Free Comic Book Day 2022 (General): Stranger Things / Resident Alien

by Michael Moreci, Pius Bak (Illustrator), Peter Hogan

Celebrating the weird and wonderful, we present stories both strange and alien! In Stranger Things, Eleven, Will and Jonathan go to a Drive-In Theater for a Double Creature Feature, but the local festivities and scary costumes bring back haunting memories. In Resident Alien, Dr. Harry and nurse Asta help an elderly patient in the sleepy, small town of Patience investigate a ghostly presence in her house!

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Science Fiction, Paranormal

32 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2022

About the author

Michael Moreci is a bestselling comics author and novelist. His original works include the space adventure novels Black Star Renegades and We Are Mayhem, as well as the comic series Wasted Space, The Plot, Hexagon, Curse, Archangel 8, and more. The Plot appeared on numerous best of 2019 lists, and Wasted Space has been hailed as one of the best comics of the past decade. Moreci's comic trilogy Roche Limit was called one of the best sci-fi comics of all-time by Paste Magazine, and Black Star Renegades was an Audie Award finalist for best sci-fi of 2018.

Moreci has also written for Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and the DC universe--including the YA graphic novel The Lost Carnival: A Dick Grayson Story. He's also adapted Eoin Colfer's bestselling Artemis Fowl series into graphic novels.

He lives outside Chicago with his family.

Reviews

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Looks like they gave out the same FCBD book in 2022 and this year 2025. Huh? Stranger Things story was short and simple. Not much there. It however reminded me I never watched season 4. Need to get on that. The Resident Alien story I already read. It was in Resident Alien omnibus vol 2. Looks like Dark Horse got lazy with their 2025 FCBD offerings.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 4.25 🌟 read rounded ⬇️ to 4 🌟.

NOW this is how you do a FREE COMIC!! A great inclusion for this year's (2022) FCBD. A solid introduction to the various artist's work, this offering included 2 short little stories to whet your appetite.

[yvette ★ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing special, but fun and really short. Two different stories though

[Christopher Funk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Big ol' pile of meh right here.

[Todd Nesbitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was on the Dark Horse app for free comic book day. The artwork was decent but the story was way too short for Stranger Things. Almost like a movie trailer at the movies. The second story involves the Resident Alien series which I’ve never read or followed. More like an idea than a story. Definitely can tell this was a ‘for free’ comic book. Lacks any real investment in a story line. But hey, what do you want? It’s free for crying out loud!

[Rachel Witherow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was alright for a free comic book, i feel the artwork could have been better. Short little story line. However, it was free comic book day and i appreciate why this is done every year!

[Zen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stranger Things: 1 star
That artwork! It is soooo SHITTY!! Off putting and distracting.
Everybody's face look like they're gazing through the uncanny valley.
And overall it's just plain sloppy.
Andthis is from Dark Horse Comics?

Also: not a story. Not even a vinyette. Just.....[shrugs shoulders].

Resident Alien: 3 stars

Oh Myrtle. Your such a charming old crank! She's a great character. All all done in 2 quick pages! Good writing, etc.
And she packs a rifle too!

This was actually a good little vignette.

Kudos for the little caption box on the first page that tells us it takes place just after volume 3 of the series. Even though I haven't read any of the books, it creates a bit of a context the reader can rest on and just enjoy the little story here.

I love how calm the Alien act through the story while the events happen around him. Good, simple characterization in such a short space.

In fact, all the secondary characters have a bit of substance to them.

The simple plot is o.k. and adequately achieves it's purpose. Which is to get me interested in the rest of the main books.

And it achieves its purpose. Well done.

This is what a FCBD comic is supposed to do .

Where as the Sranger Things bit failed.

[Geno · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ★
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Otra entrega de FCBD. En esta oportunidad son dos historias sencillas que funcionan bastante bien por sí solas.

El primer comic es de Stranger Things, y como en otras entregas, el arte se ve extraño al querer emular a los actores sin llegar al hiperrealismo. A pesar de eso, la historia es linda y si uno está familiarizado con la serie, se puede ver el desarrollo de personaje.

