The Free Comic Book Day is a joint marketing campaign of comic publishers and traders . It has been held annually in Germany , Austria and Switzerland since 2010. The date is on the second Saturday in May, one week in each case, based on the US model, Free Comic Book Day , which has been held since 2002. The date targeted for May 9, 2020 has been postponed.
Goals and process
The aims of the event should be:
- To bring people closer to the joy of reading comics ,
- attracting new readers and returning previous comic readers to the medium,
- To thank comic buyers and collectors for their continued financial support.
For these reasons, on the free comic day, the participating retailers are giving out free comic books specially printed for this day by the participating publishers, which are explicitly not intended for sale and which each have a length of approx. 32 to 52 pages. These can be reading samples for current series or exclusive editions. The entire production and licensing costs are borne by the publishers; only the printing costs were passed on to the dealers (40 cents per issue).
The comic book dealer determines the number of booklets given to a customer, so you usually don't get a complete year at once. Some dealers also offer their customers supporting programs, such as book signing by cartoonists , family celebrations or discount campaigns .
history
The Free Comic Book Day was first held in the US on May 4, 2002, and then up each year on the first Saturday in May again.
In German-speaking countries , the free comic day took place for the first time on May 8, 2010 and was planned by 16 German-language comic publishers as a joint campaign to support the comic trade and implemented with 151 participating comic shops in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A total of 169,600 free comics were produced, with the circulation of the 30 different comics fluctuating between 4800 and 7200 issues per title, depending on the number of orders placed with the organizers by the dealers.
On May 14, 2011, 28 publishers took part in the Free Comic Day. Almost all of the larger German-language comic publishers were represented. The number of comic book dealers taking part rose to 166, eight of which were based in Switzerland and Austria. The spectrum of the 44 different issues ranged from superheroes - to science fiction -, fantasy - and horror titles to cartoons , mangas , independent comics and comic biographies . In addition, as a new feature compared to 2010, a children's logo was introduced (“Comics for Kids”), with which comics are provided that are especially suitable for children.
On May 12, 2012 for the third edition, 19 comic book publishers were represented with a total of 30 free issues (188 dealers). Likewise, for the fourth edition, which took place on May 11, 2013, there were 30 issues (18 publishers) and 196 dealers took part. In 2015 the number of different issues rose slightly to 34 (18 publishers), in 2016 this number remained the same (16 publishers). In 2017, four publishers took part for the first time, including Rowohlt Verlag , the number of issues fell back to 30. In 2020 the Free Comic Day was planned for May 9th, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic , the GTC was postponed. The new date should be announced in early May.
Publishers and comics
So far 44 publishers, some with different labels (italics), have taken part in the free comic day; 262 issues appeared. The following list includes all previous publishers and comics on a free comic day in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The booklets labeled “Comics for Kids” (used since 2011) are marked with an asterisk (*), the edition for readers aged 16 and over (used in 2016) is marked with two asterisks (**).
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publishing company
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May 8, 2010
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May 14, 2011
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May 12, 2012
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May 11th, 2013
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May 10, 2014
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May 9, 2015
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May 14, 2016
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May 13, 2017
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May 12, 2018
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Alligator Farm
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Perry - Our Man in Space ( Online )
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All publishing house
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The sixth weapon
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The survivor **
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Gil St. Andre
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Wayne Shelton 1
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avant-Verlag
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Professor Bell
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The rabbi's cat
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Double luck with the red monkey
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Dickie
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Blue ocean
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Lego Ninjago *
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Bocola Publishing House
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Prince Eisenherz
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Bröseline
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Werner
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BSE publishing house
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Unbridled fun
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Book Musik & Film Verlag
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The green ice bomb
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Carlsen Comics
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Forever and other stories,
Spirou and Fantasio : deep sleep for the whole city,
Troll of Troy : troll stories
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Comic drawing course *,
The Scorpion ,
The Peanuts *
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Don Quixote ,
Wave and Smile
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The narwhal ,
Ferdinand *,
Skull Party ,
Soulless
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Alisik ,
Attack on Titan ,
Little Cat Chi *,
Paul's Fantastic Adventure *,
Tempest Curse
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The secret of the Marsupilamis *,
GoForIt! ,
Reinhard Kleist ,
shadow aria
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The Liberi Project ,
Lupus in Fabula ,
Mutts *,
Titeuf *
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Gaston ,
Game over ,
Fairy Tail Special - Fairy Academy,
Sherlock
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Avengers : Attack on Titan a ,
Battle Angel Alita ,
Splatoon *,
Peanuts : Snoopy and Friends *
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Chinabooks
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The free bird flies
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Comic culture
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Tales of the Comic Culture
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Nocturnal Nemesis / Grimoire
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Munich comic festival
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The festival comic ( online )
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comicplus +
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tramp
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Comics etc.
