Special: Free Comic Book Day 2016 Reviews

Another Free Comic Book Day is in the books and I was fortunate enough to grab 38 books this year. So here's the 35 books I got, reviewed and ranked including it's pre-reading rank but first let's list the 15 books I didn't get along with their pre-FCBD ranking:

The Phantom: 80th Anniversary Special (50)
Strawberry Shortcake (49)
Doctor Who: Four Doctors Special (48)
World's Of Aspen (47)
Lady Mechanika #0 (46)
Z2 Comics Lab (45)
Mooncop: A Tom Gauld Sampler (42)
Help The CBDLF... Defend Comics (40)
2000 AD Special (38)
Grant Morrison's Avatarex: Destroyer Of Darkness (35)
Sanjay & Craig/Harvey Breaks (33)
Hilda & The Stone Forest (31)
Bruce Lee: The Dragon Rises (30)
The Stuff Of Legend (29)
The Tick (6)

Now onto the list!

35. Overstreet Comic Book Marketplace (41)

I probably should've learned after last year ranking this at the bottom of my list but alas it was a situation where I had all the other books on the table so I grabbed this one.

34. Love & Rockets (34)

I was always fascinated by L&R longevity but when reading the synopsis it didn't sound so great but I ranked it up there anyways and despite it being one of the last books I grabbed I look forward to reading it but I now know this world is not for me.

33. Devil's Due/1First Comics Mixtape (42)

Only twice this year did I think "oh god will this ever end!?" the first was Overstreet, the 2nd was Public Relations: How To Dragon Your Train". Luckily the other stories were enough to keep it out of the basement despite the 2nd lowest pre-ranking of the books I got.

32. Rom/Action Man (32)

I will say Action Man was better than ROM but when trying to get people to pick up a new series you need to get them hooked. Neither book did that, mostly act as preludes but I'm not excited for either series.

31. The Pink Panther (10)

It's unfortunate since I was a big fan of The Pink Panther growing up but the modern comic wasn't great and the classic comic was awful (like most classic comics that pop up on FCBD). For that reason The Pink Panther has the biggest fall of all the comics on this list dropping from the Top 10 to #31.

30. Awake #0 (27)

With Awake, less is not more. If it even had some semblance of a coherant story I would've ranked it higher but we barely knew our characters, barely knew what they were doing and why they were doing. Sure the art was nice for an all-ages book but still difficult to gauge an overall story.

29. Science Comics (44)

This was a nice surprise. I ranked it low priority since I don't usually like educational material but that art was fun and the Coral Reefs half was especially enlightening. So despite being at the bottom of my stack it was able to jump over a couple books to place it firmly in the top 30.

28. Spongebob Freestyle Funnies (8)

I usually like the Spongebob FCBD comics but for whatever reason the art on this was awful for every story except the Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy story which was awful in it's own right. It was closer than it shouldn't been since The Pink Panther free-fell one extra spot than Spongebob did vs. their pre-ranking so it doesn't get saddled with that recognition but it was certainly deserving.

27. Junior Braves Of The Apocalypse (16)

The art was in black and white with messy pencils... The cover led me to believe the art style would be passable given the interesting sounding story I thought this would be a winner. Unfortunately I was wrong.

26. Dark Horse All-Ages Special (22)

I might have worded the "dud" strongly but that's what happens when you have a 140 character limit but what I meant was it's a dud considering the fact I really like How To Train Your Dragon and like what I've read from Plants Vs. Zombies and The Legend Of Korra. These were not good though, average or worse.

25. We Can Never Go Home/Young Terrorists (36)

Young Terrorists seemed to be some known events from a 2nd vantage point but again, I'm not even sure. We Can Never Go Home was really fun if not entirely off the wall, but in a good way.

24. Valiant 2016 (23)

Similar to the last entry this book was half good and half... I don't want to say bad but definitely lacking. Valiant gets the nod because Faith and Rai was much stronger than We Can Never Go Home.

23. Bob's Burgers (39)

Started watching the show, thanks to my fiance. But really it's still just average. The comic is funny in parts, like the show so we'll see if it wears down on me.

22. Space Goat Presents: Dark Lily & Friends (25)

Monster Elementary was the star here unfortunately it worked as the back-up to Dark Lily so I would've liked more from it but it is what it is. I'll be keeping my eye out for both those stories.

21. Spectrum (14)

I usually don't go for the sciency comics and that's what this is, it's a hard sci-fi story. Hence my difficulties following along but other than that and the pacing issues it's a solid read. Too bad at times it seems to be too much to overcome.

20. Dark Horse Comics Teen Sampler (24)

So my tweet says it all. Serenity was good but I didn't feel it belonged in the teen sampler, Hellboy was good and Aliens was not so much. But hey it's still a pass and it moved up the rankings, so there's that!

19. Assassin's Creed (15)

Was hoping for more Assassiny goodness and although the first half was super good but the Templar's side hurt the book.

18. DC Superhero Girls (21)

Pretty much what I expected. Good read, obviously I'm not the target audience but that speaks to the book's strength.

