As a fan of comics, there are two ‘holy’ days: Wednesday and Free Comic Book Day. While Wednesday is a weekly thing, Free Comic Book Day only comes once or twice a year… and this year Star Wars Day also falls on Saturday. I am probably only going to make it a few shops this year but you can check my GoLive interviews at the Facebook Page

For those who may have never heard of Free Comic Book Day, this yearly event takes place on the first Saturday in May, and yes, participating shops give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops.

One point of clarification, you can’t just walk into a participating store and just grab any comic off the shelf and leave with it … Every year I try to leave a local comic shop (which shall not be named) with a nonqualifying item, last year it was the hardback edition of The Greatest Rob Liefield Stories Ever Told Omnibus (basically it was just two pieces of cardboard stuck together). While I found it funny, the shop owner did not…

The books that are free are specially printed comic books, put out by the publishers to promote their regular books and offer new readers a great place to jump on or as a to preview and promote a new title or storyline/event.

Free Comic Book Day was first held in 2001. In the past, thousands of shops around the world have given away millions of free comic books to interested readers.

Back in 2001, when movies based on comic properties trend was beginning, Joe Field, a retailer, and writer on the comic industry saw how successful feature films based on comic book franchises were doing on the big screen. Hoping to capitalize on the positive momentum of the comic movie trend, he proposed a Free Comic Book Day as a way to bring in new readers and help turn around the struggling industry that was still recovering from the speculator bust of the late 1990s.

After receiving positive reactions to his idea. Jim Valentino who was in charge Image Comics, suggested having the first Free Comic Book Day on the same weekend as the opening of the 2002 Spider-Man feature film, to piggyback off the film’s heavy promotion and related press about the comic book medium.

Free Comic Book Day is administered by a panel representing all parts of the comic book industry: retailers, publishers, suppliers, and Diamond Comic Distributors. Each year, publishers apply to provide comic books at cost to retailers, who in turn give them away for free. Diamond handles marketing and logistics for the event, shipping comics to shops and handling marketing and PR for the event.

Free Comic Book Day has three main purposes:

To introduce everyone to the joys of reading comics.

To call back former comic book readers.

To thank current comic book buyers for their continued support.

This year’s Free Comic Book Day happens to fall on the weekend after The Avengers: Endgame opened in theaters… Like anyone would want to see it as I have heard and seen all over Facebook that it is horrible… I mean I saw it but was totally lost since I haven’t seen Justice League or Aquaman…needed more Batman.

Free Comic Book Day Tips

Find A Participating Comic Book Shop:

See Below for Capital District Shops, events, deals

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Check out the available books beforehand:

This year’s Free Comic Book Day selections are:

The Official FCBD Website provides a list of all the comic books that will be available on Free Comic Book Day. Retailers my not have all

How many comics do I get?

Results may vary and will depend on factors:

How many comics does the shop have to give away?

How many people visit that day?

How many people got there before you?

How do they cram all that gram?

What are the shop’s FCBD policies?

Local Comic Book Shop & FCBD



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412 Fulton St, Troy, NY

Hours: 12:00PM to 5:00PM

The Deal:

One of the FCBD prints we will be giving away at our store (5/4). Full colors to come and the artist will be in store to sign your copies!

Drawn by Raymond Lowell!

514 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY

12:00pm – 5:00pm

The Deal:

Please join us on this day that we look forward to every year. This is the holiday that we get to celebrate “YOU” our loyal customers.

We have special guests Nikkol Jelenic Art, Jeff Bonesteel and Richard Clark.

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537 Central Ave Albany NY

Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00PM

The Deal:

The 2019 wristband which allows you to get 6 extra FCBD books! Exclusive Batman and X-Men pins! Iron Man Heroclix! All for a $10 donation with all proceeds going to Street Soldiers. Street Soldiers is a local organization that helps provide hot meals and needed essentials to the homeless and less fortunate every Friday in Academy Park. Selkirk residents, Renee and Mike Fahey founded this grassroots organization in 2016. The Faheys use their home, garage, and vehicles for storing and transporting all the meals, clothing, coolers, drinks and tables. The organization has since grown to include Troy N.Y.

Also, on Free Comic Book Day you’ll have the opportunity to win some great prizes with ALL proceeds going to Street Soldiers! You can pick up your wristband on Saturday May 4th, cash transactions only.