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Piccolo large band ( Sigurd / Nick / Tibor )
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Sigurd : In the valley of shadows b
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Indicator
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Austrian superheroes
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Cross Cult
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Hellboy / BUAP / Aliens
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The Goon
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The Walking Dead / Steam Noir
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Star Trek : Countdown to Darkness,
Super dinosaur *
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Avatar: The Last Airbender *,
Gung Ho ,
orphans
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Angry Birds *,
The Peanuts *,
Outcast
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Avatar: The Last Airbender *,
Mezolite ,
We stand on guard
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Paper Girls ,
Predator vs. Judge Dredd vs. Aliens
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Oblivion Song ,
Aposimz: Land of Dolls ,
Dragons: The Horsemen of Berk *
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dani books
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Monster Allergy * ( Online )
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Richard the Lionheart ( Online )
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Cats! * ( Online ) ,
Velvet ( online )
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Garfield - His New Adventures * ( Online ) ,
Council Queens ( Online )
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Monster Allergy *
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Courtney Cumrin * ( online ) ,
The Nektons: Adventurers of the Deep * ( Online )
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Dantes publishing house
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Sláine - The Beast in the Broch
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Usagi Yojimbo : A dry field
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The library
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Death and the Maiden
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Drive
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Men, women & motors
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Edition Moderne
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Adele's Unusual Adventure : Adele and the Monster
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Kids by Mike
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Egmont publishing companies
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The Killer 1 ( Ehapa Comic Collection ),
Mickey Mouse ( Ehapa Comic Collection )
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The Muppet Show * ( Ehapa Comic Collection ),
Donald Duck * ( Ehapa Comic Collection ),
love you Suzuki-kun! ( Egmont Manga & Anime ),
Missi Dominici 1 ( Ehapa Comic Collection )
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The vampire from Benares ( Ehapa Comic Collection ),
Donald Duck * ( Ehapa Comic Collection ),
Garfield * ( Egmont Balloon )
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Barracuda 1: Slaves ( Ehapa Comic Collection ),
Donald Duck * ( Ehapa Comic Collection ),
Hägar the Terrible * ( Ehapa Comic Collection )
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Bruno Brazil ( Egmont Comic Collection ),
Donald Duck * ( Egmont Comic Collection )
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Donald Duck * ( Egmont Comic Collection ),
Don Quixote ( Egmont Graphic Novel )
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Donald Duck * ( Egmont Comic Collection ),
Love Addict ( Egmont Graphic Novel ),
Lucky Luke : The Dalton Ballad * ( Egmont Comic Collection )
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Daniel Düsentrieb * ( Egmont Comic Collection ),
Dolly Kill Kill ( Egmont Manga )
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Lucky Luke : Billy the Kid * ( Egmont Comic Collection ),
Mickey Mouse * ( Egmont Comic Collection ),
Garfield ( Egmont Comic Collection ),
To Your Eternity ( Egmont Manga )
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eidalon publishing house
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Amelia is the greatest! ( Comic ),
Courtney Crumrin ( Modern Tales )
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Polly & the Pirates * ( comic ),
Wasteland ( Modern Tales )
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epsilon
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Golden City
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Aldebaran
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Rubies
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Dédé ,
Luzian Engelhardt
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The last Jungle Book ,
Commissioner Merry
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Ewald publishing house
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Sigurd : In the valley of shadows b
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Finix
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The Müller 1
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Gringo comics
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Tales from the Vault of the Gringo
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Holzhof publishing house
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Holzhof Comix 1
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Holzhof Comix 2
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Holzhof Comix 3
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The Virtonauts of Remory
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Beatcomix surprise bag
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Association of comics
