S. W. Raine

Back when I worked at a comic book store, Free Comic Book Day was one of the wildest days of the year. The energy was electric, the fans were passionate, and there was always at least one epic costume wandering through the doors. (Sometimes more than one. Sometimes way more.)

Even now, long after my days of stocking shelves and sneaking first looks at new issues, I still get ridiculously excited when the Free Comic Book Day list drops. There’s just something about discovering a new comic story (or revisiting an old favorite) that feels like pure magic.

Here are the top five comics I’ll grab this year.

1. GARGOYLES: DEMONA #0 (Dynamite Entertainment)

I grew up watching Gargoyles—it was a major part of my teenage years. We even recently introduced it to my son. I’ll always be a fan of the series. And since I have a soft spot for complex villains, a whole issue centered around Demona feels like it was made for me.

2. IRONHEART/MARVEL’S VOICES #1 (Marvel)

Marvel’s Voices is a podcast and comic series that spotlights creatives and characters of color, and it’s always packed with stories that deserve the spotlight. We’ve already seen Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and season 3 of Marvel’s What If…?. With her own Disney+ series coming this summer, this issue is bound to be a popular pick. I’m excited to learn more about her.

3. STITCH! BEST FOOD FOREVER (TOKYOPOP)

You know I can’t resist a little chaos—and Stitch is chaos personified. A food-centric Stitch adventure sounds like pure mischief and heart, and that’s a combination I’ll always say yes to. Plus, TOKYOPOP usually doesn’t disappoint, so I’m excited to see what they’ve cooked up for Stitch.

4. STREET FIGHTER VS RIVAL SCHOOLS #1 (UDON Entertainment)

Street Fighter is pure nostalgia for me. I grew up playing it as a teen (usually right alongside Mortal Kombat), and I’ve played a few rounds of Rival Schools on the arcade when I moved to the States. Plus, UDON’s artwork is always incredible, so this comic is absolutely worth grabbing for the art alone.

5. CRITICAL ROLE/BLACK HAMMER (Dark Horse Comics)

I’ll admit, I’ve heard a lot about Critical Role, but I’ve never really watched or listened to it. (If it’s anything like Encounter Party! though, I’m all for it.) Plus, let’s be real: anything Critical Role touches seems to turn to gold. As for Black Hammer, I don’t know much about it yet, but Dark Horse is a pretty popular publisher in the comics world, so I have no doubt it’s going to be something special.

Bonus Pick: STAR WARS YOUNG JEDI ADVENTURES / AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER (Dark Horse Comics)

I’ll admit, Star Wars isn’t really my thing (I know, I know… blasphemy) but Avatar: The Last Airbender absolutely is. And if my son doesn’t get to this one first, you’ll probably find it in my hands. I’ll take any excuse to dive back into that world, even if it means racing my kid to the comic racks.

Of course, picking just five is basically impossible when there are so many amazing stories out there. But that’s the magic of Free Comic Book Day—there’s always something new waiting to spark your imagination.

Are you planning to celebrate Free Comic Book Day too? Tell me what comics you’d grab!

(And if you’re not sure where to find your local participating shop, you can check out FreeComicBookDay.com to find one near you!)

Raine