The Free Comic Book Day Round-Up: Every Title Available at Your Local Comic Shop

Comics Lists

You know the drill: today, your local comic store opens up its doors and gives you a host of free comic books. And it’s glorious. Free Comic Book Day offers a costless opportunity to explore a medium brimming with imagination and intrigue. With dozens of publishers offering pro bono titles, we decided to run through the ranks to give you an idea of what’s out there and what might appeal to specific tastes.
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2000 AD
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: Rebellion/2000 AD
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: The 2000 AD universe usually get acclaim for incubating many of the writers who shaped Vertigo into a nasty, nihilistic playground. But this British imprint still thrives with reprints and new material, as well as classic characters like Judge Dredd.

Rush the Table for It? You could do much worse than an oversized full-color magazine, if only for nostalgia’s sake. Simon Davis’ Slaine art is also quite lovely.
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And Then Emily Was Gone
Writer: John Lees
Artist: Iain Laurie
Publisher: Comixtribe
Age Group: Mature Readers

What It Is: And Then Emily Was Gone was a creepy cult horror hit for Comixtribe when it debuted last year. This FCBD offering looks to be a prelude with an unsettling cover from Inhumans artist Ryan Stegman.

Rush the Table for It? Good horror comics are few and far between. If that’s your thing, snatch this one up fast. Steve Foxe
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Attack on Titan
Writers: Various
Artists: Various
Publisher: Kodansha
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: The thickest offering for FCBD, this plump digest includes a sampling of the first Attack on Titan as well as cuts from Unland Saga, Noragami and more.

Rush the Table for It? If you always thought the illustrations in your Anatomy 101 text would work way better as an insanely popular Kaiju epidemic, then without a doubt. Sean Edgar
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Avatar The Last Airbender
Writer: Gene Luen Yang, Others
Artist: Carla Speed McNeil, Others
Publisher: Dark Horse
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Gene Luen Yang possesses a special touch when it comes to Asian culture and young protagonists, so his stint on the licensed Avatar comic couldn’t be a more harmonious fit before he moves onto Superman for DC. But this comic also includes a a story from the criminally neglected Bandette, a Parisian cat burglar who frequently steals our hearts.

Rush the Table for It? Yes, but you won’t have to if you snap on your domino mask and snatch one when nobody’s looking. Just follow it up with a celebratory candy bar of victory. Sean Edgar
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Avengers #1
Writer: Mark Waid, Charles Soule
Artist: Mahmud Asrar, Brandon Peterson
Publisher: Marvel
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: New Avengers inductees like Ms. Marvel, Nova and Miles Morales fall under the tutelage of Captain America and The Vision in this cool snapshot of the Marvel Universe post Secret Wars. Honestly, we’re overjoyed with anything that gives teen shapeshifter Kamala Khan more room to stretch and interact with the universe at large. Also: a bonus Uncanny Inhumans story with pencils from the much missed Brandon Peterson.

Rush the Table for It? Yes. Marvel’s in white hot mode and you can expect scarcity to follow in the publisher’s wake. Sean Edgar
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Bob’s Burgers
Writer: Mike Olsen, Various
Artist: Bradley C. Rader, Various
Publisher: Dynamite
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: The lovable, idiosyncratic Belcher clan transitioned smoothly from animation to sequential art last year with stories of equestrian fan fiction (reprinted here) and other hilarious exploits. Bob’s Burgers remains one of the few properties that can successfully provoke belly laughs from kids and adults with PG hijinks. This best-of collects the juiciest snippets from Dynamite’s first five issues.

Rush the Table for It? Oh God…yes.
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Bodie Troll
Writer: Jay P. Fosgitt
Artist: Jay P. Fosgitt
Publisher: Red 5 Comics
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: There’s a line where children’s books end and comics begin, and on FCBD, Bodie Troll is one of the best first steps forward for youngsters. Here, Mr. Bodie gets roped into a tea party—but its pint-sized host brings beer instead. Root beer, that is. The lovable troll turns out to be a bit of a lightweight, and, well…he ends up in some interesting variations of kids’ play.

