The 13th annual Free Comic Book Day will be May 3, 2014, and Diamond has released the Gold Sponsor book list. Free Comic Book Day Gold Sponsor titles are weighted toward media tie-ins for younger readers once again for 2014, a trend that celebrates the goal of the event, to introduce new readers to comics. Like last year’s list, there are 12 title offerings (of the 60 total comic choices- the 48 Silver books will be announced next Thursday).
Archie Comics will be releasing a special FCBD 2014 Edition of
Archie Comic Digest. The 95-page book will be a great introduction to the world of Archie and friends.
Bongo Comics is offering another edition of
Bongo Comics Free-For-All!, with tales of various members of
The Simpsons cast: Bart and Milhouse seek to acquire “accidental” superpowers, Prof. Frink and Bart have an inter-dimensional journey in a science demonstration gone awry, and C. Montgomery Burns gives a guided tour to readers through the bowels of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.
BOOM! Studios/KaBOOM! will share the
KaBOOM! Summer Blast!, which holds stories of
Peanuts, Garfield, Adventure Time, Regular Show, Steven Universe, and
Herobear & The Kid adventures. KaBOOM! also promises a feature debut of a brand new all-ages series.
Dark Horse will offer a trio of all-ages properties in their FCBD 2014 offering –
Avatar/ Itty Bitty Hellboy/Juice Squeezers. The comic features a story of Sokka and Suki from
Avatar: The Last Airbender,
Itty Bitty Hellboy toying with nemesis Rasputin
, and the
Juice Squeezers defending one of their own against a bully.
DC Entertainment will offer
The New 52: Futures End #0, as a launch of the new weekly title which was covered here (see "
DC Plans 'New 52' Weekly").
Fantagraphics Books has stepped up to Gold Sponsor this year to offer Don Rosa’s
Uncle Scrooge: A Matter of Some Gravity. The comic will see Scrooge’s life turn sideways when Magica De Spell distorts gravity and Lucky Gladstone Gander facing a 24-hour luck jinx.
IDW Publishing will pit two pop-culture properties head-to-head in Tom Scioli’s
Transformers VS. G.I.JOE. When Earth is threatened by a giant machine life from outer space, the planet’s greatest heroes must unite to defend mankind.
Image Comics is presenting a new fantasy-adventure series from Marc Silvestri with
Rise of the Magi #0. Asa Stone, a young guardian at the gates of reality, must gather together seven magicians, sorcerers, thieves, and killers to help defend mankind against an unstoppable evil.
Marvel is hoping to get fans excited about the upcoming summer movie (see "
'Guardians of the Galaxy' Set Pics") with an all-new
Guardians of the Galaxy story from Brian Michael Bendis for their FCBD offering. The book will also feature a Spider-Man story from Dan Slott that sets the foundation for 2014’s top secret event.
Papercutz is offering a brand new
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers story, sure to appeal to young readers who are probably already familiar with the colorful Rangers and their incredible robot/monster battles from television and toys.
United Plankton Pictures is back with an all-new SpongeBob comic.
SpongeBob Freestyle Funnies FCBD 2014 will feature stories of underwater hijinks , including the debut of Mermaid Girl, and SpongeBob schooling Patrick in the ways of comic-book making.
Perfect Square will also appeal to younger readers with
Hello Kitty: Surprise!, which features the cartoon cat and her friends letting their imaginations run wild. It will also offer a sneak peek at Perfect Square’s upcoming tribute book celebrating Hello Kitty’s 10th anniversary. And as a bonus, there will be a
Bravest Warriors story featuring fan-favorite Catbug.