17. Street Fighter V (18)

Again, Street Fighter V was good for what it was but it kinda went all over the place tone-wise, one story is action-packed, the next was comedic it was hard to know what was coming and the back section was really weird newspaper cartoon-strip style jokes... Strange ending.

16. Bongo Free-For-All (7)

Simpsons Comics are usually a highlight for FCBD which is why it has usually climbed it's way up the pre-rankings, hitting #7 this year but this was an odd misstep that caused it to fall down. The main story was solid as usual but the back ups were hurting when it came to quality.

15. Pokemon (12)

So I was stuck in this weird predicament. A couple years ago Pokemon put out a very bad FCBD offering and then a Halloween ComicFest Pokemon book came out and it was really good... So what were we gonna get? Turns out a hybrid of the two but it could always be worse but also better.

14. Boom! Summer Blast 2016 (13)

Usually Mouse Guard is the highlight of the Boom Studios book but it's really sad to get that dissapointed by something I've grown to love. Usually Boom is propped up by a couple good series to outweigh the bad. But this balances the scales a little bit. Thank God for Adventure Time and Lumberjanes or this could've been a wreck.

13. Civil War II/Avengers (1)

I can honestly say I'm completely shocked by this, even writing it down I'm taken aback. But the reality is The Avengers story was just soooo disappointing that even Civil War couldn't save it.

12. Graphix Spotlight: Dream Jumper Book One: Nightmare Escape (26)

Really enjoyed Dream Jumper, if you have a young one at home or enjoy imaginative storytelling this is a book for you. Too bad it was beat out for highest jump!

11. Attack On Titan Anthology (11)

This is still a good book, my disappointment mostly stemmed from wanting to learn about this world as I have a passing interest in it but I did not get that. I'm still excited to learn about the AoT world though.

10. Oddly Normal (19)

We made it to the top 10! Oddly Normal hooked me despite not having a whole lot in there. Can't wait to hunt down the books and give them a good read through. This is what a good all-ages book should do.

9. Sonic Sampler (5)

I really miss the Megaman/Sonic flipbooks... But I suppose all said and done, this isn't that much of a drop off. Still pretty significant though.

8. Howard Lovecraft And The Frozen Kingdom/Stan Lee's The Unknowns (37)

Here's the biggest jumper! Can't get over how impressed I was with this book especially since last time Stan Lee premiered a book on FCBD (Chakra) I was left with a really bad taste. This book will get me to watch the Frozen Kingdom movie and I may try to hunt down some of The Unknowns stuff too!

7. Grumpy Cat And Pokey! (26)

Another big jump here. I loved the BvS spoof so from the first page I was hooked. I have a couple Grumpy Cat comics kicking around (my fiances I swear!) so I might have to check them out to see if this was a one time deal or if I generally just like the comics!

6. One-Punch Man/My Hero Academia (20)

I've long been picking up the anime books at FCBD, usually they draw me in with a series I like (Dragonball, Yu-Gi-Oh) but usually I still end up dissappointed. That was obviously not the case this year as we have our first non-all-ages book in the top 10! And look at that, it's the 4th book in the top ten to jump 9+ spaces. Lots of Cinderella stories this FCBD!

5. Captain America/Spider-Man (4)

Solid book here from Marvel. Didn't expect it to beat out Civil War II/Avengers in pre-rankings but it earns itself a spot in the top 10. I'm still iffy on Cap's new Shield but I'm fine with everything else... Yes, even that!

4. March Trilogy (17)

Here's our last big jumper as March, which samples the first chapters of all three volumes, skyrocketed 13 spots into the top five. In hindsight I probably pre-ranked this one too low since I'm very interested in the civil rights movement but Top Shelf doesn't have the best rep to me.

3. Camp Midnight (9)

This was the highest pre-ranked original title (not Archie, DC, Marvel or traditional FCBD books (Spongebob, Bongo, Tick, etc.)) so I was obviously excited and it delivered! Pumped to grab this novel this summer and find out all about our hero's adventures at Camp Midnight.

2. Suicide Squad (2)

In preparation of the movie, DC released the New 52 Suicide Squad #1 for free. I already read it so I knew what I was getting and ranked it #2 where it ended up, little did I know the #1 book wouldn't be Civil War...

1. Archie/Jughead (3)

There is just too much to like about this book. Mark Waid is one of the best writers in comics today so of course despite not being an Archie fan (other than the horror and video game stuff) I new I still had to read this. A Jughead backup written by Chip Zdarsky (a favourite of mine) was not something I was aware of but it was just as good if not better! Looks like I'm becoming an Archie fan!

Special: Free Comic Book Day 2016 Rankings

As the name implies, Free Comic Book Day is a single day when participating comic book specialty shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops. This year it takes place on May 7, 2016 and I have you covered for all the books that will be available and what ones you should prioritize... On with the ranking!

