Free Comic Book Day 20th Anniversary scheduled for August 2021

(Image credit: Diamond Comic Distributors)

Diamond Comic Distributors has scheduled Free Comic Book Day 2021 for August 14, a few months later than the occasion's usual early May dates. FCBD 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the event, in which comic book retailers give out free comic books specially printed by a variety of publishers to be given away.

The organizers, Diamond and FCBD founder Joe Field, are also hoping 2021 will mark a return to normalcy for the event. It was postponed and then spread out across multiple weeks due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which affected comic book distribution and publishing as well as retail in early to mid-2020.

(Image credit: Diamond Comic Distributors)

"I am so happy to be making this announcement today and so proud of our work with retailers and vendors these last 20 years to bring more awareness to the comic books we all love," states Steve Geppi, president, chairman, and CEO of Geppi Family Enterprises, the parent company of Diamond.

"In the past two decades, fans have experienced some truly remarkable Free Comic Book Day events because of the commitment of our partners to create an incredible celebration of comics," he continues. "It's such an energizing day and we look forward to making our 20th-anniversary celebration the best one yet!"

Though the specific publishers and titles to be offered as part of FCBD 2021 have yet to be announced (and remember, DC is no longer a Diamond client in North America), Diamond has unveiled a new 20th anniversary for Free Comic Book Day, seen here.

"Celebrating 20 years of FCBD is a fantastic milestone. Free Comic Book Day has been the introduction to comics for so many and while the world has changed over these last 20 years, our love of comics and the power of comics to entertain and enlighten is stronger than ever," adds Joe Field, founder of Free Comic Book Day and owner of Flying Colors Comics & Other Cool Stuff in Concord, CA.

"I'm thrilled we're focusing on a fun-filled worldwide single-day FCBD again for 2021. I can't wait to see all the first-time comic-curious readers, as well as our long-time faithful fans come together once again."

Spider-Man has been a frequent star of Marvel’s FCBD titles, Check out all the upcoming new Spider-Man comic books and collections here.

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)