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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.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Big Issues in publishing long-term comics - Aging Characters

The second big issue facing comic book creators is whether or not to age the characters.  This is, of course, related to the idea of continuity.  If you have a very soft, or absent, continuity, you never have to age the characters.  For example, Archie, Veronica and Betty don't age, but at the same time, there is little reference to earlier adventures.  Each month, the same "world" is built - Archie pines for Veronica, Betty pines for Archie, Moose is the jock, Reggie is the smarmy one, Jughead is the innocent - this doesn't change even if in a particular story, Moose shows he has a good handle on life, or Reggie does something meaningful.

Marvel pushed the limits on continuity in the '60's with explicit references to earlier stories (with footnotes and references) and this was part of their marketing plan with the readers - it made you feel "involved" when you got the reminder, or inside information, on when this character appeared before, or when this particular story took place with reference to another title or storyline.

However, there are costs to this strategy. As outlined in the "continuity" article, creating a fixed history does tend to cause creative issues with incorporating new events into existing history and may remove some options (e.g. once married, always married....unless you make a deal with the devil).

The other issue is how to provide lasting characters with the gravitas that comes with history (e.g. we don't always want to pretend this is the first day out on patrol, and the first time they've run into bank robbers) without having the characters become "old".

Basically, you are stuck - if you want gravitas (that is, if you want Superman to recognize that he's been around and is world-famous in the comics) you will run the risk of aging the characters.

However, it is a fictional world - you can keep them looking youthful, and still recognize growth (e.g. Peter can learn "responsibility" every few years, without looking like a slow learner, as you can recognize that time has elapsed in the readers world, and some fraction has occurred in the comic).

My pet "solution" is to keep an active, accurate and vibrant continuity for a period of about 5 years for most events, and "forever" for sentinel events - Uncle Ben's death (or Gwen's) shouldn't fade from Peter's mind, even if the character of Spider-Man is 50, 75 or 100 years, similar to Batman's parents.  However, I think it is fair play to have other events fade from time, maybe have the "scarecrow" appear "new" for Batman if he hasn't appeared for a number of years - drawn from the nether-regions beyond the grey timescape of the comics.  It's not so bad if Dr. Octopus "forgets" that he was engaged to Aunt May and it in effect stale dates out of continuity.

I think it would be great to have a solid, fixed, forever continuity, but realize that only us 50+ers remember the early '70s stories of our youth so fondly - they are still there, particularly the big events, but maybe it would be bettter for new readers to have many of the issues fade to keep the main and secondary characters fresh.

This is kinda' what happens to characters anyway - what war was Tony Stark injured in anyway - Vietnam in the original, but Iraq/Afghanistan in the movie - the main elements of the story remain - we can be hazy about the present-world linkages.

I think this is preferable to the 100th #1 of Spider-Man or the Fantastic Four.  Or re-imaginging the Hulk as grey, smart, weak, with Banner's brain etc. constantly.

My fear is that the medium will move to short series (like Marvel seems to favour now) and graphic novels, and lose the monthly, sequential storytelling.  My main fear for this is that we will lose the essence of the character if it is disjoint - like Tarzan, and not linear like Superman/Spider-Man.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

DC Digital First - List of titles

DC Digital First are comics initially designed for online (digital) reading.  Some are collected and re-published in "paper" form.  Here is a list of the Digital First comics:

Title
Year
Issues
Adventures of Superman
2013
51
Ame-Comi Batgirl
2012
3
Ame-Comi Duela Dent
2012
3
Ame-Comi Girls
2012
24
Ame-Comi Power Girl
2012
3
Ame-Comi Supergirl
2012
3
Ame-Comi Wonder Woman
2012
3
Arrow
2012
36
Batman - Arkham City - End Game
2012
6
Batman - Arkham City Digital Exclusive
2011
7
Batman - Arkham Knight
2015
Ongoing
Batman - Arkham Unhinged
2011
58
Batman '66
2013
62
Batman '66 Meets the Green Hornet
2013
12
Batman Beyond
2012
29
Batman Beyond 2.0
2013
40
Batman: Li'l Gotham
2012
24
Batman: The Jiro Kuwata Batmanga
2014
Ongoing
Beware the Batman
2013
12
Fables: The Wolf Among Us
2014
Ongoing
Fringe - Beyond the Fringe
2011
6
Infinite Crisis - Fight for the Multiverse
2014
36
Injustice - Gods Among Us
2013
36 (plus annual)
Injustice - Gods Among Us - Year 2
2014
24 (plus annual)
Injustice - Gods Among Us - Year 3
2013
22
Justice League Beyond
2011
25
Justice League Beyond 2.0
2014
24
Legends of the Dark Knight
2012
Ongoing
Line of Defense
2012
6
Masters of the Universe
2012
8
Scribblenauts Unmasked: A Crisis of Imagination 
2013
18
Sensation Comics: Wonder Woman
2014
Ongoing
Smallville
2012
69
Smallville - Alien
2014
12
Smallville - Chaos
2014
12
Smallville - Continuity
2014
12
Smallville - Harbinger
2014
4
Smallville - Lantern
2014
12
Smallville - Titans
2013
4
Superman - Beyond
2011
20 (plus 0)
Teen Titans - Go
2014
20
The Flash - Season Zero
2014
Ongoing
Vampire Diaries
2013
39
Wonder Woman '77
2015
6