50. The Phantom: 80th Anniversary Special FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: HERMES PRESS
(W) Joe Gill (A) Don Newton, Jim Aparo (CA) Jim Aparo
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Free Comic Book Day and the 80th anniversary of the original masked hero,"The Ghost Who Walks" known as The Phantom, Hermes Press presents four classic tales by legendary comic artists Jim Aparo and Don Newton! All this, plus documentary materials and other surprise to make this a truly noteworthy celebration of two important anniversaries. Don't miss it!
Rating: All Ages

49. Strawberry Shortcake #0 FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
(W) Georgia Ball (A/CA) Amy Mebberson
Strawberry Shortcake returns to comics! It's a berry special re-introduction to Strawberry Shortcake and all her pals and - maybe - a certain not-so-nice purple someone as well?!
Rating: All Ages

48. Doctor Who: Four Doctors FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: TITAN COMICS
(W) Nick Abadzis & Various (A) Eleonora Carlini & Various
Jump on board the TARDIS with FOUR all-new short tales of the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors! Whether you're a whizz with a Sonic Screwdriver or completely new to Who, this is the perfect Free Comic Book Day adventure for SF fans of all ages! Written and illustrated by the creative teams of the regular comics, this is the ideal place to start reading!
Rating: All Ages

47. World's Of Aspen FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: ASPEN MLT INC
(W) J. T. Krul, Joshua Hale Fialkov (A/CA) Jordan Gunderson
The crossover event every Aspen fan has been waiting for has finally arrived! Aspen Matthews is a woman of two worlds, the one above and the one below. Now, both worlds face certain annihilation at the hands of a supreme being from another universe - the Soulfire Universe! Prepare to experience the Worlds of Aspen as you've never seen before as Michael Turner's flagship creations, Fathom and Soulfire come crashing together for the first time ever! And the results will be nothing short of a new Aspen Universe altogether! This. Changes. Everything.
Rating: All Ages

46. Lady Mechanika #0 FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: BENITEZ PRODUCTIONS
(W) Joe Benitez (A/CA) Joe Benitez, Peter Steigerwald
Introduce new readers to this best-selling series, remarkably successful with female readers as well as fans of the popular "steampunk" genre! This special FCBD issue includes the original 14-page one-shot - introducing Lady Mechanika, a young woman in Victorian England with mechanical limbs and no memory of how she got them, searching desperately for the secrets to her past - plus excerpts from two Lady Mechanika trade paperbacks, on sale by FCBD!
Rating: Teen

45. Z2 Comics Lab FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: Z2 COMICS
(W/A) Ian McGinty & Various
Come one, come all, and read Z2's first FCBD anthology featuring all of your favorite Z2 characters in stories revolving around comic books! Can Kit and friends survive being thrust into the worst comic of all time? Read an excerpt from Amazing Adventure #3 the first appearance of Francis Carver. All of these stories and more!
Rating: Teen

44. Science Comics FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: :01 FIRST SECOND
(W/A/CA) Maris Wicks, Jon Chad
Get to know your universe with Free Comic Book Day's Science Comics! Do you want to know more about how the world works - what's going on under our feet and in our oceans? With two action-packed, full-color non-fiction science stories - one by Maris Wicks (author of Human Body Theater and Coral Reefs) and one by Jon Chad (author of Leo Geo and the upcoming Volcanos), Science Comics shows off what's fun, weird, and crazy about the Earth we all inhabit!
Rating: All Ages

43. Mooncop: A Tom Gauld Sampler FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: DRAWN & QUARTERLY
(W/A/CA) Tom Gauld
Penned by the cartoonist of Goliath and You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack, this FCBD offering features an exclusive excerpt from Tom Gauld's all-new graphic novel Mooncop, plus a selection of short humor strips. Mooncop details the deadpan day-to-day adventures of the last policeman on the colonized moon. Support good comics and see why Tom Gauld has regular comics in the Guardian, New York Times and theNew Yorker! It's simple: he's brilliant and funny.
Rating: All Ages

42. Devil's Due/1First Comics Mixtape FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: DEVILS DUE /1FIRST COMICS, LLC
In this collection of short stories, we introduce new, never before seen Squarriors characters, reveal an original story of Mercy Sparx's youth from the world of Sheol as a prelude to Mercy Sparx: Year One, a short story featuring Badger vs. everyone's favorite shirtless world leader, and wrap with the Public Relations short "How to Dragon Your Train," where a train derailment PR disaster goes bad when a team of hungry dragons are sent to airlift out the victims.
Rating: Teen

41. Overstreet's Comic Book Marketplace FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: GEMSTONE PUBLISHING
(W) Robert M. Overstreet, J. C. Vaughn
Whether you're talking about new comics or classic back-issues, comic books are driving pop culture. Find out why as Overstreet's Comic Book Marketplace takes a look at the top 10 highest selling comics ever, as well as the worlds of cosplay, original comic art and movie posters! From Will Eisner's The Spirit to the "Mr. Fixit"-era Incredible Hulk artwork of Jeff Purves, and more, CBM has the insights! Cover by John K. Snyder III.
Rating: All Ages

