It’s here! Saturday, May 1 is Free Comic Book Day! My favorite day of the year! Okay, not really my favorite day of the year, but any day you can get some free comics has to feel like an extra birthday, right? A lot of publishers are producing some great stuff to pick up, but here are the six that I’m most looking forward to:

Library of American Comics #0 (IDW)
Eisner Award-winning Editor Dean Mullaney is an old friend who does great archival work over at IDW. If he published Milton Caniff’s old shopping lists I wouldn’t be able to hit Amazon’s “add to shopping cart” button fast enough. This special preview comic has 32 pages of excerpts from upcoming collections of Archie by Bob Montana, Secret Agent Corrigan by Al Williamson, Blondie by Chic Young, The Complete Bloom County Library by Berkeley Breathed, Rip Kirby by Alex Raymond, Polly and Her Pals by Cliff Sterrett, Dick Tracy by Chester Gould, and Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray. This looks like a great introduction into some good old stuff.

Toy Story (Boom! Kids)
I’m biased here because I have kids and they love Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear. With Toy Story 3 popping up this summer, BOOM Kids! is ready to hand out some all-new adventures by Jesse Blaze Snider and Nathan Watson. I’m in because I already get the regular comics and their other Pixar stuff, so I’m a little OCD about this.

Del Rey Showcase (Del Rey Comics)
I love anthology-style comics and this one features previews of lots of high profile goodies by big names: The Last Airbender (that’s the Avatar that’s the Nickelodeon TV show, not the James Cameron movie) by Dave Roman, Alison Wilgus, and Nina Matsumoto; The Talisman: A Collision of Worlds by Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Tony Shasteen; Odd is On Our Side by Dean Koontz, Fred Van Lente, and Queenie Chan; Pride And Prejudice And Zombies: The Graphic Novel by Jane Austen, Seth Grahame-Smith, Tony Lee, and Cliff Richards. That seems like a worthwhile sampling of talent, plus I really loved the Avatar: The Last Airbender series.

YOW! The John Stanley Library (Drawn & Quarterly)
I love any comic book named after a sound effect or an exclamation of surprise, and I love John Stanley so I’m glad to see he’s getting some solid recognition. From their Nancy reprints to Melvin Monster and 13 Going On 18, D&Q is in the definitive John Stanley business and I couldn’t be happier. Lots to sample from Stanley, and it’s all in a package designed by Seth. If you like the Stanley, you know you want this too.

Fractured Fables (Image Comics)
Just looking at the rundown of the creators in this issue makes me want to have it now. Right now. Embargo or not. There’s Bryan Talbot, Doug TenNapel, Alexander Grecian, Derek McCulloch, Ted McKeever, Camilla d’Errico, Christian Ward, Anthony Peruzzo, Mike and Laura Allred. It’s all excerpts from the upcoming hardcover anthology that promises to “turn familiar fairy tales and nursery rhymes on their ear to make kids laugh!” Well, I’m all for that!

Doctor Solar / Magnus (Dark Horse)
Aside from his brief run on the Legion a while ago, this is Jim Shooter’s first big return to comics since Broadway Comics, and here he is back with two old favorites: Doctor Solar and Magnus, Robot Fighter, both in one comic. Shooter’s writing, the artist is Dennis Calero and the cover is by Raymond Swanland. This freebie “offers all-new Solar and Magnus stories, each heralding new series launches in summer 2010.” Can’t wait.

There’s plenty more available. I’m sure everybody in the blogland has a few titles they’re looking forward to trying to grab. Shop early and often and drop in to your LCS on Saturday. Many stores are also having special sales, signings, guests and party-hearty atmospheres. Go!

[Artwork: Cover to YOW! Designed by Seth for Drawn & Quarterly]