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The once-a-year free comic book giveaway "is splitting in two," according to
a local news report
.
Launched in 2002 by Diamond Comic Distributor, comic book giants like Marvel and DC have historically participated together. But things changed after Diamond Comic Distributors went bankrupt in 2025, "leaving other companies to swoop in and pick up where Diamond left off."
The rights to the "Free Comic Book Day" brand were sold to Universal Distribution, which plans to bring
Free Comic Book Day
back on Saturday. On the same day, Penguin Random House plans to launch a rival event called
Comics Giveaway Day
. This means you'll still get plenty of free comics, but this time they will be separated, with some coming under the Free Comic Book Day branding and others arriving under the Comics Giveaway Day branding. Free Comic Book Day will include publishers like DC, Image, Dynamite and Archie Comics. Comics Giveaway Day will include publishers such as Marvel, Dark Horse, Boom! Studios and Tokyopop...
The other big change coming this year is the introduction of game publishers
Wizards of the Coast
and
Upper Deck
to the lineup, as part of Universal Distribution's Free Comic Book Day. Wizards of the Coast is known for its tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, as well as its trading card game Magic: The Gathering. Upper Deck is best known for its sports trading cards and entertainment collectibles, along with deck-building games like the Legendary series...
In addition to adding these game makers, Universal plans to expand Free Comic Book Day to include what are colloquially referred to as your friendly local game stores.
Marvel's offerings this year include a special
Alien, Predator & Planet of the Apes
one-shot, while D.C. is offering the first chapter of their upcoming graphic novel
Aquamanatee
. Other comics include
Avatar: The Last Airbender — Legends
from Dark Horse Comics and
Sonic the Hedgehog
from IDW Publishing.