Events
Free Comic Book Day 2026 will be on May 2ND and Top Comics doors will open at 10 am and we will be giving out books all day until 5:30!
As the name implies, Free Comic Book Day is a single day when participating comic book specialty shops across North America and around the world purchase exclusive comic books to give away absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops.
This event celebrates the independent comic book specialty shops, thousands of which exist in North America alone. This is a fantastic opportunity to sample the best of what the comic book community has to offer. Whether you are a new reader, lapsed reader, or lifelong fan we will have something for everyone!
The first Free Comic Book Day event was held in 2001. Over the past 25 years, thousands of shops around the world have given away millions of free comic books to interested readers.
We do limit the amount of these Free Comic Book Day issues to a maximum of 5 per person to allow the supply to last as long as possible throughout the day. The books are first come, first serve and we can not hold or reserve them. We will be giving out free books all day, but you do have to show up in person on the day! The best selection will be early in the morning, but normally that will also be the longest wait. We have a small store and can only allow so many people in the store safely at a time. EXPECT a line and plan accordingly!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 1000/QUEEN IN BLACK #1 CGD 2026
Comic Script by: Joe Kelly, Al Ewing, Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Illustrated by: John Romita Jr., Iban Coello, Nic Klein
Cover Artwork by: Dike Ruan
The road to AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1000 takes a big turn here as fate bears down on Peter Parker!
The Queen in Black has been coronated, and Mary Jane Watson as Venom is not ready for her!
The Eldest has taken control of the Hulk, and what happens next will make every past Hulk battle look like a skirmish!
Featuring JOE KELLY, AL EWING & PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON with art by JOHN ROMITA JR., IBAN COELLO & NIC KLEIN!
Exclusive Original Material
RATED T+
AVENGERS ARMAGEDDON/X-MEN #1 CGD 2026
Comic Script by: Jed MacKay, Chip Zdarsky, Ryan North
Illustrated by: Frank Alpizar, Delio Diaz, Federici Vincenti, Francesco Mobli
Cover Artwork by: Ryan Stegman
The heroes of the Marvel Universe assemble to take on the Red Hulk in a critical story that sets the stage for this summer's Marvel event…ARMAGEDDON! Armageddon is here, and no one is safe from the coming end.
PLUS: Your first look at this fall’s big X-MEN event DNX…and DOOM!
Featuring CHIP ZDARSKY, JED MACKAY & RYAN NORTH with art by FEDERICO VICENTINI, FRANK ALPIZAR & DELIO DIAZ, & FRANCESCO MOBILI!
Exclusive Original Material
RATED T
DC NEXT LEVEL SAMPLER FCBD 2026 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
(W) Greg Rucka, Skottie Young, Tony Fleecs (A) DaNi, Jorge Corona, Carmine Di Giandomenico (CA) DaNi, Jorge Corona, Carnube Di Giandomenico
From the bold minds behind DC ALL IN comes DC NEXT LEVEL, a groundbreaking publishing initiative led by comics superstars Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson. This sampler offers fans an exclusive first look at the next wave of DC storytelling—talent driven, character-focused, and packed with fresh perspectives.
Inside are previews of three explosive new series that redefine iconic characters for a new era:
BATWOMAN #1 – Acclaimed writer Greg Rucka returns to the hero he helped define, teaming with visionary artist DaNi to chart a daring new mission for Kate Kane.
LOBO #1 – The Eisner-nominated duo Skottie Young and Jorge Corona take the Main Man on a blood-soaked, universe-shattering ride from the aftermath of DC K.O. to the Source Wall.
DEATHSTROKE: THE TERMINATOR #1 – Writer Tony Fleecs (Stray Dogs) and artist Carmine Di Giandomenico (The Flash) unleash Slade Wilson in a brutal saga of violence, betrayal, and survival.
This is your gateway to DC ALL IN Act II—a bold new era of storytelling that pushes the boundaries of the DC Universe. Don’t miss this FCBD exclusive.
Reprint Material
RATED T
ENERGON UNIVERSE SPECIAL #1 2026 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
(W) Robert Kirkman, Joshua Williamson (A) Jason Howard, Conor Hughes, Tom Reilly, Patricio Delpeche, Lee Loughridge (CA) Pye Parr
The biggest year in Energon Universe history is here, with four all-new stories from the worlds of Transformers, G.I. Joe, Void Rivals, and MASK in this Free Comic Book Day issue. Join the biggest names in comics for both a perfect Energon Universe jumping-on point and a can't-miss experience for long-time fans.
A perfect jumping on point for new readers with huge revelations for long time fans!
Exclusive Original Material
Rating: Teen
AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER LEGENDS/MINECRAFT HEART OF COBBLESTONE CGD 2026
Comic Script by: David M. Booher, Andrew Clemson
Illustrated by: Bailie Rosenlund, Jeremy Lawson
Cover Artwork by: MINDIIW
Say “Hooray!” for free comics with stories from two amazing and different worlds!
