Jack Chertok Television has partnered with Hermes Press to reprint a classic “My Favorite Martian” comic for Free Comic Book Day, taking place Saturday. Diamond Distributors will distribute it to comic book stores across the nation as part of this national event.

“In the history of this younger-skew marketing event, nobody has ever reprinted an old title, let alone a television tie-in title,” says Peter Greenwood, licensing manager worldwide, Jack Chertok TV.

The comic, originally published by Gold Key Comics in 1965, represents the latest in a slew of recent licensing deals for the retro brand which include DVD and digital releases of the classic TV episodes, a hardcover comic book reprint series by Hermes Press, models and model kits by Pegasus Hobbies and Shakems bobbleheads by Factory Entertainment, including a limited edition black-and-white version that will be available exclusively at Comic-Con in July.

On National Comic Book Day, now in its 11th year, more than 2,000 comic book shops across North America give out more than 3.5 million comic books free of charge.

Hermes Press will have the only classic comic at the event, but many other comic book publishers plan to create special titles for the day, including Dark Horse Comics, DC Entertainment, Marvel Comics, IDW Publishing and Image Comics.

“Free Comic Book Day is a perfect occasion for customers to discover comic books, especially if they’re new to the wide variety of titles that are being published today,” says Leslie Bowser, FCBD spokesperson. “On May 5, we encourage new and current readers to use Free Comic Book Day as an opportunity to learn about the great comic books and pop-culture merchandise to be found at their local comic book shop.”

© All photos provided by The Contingent Trust of The Jack and Florence Chertok Trust, October 22, 1990.