Rush the Table for It? If your kids are over Barney, but not ready for Gremlins. Tyler Kane
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Bongo Comics Free-For-All!
Writer/Artist: Matt Groening
Publisher: Bongo Comics
Age Group: All-Ages (according to the publisher—expect typical Simpsons humor)

What It Is: The Simpsons may be painful to watch today, but Bongo Comics has continued to produce excellent comics that capture the original, enjoyable seasons of the show. The company’s FCBD offering is always a foul-mouthed four-color joy. Steve Foxe

Rush the Table for It? Sure, and then spend the rest of the day retweeting old Simpsons quotes.
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BOOM! Studios Ten Year Celebration
Writers: Grace Ellis & various
Artists: Vicki Scott & various
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Alas, it looks like Archaia won’t be doing a free Mouse Guard hardcover this year, but BOOM!’s massive offering is still one of the best around. New and excerpted tales from Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake, Lumberjanes, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, Regular Show, Peanuts and more, from creators like David Petersen, Jen Wang, Madeleine Flores, Mark Evanier and Noelle Stevenson make this one a must.

Rush the Table for It? Yes—this is the best all-ages offering of the year. Avoid this only if you hate fun and happiness. Steve Foxe
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Captain Canuck #0
Writers: Kalman Andrasofszky, Various
Artists: Kalman Andrasofszky, Various
Publisher: Chapter House Publishing, Inc
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: He’ll gift you with discount pharmaceuticals, bags of milk and amazingly obscure indie rock gems: He is Captain Canuck! Or this is actually a revamp of a ‘70s hero who now rescues victims from exploding oil refineries, with the relevant eco-friendly rhetoric to match. But you just know he has a hard drive packed with Wolf Parade bootlegs back at his Montreal loft.

Rush the Table for It? It’s a completely benign comic, but probably not, even though it won’t cost you a single Loonie.
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Chakra The Invincible
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jeevan Kang & Various
Publisher: Graphic India
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Forget that Key & Peel sketch—Stan Lee’s still got some ideas. And his latest one is available as Graphic India’s latest FCBD offering. Chakra the Invincible follows Raju Rai, a young Indian teen who utilizes a suit to activate the body’s own chakras. And maybe this sounds like a familiar spin on another Lee character, who might just be fighting Ultron in the theaters this weekend. But while Lee’s Iron Man tackled what the human mind was capable of, Chakra expands to a more spiritual, body-spanning take on the idea.

Rush the Table for It? If you just got out of yoga class, yup. Tyler Kane
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Cleopatra in Space
Writer: Mike Maihack
Artist: Mike Maihack
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Adults have been gifted a crash-course in time travel with Mark Millar’s Chrononauts, but there’s an option for the—uh, more impressionable spectrum. Mike Maihack’s Cleopatra in Space follows a teenaged Cleopatra—yup, that one—who is the only hope for a feline-populated world. It’s a cool intro to a series that’s already two graphic novels deep, so if this is your kids’ bag, it could be a good call.

Rush the Table for It? If you’re between six and 11, and you love cats? Go for it. Tyler Kane
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Comics Festival
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: Toronto Comics Arts Festival
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: One of the best parts of FCBD is the freedom to find something new without financial ramifications. Comics Festival, published as a promotion for the Toronto Comics Arts Festival, is one of the better options for discovering a ton of new titles that are free of the Big Two cape-’n-clobberin’ agenda. Here, we get stories by Kate Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant), Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer), Svetlana Chmakova (Nightschool) and more. And with the festival taking place next week, that’s some pretty convenient timing.
Rush the Table for It? If the main titles bore you, absolutely. Tyler Kane
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Dark Circle Comics
Writers: Duane Swierczynski, Mark Waid, Dean Haspiel
Artists: Michael Gaydos, Dean Haspiel
Publisher: Dark Circle/Archie
Age Group: Mature

What It Is: Two previews from Dark Circle’s new line of noir-influenced books—The Black Hood and The Fox. The former leans toward brutal cinematic ‘70s vengeance, while The Fox has a wistful glow of pulp adventuring.

Rush the Table for It? This content is readily available in either book’s first issue, and both were released within the last few months. It certainly isn’t a bad acquisition, though (and, obviously, free).
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Defend Comics
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: CBLDF
Age Group: All Ages

What It Is: Let’s consider this the comic version of an After School Special. Defend Comics is dedicated to free speech in comic books, and these three stories—including a Kevin Keller tale of Archie fame—brings the idea of censorship to the forefront. It’s educational, yeah. But is that what you’re looking for with your one free comic pick?

