Gallery: 10 Coolest Free Comic Book Day Titles
01green-lantern-flashpoint
Geeks and noobs of all ages get lucky on Free Comic Book Day with gratis copies featuring the summer's greatest superheroes, including Green Lantern, Thor and Captain America. Kicking off Saturday at participating comics stores across America, [Free Comic Book Day](http://www.freecomicbookday.com) sates both fandom's appetite for freebies as well as the industry's desire for perpetual marketing. "Comic book fans are in positions of power among movie, television and videogame executives," said California's [Flying Colors Comics](http://www.flyingcolorscomics.com) owner and Free Comic Book Day founder Joe Field in an e-mail chat with Wired.com. "It's true that comics are the creative nexus of visual entertainment, and Free Comic Book Day is our invitation to everyone to get a free scoop of what they are all about." With nearly 3 million copies available in 2011, Free Comic Book Day offers something for everyone. "Current fans are gifted with new stories and debuts of big events, and those who are exploring comics for the first time are given a free introduction and a huge welcome from the participating retailers," Field said. "Publishers that have big movie tie-ins are able to show that comics really are the creative core of so many blockbusters, that there's way more to Thor or Green Lantern than just the two hours on the screen." Wired.com rounded up 10 of the cool titles available on Free Comic Book Day in a handy gallery, noting the various publishers' easy sells and nerdy hooks. Tune in, read up, buy nothing. __Above:__ Green Lantern: Flashpoint (Special Edition) ------------------------------------------- __Publisher:__ DC Comics __Easy sell:__ A freebie entry point for noobs heading to this summer's [Green Lantern blockbuster](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/underwire/2010/11/green-lantern-trailer) film. (No, not the one with [Nathan FIllion](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/underwire/2011/02/green-lanterns).) __Nerd hook:__ Contains a reprint of Johns and artist Ivan Reis' gung-ho origin story from Green Lantern: Secret Origin, as well as an early peek at DC's sprawling [Flashpoint](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashpoint_%28comics%29) crossover event.
02baltimorecriminal-macabre
Baltimore/Criminal Macabre -------------------------- __Publisher:__ Dark Horse Comics __Easy sell:__ One fat sample of two of Dark Horse's darker series, Baltimore and Criminal Macabre. __Nerd hook:__ In Baltimore, Hellboy visionary [Mike Mignola](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mignola) teams up with writer Christopher Golden and artist Steve Niles to probe the nether regions of European horror in the '20s. Meanwhile, writer Steve Niles and artist Christopher Mitten transport their paranormal detective Cal McDonald into the supernatural noir of present-day Los Angeles in [Criminal Macabre](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_Macabre:_A_Cal_McDonald_Mystery). There will be blood.
Cartoon of "Godzilla Rover" from Donna Pivirotto Papers, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Archives.03jake-the-dreaming
Jake the Dreaming ----------------- __Publisher:__ Radical Publishing __Easy sell:__ Writers Adam Freeman and Marc Bernardin and artist Andrew Jones unleash a visually impressive coming-of-age fable about a 12-year-old dream-walker living in boring, small-town Slumberton, who must unlock his masterful imagination to save the town's children from permanent sleep. __Nerd hook:__ Transrealism from an upstart publishing house used to churning out [graphic sci-fi](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/underwire/2011/02/hotwire-deep-cut), fantasy, [horror and crime](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/underwire/2010/09/last-days-of-american-crime)? Where's that rabbit hole?
042000-ad
2000 AD ------- __Publisher:__ Rebellion __Easy sell:__ Judge Dredd (above) leads a gratis assemblage courtesy of Britain's most influential comic weekly, which helped launch the careers of [Alan Moore](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/underwire/2010/07/alan-moore-watchmen) and many others. __Nerd hook:__ It's [2000 AD](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_AD_%28comics%29). If you don't know what that means, then you shouldn't be reading this section.
05locke-key
Locke & Key ----------- __Publisher:__ IDW Publishing __Easy sell:__ A gripping introduction for new adopters, and fans of H.P. Lovecraft, likely to enjoy Fox's [Locke & Key](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locke_%26_Key) television series that arrives later this year. __Nerd hook:__ Creators Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's horror show about a family of supernatural sensitives battling paranormal forces on their Keyhouse family estate is given a 26-page freebie.
06spontaneous
Spontaneous ----------- __Publisher:__ Oni Press __Easy sell:__ A horror mystery anchored in [spontaneous human combustion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_human_combustion)? That's hot. __Nerd hook:__ Writer Joe Harris and artist Brett Weldele ([The Surrogates](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/underwire/2009/07/surrogates-sci-fi-crime-drama-stays-true-to-comics-roots)) kick off their supernatural series with this freebie. Explosive follow-ups catch heat in July and August.
07atomic-robo-and-friends
Atomic Robo and Friends ----------------------- __Publisher:__ [Red 5 Comics](http://www.red5comics.com) __Easy sell:__ A wise-cracking robot created by Nikolai Tesla that battles Nazis, mad scientists, Dr. Dinosaur and Lovecraftian beasts throughout time. That does compute. __Nerd hook:__ Created by 8-Bit Theater writer Brian Clevinger with art from Scott Wegener, the Eisner-nominated [Atomic Robo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Robo) judges the National Science Fair in his second Free Comic Book Day appearance.
08silver-scorpion
Silver Scorpion --------------- __Publisher:__ [Liquid Comics](http://www.liquidcomics.com) __Easy sell:__ Writer Ron Marz and artist Mukesh Singh unveil the origin story of a disabled superhero created by disabled students from the United States and Syria. President Bill Clinton is already a fan. __Nerd hook:__ Another intriguing entry from the multicultural roster of Liquid Comics, whose sprawling [Ramayan 3392 A.D.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayan_3392_A.D.) comic could be appearing soon at a theater near you.
09captain-america-and-thor
Captain America/Thor -------------------- __Publisher:__ Marvel Comics __Easy sell:__ Marvel's summer 2011 film stars team up for a freebie comic, written by Roger Langridge with art from Chris Samnee, that's easily less serious than the movies. __Nerd hook:__ OK, here's the pitch. Thor and Captain America. Mark Twain's [A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Connecticut_Yankee_in_King_Arthur%27s_Court). Any questions?
10avatar-the-last-airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender -------------------------- __Publisher:__ Dark Horse __Easy sell:__ One of the [greatest animated series in history](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_last_airbender) lands a comic freebie that should help erase the mess created by [M. Night Shyamalan's faithless film](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/underwire/2010/07/shyamalan-airbender) adaptation. Plus, there's a Star Wars: The Clone Wars story featuring new badass [Savage Oppress](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Savage_Opress). __Nerd hook:__ Nerds and geeks, rejoice! Nickelodeon's follow-up animated miniseries [The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar:_Legend_of_Korra) arrives next year. Now, cry: The Clone Wars' next season doesn't show [any sign of Solo](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/underwire/2011/04/chewbacca-clone-wars-solo).
