chose your comics for you. In fact, I had a feeling they may have held back the best comics for select people. One year, at one of the biggest comic shops in town, none of us got any of the comics we wanted after standing in line outside for an hour. In contrast, when we have visited a small nearby store, we had no lines and had our pick of any or all of the comics offered. Unfortunately small stores are less likely to stay in business from year to year, and our favorite store was closed the next year. It also may be worthwhile to call ahead to see how the store you want to visit distributes comics and how long their lines have been historically.
3 Alternatives to Free Comic Book Day
If you are not into crowds, but still want to share the love of comic books with your kids, you have some alternatives.
- Be a Day Late: Another option to keep in mind is that stores don’t always run out of these free comic books – especially the more kid-friendly titles. If you are not into the crowds and don’t have particular comics that you really want, you may be able to stop by a day or two later and ask if they have leftovers. We were able to take home selections from both Free Comic Book Day and Halloween Comic Day a few days after the Halloween giveaway one year. Stopping in on a different day is a good option if you would like to do additional shopping without the crowds.
- Thrift stores and used book stores are great places to search for old comic books. This is a good idea, again, if you want comics, but not specific comics and you want to avoid crowds.
- Graphic Novels: With the rise in popularity of graphic novels, which are basically comic books in book format, you can tap your library for good options — both for yourself and your kids. Watch the Red Balloon’s book clubs, because in the past, they have offered graphic novels in their Kids Read Book Club. I’ve found some good selections through their recommendations.
- Make Your Own Comic Book. Wonder Woman Trisha Speed Shaskan and Superman Stephen Shaskan, the Twin Cities First Family of Children’s Books, have created the book, Art Panels, Bam! Speech Bubbles, Pow!: Writing Your Own Graphic Novel, to help kids write their own new comic featuring characters and stories of their own imagination. The book is out of print, but you can find it through Amazon and other used book sellers.
Participating Twin Cities Comic Shops:
Below we list the stores that often participate in Free Comic Book Day. We recommend checking the Free Comic Book Day website and verifying with the comic shop itself sometime during the week leading up to Free Comic Book Day:
- Hot Comics & Collectibles (just off Victory Memorial Drive)
4400 Osseo Road
Minneapolis, MN 55412
Phone: (763) 593-1223 - Level Up Comics (near Loring Park)
1425 La Salle Avenue,
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (612) 315-3945 - Source Comics & Games (across from HarMar Mall)
2057 Snelling Avenue North
Roseville, MN 55113
Phone: (651) 645-0386 - Rockhopper Comic & Games
5225 Maryland Avenue North
Crystal, MN, 55428
Phone: (612) 227-2785 - Dreamers Vault Games (Near Minnehaha Park and in St. Louis Park)
[mks_col][mks_one_half]4701 Hiawatha Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55406
Phone: (612) 724-4542[/mks_one_half][mks_one_half]3015 Utah Avenue South
St. Louis Park, MN, 55426
(952) 938-81634701[/mks_one_half][/mks_col]
Love Comic Books? Want more excuses to visit these stores?
- Celebrate National Comic Book Day in September.
- Come back for Halloween Comic Day the weekend before Halloween each Ocober.
Useful Links:
- Find a Participating Twin Cities Comic Shop where you can get free comics – We recommend calling ahead even if the shop is listed.