Rush the Table for It? If you loathe Tipper Gore.Tyler Kane
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Divergence
Writers: Scott Snyder, Geoff Johns and Gene Luen Yang
Artists: Greg Capullo, Jason Fabok and John Romita, Jr.
Publisher: DC Comics
Age Group: Teen

What It Is: It’s standard practice for the Big Two to kick off big, universe-shaking changes with FCBD, and DC’s (unfortunately named, given the Divergent movie/book series) Divergence surely fills that role, teasing new directions for Batman and Superman and the next big event for the Justice League. Also of note: American Born Chinese’s Gene Luen Yang’s debut DC work.

Rush the Table for It? Yes. Regardless of your opinion on DC, you know this will be one of the first to run out. Steve Foxe
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Doctor Who
Writer: Robbie Morrison, Various
Artist: Elena Casagrande, Various
Publisher: Titan Comics
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: Whether you’ve been battling tin foil Daleks since the early ‘60s or dove headfirst into Steven Moffat’s era of binge-worthy sci-fi, you probably know whether Doctor Who is your thing or not. Publisher Titan offers competent comic spins on the universe without any budget restrictions on effects or scenery. Just be able to tell your tenth and twelfth doctors apart.

Rush the Table for It? Absolutely if you’re a diehard Whovian. Sean Edgar
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Gronk and Friends
Writer/Artist: Katie Cook
Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Before Katie Cook took the reins of IDW’s My Little Pony, the talented cartoonist created Gronk, an adorable green monster who loves cats (but not eating them).

Rush the Table for It? Nah. Kids will dig this, but probably aren’t paying enough attention to creator credits yet to know to look for it. Steve Foxe
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Hatter M: Love of Wonder
Writers: Frank Beddor, Liz Cavalier
Artist: Sami Makkonen
Publisher: Automatic Pictures
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: Frank Beddor’s Looking Glass Wars trilogy of novels purport to tell the “real” story of Alice in Wonderland, with five volumes of Hatter M-centric comic book spin-offs in the last decade. Fans may remember Ben Templesmith’s work on the first volume, but he has since been replaced with Finnish artist Sami Makkonen. If dark fantasy action and fractured versions of familiar tales are your thing, you should feel right at home.

Rush the Table for It? Only if you’re cosplaying as Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter. Steve Foxe
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Hip-Hop Family Tree Three-In-One
Writer: Ed Piskor, Dash Shaw
Artist: Ed Piskor, Various
Publisher: Fantagraphics
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: An amazing sampling from Ed Piskor’s beloved Hip Hop Family Tree series. The FCBD version features excerpts from the first three volumes of the book, including samplings from huge names in the Hip Hop history books: Rick Rubin, LL Cool J and Russell Simmons. Bonus points for some amazing pinups from R. Crumb and Skottie Young.

Rush the Table for It? Yup. Tyler Kane
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Jurassic Strike Force 5
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artist: Roger Bonet
Publisher: Silver Dragon Books
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Bipedal taco-eating dinosaurs fight gun-toting horned ninjas. This is the ‘90s cartoon that never was.

Rush the Table for It? You probably won’t need to, but if you dig fried Mexican food as much as these terrible lizards, the jog couldn’t hurt.
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JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure/ Yu-Gi-Oh!
Writer/Artists: Hirohiko Araki, Kazuki Takahashi
Publisher: Viz Media
Age Group: Teen

What It Is: The manga stories that started it all! Before the video games, trading cards, and anime, there was Hirohiko Araki and Kazuki Takahashi. Yu-Hi-Oh! was a full-blown American phenomenon but JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures, despite being one of the longest-running manga series in Japan, has never really rose above cult status here.

Rush the Table for It? Only if you’re a diehard fan, or curious about the inspiration behind all those trading cards you spent so…much…money on in seventh grade. Steve Foxe
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Fight Club
Writer: Chuck Palahniuk, Various
Artist: Cameron Stewart, Various
Publisher: Dark Horse
Age Group: Mature Space Monkeys

What It Is: Woah. Not only do we get a peek into one of the most anticipated comic series of the year—we’re also getting a look at a few more. Dark Horse’s Fight Club preview also includes a look at Guillermo Del Toro’s The Strain, as well as Eric Powell’s The Goon, which is in the unfortunate process of concluding. As someone who’s been eager to get his first glimpse at FC writer Chuck Palahniuk’s first proper dive into sequential art, the free Fight Club preview is near the top of my list.