In Avatar Legends, Avatar Roku’s “rocky” earthbending skills are put to the test—and the fate of his teacher Sud’s village is at stake!
In Minecraft, return to the Overworld for a brand-new tale from the hit series Minecraft: Heart of Cobblestone! Join some of your favorite characters on a hilarious, action-packed romp full of block breaking and mob bashing!
• Avatar Roku stars in an all-new story from the world of Avatar Legends.
• Writer David M. Booher makes his Avatar the Last Airbender universe debut.
Exclusive Original Material
Rating: All-Ages
CONAN THE BARBARIAN TIDES OF THE TYRANT KING #0 2026 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
(W) Jim Zub (A) Jesus Marino (CA) Rob De La Torre
Tides of the Tyrant King, the newest epic CONAN event, begins HERE, from fan favorite writer Jim Zub (Avengers, Dungeons & Dragons) and Jesus Marino, with a cover by superstar artist Roberto de la Torre
(Conan the Barbarian)!
CONAN OF CIMMERIA believed that THULSA DOOM’s evil had been banished forever, but the Atlantean necromancer’s dark power stirs once more and, if it cannot be stopped, the dead shall overtake the living! The Tyrant-King of Atlantis returns and all shall suffer, unless Conan and his brave allies can turn back the tide!
Exclusive Original Material
Rating: Mature
DEICIDIUM: OMENS FCBD 2026 PREVIEW
(W) Ram V (A) Evan Cagle, Anand RK (CA) Evan Cagle
A first look at the epic new sci-fi series from award-winning creators Ram V, Evan Cagle, and Anand Radhakrishnan!
Featuring gorgeous black and white interiors, Deicidium is set in a future world governed by the marriage between theocracies and corporations. Worship is currency, faith is power. In this newfound stability, old powers once more return to the world. Gods of fire, wind, volcanoes, jaguars—gods of mischief, stories, love, and war—manifesting through everyday people. But with the established hierarchy threatened, the powers-that-be decide that these newly-made gods must be found—and killed…
Preview of Upcoming Original Material
Rating: Mature
STITCH #1 2026 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
(W) Tom Ratliff (A) Greta Xella (CA) Edwin Galmon
Dr. Jumba Jookiba, the scientist responsible for releasing the blue-furred phenomenon known as Stitch onto an unsuspecting galaxy, is in danger of losing his membership in E.G.G.S. — the Evil Genius Group-slash-Syndicate. With all the time that he’s been spending on Earth, Dr. Jumba hasn’t earned enough Villain Points to re-up next year. And while he no longer considers himself fully “evil,” he really wants to stay in E.G.G.S. — mainly for their great dental plan, and complimentary intergalactic travel lounges.
What’s a morally flexible genius to do? Why, create a series of evil inventions in an attempt to remain qualified, of course! There’s just one problem (well, two, if you count Pleakley’s vain attempts to rein in the good doctor): Stitch is a wild card that Jumba can never properly account for in his calculations — and the fuzzy little ball of chaos finds a way to ruin every one of his brilliant inventions!
Acclaimed writers/comedians/podcasters CONNOR RATLIFF and JAMES III (Tiny Dinos, Dead Eyes, Young Dylan, All That) join forces with otherworldly artist GRETA XELLA to bring Earthlings everywhere the all-new adventures of Lilo’s irrepressible pet — featuring a cover from EDWIN GALMON.
Reprint Material
Rating: All Ages
HE MAN & THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE/DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CGD 2026
Comic Script by: Tim Seeley, Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing
Illustrated by: Andrew Krahnke
Cover Artwork by: Tim Seeley
You say, “Fantasy!” “Adventure!” “Free!” And we say, “Okay! Coming to a comic shop near you!”
In He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, the mighty barbarian He-Man and the Heroic Warriors face-off against the alien warlord Hordak and his Evil Horde!
In Dungeons & Dragons, journey to the land of Faerûn for a tale of spell slinging and sword swinging, featuring some of your favorite Dungeons & Dragons characters! Fantastic adventure awaits you in the Forgotten Realms!
Exclusive Original Material
Rating: Teen
SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN: ROAD TO SLAUGHTER CGD 2026
Comic Script by: James Tynion IV
Illustrated by: Werther Dell'Edera
The world at large believes Erica Slaughter to be dead. In her absence, her greatest adversary is enacting plans to take over the House of Slaughter, and the Order of St. George has its own designs to fill the power vacuum. But in the back row of a bus on a lonely road in America, there's a young blonde woman with a haunted look on her face and deep shadows under her eyes. And her story is not over yet. The return of Erica Slaughter begins here, in this special prologue chapter containing new material for this Comics Giveaway Day™ exclusive!