La segunda historia sucede en el mundo de Resident Alien y, sin conocer nada del mismo se puede leer igual, ya que en sus pocas página nos presenta lo suficiente para que se pueda comprender. Y en esta caso, el arte me convenció más.

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This FCBD includes two self-contained stories.

As always with Stranger Things comics, the art it's a little weird because they try to make it look like the actors and it's not long enough to get used to it. Still, the story it's a cute slice of life, so I'm letting it slide.

The second story introduced me to the Resident Alien world and is about a haunted house. Works fine and I like the art a little more.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Features two stories in one.

Stranger Things: Creature Feature

In Denver, Colorado. At the drive-in movies, Creature Feature is playing.

Will and Jonathan are preparing for the second movie of the double-header.

While shopping for souvenirs, El gets caught up by a monster.

But is it real? She’s convinced she’s just seen the Mind Flayer.

Resident Alien: The Ghost

The story takes place immediately after the events of Resident Alien, book three.

The doctor shows up at Myrtle’s house.

Asta won’t go in with him; she thinks the house is haunted.

Harry remains unconcerned with the incoming storm.

A noise upstairs.

Carlo—one of the cooks from the diner.

Fun. Cute ending. Much better than ST.

In fact…I know they use Stranger Things as the draw, but the other graphic is always better.

[Lora · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is free on Kindle, so if you're a fan of Stranger Things or Resident Alien, why not pick it up? It contains one story each from these franchises.

The Stranger Things story was new to me, and about life in California after Jonathan, Will and Jane/Eleven left Hawkins.

The Resident Alien story was familiar, but I don't remember which volume it was in. If you have seen the tv show, I should say that the comic book series is VERY different than the tv show. Basically everything has changed except the names of some of the characters. But the comics are enjoyable in their own right (I've read them all except Volume 8 which came out in January 2025).

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now THIS is how you do a FCBD issue. The Stranger Things story was a charming self contained tale that leads into the Netflix Season 4 that was about to release. The second story introduced me to a title I had never read before (Resident Alien) with a delightful self contained story introducing the characters. Perfectly done.

[DOUGLAS J BERRY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark horse preview

Good color artwork. Dark horse brings us two short stories from on going series. The first story is from Stranger Things and is set in a drive in. The second story is set in the Resident Alien series and is about a haunted house.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and fun

A realistic look at PTSD (which all the Stranger Things characters must have in spades by now!), plus a heartwarming Resident Alien bit. Another worthy Free Comic Book Day entry. Reads well on Kindle.

[Dannette Elaine Calderin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short and lame

The first has no context and so any newcomer is lost. The second is not really a story arc so much as a short skit. It's not very interesting either.

[Zac Stojcevski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quaint instalment of Stranger Things which, as with all FCBD offerings, has high production values,but is far too short. The Alien short story held interest and offers promise.

[lexie · Rating 5 out of 5]

shut up this was so cute i love this family

[Sunny D · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Resident Alien issue in the second half was wild, but I liked the Stranger Things one at least.

[Nikki Long · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good little fix of stranger things in a graphic novel form- short and sweet- featuring El, Will and Jonathan.

[Mxtinka · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5

Przeczytałam bo to jedyne co miałam pobrane w plikach. Język angielski był dosyć prosty więc łatwo się czytało tym bardziej, że było to o stranger things ❤️

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great artwork

Great Graphic artwork! Loved the short story clips, great variety of topics and all were a little touching and caring.

[Michael Henriksen · Rating 3 out of 5]

i mean its short and simple but its 2 good short story's

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know why I hated this so much but I did. It’s literally not a story whatsoever. I don’t know why it was even made.

[mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pobre El, pobre Will :(

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cool artwork but a slim story. Still, you get what you pay for these days ;)

[simslibraryx · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was gonna give it 1 star cause the stranger things one sucked but I liked the resident alien story so it gets 2 stars. But omg the dialogue and writing in the stranger things story was atrocious

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this had actually been a crossover I think I would have liked it better. Instead it was two meh stories that I don’t think non fans would care for.

[bella rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book to get you out of a reading slump.

[Anouk · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was worser than I thought and that is very sad 😥

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will and Eleven try to find some normalcy in life.

Resident Alien scenario was different and had a nice resolution.