40. Help The CBDLF... Defend Comics FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
(W/A) Lucy Knisley & Various (CA) Craig Thompson
An all-star, all-ages spectacular featuring the greatest in Kid's Comics! Stand up for your right to read with some of your favorite characters, and a cavalcade of great cartoonists! Fantasy, humor, adventure and more - all about defending the books we love the most! Cover by Craig Thompson (Space Dumplins, Blankets)!
Rating: All Ages

39. Bob's Burgers FCBD 2016 Special
Publisher: D. E.
(W/A) Various (CA) Sara Richard
The Belcher Family proudly celebrates this year's Free Comic Book Day event with three wild and zany adventures featuring those lovable scamps Tina, Gene, and Louise, plus guest stars Bob, Linda, and all your favorites from Bob's Burgers! It's the official Bob's Burgers comic book based on the fan-favorite (and Emmy Award-winning) Fox animated sitcom, jam-packed with the mouth-watering flavor that longtime fans and curious newcomers can enjoy!
Rating: All Ages

38. 2000 AD Special FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: REBELLION / 2000AD
(W) Paul Ens
Forty-eight pages of thrill-drenched Sci-Fi from Britain's greatest comic! Including exclusive new stories, digital strips, and a downloadable song from MC-1's favorite band! Creators include Alec Worley, Matt Smith, John Wagner, Alan Grant, Kek W, Barry Island, Hannah Berry, Peter Milligan, Eric Powell, Dani K, John Burns, Rufus Dayglo, Carlos Ezquerra, Henry Flint, Joëlle Jones, and Ron Smith.
Rating: Teen

37. Stan Lee's The Unknowns/Howard Lovecraft FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: ARCANA STUDIO
(W) Sean Patrick O'Reilly
Comic book legend Stan Lee's newest creation, The Unknowns, makes it's world debut on Free Comic Book Day! Two average teens help alien protectors disguise themselves as a touring rock group in order to take out undercover cells of invaders! Also included is the next chapter in the Howard Lovecraft series (just in time for the animated feature film, Howard Lovecraft & The Frozen Kingdom), as everyone's favorite Cthulhu teams up with young H.P. Lovecraft in Howard Lovecraft & The Squid Kids! 32 pages of all-ages animated fun!
Rating: All Ages

36. We Can Never Go Home/Young Terrorists FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: BLACK MASK COMICS
(W) Matthew Rosenberg, Matt Pizzolo (A) Various (CA) Amancay Nahuelpan
Here's what you'll find on Black Mask's "Mixtape" for FCBD 2016... SIDE A: We Can Never Go Home: "Dead Set On Destruction"-Madison is dangerous. And a little danger is all Morgan and Dale ever wanted. This story bridges the gap between WCNGH Vol. 1 and the upcoming new series. SIDE B: Young Terrorists: "Me Against The World"-Sera learns the hard way you can't build an army without fighting a few (hundred) cops. Welcome to The Sovereign State of Greater Detroit!
Rating: Mature Readers

35. Grant Morrison's Avatarex: Destroyer of Darkness FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: GRAPHIC INDIA PTE. LTD
(W) Grant Morrison (A/CA) Jeevan Kang
From legendary creative icon, Grant Morrison (Batman, All Star Superman, 18 Days), comes his newest hero! In Avatarex, the epic world of living myth collides with the mundane realities and cultural upheavals of contemporary India. What happens when an all-powerful super-being awakens to fight the Last War of the Age - only to discover he's been sent too early for the End Days and must somehow learn to exist in a world that's too small and too frail to survive his presence?
Rating: Teen

34. Love & Rockets Sampler FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS
(W/A/CA) Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez
Love and Rockets is one of the most acclaimed and beloved series in comics history, and this summer, Fantagraphics has announced that the series will be rebooted as a quarterly comic book series beginning with a new #1 in July! To celebrate, Fantagraphics is offering up this one-shot sampler featuring classicL&R material by the great Hernandez Brothers, including an all-new cover and several other surprises! A perfect introduction to one of the most wonderful bodies of work in our medium's history.
Rating: Teen

33. Sanjay & Craig/Harvey Breaks FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: PAPERCUTZ
(W) Eric M Esquivel, Stefan Petrucha (A) Sam Spina, Andreas Schuster (CA) James Kaminski
The hottest new stars on Nickelodeon - Sanjay and Craig and Harvey Beaks - co-star in this comic collecting complete stories from Nickelodeon Magazine and from the Papercutz graphic novels. In "Lord of the Pipes", everyone's favorite talking snake, Craig, literally goes down the drain on an epic quest to fetch Sanjay's father's wedding ring... and has some close encounters with the strange beings he meets there. Then "Fight the Future with Flavor" dramatically depicts the shocking connection between Sanjay eating a seemingly harmless samosa and the total annihilation of the entire world by Martians! Also, Harvey Beaksproves he's a "First Class Finder" when his mad Hide-and-Seek skills lead him to finding a big scary monster!
Rating: All Ages

