(CNN) — Comic book stores across the United States will be offering special releases for Free Comic Book Day on Saturday — and yes, you can actually get a comic book for free.
Select stores will give away comic books to celebrate the beloved medium that brought us timeless superheroes like Spider-Man and Batman. The event, held for 20 years, “celebrates the independent comic book specialty shops, thousands of which exist in North America alone,” says the Free Comic Book Day website.
“Each one is unique in its community, with a style and personality all its own, and each one carries a full line of comics, graphic novels, toys and related products.”
Not all stores are participating, and not all comics are available for free through the event. Select stores that choose to participate are listed on the Free Comic Book Day website. A total of 45 comic books will be available for free, including Dark Horse Comics’ “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” Marvel Comic’s “Avengers/ X-Men #1,” Archie Comic Publications’ “The Best Archie Comic Ever #0,” and Ten Speed Press’ “It Won’t Always Be Like This” by Malaka Gharib.
The event is a collaboration between retailers, publishers, suppliers, and Diamond Comic Distributors, which distributes the free comics to participating shops.
Fans hoping to pick up their own free comic book should call ahead to their local comic store to find out if the store is participating and what books will be available, say the organizers.
Comic books “are fun to read, featuring a wide range of diverse story lines that capture the imagination of the readers,” the organizers add. “That’s worth celebrating in our book — we’re proud to be a part of this wonderful medium.”
The-CNN-Wire
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