Fruitless Pursuits Guide To Free Comic Book Day - Part 1: Gold Level Books

This Saturday is the 10th annual Free Comic Book Day! It's a worldwide celebration of the comics industry, where comic shops, publishers, writers and artists band together and give back to the fans by giving away a whole bunch of free comics. It's a great way to reward loyal collectors, and hopefully make some new fans.

Are you planning on going out? Did you plan your attack? Things can get pretty crazy when things are free. It's not quite the level of Black Friday yet, but it's always good to be prepared. 

To help you, we're going to show all of the free books that will be available, starting today with the GOLD level books. These are top titles from top publishers, available at all participating stores on May 5th, 2012. 

Click through the jump for a look at the big ten.

AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON POINT ONE

Start reading with this POINT ONE issue. Prepare for the upcoming high-stakes Avengers event with a battle between the Avengers and the Intelligencia, the return of SWORD, and the disappearance of Spider-Woman!

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BONGO FREE-FOR-ALL / SPONGEBOB FREESTYLE

Bongo offers the best in humor comics with a proud tale from the boasting barflies of Moe's Tavern, as they recount their close encounter with marauding beasts as members of the Springfield Bear Patrol. And Sergio Aragonés joins the fun with a story from his own past of how he made his first peso as an underground and underage artist. Then, flip over the book for two of the swimmingest SpongeBob sagas from the series' hard-to-find earliest issues. In "Squidward and the Golden Clarinet," SpongeBob reads an issue of Mermaid Man to a less-than-welcoming Squidward. But this story has a musical hook even Squidward can't resist. Plus: a page of gags that go off the deep end by indie artiste James Kochalka.

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DC COMICS THE NEW 52 SPECIAL ED

Get an exclusive look at what's happening at DC in 2012 - Featuring art by legendary illustrator Jim Lee and other top talents, DC Comics - The New 52 FCBD Edition will include a new story by New York Times bestselling writer Geoff Johns.

There will also be preview material from DC Comics - The New 52 "Second Wave" titles, including Batman Incorporated, Dial H, Earth 2, G.I. Combat, The Ravagers and Worlds' Finest.

But that's not all; there are still more surprises to come. Stay tuned to for details!

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IMAGE 20

Image Comics presents its 20th anniversary anthology with six, all-new original stories promoting upcoming Image Comics titles! Look for "Revival" by Tim Seeley & Mike Norton, G-Man by Chris Giarrusso and additional stories to be announced later.

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STAR WARS / SERENITY

Han Solo and Chewbacca have a falling-out after a deal with a shady customer goes bad. When the client gets designs on the Millennium Falcon, Han and Chewie present a united front that can't be beat! "Mal" Reynolds, captain of the outlaw vessel Serenity, is no stranger to jobs gone wrong. But when the chips are down, he's able to rely on an amazing, odd, and diversely talented crew for help! Two great space epics in one issue!

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PEANUTS ADVENTURE TIME FLIPBOOK

Two stories of two boys and their dogs -- on one side, Charlie Brown and Snoopy, along with the entire Peanuts gang, come to Free Comic Book Day! On the other side -- boy Finn and his dog Jake, along with the entire cast of the hot new Cartoon Network series Adventure Time, adventure in the Land of Ooo for Free Comic Book Day! Get your full KABOOM! dose of "Good Griefs" and "Algebraics" all in one book!

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MOUSE GUARD LABYRINTH & MORE HC

This Free Comic Book Day, Archaia offers readers the chance to experience history in the making with a FREE, gorgeous, 48-page, 6" x 9" full-color original anthology hardcover featuring all-new material! David Petersen returns with an all-new Mouse Guard tale that's guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings! Lose yourself once again in Jim Henson's amazing world of Labyrinth, featuring a fantastical story from Eisner Award-nominee Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin) and Cory Godbey (Fraggle Rock). Get a new perspective on Jet Jones in Royden Lepp's critically acclaimed Rust, with a short story seen through the eyes of younger brother Oswald Taylor. Jeremy Bastian's acclaimed Cursed Pirate Girl hits the high seas in this whimsical, swashbuckling tale of wonderland journeys and unimaginable dangers. Nate Cosby (Pigs) and Chris Eliopoulos (Franklin Richards) present Cow Boy, a comedy/western that tells the tale of a young bounty hunter determined to send his entire outlaw family to jail. And Jim McCann and Janet Lee follow up their Eisner Award-winning Return of the Dapper Men with an all-new short story that leads into the upcoming sequel, Time of the Dapper Men. Witness the origin of a new, major character! And...the return of 41?!

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MEGA MAN

"Let the Games Begin!" Part One: Don't miss the first classic issue of the hit new MEGA MAN comic series! The future looks bright when brilliant and benevolent Dr. Light unveils his latest creations: the Robot Masters! But when the nefarious Dr. Wily steals them for his own sinister purposes, there is no one left to stop him. No one - except Mega Man!
Plus bonus features and a preview of the all-new series: The New Crusaders!

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TRANSFORMERS #80.5

The wait is over - after a 20-year hiatus, IDW proudly returns to the original Transformers comic book universe, picking up right where 1991's Transformers #80 left off! Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Kup, Hot Rod and all your favorite Generation One Transformers characters charge into the future as fan-favorite writer Simon Furman and legendary Transformers artist Andrew Wildman present Transformers #80.5! Reflecting back on the dizzying highs and the terrifying lows of the original run of Transformers comics, Optimus Prime watches over a Cybertron that hasn't faced Megatron for decades. But that peace shudders to an end, as we dive headlong into July's Transformers #81!

Because the Fans demanded it! Thousand of Transformers fans signed petitions urging us to make this book - and IDW listened!

Created by the same writer, penciler, and inker of Transformer #80 in 1991!

Bonus features make clear IDW's current Transformers line of comics, as well as our extensive reprint program!

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YO GABBA GABBA FREE COMIC BOOK TIME

From the hit Nickelodeon show! Come join your Gabba Land pals Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, Plex and, of course, DJ Lance Rock, for a series of fun-filled adventures! Plus, an awesome Super-Martian-Robot-Girl tale, too! 

Tune in tomorrow for a look at the Silver Level books. And don't forget to stop by your local comic shop this Saturday!

Link to Part 2: http://www.fruitlesspursuits.com/2012/05/fruitless-pursuits-guide-to-free-comic_02.html