The first Saturday in May is upon us, and while that sounds like the beginning of a dire prophecy, it is actually a very positive phrase for our community. On Saturday, May 2, The POP! Shop in Sandusky is hosting our massive 25th annual celebration of the comic book medium. For over two decades, comic and game stores have been shelters from the various storms that rage around us in life. Our shop is proud to be a generational "hubworld" where people can find a welcoming "third place" to share their favorite heroes. This Free Comic Book Day 2026, we invite you to step away from the ceaseless drama of daily life and enjoy your hobbies in excellent company.
A United Celebration of Stories
If you have been following the comic industry lately, you might know that this year is a little different. Due to distribution changes, publishers have split this year's event into two parallel celebrations occurring on the exact same day. Free Comic Book Day handles titles from DC Comics and Image, while publishers like Marvel and Dark Horse are flying under the new Comics Giveaway Day banner. What does this mean for our local community? It means absolutely nothing but more incredible free books! We are united in our goal to bring you the best stories from every publisher, all in one place.
Because there are titles for all ages, the publishers have provided a handy color-coded logo system on the front covers to help parents navigate the tables. A green logo means the book is All-Ages, while a red logo indicates Mature content for adults only. For teen books, look for a blue logo on FCBD titles or an orange-outlined logo on CGD titles.
The publishers are not holding back this year. You can grab heavy hitters like Marvel's Amazing Spider-Man #1000 prologue or the highly anticipated DC x Sonic the Hedgehog crossover. We also have fantastic obscure pulls for flavor, like the hilarious Aquamanatee for kids, or the award-winning The Nice House on the Lake for mature horror fans. In our shop, you are allowed to pick four free books per person! One additional free book may be picked up per each $20 spent in the store.
Enough about the cool stuff you can pick up at this annual event, let's get to meet the people who really help our take on it come to life!
He's Got You Covered
We are incredibly honored to host Ryan Holman, the brilliant artist behind our very own store-exclusive variant cover for the massive Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Godzilla crossover event. Ryan will be hanging out in the shop, ready to sign your copies of this monumental monster mash-up! Do not miss your chance to grab a piece of comic history directly from the creator.
To see more of what he's up to when it comes to comics or charicatures, stop by Ryan's art page.
Local Artist and Creator
The true spirit of FCBD is about bolstering creativity and camaraderie. We are thrilled to welcome Zane M. Fannin, a talented local commission and concept artist with a focus on stunning comic book style artwork. A Huron native and Ohio University alumni, Zane recently had his work published by Zoop under the title Prodigy Comics. He is currently working on several independent comics, including an exciting superhero anthology.
Check out Zane's Instagram to see more of his work!
Nostalgia and Toys
We are also joined by Shawn Butler, a local artist who uses his ink and marker talent to create nostalgic works of art with a comedic twist. Shawn is also the Founder and Curator of the Yesteryear Funland Traveling Toy Museum, delivering a one-of-a-kind educational pop culture experience to fans as well as entertaining those in independent living and assisted care facilities. To promote his traveling museum, Shawn shares upcoming appearances, various toy history articles, and their Annual Scary Toy Contest through mulitple forms of social media.
Check out Yesteryear's Instagram to see some of the cool toys Shawn has in the collection like the infamous Lawn Darts!
Mini-Comics and Board Games
Returning to The POP! Shop for Free Comic Book Day will be Steven Myers, an accomplished northern Ohio art teacher and creator of his own mini-comic called the F.E.D.s, as well as webcomics like Mutant Elf. He brings a wide selection of art, characters, and items to enjoy and pick up for yourself. When he's not showing off his cool creations, you can also catch him playing board games at our tables and having excellent conversations while doing it. Truly he's the living spirit of this kind of pop culture community!
You can see more of his various art pieces and commentary on Steven's Blogspot page.
A Life's Work of Poetry
Adding a literary touch to our celebration, local author and first time guest to FCBD, Douglas F. Hildebrand will be joining the 2026 festivities. Douglas has a brand new book of poems coming out soon, and he will be at the shop to discuss his writing and share his work with the community. You can explore more of his creative portfolio ahead of the event by entering his world of creative fantasy known as Crystal Doorknob Studios.
Guest Performers
Bring the kids and your cameras, because you'll want to get photos with our costumed performing guests! While you are always welcome to come to Free Comic Book Day in your own cosplay, when you enter the store on May 2nd, you may find yourself face to face with the crushing might of Darth Vader, perfectly portrayed by fan-favorite local cosplayer Greg Lopez. He's been performing at the store for years and is a tentative guest for this one in 2026!
This is a good halftime break in the article to remind you all that sometimes seams rip, your favorite comic might run out, or things happen. We aim to offer you all the best Free Comic Book Day (and Comics Giveaway Day) possible, but the time between this article and where the paper meets the tables things can happen. We'll keep this article updated as we learn more in the case of additions or absences. Keep your Spidey-senses keen!
Speaking of Spider-Man...
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Times may seem tough, but not so tough with Spider-Man around. Local cosplayer Kyle Davis will be swinging into the shop to celebrate with us. Kyle has been visiting our store for many years now and is always one of our biggest attractions. You will be absolutely amazed at how great his costume and antics mimic the real hero. There is a pretty good chance he'll also be found outside The POP! Shop waving to traffic along Milan Road (Route 250) and welcoming friendly neighborhood locals and those visiting Sandusky to take a moment to explore the store.
Leading the Power Rangers
Eric Simmons is slated to tap into the power of the Morphing Grid once more and teleport from the Command Center to our store in order to pose alongside fellow fans of this venerable franchise. In addition to cosplaying, he is also the founder of the popular geek culture hub known as The Nerd Rave. As we stated above, you all are welcome to wear costumes and cosplay as your favorite heroes, too! I wonder if we can get a few other Rangers out on May 2 to pose alongside Eric? Will it be you?
A Fresh, New Guest to Free Comic Book Day!
You cannot celebrate Comics Giveaway Day x FCBD on an empty stomach! We are thrilled to partner with Jeremey and Mallie Adams, who are bringing Archie's Pizza Truck right to our doors. Operating out of a beautifully converted 1964 Ford F-600 grain vehicle, they serve authentic St. Louis-style pizza featuring a thin crust, semi-sweet sauce, and a unique creamy cheese blend. If you miss the truck on Saturday, you can always visit their permanent downtown Sandusky location inside Clubhouse No.3!
Returning Vendors
To top off the celebration, we have two amazing local vendors bringing their crafts to the shop once more. Niki from Crystal Tokyo Creations specializes in unique hair accessories, keychains, and jewelry that add a touch of whimsy to the day. Her unique pieces will catch the attention of all your friends and family who delve into pop culture as much as you do!
We also welcome back Jen Davis of Tyranno Treasures, who has been a guest at our event for over a decade! Her team provides top-notch vinyl decals, home signs, and mugs that are perfect for personalizing your laptops and cars. She fuses her 15 years of graphic design experience with a love and understand of pop culture in an impressive way!
Plan Your Visit
Introduce a son, niece, or neighbor to the worlds that will open up to them by starting this journey. Our doors open at 10:00 AM, and the free books are strictly first-come, first-served. While you are here grabbing your four free comics (and more with in-store purchases), be sure to browse our deep backstock to finish your collections. You can also check out our official schedule of events and tournaments to see what tabletop game nights we have planned for the summer.
When you visit, please share some of your favorite memories around the modern myths we all love so much. Whether it's something creative from a retro '80s sci-fi movie, your favorite anime, or an obscure comic character that has charmed you we are here for it!
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