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Comics for everyone! ( Online )
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IcoMaus - Even more comics for everyone! (only online )
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JNK Media
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Capitan Terror
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Kazé manga
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Blue Exorcist ,
Akuma to Love Song
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Resident Evil ,
Toriko
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Lindbergh ,
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic *,
Tokyo Ghoul
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Hamatora ,
Evil leaf
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Dimension W ,
Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign
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Maria: The Virgin Witch ,
One-Punch Man ,
Yo-kai Watch *
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Super Mario Adventures *,
The Tale of the Wedding Rings ,
Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
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COSMOS
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The three ??? - The village of devils *
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Cult comics
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Professor van Dusen finds Polycrates' ring *
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Cult Stories (SCUM / Queens / Roots)
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mosaic
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The incredible adventures of Anna, Bella & Caramella ,
The incredible journey of the Abrafaxe
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The incredible journey of the Abrafaxe *,
Green Manor ( Zack Edition )
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Panini Comics
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Blackest Night ( DC ),
The Simpsons ( Bongo ),
Horst ,
Iron Man / The Avengers ( Marvel ),
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
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The Simpsons * ( Bongo ),
Green Lantern ( DC ),
Star Wars: The Clone Wars *,
Thor ( Marvel )
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The Simpsons * ( Bongo ),
Game of Thrones ,
Justice League * ( DC ),
Spider-Man * ( Marvel ),
Star Wars: The Clone Wars *,
Sweet Tooth ( Vertigo )
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Batman / Superman * ( DC ),
Before Watchmen ( DC ),
The Simpsons * ( Bongo ),
Marvel NOW! ( Marvel )
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Capote in Kansas / The Star Gang ,
The Simpsons * ( Bongo ),
Forever Evil ( DC ),
Infinity ( Marvel ),
Pokémon * ( Manga )
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Axis ( Marvel ),
The Simpsons * ( Bongo ),
Futures End ( DC ),
Pokémon * ( Manga )
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DC Comics Special GCT 2016 ( DC ),
Marvel Super Heroes ( Marvel ),
Pokémon Special GCT 2016 * ( Manga ),
Star Wars *
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DC Rebirth with Harley Quinn, Superman and Wonder Woman ( DC ),
Doctor Who : Three Doctors! Three adventures !,
My Love Story !! - Ore Monogatari ( Manga ),
Spider-Man ( Marvel )
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Star Wars Adventures: Heroes of the Galaxy *,
Shadow Jumper Volume 3,
Marvel : Deadpool ,
Avengers : Attack on Titan a ,
DC Batman Metal
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Piredda publishing house
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Cubitus
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Zarla *
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Plem Plem Productions
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Whoa! comics
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The changer
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Sanchez Adventures *
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Reproduced
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Donjon 1: the heart of a duck,
Mendrisio
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Blacktown ,
Monsieur Jean
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Miss-don't-touch-me
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Kleiner Strubbel : Kramik der Scoundrel *,
Coma 1: The voice of the chimneys
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Kinderland
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Ariol *,
Ralph Azham
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Isaac the Pirate 1: America,
Box *
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Hilda and the midnight giant *
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Fearless,
QRT *
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Rowohlt
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Ralf König : Autumn in your pants
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Salleck
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The Spirit
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Boule & Bill *
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The timpanist / magic school Abracadabra
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Suske and Wiske
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Writer & Reader
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And God made the comic
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Canardo
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Cosa Nostra
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Jimmy Beaulieu
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Jessica Blandy ,
Strangers in Paradise
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Largo Winch : The Heir
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Capricorn 1: the thing