ALL 53 of the 2019 Free Comic Book Day Releases- UNSTAMPED- including a copy of DC Year of the Villain! Also included are the 2019 Avengers, Batman and X-Men pins! FCBD 1807 Iron Man Heroclix! FCBD stickers, tattoos, magnets, a lanyard, exclusive posters, bookmarks, pins and whatever else we can fit into an extra sweet and special FCBD box! These bad boys are $50, and well worth it! All proceeds of the Platinum boxes go directly to to the local organization, Street Soldiers. Street Soldiers helps provide hot meals and needed essentials to the homeless and less fortunate every Friday in Academy Park.

THESE PLATINUM ULTIMATE TICKETS are SEVERELY limited- These will be set loose on Saturday, May 4th, cash transactions only!

It’s the return of the extremely limited Earthworld FCBD Golden Ticket!

This ticket gets you 18 UNSTAMPED 2019 Exclusive FCBD Comics! Avengers, Batman and X-Men pins! A FCBD Iron Man Heroclix! And a Free Earthworld tote bag too! All for a $20 donation with all proceeds going to the local organization, Street Soldiers. Street Soldiers helps provide hot meals and needed essentials to the homeless and less fortunate every Friday in Academy Park.

Golden ticket Quantities are EXTREMELY limited- Pre-sales start on Wednesday 1st, You can pick up your swag on Saturday May 4th, cash transactions only!

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1704 Van Vranken Ave

Schenectady, New York

11 AM – 5:30 PM We will be open from 11:00 am – 5:30 pm. Stop in early to get your special edition comics for free while supplies last, and see what other books are available in our shop! We hope to see you there!

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110 Milton Ave Ballston Spa, NY

Hours: 12:00AM to 5:00PM

The Deal:

The store will also be spinning the wheel of discount on all purchases.

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598 Columbia Tpke

East Greenbush, New York

12 PM – 8 PM

Grab up to 5 free offerings from all the biggest publishers

Open at Noon, come early for the best selection

Try Something New with

$1 Recent Releases on the Comic Wall

Also Buy One Get One 1/2 Off Trades and Graphic Novels

25% Off Drinkware, Statues, and Figures

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1238 Central Ave, Albany, NY

Hours: 10:00am to 10:00PM

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Albany Public Library System

Albany Public Library is celebrating two pop culture holidays—Free Comic Book Day and Star Wars Day (aka May the Fourth Be With You)—on Saturday, May 4, with special activities and giveaways.

The public is invited to participate in these free events.

COLLECT COMICS

10:00 am-3:00 pm | North Albany Branch

12:00-5:00 pm | Arbor Hill/West Hill, Bach, Pine Hills, and Washington Ave. branches

1:00-4:00 pm | Delaware and Howe branches

Visit any of the seven APL branches to pick up a selection of today’s Free Comic Book Day titles, which include Avengers, Riverdale, Stranger Things & Black Hammer, Lumberjanes, Minecraft & Incredibles 2, and Bob’s Burgers. | For all ages.

SUPERHERO TRANSFORMATION

12:00-4:00 pm | Washington Ave. Branch

Pick powers and make superhero masks. | For ages 9-13.

“THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE”

1:00-3:00 pm | Howe Branch

Kids and teens can watch 2017’s animated “The LEGO Batman Movie” with Will Arnett voicing Batman/Bruce Wayne, Michael Cera as Robin/Dick Grayson, and Rosario Dawson as Batgirl/Barbara Gordon. | For ages 6-17.

BB-8 COOKIES & LIGHTSABER SCAVENGER HUNT

1:00-3:00 pm | Bach Branch

Decorate cookies shaped like BB-8 from the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Then follow clues that lead to mini-lightsabers hidden in the library. | For ages 5-13.

STAR WARS PUPPETS

2:00-3:30 pm | Pine Hills Branch

Make a Star Wars puppet to take home. | For ages 3-17. | Register at (518) 482-7911.

STAR WARS ORIGAMI

4:00-5:00 pm | Howe Branch

Practice the art of origami to create Star Wars characters. There’ll be a Jedi-themed snack, too. | For ages 0-17.

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So get out there and get yourself some comics