Exclusive Original Material
Rating: Mature
POWER RANGERS #0 CGD 2026 CGD SPECIAL EDITION
Comic Script by: Marguerite Bennett, Joey Esposito, Various
Illustrated by: Andrew Griffith, Various
The original Teens With Attitude are bringing you not one, not two, but THREE new Morphin Grid-charged adventures this Comics Giveaway Day™! Pilot your Zords to your closest comic book shop to read a short story about the classic Mighty Morphin team and two surprise adventures that will knock your socks off!
Exclusive Original and Reprint Material
Rating: Teen
ALIEN, PREDATOR, & PLANET OF THE APES #1 CGD 2026 SPECIAL EDITION
Comic Script by: Jordan Morris, Saladin Ahmed
Illustrated by: Roland Boschi, Marvel Various
Cover Artwork by: Davide Paratore
In this issue, you'll find stories from across 20th Century Studios - from ALIEN to PREDATOR to PLANET OF THE APES!
SALADIN AHMED presents a tale set on a planet that's already succumbed to XENOMORPHS! And in JORDAN MORRIS' story, a YAUTJA warrior stalks one of Earth's greatest fighters. All this and a return to the PLANET OF THE APES!
Exclusive Original Material
Rated T
MINOTAUR THE COLD OPEN #0 CGD 2026 SPECIAL EDITION
Comic Script by: Simon Spurrier
Illustrated by: Michael Dowling
Cover Artwork by: Michael Dowling
Introducing an X-files for the age of transhuman technology!
Four years ago, a U.S. government supercomputer triggered the Singularity—a sudden and historic explosion of technological advancement beyond imagination and control. Artificial intelligence became superintelligence.
At least, it almost did. Within picoseconds, fail-safes kicked in. The plug was pulled on a limitless new existence by a ruling class desperate to tighten the reins on human progress.
But in that brief moment, angry seeds of a kneecapped new age were transmitted through cables, waves, and thousands of networks. Now, terrifying beings and inexplicable events dot the globe, ushering in a new revolution.
Minotaur is the story of the future fighting back, the cynical photojournalist it’s targeted as its new prophet, the no-nonsense ex-military muscle who watches her six, and the reformed tech bro privately bankrolling their secret international mission to expose it all.
Minotaur: The Cold Open is a Comics Giveaway Day exclusive introduction to the new mind-bending ongoing sci-fi series from Si Spurrier (Coda, The Flash, John Constantine: Hellblazer) and Mike Dowling (The Amazing Spider-Man, Unfollow), debuting July 2026!
Exclusive Original Material
Rating: MATURE
LOCKE & KEY #1 CGD 2026 SPECIAL EDITION
Comic Script by: Joe Hill
Illustrated by: Gabriel Rodriguez
Cover Artwork by: Gabriel Rodriguez
Named a “modern masterpiece” by The A.V. Club, Locke & Key (first released in 2008) tells a sprawling tale of magic and family, legacy and grief, good and evil. Now is the chance for a whole new generation of readers to get lost in Keyhouse!
Acclaimed suspense novelist and New York Times best-selling author Joe Hill (King Sorrow, The Black Phone) has created a gripping story of dark fantasy and wonder—with astounding artwork from Gabriel Rodriguez—that, like the doors of Keyhouse, will transform all who open it. The epic begins here!
Reprint Material
Rating: Mature
SPIDEY & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS #1 CGD 2026
Comic Script by: Danielle Kreger
Illustrated by: Goodman Yamada
Cover Design or Artwork by: Paco Medina
SPIDEY AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS, Spin and Ghost-Spider, think they have their web-shooting hands full when JEFF THE LAND SHARK pays them a visit! But they haven't seen anything yet - because shapeshifting alien SYMBIE is here to turn Jeff's world upside down!
Exclusive Original Material
Rating: All Ages
GARFIELD CGD 2026
Comic Script by: Mark Evanier, Various
Illustrated by: Gary Barker, Various
Craving some laughs and lasagna with a dash of orange cattitude? Grab your fork and dig in to this exclusive Comics Giveaway Day™ special featuring an excerpt from the first of four upcoming GARFIELD comics, in stores July 2026!
Join Garfield, Jon, Odie, and the rest of the gang for a series of hilarious exploits, cat-filled capers, and plenty of sass signature to the one-and-only orange feline. But that’s not all! This special also contains a preview from the brand-new BABY GARFIELD series that follows the furry feline before he became the ornery orange kitty. Well, what are you waiting for? A large serving of adventure is a page-turn away!
Preview of Upcoming Original Material
Rating: All Ages
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #1 CGD 2026
Comic Script by: Ian Flynn
Illustrated by: Tracy Yardley
Cover Artwork by: Tracy Yardley
The fan-favorite original IDW Sonic issue is being reissued with a cover from long-time artist Tracy Yardley, making it the perfect starting point for new and old readers alike!