Rush the Table for It? Yeah. But, some rules if you’re fighting over the thing: If someone says “stop” or goes limp, the fight is over. Only two guys to a fight, one fight at a time. No shirts, no shoes. Fights will go on as long as they have to. And if it’s your first FCBD? You have to fight. Tyler Kane
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Neil Gaiman’s Lady Justice
Writer: C. J. Henderson
Artists: Daniel Brereton & Various
Publisher: Super Genius
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: The nineties were a strange time, and literary giants like Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore and Clive Barker attached their names to comics they’d probably refuse to sign today. Lady Justice has been out of print for 20 years. Nab this and decide if it’s a rediscovered gem or needs to go back into the vault.

Rush the Table for It? Yes, if you frequently describe yourself as “morbidly curious.” Steve Foxe
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Legendary Comics Sampler
Writers: Various
Artists: Various
Publisher: Legendary
Age Group: Legendary Comics

What It Is: Sometimes film production companies open up comic publishing branches, and sometimes the result (especially if it’s Grant Morrison’s Annihilator) isn’t half as cynically shallow as you’d expect. That said, this FCBD offering is more of a cover gallery than anything else.

Rush the Table for It? Seven comics pages lie scattered around marketing copy. Probably not the most nutritious of offerings. Sean Egar
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March Grand Prix
Writer: Kean Soo
Artist: Kean So
Publisher: Capstone Press
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Anyone familiar with the gorgeous Flight anthologies from the aughties will recognize Kean Soo’s work on Jellaby, a lovable purple dragon who gave amazing hugs. Grand March Prix packs tons of Euro-style kewl and mechanical infographics into one free comic about a rabbit trying to master the speedway. No tortoises allowed.

Rush the Table for It? As a new property, this probably won’t race out of stock, but it is full-throttle fun for younger readers. Sean Edgar
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Mercury Heat
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Omar Francia
Publisher: Avatar
Age Group: Mature

What It Is: Avatar has balanced its hyper-violent legacy with premier writing chops from scribes like Jonathan Hickman, Alan Moore, Garth Ennis and David Lapham. Kieron Gillen, also contributing to Crossed: Badlands, creates a sweaty sci-fi dirge about a cop laying down the law on a planet very, very close to the sun.

Rush the Table for It? If you like space cops that round-house the eyeballs out of riff raff, than yes. Sean Edgar
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Motorcycle Samurai
Writer: Chris Sheridan
Artist: Chris Sheridan
Publisher: Top Shelf
Age Group: Teen

What It Is: Top Shelf brings Chris Sheridan’s electric webcomic to print this August, but this sizable FCBD teaser gives a fantastic idea of the arresting colors and choreography waiting three months away. Like an amalgamation of The Wild Ones and Kill Bill with hyper-stylized illustrations, this work deserves as many media as possible to expose its utter coolness.

Rush the Table for It? Yup. Sean Edgar
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Overstreet’s Comic Book Marketplace
Writers: Robert M. Overstreet, J.C. Vaughn
Publisher: Overstreet
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: The guys who probably told you to take out a second mortgage in 1993 for that MurderBlud variant publish a few articles on collecting and evaluating comics. Awesome if you think funny books might rival Bitcoin one day.

Rush the Table for It? It looks like a comic on the cover (it’s not) and anyone who wants to do some comics accounting probably has the official guides. No. Sean Edgar
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The Phantom
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: Hermes Press
Age Group: All Ages

What It Is: Take a stroll through comics history with one of America’s earliest heroes, the purple-clad Phantom. The character, who made his debut in 1936 in a daily comic strip, has now been remembered by Hermes Press’ mini-anthology. This 32-page collection dives deep into the pulp adventurer’s jungle exploits—and it’ll be up to you to see how he’s kept in shape over time.

Rush the Table for It? Superhero fans will probably be tempted by some of the bigger Marvel options, but if you’re looking for a nice stroll down memory lane with one of our veteran heroes, take a read. Tyler Kane
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Pokémon
Writer: Hidenori Kusaka
Artist: Satoshi Yamamoto
Publisher: Perfect Square
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: The Pokémon manga is weird, you guys. Each new volume follows new characters, not Ash and co., and Pokémon totally die! They get chopped up and eaten! It’s strange!

Rush the Table for It? If you want to see your childhood battling companions sliced in half, you monster. Steve Foxe
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Rabbids
Writer: Thitaume, Various
Artist: Romain Pujol, Various
Publisher: Papercutz
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Papercutz, the publishers behind many a kids’ graphic novel, busts out the Rabbids, the inane, idiotic bunny-like enemies of French videogame icon Rayman. Think of Despicable Me’s minions, except with far less coherency and way more laughs. This issue also includes stories from suburban donkey Ariol and Sunday cartoon legends The Smurfs and Garfield.