Corto Maltese : The Leopard People of Rufiji,
Jiro Taniguchi : Short Stories
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Djinn ,
Silver
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Grandville Chapter 1,
Janitor
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Splinter
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The legend of scarlet clouds ,
The castaways of Ythaq 1,
Götterdämmerung ,
Universal War One
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Angor ,
The Smurfs * ( toonfish ),
legend of the dragon knights ,
orbital
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The Smurfs * ( toonfish ),
Thorgal ,
zombies
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Benni Bärenstark 10: Benni wins the race * ( toonfish ),
Malcolm Max 1: Body Snatchers
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Elves ,
Rabbids * ( toonfish ),
Sherlock Holmes & the Necronomicon
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Beauty and the Beast ,
Percy Pickwick * ( toonfish ),
Troy
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The world of the Smurfs * ( toonfish ),
Fight Club 2 ,
Sherlock Holmes and the Time Travelers
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James Bond ,
Lady Mechanika ,
Sherlock Holmes - The Chronicles of Moriarty
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American Gods ,
Black Hammer,
Ekhö 1: Spiegelwelt
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stainlessArt
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Jommeke *
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Jommeke *
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Jommeke *
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TheNextArt
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Blue evolution
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Hades Syndrome : Crossfire 1
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Seneca file
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Tokyopop
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Ghostface ,
Lou!
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Wakfu *,
Princess Sakura ,
Bleach
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Comic girls! *
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ElfQuest ( Popcom ),
Love : The Fox ( Popcom )
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Ei8ht ( Popcom ),
Ghostrealm ( popcom )
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undergroundcomix.de
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Pirate gold
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Underground comix
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Underground comix
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U-Comix : More light!
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Happy Birthday, Frankenstein !
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Tinplate
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Horror shocker
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Tinplate's free scary witching hour
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Horror shocker
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Worlds of horror
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Horror shocker
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Zombie terror
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Horror shocker
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Willi Blöß Verlag
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Comic biography : Frida Kahlo
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diaphragm
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Diaphragm a-gogo
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The dead
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Sugar fish
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total
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16 publishers,
30 comics
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28 publishers,
44 comics
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19 publishers,
30 comics
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18 publishers,
30 comics
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13 publishers,
30 comics
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18 publishers,
34 comics
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16 publishers,
34 comics
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17 publishers,
30 comics
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18 publishers,
35 comics
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a Collaboration between
Carlsen Comics and
Panini Comics , includes:
Attack on Titan Anthology ,
Attack on Avengers ,
Avengers K - The Avengers vs. Ultron and
Marvel Legacy .
bCollaboration between
Comics etc. and
Ewald Verlag , includes: Sigurd stories
in the valley of shadows and
dangerous help .
Others
Various publishers, such as Panini Comics (e.g. with the issue of Before Watchmen ) or Kazé Manga (e.g. with the issue of Hamatora ) published the contents of some of their issues again in the form of test issues with a different cover picture or as part of Advertising magazines.
On November 29, 2014, Panini Verlag organized a similar campaign with Batman Day . The occasion was the superhero's 75th birthday . A free edition was issued containing an excerpt from US Detective Comics # 27 (Vol. 2), the prologue from the Batman series Hush and Batman's first appearance from US Detective Comics # 27 (Vol. 1) .
In 2015, Star Wars Comics Day took place on August 22nd , with which Panini promoted the restart of its Star Wars series and issued a free comic.
Panini Verlag also took part in the 1st International Batman Day proclaimed by DC Comics on September 26, 2015 , for which, like a year earlier, a free special edition was published. Includes the US editions of Batman # 35 (Vol. 2) and Legends of the Dark Knight # 6 (Vol. 2).