Sonic’s racing into a new adventure! After defeating the evil Dr. Eggman’s latest plot, Sonic is racing around the world to shut down the robotic Badnik forces that are still attacking villages. But it’s a big job for one hedgehog—even Sonic!
Fortunately, he’ll have some help from his best friend: Tails!
Reprint Material
Rating: All-Ages
JEM & THE HOLOGRAMS/MY LITTLE PONY FLIPBOOOK CGD 2026
Comic Script by: Kelly Thompson, Katie Cook
Illustrated by: Sophie Campbell, Andy Price
Celebrate the glitz and the glam and bask in the sparkle and shine of two iconic series—JEM & THE HOLOGRAMS and MY LITTLE PONY—in this exclusive Comics Giveaway Day™ special flipbook!
Get ready for an outrageous new series of JEM & THE HOLOGRAMS by revisiting its popular comics debut to be collected in four compact comics starting Fall 2026! Then head to Equestria to relive the magic of MY LITTLE PONY before the adventures continue in a forthcoming series!
Perfect for devoted fans and newcomers alike, you won’t want to miss the debut duet of this dazzling duo!
Reprint Material
Rating: All-Ages
WORLD OF ARCHIE 2026 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
(W) Various (A) Holly G Steven Butler Dan Parent (CA) Dan Parent Holly G Various
Celebrate Archie Comics' milestone 85th anniversary with this collection of fun, all-ages stories! You probably already know Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and even that mischief-maker Reggie, as well as everyone's favorite teen witch, Sabrina, and those musical, mystical Josie and the Pussycats. Still, there's a whole WORLD of Archie characters to explore.
This collection spotlights some of the expanded Archie universe and showcases why Archie and his friends have been the coolest for nearly nine decades!
Featuring the work of Archie fan-favorite creators including Dan Parent, Holly G!, Timmy Heague, Jamie L. Rotante, Craig Boldman, Steven and Lily Butler, and more!
Reprint Material
Rating: All-Ages
MEGA MAN SHOWDOWN SPECIAL #1 2026 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
(W) Daniel Arseneault (A) Mic Fong, Jeffrey Cruz (CA) Jeffrey Cruz
It’s Proto Man versus Bass! Two of Mega Man’s greatest rivals (or… are they allies?) come to blows! Which robot will walk away in one piece?
PLUS – a bonus story set in the digital world of Mega Man Battle Network!
Exclusive Original Material
Rating: All-Ages
DC X SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #1 2026 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
(W) Ian Flynn (A) Adam Bryce Thomas (CA) Pablo M. Collar
It’s the team-up you never saw coming—and will never forget! When the tyrannical Darkseid breaches dimensions in search of ultimate power, his conquest leads straight to the world of Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic and his friends have faced mad scientists and ancient spirits, but the forces of Apokolips may be more than they can handle alone.
Enter the Justice League! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the fastest hero alive—The Flash—join Sonic in a race against cosmic annihilation. Can speed and strength stop the god of evil before two worlds fall?
This Free Comic Book Day special edition kicks off an epic crossover event from writer Ian Flynn and artist Adam Bryce Thomas, with a stunning cover by Pablo M. Collar. Packed with action, surprises, and fan-favorite characters, this is one collision of universes you don’t want to miss!
Reprint Material
Rating: All-Ages
STREET FIGHTER FOREVER #0 2026 FCBD SPECIAL EDITION
(W) David Lumsdon (A) Mike Bowden, Tovio Rogers (CA) Hanzo Steinbach
Ryu faces off against martial artists of the past, present… and future! Will these battles bring him closer to finding the true path of the warrior?
PLUS – a bonus story starring lethal ladies Juri and Crimson Viper!
Exclusive Original Material
Rating: TEEN
Cherry Capital Comic Con 2026
May 22nd, 23rd, and 24th at the Grand Traverse Resort!
Show Floor hours:
Friday May 22nd: 5pm-8pm
Saturday May 23rd: 10am-6pm
Sunday May 24th: 11am-5pm
How much are tickets?
Friday: $10 / Saturday: $25 / Sunday: $15 / 3-Day Pass: $40 / Kids 10 and under: FREE with paid adult / Military Personnel: FREE
Where does the convention take place?
Cherry Capital Comic Con takes place in the lower level of the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, in and around Governors’ Hall.
100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd. Acme, MI 49610
Can I buy tickets at the door?
Yes, tickets will be available each day of the show.
When is the costume contest?
Adult Costume contest is 6:30PM Saturday in the Tower Prefunction area.
Kids Costume Contest is 10am Sunday in the Tower Prefunction Area.
How do I sign up for the costume contests?
Sign up sheets are available at the C4 Merch booth in the Governors Hall prefunction area during show floor hours.
Click here for a link to the Cherry Capital Comic Con website.