Rush the Table for It? Yes. These licenses are curated with love and humor, (even if that last Rabbids strip recalls Porky’s). Sean Edgar
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Savage Dragon Legacy
Writer: Erik Larsen
Artist: Erik Larsen
Publisher: Image
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: One of the founding members of Image, Erik Larsen, reminds us that his Savage Dragon series breached 202 issues in February and sports a nifty lineage from its founding finned patron. That said, this seems like a bizarre choice for a publisher devoted to innovation and new voices.

Rush the Table for It? If you like six-page fight scenes and lots of brawling banter, sure. Or if you’re looking for less classic Image fare, you could check out Bitch Planet, Outcast, Pisces or Alex + Ada. Sean Edgar
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Secret Wars #0
Writer: Jonathan Hickman, Hajime Isayama, C.B. Cebulski
Artist: Paul Renaud, Gerardo Sandoval
Publisher: Marvel
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: Before experiencing the first issue of the biggest event of the summer on Wednesday, this issue gives a taste of the Marvel Universe’s incoming sci-fi apocalypse. Secret Wars mastermind Jonathan Hickman shows the children of the Future Foundation construct something sturdy and mysterious with huge importance to the continuing narrative. Meanwhile, we also see the showdown between Attack on Titan and Avengers for the first time in English.

Rush the Table for It? Oh yes. This is the thing that was created so that tables may be rushed. Sean Edgar
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Sonic the Hedgehog/Mega Man: Worlds Unite Prelude
Writer: Ian Flynn
Artists: Gary Martin & Various
Publisher: Archie Comics
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Fans go hard for Archie’s nuanced, surprisingly mature Sonic and Mega Man offerings, so the savvy publisher is of course mashing the two properties together. Honestly, it will probably be better than most Big Two events.

Rush the Table for It? If you’re into this sort of thing. The hardcore fans will definitely make a…Rush for it. (I’m sorry.)
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SpongeBob Freestyle Funnies 2015
Writer: Graham Anable
Artist: Graham Anable
Publisher: United Plankton Pictures
Age Group: All Ages

What It Is: It’s a comic version of SpongeBob Squarepants, the book that kids of a certain age will inevitably pick up instead of something else.

Rush the Table for It? Depending on your child, you might not have a choice. Tyler Kane
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Steampunk Goldilocks
Writer: Rod Espinosa
Artist: Rod Espinosa
Publisher: Antarctic Press

What It Is: Actually, I think the title sums this up pretty succinctly.

Rush the Table for It? If you’re looking for just the right vape pen. Tyler Kane
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Street Fighter Super Combo Special
Writer: Matt Moylan
Artists: Various
Publisher: Udon/Capcom
Age Group: Teen

What It Is: Don’t tell the guys in Street Fighter about the new Dad Bod fad, because they’ll likely dragon punch you with bowling-ball-sized muscles. Nobody’s going to claim that comics based off fighting games shouldn’t focus on grandiose, posed bodily harm, and that’s exactly what this offers.

Rush the Table for It? Depends. It’s one of the prettiest works available, but you can read it in the same time it takes you to floor M. Bison on the old SNES at your parents’ house.
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The Stuff of Legend: A Call to Arms/ Thanatos Diver
Writers: Mike Raicht & Various
Artists: Charles Paul Wilson, Alex Eckman-Lawn
Publisher: Th3rd World Studios
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: The Stuff of Legend seemed poised to blow up a few years ago, and while that hasn’t quite happened, this dark fantasy about toys fighting the Boogeyman has maintained a loyal following and a high level of quality. Thanatos Diver is a brand new launch with a cool name and a comparison to The Last Airbender.

Rush the Table for It? Unlikely to run out right away, but definitely one to grab. Steve Foxe
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SuperMutant Magic Academy/ Step Aside, Pops
Writers: Jillian Tamaki, Kate Beaton
Artists: Jillian Tamaki, Kate Beaton
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: Two of our favorite cartoonists—Jillian Tamaki and Kate Beaton—get acerbic and hilarious with tales of high school ennui and historical fiction anarchy. If you read Paste, you’re aware that we’re very, very fond of these two authors and the things they write.

