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Introduction

Introduction to "Comic Book Numbering"

Comic book numbering used to be a very simple issue - each issue was incremented one number from the preceding issue in a simple natural number sequence starting at issue #1 until infinity.

Occasionally there would be some complications when a series was re-named (often when a key character in an ongoing anthology becomes popular enough for their own title), such as "The Incredible Hulk (1968)" taking over the numbering from "Tales to Astonish (1959)" or "Captain America (1968)" taking over the numbering of "Tales of Suspense (1959)".

However, DC Comics started an inadvertent trend when John Byrne re-structured the Man of Steel in the mid-1980's. All Superman comics (Action Comics and Superman) were taken offline for a few months, and a re-launch re-started Superman (1987) with a new #1, and continued the pre-existing Superman (1939) numbering with "Adventures of Superman (1987)". Superman (2006) re-merged Superman (1987) and Adventures of Superman (1987) to a single title.

Both DC and Marvel comics insisted on the occassional oddly numbered comic (0, -1 for Marvel, 1,000,000 for DC) which made continuity of numbering strange.

Marvel had a mathematical psychotic break and sold off key characters (e.g. Hulk, Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America and the Fantastic Four) to a group of artist/writers in the ill-fated "Heroes Reborn" period of about a year in the mid-1990's, each series being re-started as a new #1. This experiment lasted about a year from 1996 to 1997, where the characters were re-introduced into the "real" (616) universe of Marvel in "Heroes Return".

Marvel's marketing department, realizing that "#1" issues had extra purchase value, began randomly re-starting series to generate new #1's. Later, someone woke up and realized that they were missing the chance to capitalize on significant milestone issues (500, 600 etc.) and began to re-number the ongoing series, with mixed success. Some re-numbering was simply the inclusion of series X and series Y of the same character, with the new numbering being the sum. However, with other series, the effect was somewhat confusing (see Hulk).

This site is an attempt to make sense of the numbering issues.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Miscounted "Amazing Spider-Man" Annuals?



I was sorting and storing my Amazing Spider-Man files, as the series supposedly ended with issue #700.

When sorting the annuals, I found more than Marvel indicates they have:

Annuals #1 to #34:
      #1(1964) to #8 (1971) consecutive years
      #9(1973)
      #10 (1976) to #34(2000)
      #35(2001) - seems to be missed in Marvel's count - issue is cover labelled "ASM 2001 Annual"
      #35(2008) - cover numbered as #1 and #35 - "Jackpot revealed" - Brand New Day annual
      #36(2009) to #39 (2012) are numbered sequentially

OK - I realize my mistake - in 1995, there was no annual - I had put the oversized Spider-Man Super-Special in as the annual for that year, thus perverting the count.  Sorry Marvel, this one's on me.

ASM Annual 2001 Annual #34 assuming no 1995 annual
ASM Annual - 2008 - #35


Anyway, there are 39 annuals, numbered 1 to 39, and one additional annual-like Super Special (1995).

Spider-Man Super Special #1, 1995

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1973

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991

1992

1993

1994
This one is not and annual - 1995
1996
Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 1997
1997
Cover Thumbnail for Spider-Man '98 (Marvel, 1998 series) #[nn]
1998
First Issue Cover
1999
Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 2000
2000
First Issue Cover
2001



Marvel took a few years off between 2001 and 2008.
Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 35
2008
Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 36
2009
Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 37
2010
Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 38
2011
Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 39
2012
Superior Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 1
Pete's Dead - Superior Spider-Man 2013 (Spider-Ock)
Superior Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 2
Pete's still not here - 2014 (Spider-Ock)