32. Rom #0
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
(W) Christos N. Gage, Chris Ryall (A) David Messina, Paolo Villanelli (CA) Zach Howard
He strikes from outer space... hurtling Earthward on his dead mission of cosmic vengeance! Rom is back for the first time in decades, and nothing can stop him! This introductory story re-introduces the character and leads into July's all-new, ongoing series! Plus, in an exclusive prologue to June's debut issue, the U.K.'s greatest weapon is on the warpath-and the fate of the world is in Action Man's hands... as usual.
Rating: Teen

31. Hilda And The Stone Forest FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: NOBROW PRESS
(W/A/CA) Luke Pearson
In the first Free Comic Book Day offering from Nobrow, the Eisner-nominated Luke Pearson tells the story of intrepid young Hilda's first adventure in the mysterious Stone Forest. Get ready for the body-swapping-est adventure this side of Freaky Friday! And keep your eyes peeled for Wiz and Mug, on their way to their next round of Fantasy Sports!
Rating: All Ages

30. Bruce Lee: The Dragon Rises #1
Publisher: DARBY POP
(W) Shannon Lee, Jeff Kline (A) Brandon McKinney, Zac Atkinson (CA) Bernard Chang
Bruce Lee never died. And he hasn't aged. But, he has no idea who he is, what's happened in the world in the past 40+ years, or why so many "thugs" want a piece of him. With the help of a fly BFF from the '70s - Joe Toomey, P.I. - and pair of precocious teens, Bruce will piece together a mystery more insidious than ever imagined, and find himself forced to do battle with both an enigmatic Villain and his very own conscience. The Dragon rises... and "walks on" once more! Co-written by Bruce's own daughter, Shannon Lee, and Jeff Kline (Jackie Chan Adventures, Indestructible)!
Rating: All Ages

29. The Stuff Of Legend Preview FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: TH3RD WORLD STUDIOS
(W) Mike Raicht, Brian Smith (A/CA) Charles Paul Wilson
Th3rd World Studios is proud to announce the return of the New York Times best-selling series, The Stuff of Legend, with this sneak peek into the much anticipated Volume 5, launching May 11th. In "A Call to Arms", our band of toys have been left scattered across the Dark in the aftermath of the Boogeyman's deceit, and they must pull themselves together or risk losing their boy forever. Also included is the original The Stuff of Legend story that started it all - allowing new readers a glimpse of the adventure that awaits our brave toys as they venture through their boy's closet...
Rating: All Ages

28. Grumpy Cat (and Pokey!) Special FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: D. E.
(W) Royal McGraw & Various (A) Ken Haeser & Various (CA) Ken Haeser
Grumpy Cat, the Internet's cutest curmudgeon, brings her hilarious brand of sass to comic shops everywhere with the official Grumpy Cat Free Comic Book Day 2016 special! Readers of all ages will love the misadventures of this killjoy kitten and her high-spirited brother Pokey! 8,000,000 Facebook likes and 306,000 Twitter followers can't be wrong - Grumpy Cat is a worldwide sensation and a (devilishly) delightful giveaway for comic shop fans and newcomers!
Rating: All Ages

27. Awake #0
Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
(W) Susan Beneville (A/CA) Brian Hess
In this prequel to the ongoing series, Awake, Regn learns to use her powers, and gets into trouble, with fellow cadet, Joppin, on the Dola training planet, Exterra, while Chay rescues young Picar from an angry mob!
Rating: All Ages

26. Graphix Spotlight: Dream Jumper Book One: Nightmare Escape FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: GRAPHIX
(W) Greg Grunberg (A/CA) Lucas Turnbloom
Trapped in a neverending nightmare... Ben has a gift. He can jump into other people's dreams.  So when his classmates start falling victim to an evil dream monster, he knows he has to do something. But can he get to them in time? With help from a mysterious companion, Ben just might be able to defeat the monster and save his friends... if he can harness the power within! Created by actor Greg Grunberg (Heroes, Alias, Felicity).
Rating: All Ages

25. Space Goat Presents: Dark Lilly & Friends FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: SPACE GOAT PRODUCTIONS
(W) Georgia Ball & Various (A) George Kambadais & Various
Fun for all ages from Space Goat Publishing for Free Comic Book Day! This title features the first appearance of Dark Lily, a character destined for her own title in 2016. Meet the fun loving characters ofMonster Elementary as they make their direct-market debut (coming to comic stores in 2016). TheMonster Elementary graphic novel won the Independent Book Award's First Place Gold Medal for "Best Humor Graphic Novel". Plus, young readers get a free glimpse at both Rocket Queen & The Wrench andMage, Inc., already in stores.
Rating: All Ages

24. Dark Horse Presents: Serenity/Hellboy/Aliens
Publisher: DARK HORSE COMICS
(W) Mike Mignola & Various (A) Tristan Jones & Various (CA) Sean Cooke
Need a reason to pick up Dark Horse Comics' 2016 Free Comic Book Day offering? Here's three: From Mike Mignola and Richard Corben, a lesson from Hellboy's past is shared. From Brian Wood, a peek into theAliens: Defiance series with an original tale. And from the world of Joss Whedon, a glimpse at the crew of the Serenity, following the film and the smash-hit series Leaves on the Wind!
Rating: Teen

