Steal this comic

From superheroes to "The Simpsons," ultraviolence to kid stuff, our guide to Free Comic Book Day offers graphic fun for all.

By Douglas Wolk

Read more: Books, Douglas Wolk, The Simpsons, Comics, Books Features, Battlestar Galactica

May 5, 2007 | Five years ago, the weekend that the first Spider-Man movie came out, the American comics industry launched an experiment: Free Comic Book Day, in which thousands of comic book specialty stores around the country gave away comics to readers young and old. It worked out well enough that it's become an annual tradition, and this Saturday, May 5, is the sixth Free Comic Book Day. Almost every major comics publisher in the country has at least one free title this year, as well as plenty of smaller publishers; the mainstream and indie presses don't always see eye-to-eye, but they've all found that giving away samples is good for business.

This year's FCBD coincides with National Cartoonists' Day and the opening of "Spider-Man 3," and lots of stores are also planning signings and other events. The crop of handouts includes 43 different comics, although most stores will only let you pick out a few of them; some of the free comics are particularly kid-friendly, others aren't kid-friendly at all, and some are a lot better than others. (This page is a useful resource to find the nearest store that's participating in the giveaway.) Here's a quick overview of what's available this year, sorted by category.

LONG-UNDERWEAR TYPES

The Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)

Kids obsessed with "Spider-Man 3" will make a beeline for this one: a self-contained and entertaining, if slightly dopey, story drawn by star artist Phil Jimenez. Writer Dan Slott wisely focuses on the power vs. responsibility struggle at the heart of the character; there's also a short preview of J. Michael Straczynski's much-hyped Spider-Man story "One More Day," due out later this year. B+

Justice League of America No. 0 (DC Comics)

Best-selling novelist Brad Meltzer wrote this story, first published last year, about the history and future of the relationship between Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. It's nicely executed, but you won't get much out of it unless you've read at least a few hundred superhero comics in the last decade. B+

Liberty Comics (Heroic Publishing)

Four complete stories about superheroine/pinup girl Liberty Girl's adventures during World War II. They're supposed to be in the style of that era's comics, but they don't have the requisite nuttiness or verve (the Photoshopped-looking art is a dead giveaway), and the one about the Japanese internment camp is a little embarrassing. C+

Love and Capes (Maerkle Press)

A surprisingly charming tale about a hardworking superhero and his girlfriend -- he's frustrated by all the attention the upstart "Arachnerd" is getting. Thomas F. Zahler's boldly cartoony artwork recalls "The Incredibles," and so does his wry, smart dialogue. A-

Marvel Adventures: Iron Man & Hulk (Marvel Comics)

The good news: These three stories are self-contained and entirely kid-friendly. The bad news: The Iron Man and Hulk stories are also entirely dull and unengaging. The backup "Franklin Richards, Son of a Genius" story is cute in a sort of post-"Calvin & Hobbes" way, but you're still better off spending a few dollars on an issue of Marvel Adventures: Avengers. C+

Nexus (Rude Dude Productions)

The first new issue in a decade of Mike Baron and Steve Rude's fondly remembered science-fiction series is effectively a "clip show" -- brief excerpts of a bunch of old issues, introduced by Baron, to give a sense of the series' flavor before it relaunches. There's no real story here, but hot damn, Rude's got an amazing design sense. B

The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse Comics)

The debut of a new project written by Gerard Way, singer for My Chemical Romance; despite some stylishly Goth-y artwork by Casanova artist Gabriel Bá, it's a death-obsessed superhero slug-fest that makes almost no sense at all. The backup features, "Pantheon City" and "Zero Killer," are even more incoherent. C+

THE HORROR! THE HORROR!

The Astounding Wolf-Man (Image Comics)

Rising star Robert Kirkman ("The Walking Dead," "Invincible") is launching his new werewolf series with this freebie, drawn by Jason Howard. It's a totally straightforward monster-adventure comic, but crisply drawn and smartly executed, with little touches of characterization and coloring and design that enhance its sense of fun. A-

Jack the Lantern: Ghosts (Castle Rain Entertainment)

If you were reading comics in the '80s, you might remember Tim Vigil's ultraviolent, hyper-stylized horror series "Faust." Vigil drew eight pages of this murky, sloppy, incoherent, incomplete horror-fantasy story, which is the only reason anyone might want to look at it. D

Last Blood (Blatant Comics)

This first issue of a miniseries has exactly one clever idea: vampires protecting the last living normal humans -- their food supply -- from a plague of zombies. Too bad the actual writing is clunky and badly paced, and the scribbly black-and-white artwork is wretched. D+

DO-IT-YOURSELF GUIDES

Activity Book (Drawn & Quarterly)

Lynda Barry, the cartoonist behind "Ernie Pook's Comeek," teaches an unusual sort of writing workshop. This excerpt from a forthcoming book is basically her introductory lesson, and it's a joy in its own right, deliciously drawn (with fragments of collage worked into each page), insightful and bubbling with delight in the process of artistic creation. A+

Comics 101: How-To and History Lessons from the Pros (TwoMorrows Publishing)

If your kid is the type who'd rather draw her own superhero comics than read someone else's, this is a decent selection of pointers on basic figure-drawing and writing, alongside a brief but solid history of superhero comics' evolution. If she's interested in manga, though, it's not nearly as helpful. B

How to Draw (Wizard)

A word to the wise: You might not want to get your drawing tips from a comic whose cover features a woman with breasts bigger than her head. That said, the cartoonists whose tutorials are included here are all pretty big names in the superhero-comics world. B-

Impact University (Impact)

Yet another batch of drawing tips; this one at least acknowledges the existence of manga, but the tutorial on how to draw an elf is unintentionally hilarious (it boils down to "draw a skinny person with pointed ears"). B-

Next page: A "Battlestar Galactica" prequel and an Eddie Campbell teaser!