Fans of the X-Men character Wolverine have more to look forward to than a movie opening on Friday. Marvel Comics is releasing a Wolverine comic book that will be a part of the Free Comic Book Day celebration on Saturday.

For the past seven years, the first Saturday in May has been declared Free Comic Book Day. It is a nationwide celebration of comic books that features releases from the major comic book publishers to be given away for free at local comic book stores. Customers can take at least one free copy home with them.

“We usually bring in 15-25 customers a day,” said Rick Berg, of Graham Crackers Comics of DeKalb, located at 901C Lucinda Ave. “Last year on Free Comic Book Day we had 77, and that was with rainy weather.”

There are between 40 and 50 titles available for free distribution from publishers, and Graham Crackers Comics will carry about 30 of them. This year’s leading releases are a special edition Wolverine and an Avengers comic from Marvel. DC Comics is releasing a Green Lantern issue that is being touted as an integral part to the character’s current story line.

According to freecomicbookday.com, the day was made to celebrate comics as an art form and as a form of entertainment.

“It helps bring back old comic book readers and introduces people who don’t usually read comics into what they are missing,” Berg said of the celebration.

There is more to the day then free comics. Several locations around the country are having signings by comic creators and other special events.

“Last year we offered free sketches by a local creator and that was popular enough for us to bring it back this year,” Berg said. “It’s a day of free comics, free sketches and fun people hanging out.”