23. Valiant 4001 A.D. Special FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC
(W) Matt Kindt & Various (A) Clayton Crain & Various (CA) Clayton Crain
The most ambitious Valiant event yet starts right here on Free Comic Book Day with a shocking new vision of the future in 4001 A.D.! The war for the fate of the 41st century begins here with an exclusive, never-before-seen prelude to the blockbuster comics event of the summer by New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt and superstar artist Clayton Crain. Rai! Eternal Warrior! X-O Manowar! Bloodshot! Geomancer!Armstrong! And more! The future of the Valiant Universe begins here! Plus: An all-new look inside Valiant's next hit ongoing series, A&A: The Adventures of Archer & Armstrong, from Rafer Roberts and David Lafuente; Divinity II from Matt Kindt and Trevor Hairsine; plus an all-new slate of top-secret teasers, special features, surprises, and a newly added excerpt from the series that has everyone talking - the one and only Faith!
Rating: Teen

22. Dark Horse All-Ages Special FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: DARK HORSE COMICS
(W) Michael Dante Dimartino & Various (A) Brian Churilla
Avatars, Dragons, and Zombies? What could be more friendly for all-ages than original tales from these prime Dark Horse worlds? Nothing. For Free Comic Book Day 2016, take a journey with the Avatar fromThe Legend of Korra, the dragon riders from How to Train Your Dragon, and the fundead of Plants vs. Zombies!
Rating: All Ages

21. DC Super Hero Girls FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: DC
Class is in session! Welcome to DC Super Hero High!
DC Super Hero Girls is an exciting new universe of superhero storytelling that builds character and confidence and empowers girls to discover their true potential. This special FCBD issue features two exciting, action-packed stories from the upcoming original graphic novel DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: FINAL CRISIS that readers of all ages will enjoy. It's the day before finals and the student body is hard at work...and nothing is going right! Wonder Woman spars with Cheetah in gym class as Batgirl and Supergirl watch from the sidelines. In the next class, the girls sit next to an empty seat. Where could Supergirl be? Don't miss this chance to meet the students as they find out that fun, friendship and hard work are all part of growing up!
Rating: All Ages

20. One-Punch Man/My Hero Academia FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: VIZ MEDIA LLC
(W) One, Kouhei Horikoshi (A) Yusuke Murata, Kouhei Horikoshi (CA) Kouhei Horikoshi, Yusuke Murata
Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem - he just can't seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on! He is the One-Punch Man! Also: What would the world be like if 80% of the population manifested superpowers called "Quirks"? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20% percent who were born Quirkless?
Rating: Teen

19. Oddly Normal: Chapter One FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
(W/A/CA) Otis Frampton
Explore the magical land of Fignation this Free Comic Book Day with Oddly Normal, a ten-year-old girl with pointed ears and green hair - a half-witch who will be the first to tell you that being a little different doesn't make it easy to make friends at school! On her 10th birthday, Oddly blows out her cake's candles and makes a disastrous wish. Now, she must travel to Fignation to uncover the mystery of her parents' disappearance. Join beloved cartoonist Otis Frampton and the delightful Oddly as she navigates a strange new school, monstrous bullies, and Evil itself on an unforgettable fantasy adventure through this vibrant world!
Rating: All Ages

18. Street Fighter V #1 FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: UDON ENTERTAINMENT INC
(W) Ken Siu-Chong, Matt Moylan (A) Edwin Huang & Various (CA) Edwin Huang
Featuring the cast of the all-new Street Fighter V, Capcom's biggest video game of 2016! The new challengers from Street Fighter V make their first appearance in UDON's comics, as they collide with classic World Warriors in three new stories! This special one-shot is not to be missed by any Street Fighter fan!
Rating: Teen

17. March Trilogy Sampler FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: IDW - TOP SHELF
(W) John Lewis, Andrew Aydin (A/CA) Nate Powell
Top Shelf celebrates Free Comic Book Day with 32 pages of excerpts from March Book One, Book Two, andBook Three (coming summer 2016). The first graphic novel from a sitting member of Congress, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and American icon. John Lewis rose from humble beginnings to become a national leader of the civil rights movement. This is his story, from an Alabama farm to the March on Washington and beyond, co-written by Andrew Aydin and brought to astonishing life by Nate Powell in a graphic novel trilogy.
Rating: Teen

16. Junior Braves Of The Apocalypse FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: ONI PRESS INC.
(W) Greg Smith, Michael Tanner (A/CA) Zach Lehner
The Junior Braves Free Comic Book Day edition features a 24-page excerpt from Book 1 of the hit Oni Press survival horror Young Adult series! Perfect for readers who are a little too young for The Walking Dead, this zombie apocalypse epic follows a plucky band of scouts as they navigate the end of the world with only their combined smarts, teamwork, and good old fashioned camping skills at their disposal. And even then, they've still got other survivors to contend with! Will Tribe 65 make it out alive?
Rating: All Ages