Monday, June 8, 2015

DC - Post New 52 World - Cancellations, new, continuing

I've grabbed these from a number of websites and news sites including:

Grand Comics Database (http://www.comics.org/)
IGN (http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/02/06/dc-comics-is-ending-the-new-52; http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/12/16/dc-to-end-14-comics-in-march-2015)

Series Continuing from DC New 52 to post Convergence:

Title Launched
Action Comics  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41
Aquaman  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41
Batgirl  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41
Batman  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41
Batman/Superman Launched (5th Wave - April 2013) Continuing 
Catwoman  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41
Deathstroke  Launched - Dec 2014 Continuing
Detective Comics  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41
Gotham Academy Launched - Dec 2014 Continuing
Gotham by Midnight Launched - Jan 2015 Continuing
Grayson Launched - Sep 2014 Continuing
Green Arrow  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing at #41
Green Lantern  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing at #41
Harley Quinn Launched - Jan 2014 Continuing
Justice League United Launched - Jun 2014 Continuing
Justice League  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41
Lobo Launched - Dec 2014 Continuing
New Suicide Squad Launched - Sep 2014 Continuing
Secret Six Launched - Feb 2015 Continuing
Sinestro Launched - Jun 2014 Continuing
Superman  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41
Superman/Wonder Woman Launched - Oct 2013 Continuing
Teen Titans  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41
The Flash  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing at #41
Wonder Woman  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Continuing with #41



NEW Series for post-Convergence:

Title Launched
Batman Beyond Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Bat-Mite Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Bizzaro Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Black Canary Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Constantine: The Hellblazer Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Cyborg Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Dark Universe Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Doomed Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Dr. Fate Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Earth 2: Society Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Green Lantern: Lost Army Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Harly Quinn/Power Girl Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Justice League 3001 Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Justice League of America Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Martain Manhunter Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Midnighter Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Mystic U Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Omega Men Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Prez Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Red Hood/Arsenel Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Robin, Son of Batman Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Section Eight Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
Starfire Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series
We Are Robin Launch - Summer 2015 NEW - Post Convergence Series

Series Cancelled for Convergence:
Title Launched Cancelled
Aquaman and the Others Launched - April 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Arkham Manor Launched - October 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Batman and Robin Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled with Convergence
Batman Eternal Launched - April 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Batwoman  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Constantine Launched (4th Wave - Feb 2013) Cancelled with Convergence
Earth 2 Launched (2nd Wave - Jan 2012) Cancelled with Convergence
Earth 2 - World's End Launched - Dec 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Green Lantern Corps  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Green Lantern: New Guardians  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Infinity Man and the Forever People Launched - Aug 2014 Cancelled at #9 with Convergence
Justice League 3000 Launched - Feb 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Justice League Dark  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled with Convergence
Klarion Launched - Dec 2014 Cancelled at #6 with Convergence
New 52 - Future's End Launched - July 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Red Hood and the Outlaws  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled with Convergence
Red Lanterns  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Secret Origins Launched - Jun 2014 Cancelled at #11 with Convergence
Star Spangled War Stories featuring G.I. Zombie Launched - Sep 2014 Cancelled at #8 with Convergence
Supergirl  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled with Convergence
Swamp Thing  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Trinity of Sin Launched - Dec 2014 Cancelled at #6 with Convergence
World's Finest Launched (2nd Wave - Jan 2012) Cancelled at #32 with Convergence

