Marvel Comics' three Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) 2022 specials might have just added Spider-Man's newest supervillain Chasm.
Is Ben Reilly's new supervillain identity what Marvel is referring to with its new "The Dark Web is Being Spun" teaser image, promising "more" in May 7's Spider-Man/Venom FCBD title?
Given Chasm's green and black color scheme and his powers, and his recent high-profile emergence in March 30's Amazing Spider-Man #93, it seems as good a bet as any that's what the teaser refers to. But we'll all probably have to wait until Saturday, May 7 to find out for sure.
Marvel will offer three titles for the annual event: Avengers/X-Men, Spider-Man/Venom, and a new Marvel's Voices one-shot.
The three 2022 Marvel titles will also serve as a reunion of sorts, as it'll be the first time the publisher is working with Diamond Comic Distributors since 2021.
Free Comic Book Day 2022 will take place on Saturday, May 7. Here's a rundown on the specials:
Avengers/X-Men
Avengers/X-Men #1 is the first chapter of the Judgment Day event, the first chapter of the publisher's second-annual X-Men Hellfire Gala, and also features a debut of a new Marvel hero, Bloodline, who is Blade's vampire-hunting daughter.
Marvel's Avengers/X-Men one-shot for Free Comic Book Day will be an anthology, containing:
- A Judgment Day prelude story by Kieron Gillen and Dustin Weaver
- An X-Men: Hellfire Gala prelude story by Gerry Duggan and Matteo Lolli
- The debut of a new hero Bloodline (Blade's daughter Brielle) in a story by Danny Lore and Karen Darboe.
Here's a look at the primary cover by Valerio Schiti, and the variant cover by Peach Momoko along with a Bloodline promo image:
Spider-Man/Venom
Spider-Man/Venom #1 will offer readers a glimpse at major storylines (including Tombstone's "first steps towards becoming Spidey's most terrifying villain") planned for the new Amazing Spider-Man era by writer Zeb Wells and Spider-Man brand name artist John Romita Jr. that includes a relaunch of the title in April.
Of course, since Amazing Spider-Man #1 goes on sale on April 6, the Free Comic Book Day glimpse won't be an advanced one.
The Spider-Man/Venom #1 special also includes a look at what creators Al Ewing, Ram V, and Bryan Hitch have going on in the pages of the monthly Venom series which launched in November.
And now whatever the "The Dark Web is Being Spun" tease is.
Check out cover images from the FCBD special by Romita Jr. and a 1:1000 variant cover by Jonboy Meyers which is interesting considering the special is meant to be free to the public but will no doubt be sold to collectors at a premium.
Marvel's Voices #1
Finally, Free Comic Book Day 2022: Marvel's Voices #1 will be an introduction to the publisher's series of specials spotlighting creators and characters from different cultures, communities, and identities across Marvel's "diverse and ever-evolving universe."
The anthology will be led by a new Moon Girl short story from writer Nadia Shammas and artist Luciano Vecchio - presumably connected to the planned Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur project teased a few months back for 2022.
The anthology will also contain reprints from previous Marvel's Voices anthologies, including:
- The Brother Voodoo story by Evan Narcisse and Jahnoy Lindsay from Marvel's Voices #1 (2020)
- The indigenous hero showcase by Jeffrey Veregge from Marvel's Indigenous Voices #1 (2022)
- The Miles Morales story by John Ridley and Olivier Coipel in Marvel's Voices: Legacy #1 (2021)
- The Wave/Bishop story by Alyssa Wong and Whilce Portacio in Marvel's Voices: Identity #1 (2021)
- The LGBTQ+ representation story by Luciano Vecchio from Marvel's Voices: Pride #1 (2021)
- The Shark-Girl story by Leo Romero from Marvel's Voices: Comunidades #1 (2021)
The Marvel/Diamond reunion
Back to that Diamond - Marvel reunion ... according to the original announcement, Avengers/X-Men #1 and Spider-Man/Venom #1 will be offered to retailers exclusively through Diamond, while Marvel's Voices will be available via Diamond and Marvel's exclusive comic book Direct Market distributor Penguin Random House Publisher Services (PRHPS).
Marvel switched to PRHPS in March 2021 after nearly 40 years with Diamond (25 years exclusively), who continues to act as a wholesale retailer of Marvel products to comic shops.
Diamond is the coordinator of the annual event in which participating comic book specialty shops in North America and around the world give away free comic books to attract new customers to their store and new readers to the art form.
Here's a look at everything we know about Free Comic Book Day 2022.
While you're picking up a free copy of Avengers/X-Men #1, you can also shop for any of the stories on our lists of the best Avengers and best X-Men stories of all time.
