Marvel's FCBD 2023 books will introduce a new X-Men team, set up the Summer of Symbiotes, and more
Free Comic Book Day 2023 is still months away, scheduled for May 6 of next year. But Marvel Comics is already previewing its planned releases for the event, in which retailers give away copies of special edition comics to anyone who comes into their shops.
First up, there's FCBD 2023: Spider-Man/Venom #1, which will offer readers a catch-up session on writer Zeb Wells and artist John Romita, Jr.'s current Amazing Spider-Man run. It will also set up the recently announced 'Summer of Symbiotes' story, and offer up a "preview of a new Marvel epic just on the horizon."
Of note on the cover by Patrick Gleason is the presence of the Maker, a villainous 'Variant' of Reed Richards from the original incarnation of the Ultimate Universe, who has previously clashed with Venom and an incarnation of the New Avengers.
Speaking of which...
As for Marvel's other FCBD 2023 announcements, there's Free Comic Book Day 2023: X-Men/Avengers, which includes three new stories.
The first story, which does not yet have an announced creative team, will "set the stage for the next evolution in mutant adventures, Fall of X," while a second story also with an unannounced creative team will showcase the "uncanny new lineup" of a "new team book" coming in 2023. If you're thinking the latter could be a revival of Uncanny X-Men, your guess may just wind up proving accurate.
However, we have to note that Captain America, Deadpool, Rogue, and Quicksilver are all present on the cover, which could indicate a revival of the Avengers/X-Men crossover team the Uncanny Avengers.
Interestingly enough, if the group of mutants and others showcased on Javier Garron's cover for Free Comic Book Day 2023: Avengers/X-Men #1 is any indication of who is on the new team, the line-up may include Captain Krakoa, a short-lived disguise used by Cyclops when he was trying to hide the secret of mutant resurrection from humans.
Could another character be taking up the secret identity of Captain Krakoa, a la Ronin? We'll find out.
Another, third story in the one-shot will preview an upcoming mystery title from writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Valerio Schiti, which has only had slow trickles of information and art released since its announcement this summer. Though we still don't know what it is, since we know one story is a preview of 'Fall of X,' a second is a preview of a new "Uncanny" team (which would have an X-Men connection in some form), does this mean Hickman Schiti's preview is the Avengers portion of the X-Men/Avengers special?
Spider-Man will also feature in a different way in FCBD 2023: Spidey and Friends #1, which offers a story based on the popular Disney Jr. cartoon show starring Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Gwen Stacy.
Finally, Marvel's 2023 FCBD offerings are rounded out by FCBD 2023: Marvel's Voices #1, which collects a selection of stories from previous editions of the Marvel's Voices anthology series along with one brand new story.
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.
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