15. Assassin's Creed FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: TITAN COMICS
(W) Anthony Del & Various (A) Wellington Alves & Various
Enter the shadowy world of the Assassins and Templars, two feuding factions who have battled over the centuries to decide the course of humanity! Two all-new short stories, written and illustrated by the creative teams of the regular comics, highlight a shocking event in the life of new Assassin Charlotte de la Cruz, and reveal the true extent of the mysterious Templar Black
Cross's terrifying skills! New readers or experienced fans: strap on your hidden blades, don your cowls, and blend into the crowd to discover secrets you won't read anywhere else!
Rating: Teen

14. Con Man's Spectrum #0
Publisher: AUTOMATIC PICTURES PUBLISHING
(W) Pj Haarsma, Alan Tudyk (A/CA) Sarah Stone
Firefly stars Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion present the first Spectrum comic from their highly successful webseries, Con Man! Our planet has been ravaged by two alien attacks and life on Earth is very different. Captain James Raaker is tasked with cleaning it up, but this is just a set-up to destroy everything he loves and quite possibly life on Earth itself!
The four-issue series from Automatic Publishing will be written by Tudyk and novelist/producer PJ Haarsma (The Softwire Series) with artwork by Sarah Stone (Transformers) and overseen by Shel Dorf Award-winning editor Shannon Eric Denton. The Free Comic Book Day offering is not a sampler or a preview, but the actual first issue of the series.
Rating: All Ages

13. Boom! Studios Summer Blast FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: BOOM! STUDIOS
(W/A) Box Brown & Various (CA) Kat Leyh
In the BOOM! Studios 2016 Summer Blast, read all-new, original short stories of David Petersen's Mouse Guard and Jim Henson's Labyrinth. Plus, get sneak peeks of the upcoming new Adventure Time: Comicsseries, the Lumberjanes: Don't Axe, Don't Tale special, and this summer's highly anticipated original graphic novel from Archaia, The Cloud. As a bonus, we've included preview pages from Goldie Vance, our newest BOOM! Box debut. There's something in this Free Comic Book Day issue for everyone!
Rating: All Ages

12. FCBD 2016 Viz Perfect Square Pokemon Pocket Comics
Publisher: VIZ MEDIA LLC
(W/A/CA) Santa Harukaze
To the forest! To the sea! To Legendary Island! Join our Pokémon pals on a quest through Unova for the Legendary joke - while testing your Pokémon knowledge and laughing all the way!
Rating: All Ages

11. Attack On Titan Anthology Preview FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: KODANSHA COMICS
(W/A) Various (CA) Hajime Isayama
Titans of Comics+Attack on Titan! The biggest manga of the decade, reinterpreted by the top talent in comics! Get a taste of this fall's upcoming Attack on Titan Anthology, a collection of original stories set in the world of Attack on Titan, from creators including Scott Snyder, Gail Simone, Michael Avon Oeming, Tomer Hanuka, Cameron Stewart, Brenden Fletcher, Babs Tarr, Faith Erin Hicks, Kate Leth, Kevin Wada, and many more!
Rating: Teen

10. The Pink Panther #1 FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY PRODUCTIONS
(W/A/CA) S. L. Gallant
He's been the coolest cat in all of cartoondom for over 50 years!  The Pink Panther is back in brand new adventures to tickle your funny bone and test the sanity of The Little Man.  Join all of Pink's pals from the DePatie-Freleng stable including The Inspector and The Ant and the Aardvark as we welcome The Pink Panther to 21st Century comic books in style!  This special FCBD issue is chock full of fun with new and classic Pink Panther adventures including the hilarious antics of The Mighty Pan-Thor!  2016 is the year of the Pink Panther and it all starts here on Free Comic Book Day!  
Rating: All Ages

9. Camp Midnight #1
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS
(W) Steven T. Seagle (A/CA) Jason Adam Katzenstein
Add a touch of spooky to your Free Comic Book Day this year with the first chapter of Ben 10 and Big Hero 6 creator Steven T. Seagle and New Yorker Magazine cartoonist Jason Adam Katzenstein's Camp Midnight! Not wanting to please her "step monster," reluctant Skye is dead-set on not fitting in. But when she's accidentally sent to the wrong summer camp - Camp Midnight, where everyone attending is a full-fledged monster - Skye realizes that not fitting in will be the very least of her challenges! Camp Midnightis the perfect book for readers who love Raina Telgemeier's Smile but wish it had more bowls of gooey eyeballs in the lunch scenes.
Rating: All Ages

8. Spongebob Freestyle Funnies FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: UNITED PLANKTON PICTURES
(W) Evan Dorkin, Israel Sanchez (A) Evan Dorkin, Ramona Fradon (CA) Gregg Schigiel, Rick Neilsen
32 pages of all-original comics from United Plankton Pictures! In "Renegade Arms," SpongeBob must grow extra appendages to deal with a huge influx of Krabby Patty orders. But without the proper training, the new arms are wreaking havoc! Then, in a brand-new Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy adventure - "Bedlam! In Bikini Bottom!" - the diluvian duo faces a fish egg... from space?! All this, plus deep truths about sea trenches from Maris Wicks, SpongeFunnies from James Kochalka, and more!
Rating: All Ages