Rush the Table for It? Duh. Sean Edgar
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Tales of Honor
Writer: Matt Hawkins
Artist: Linda Sejic
Publisher: Top Cow
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: Sci-fi author David Weber’s novels continue to get the original comic treatment in this dark, absorbing work from Matt Hawkins and Linda Sejic. The writing, revolving around military politics for the spaceship set, remains crisp and Sejic’s line-work conveys the immensity of space with animated finesse.

Rush the Table for It? Tales of Honor may be daunting for those who realize its part of a sprawling universe, but it’s certainly worth ten minutes of your time. Sean Edgar
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Teen Titans GO!/ Scooby Doo! Team-Up
Writers: Merrill Hagan, Sholly Fisch
Artists: Jorge Corona, Dario Brizeula
Publisher: DC Comics
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: A reprint! Yes, this twofer of all-ages tales isn’t original, but it’s good fun, especially the Super Friends team-up in the Scooby Doo! portion.

Rush the Table for It? If you have kids who haven’t already nabbed the included stories, for sure. Otherwise, enjoy it if it’s left on the table. Steve Foxe
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: IDW
Age Group: All Ages

What It Is: There are two people out there who can’t get a genuine chuckle from a good TMNT tale: People I refuse to hang out with and chelonaphobics. IDW’s latest (and most-free) offering follows the TMNT’s jump to the small screen, with Nickelodeon’s New Animated Adventures. Maybe we’re not covering uncharted territory here, but c’mon. If nostalgia is your pleasure—or you’re looking to get your kids hooked on this stuff for-real—just say cowabunga! and take the TMNT plunge.

Rush the Table for It? Those who will rush the table for this don’t need (or want) my blessing. Tyler Kane
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Terrible Lizard
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Drew Moss
Publisher: Oni Press
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: A reprint of the first issue of Cullen Bunn and Drew Moss’s adorable girl-and-kaiju story. An excellent original all-ages tale for the monster-loving tykes in your life (and the young at heart, too).

Rush the Table for It? If you haven’t already nabbed the trade paperback, this is a great teaser.
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Transformers Robots in Disguise #0
Writers: John Barer, Tom Scioli
Artists: Priscilla Tramontano, Tom Scioli
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Age Group: All-Ages

What It Is: This new comic based on the cartoon shifts the focus to Bumblebee as he attempts to rope in some elusive Decepticons. A strip from Tom Scioli’s nostalgic Transformers Vs. G.I. Joe also includes a connect-the-dots!

Rush the Table for It? For younger readers, this is the perfect tune-up for a property with more than 30 years of mileage. Sean Edgar
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Valiant 25th Anniversary Special
Writers: Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, Robert Venditti
Artists: Butch Guice, Clay Mann, Rafa Sandoval
Publisher: Valiant
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: Valiant pushes its three biggest titles to the forefront during a time when the publisher lies on the cusp of a wider breakthrough (with a huge multimedia deal announced as well). Whether you prefer military murder machines (Bloodshot), British ultra-spies (Ninjak) or alien-armor warriors (X-O Manowar), this is a primer on why superheroes are nowhere near becoming passe.

Rush the Table for It? Yes. Valiant relies on accessible, riveting entertainment, and this is no different. Sean Edgar
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Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: Wonderland
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment, Inc.
Age Group: Mature

What It Is: We’ve seen fairy tales re-imagined, re-tooled and re-booted across the comic books spectrum, and Zenescope Entertainment is offering another take from its twisted horror line, Grimm Fairy Tales. Since 2005, the company’s covered the sacred ground of Little Red Riding Hood right up through Beowulf, and this free offering takes on the Alice in Wonderland world. Expect scantily-clad Alice and Callie (the White Queen) and some terrifying, other-wordly twists.

Rush the Table for It? If you have a Wonderland-themed tattoo, do it. Tyler Kane
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Worlds of Aspen
Writers: J. T. Krul, Vince Hernandez
Artists: Alex Konat, Claudio Avella
Publisher: Aspen MLT Inc.
Age Group: Teen+

What It Is: Remember Fathom’s 15 minutes of fame around the turn of the century? Despite company founder Michael Turner’s unfortunate passing, Aspen has consistently published new titles from new creators that should appeal to fans of Top Cow and the original Image books. This is your free opportunity to sample what they’ve got surfing into stores this year.

Rush the Table for It? Probably not. Aspen’s dedicated fanbase is small and this isn’t one for the young kids. Steve Foxe

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