Series Cancelled since DC - New 52 first Launch:
Title Launched Cancelled
All-Star Western  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #34  - Aug 2014
Animal Man  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #29  - March 2014
Aquaman and the Others Launched - April 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Arkham Manor Launched - October 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Batman and Robin Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled with Convergence
Batman Eternal Launched - April 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Batman Incorporated Launched (2nd Wave - Jan 2012) Cancelled at #13  - Apr 2013
Batman: The Dark Knight  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled with #29 - Mar 2014
Batwing  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #34 - Aug 2014
Batwoman  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Birds of Prey  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #34 - Aug 2014
Blackhawks  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (2nd Wave)
Blue Beetle  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (4th Wave)
Captain Atom  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (3rd Wave)
Constantine Launched (4th Wave - Feb 2013) Cancelled with Convergence
DC Universe Presents  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (5th Wave)
Deathstroke  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (5th Wave)
Demon Knights  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (6th Wave - Aug 2013)
Dial H Launched (2nd Wave - Jan 2012) Cancelled (6th Wave - Aug 2013)
Earth 2 Launched (2nd Wave - Jan 2012) Cancelled with Convergence
Earth 2 - World's End Launched - Dec 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (4th Wave)
G.I. Combat Launched (2nd Wave - Jan 2012) Cancelled (4th Wave)
Green Lantern Corps  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Green Lantern: New Guardians  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Grifter  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (4th Wave)
Hawk and Dove  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (2nd Wave)
I, Vampire  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (5th Wave)
Infinity Man and the Forever People Launched - Aug 2014 Cancelled at #9 with Convergence
Justice League 3000 Launched - Feb 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Justice League Dark  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled with Convergence
Justice League International  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (3rd Wave)
Justice League of America Launched (4th Wave - Feb 2013) Cancelled with #14 - Jul 2014
Justice League of America's Vibe Launched (4th Wave - Feb 2013) Cancelled with #10 - Feb 2014
Katana Launched (4th Wave - Feb 2013) Cancelled at #10 - Feb 2014
Klarion Launched - Dec 2014 Cancelled at #6 with Convergence
Larfleeze Launched (5th Wave - April 2013) Cancelled with #12 - Aug 2014
Legion Lost  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (4th Wave)
Legion of Super-Heroes  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (6th Wave - Aug 2013)
Men of War  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (2nd Wave)
Mister Terrific  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (2nd Wave)
New 52 - Future's End Launched - July 2014 Cancelled with Convergence
Nightwing  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #30 - Apr 2014
O.M.A.C.  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (2nd Wave)
Red Hood and the Outlaws  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled with Convergence
Red Lanterns  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Resurrection Man  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (3rd Wave)
Secret Origins Launched - Jun 2014 Cancelled at #11 with Convergence
Star Spangled War Stories featuring G.I. Zombie Launched - Sep 2014 Cancelled at #8 with Convergence
Static Shock  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (2nd Wave)
Stormwatch  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #30 - Apr 2014
Suicide Squad  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #30 - Jul 2014
Superboy Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #34 - Oct 2014
Supergirl  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled with Convergence
Superman Unchained Launched (5th Wave - April 2013) Cancelled at #7 - Apr 2014
Swamp Thing  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled at #40 with Convergence
Sword and Sorcery Launched (3rd Wave - Aug 2012) Cancelled (5th Wave)
Talon Launched (3rd Wave - Aug 2012) Cancelled at #17 - Apr 2014
Team 7 Launched (3rd Wave - Aug 2012) Cancelled (5th Wave)
The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (5th Wave)
The Green Team Launched (5th Wave - April 2013) Cancelled at #8 - Mar 2014
The Movement Launched (5th Wave - April 2013) Cancelled at #12 - July 2014
The Phantom Stranger Launched (3rd Wave - Aug 2012) Cancelled at #22 - Oct 2014
The Ravagers Launched (2nd Wave - Jan 2012) Cancelled (5th Wave)
The Savage Hawkman  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (5th Wave)
Threshold Launched (4th Wave - Feb 2013) Cancelled (6th Wave - Aug 2013)
Trinity of Sin Launched - Dec 2014 Cancelled at #6 with Convergence
Trinty of Sin - Pandora Launched (5th Wave - April 2013) Cancelled with #14 - Oct 2014
Voodoo  Launched (1st Wave - Aug 2010) Cancelled (3rd Wave)
World's Finest Launched (2nd Wave - Jan 2012) Cancelled at #32 with Convergence