7. Bongo Free-For-All FCBD 2016 Special
Publisher: BONGO COMICS
(W/A/CA) Matt Groening
Get in line for the foremost Free Comic Book Day four-color giveaway of the year! Pieman and the Cupcake Kid take on a new crime team, Glutenus Maximus and his sidekick Gluten Tag, whose pastry-related misdeeds have led to a ban on all baked goods in Springfield! How will the heroic duo battle their foes without their arsenal of pies and cupcakes, and what's worse...what will Homer do without his daily dose of donuts? Then, after an unfortunate trip to the dentist, Principal Skinner is mistaken for a vampire. It doesn't help that Bart fuels the fire (and supplies the pitchforks) to an unruly mob uprising. All that and much, much more - and it's all free!
Rating: All Ages

6. The Tick Special FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: NEW ENGLAND COMICS
(W) Jeff McClelland (A) Duane Redhead, Ian Nichols (CA) Duane Redhead
The Tick celebrates FCBD 2016 with 32 pages of full-color comic book fun! In the all-new lead story, "The Council of Ticks", The Tick and Arthur discover that dimensional rifts have allowed dozens of different Ticks from alternate universes and realities to congregate in the "real" world! It's hard enough to hide and feed a hundred Ticks.... but an even bigger challenge rears its literally ugly head when a 50-foot tall Thrakkorzog breaks through the dimensional barrier! Can even a warehouse-full of multi-dimensional Ticks confront such a menacing... er, menace!? Plus, two back-up stories, including an all-new story with art by Ian Nichols! Great for fans new and old!
Rating: All Ages

5. Sonic Sampler FCBD 2016 Edition
Publisher: ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS
(W/A) Various (CA) Jamal Peppers, Gary Martin
Get the best of both worlds with the Sonic Sampler! Hot on the heels of the all-new epic Sonic comics event, "Panic in the Sky," comes a supersonic sampling of stories for Free Comic Book Day! Join Sonic and friends as they band together to save the world from the evil ambitions of Dr. Eggman in these select stories from Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe! Plus, get a sneak peek of what's to come with a special "Fast Forward Feature" that you'll have to see to believe!
Rating: All Ages

4. Captain America #1
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Steve Rogers is returning to comics this May, and you can get your first taste on FREE COMIC BOOK DAY. This issue will get you caught up just in time for the release of Captain America: Steve Rogers #1, coming to comics later in May!  Three Captain Americas fought shoulder-to-shoulder in AVENGERS: STANDOFF. Now, one rises to take his place at the forefront of the Marvel Universe! Nick Spencer and Jesus Saiz usher in a new beginning for the nation's greatest hero! But that's not all! FCBD CAPTAIN AMERICA #1 will also feature a second all-new story and a special prelude to DEAD NO MORE, giving fans their first look at the blockbuster storyline coming later this year. If you got a chance to bring back someone who died, would you? And how will CLASSIFIED deal when ones they thought long dead once again walk the earth? TOP SECRET and TOP SECRET unite to bring you the opening salvo of Dead No More, a major storyline coming in 2016!
Rating: T

3. Archie #1
Publisher: ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS
(W) Mark Waid (A/CA) Fiona Staples
Comic superstars Mark Waid and Fiona Staples reimagine an icon in this special FCBD reprint of the best-selling first issue of Archie! Change has come to Riverdale in the can't-miss kick-off to Archie's new ongoing series! As the new school year approaches, you'd think Archie Andrews would be looking forward to classes and fun - but nothing is as it seems in the little town of Riverdale. Is this a one-off, or a sign of bigger changes awaiting America's favorite teens... and the entire town? Find out in this exciting, remarkable and critically acclaimed first issue!

2. Suicide Squad #1
Publisher: DC
Harley Quinn, Deadshot and King Shark lead a lethal team of death-row Super-Villains recruited by the government to take on missions so dangerous - they're sheer suicide! Don't miss this first issue of the hit series before the upcoming major motion picture, SUICIDE SQUAD!
Rating: Teen

1. Civil War II/All-New All Different Avengers
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
Marvel peels back the curtain on their can't miss FCBD 2016 title, CIVIL WAR II #1! Before hero stands against hero, Brian Michael Bendis and Jim Cheung bring you a snapshot of the conflict that will split the Marvel Universe in two! But that's not all! Beware the sting of the All-New Wasp! FCBD CIVIL WAR II #1 will also feature a special second story from All-New, All-Different Avengers writer Mark Waid and legendary artist Alan Davis. Be there as this mysterious new character makes their big debut! Are they friend or foe? How will their coming impact on the lives of the All-New, All-Different Avengers? The answers may surprise you, True Believer! Not only do you get a lead in to the escalating conflict of Civil War II, but you'll also be introduced to a big new character as the All-New Wasp rockets into the Marvel Universe.
Rating: T+