On January 30, 2016, two weeks before the film's release in February, Panini hosted Deadpool Day , on which a free comic was published.
The 2nd International Batman Day took place on September 17, 2016 , and there was again a free comic that contains two excerpts from US editions ( Legends of the Dark Knight 100-Page Super Spectacular # 1 and Robin War # 1).
January 28, 2017 came Marvel Day with an issue that includes three comics ( Spider-Man / Deadpool # 6, Marvel 75th Anniversary Celebration # 1, and Civil War II # 1). The occasion of the day was the anniversary that Panini Comics has published 20 years of Marvel Comics in the German-speaking area, which is also the age of the publisher in Germany. For this reason, Panini Comics Day took place on July 1, 2017 with eleven free issues, which reflect almost the entire range of publications of the publisher.
The 3rd International Batman Day took place on September 23, 2017 ; the accompanying free issue contains the US editions Detective Comics # 831 and All-Star Batman # 2. The issue's cover story is the 25th birthday of the cartoon character Harley Quinn .
Web links
Individual evidence
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↑ The whole city is a fish market for comics. Hamburger Abendblatt , May 14, 2011, accessed May 2011 .
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↑ Free Comic Day 2011. neonliberal.at, May 11, 2011, accessed on May 20, 2011 .
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↑ Number of dealers 2010 to 2013: Free Comic Tag Magazin 2/2013. www.gratiscomictag.de, accessed on January 11, 2016 .
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↑ Endymion: Free Comic Day 2020 is postponed. In: Anime Sushi. April 13, 2020, accessed April 13, 2020 .
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↑ Flyer for Free Comic Day 2010 .
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↑ Flyer for Free Comic Day 2011 .
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↑ Flyer for Free Comic Day 2012 .
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↑ Flyer for the Free Comic Day 2013 .
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↑ Flyer for the Free Comic Day 2014 .
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↑ Flyer for the Free Comic Day 2015 .
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↑ Flyer for the Free Comic Day 2016 .
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↑ Flyer for Free Comic Day 2017 .
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↑ Flyer for Free Comic Day 2018 .
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↑ Free: Special Edition (Before Watchmen) , June 2013
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↑ Manga! Manga! - KAZÉ Manga Preview - Spring / Summer 2015 , Kazé Manga , March 2015, pp. 219-271.
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↑ Panini: Free comic for "Batman Day". www.comic-report.de, August 6, 2014, accessed on November 29, 2014 .
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↑ November 29th is Batman Day! Panini Comics , accessed November 29, 2014 .
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↑ Star Wars Comics Day - Free Star Wars Comics for everyone. www.comic.de, August 20, 2015, accessed on September 27, 2015 .
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↑ August 22nd is Star Wars Comic Day! Panini Comics , accessed September 27, 2015 .
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↑ Free comic for Star Wars Comic Day online (PDF; 5.39 MB)
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↑ 1st International Batman Day. www.nerdlich.org, September 26, 2015, archived from the original on March 4, 2016 ; accessed on September 27, 2015 .
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↑ Comic News: Panini is celebrating Deadpool Day in January 2016 with free comics and more. mag.shock2.info, December 5, 2015, accessed January 12, 2016 .
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↑ September 17th is International Batman Day! www.nerdlich.org, September 16, 2016, archived from the original on September 18, 2016 ; accessed on September 18, 2016 .
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↑ Marvel Day. Panini Comics , 2017, accessed March 3, 2017 .
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↑ Panini Preview # 73: 20 Years of Panini Comics! (PDF; 17.97 MB), Panini Comics , Stuttgart 2017, p. 1, accessed on May 14, 2017
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↑ On July 1st we celebrate 20 years of Panini Comics. Panini Comics , accessed July 13, 2017 .
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↑ Free Batman Day 2017 issue .
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↑ International Batman Day, September 23, 2017. www.paninishop.de, 2017, accessed on September 6, 2017 .
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