Posted in: Bad Idea, Boom, Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, IDW, Image, Mad Cave Studios, Marvel Comics, Oni Press, Rebellion / 2000AD, Titan, Vault | Tagged: black mirror, fcbd

Just Back From Free Comic Book Day 2025 In Central London

Im just back from Free Comic Book Day 2025 in Central London and it was as busy as ever... how did your local shops do?

Published Sat, 03 May 2025 14:27:11 -0500

by Rich Johnston

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Article Summary

Free Comic Book Day 2025 brought crowds and excitement to Central London comic shops.
Picked up a range of free comics and made a few purchases at several participating stores.
Event is an annual global initiative to attract new readers with free comics each May.
With Diamond Distributors' future uncertain, next year's event may see major changes.

@thatrichjohnston ♬ original sound – Rich Johnston

Free Comic Book Day has hit, and I'm back from Central London with plenty of free comic book swag – and a fair few purchases along the way.

: Me outside Forbidden Planet in London and yes, I have just arrived…

: Forbidden Planet staffers handing our free bags of comics to everyone who entered the store, or just passed by it. I may have returned for seconds…

: Neil Gibson signing the new Black Mirror comic book he has written and published…

: …. only one of the many people lined up thought he was Charlie Brooker

: Then its off to Gosh Comics…

: … where the windows are full of colour….

: … and about to get even more colourful with new pieces of work being prepared.

: Its colourful round the back too…

: …as well as when you enter.

: Inside the store… and theres Sarah Gordon!

: As well as Ram V and John Allison…

: … then Marc Allerby and Beck Kubrick!

And here's the swag I ended up bringing home…

Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional effort by comic book publishers, creators, comic shops and librarians to attract new readers to read comic books on the first Saturday in May. Originally proposed by Joe Field of Californian store Flying Color Comics, it began in 2002 with a handful of comics but now numbers around fifty giveaways each year. Often used to launch a new line, product or event, even though they are given away for free, some have become valuable in and of themselves. Coordinated by the industry's largest distributor, Diamond Comic Distributors, FCBD has become an official Children's Book Week event and has inspired similar events for German- and Dutch-language comics industries. What happens next year as Diamond Comics has been split up courtesy of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, well, we have to see…

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