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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.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Marvel NOW - My best guess


As a comic industry attempt to make the comics industry easier to understand for new readers, I can't really find Marvel Now as anything close to easy.

Re-launch, OK - I have accepted that it needs to be done (maybe every 20-30 years or so) to keep the characters, universe and storylines under control.  DC has done this a couple of times (1986 with John Byrne and Superman, with the Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985 and most recently with New 52 company-wide re-launch).  With 80 years of history, it makes sense - I didn't feel ripped off when it was done.

Marvel has been odder, partially because they made fun of DC when DC re-launched and claimed Marvel was too successful and well thought-out to ever have to re-launch.  Instead, they really destroyed their own characters (see Spider-Man - "Brand New Day", organic web-shooters, Sins Past, Clone Saga...)  or Heroes Reborn (moving all their main, non-Spider-Man characters to independent creators) all attempting to modernize their characters without taking the fresh re-launch approach.

Marvel has done it well - Ultimate Universe is excellent, though for some reason, they really revel in the idea that they can really kill off characters (why kill off the successful Peter Parker Spider-Man other than to say that it is possible in this new universe)?

Anyway, here is my best attempt at making sense of Marvel Now:

Books cancelled to launch Marvel Now:


Title Last Issue NOW Status
Age of Apocalypse #14 (April 2013) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Avengers #34 (November 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Avengers Academy #39 (November 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Captain America #19 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Captain America & #640 (December 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Deadpool #63 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Defenders #12 (November 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Fantastic Four #611 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
FF #23 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Incredible Hulk #15 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Invincible Iron Man #527 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
New Avengers #34 (November 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
New Mutants #50 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Secret Avengers #37 (January 2013) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
The Amazing Spider-Man #700 (December 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
The Mighty Thor #22 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Uncanny X-Force #35 (December 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Uncanny X-Men #20 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
Wolverine #317 (December 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
X-Men #41 (February 2013) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch
X-Men Legacy #275 (October 2012) Cancelled Prior to Now Launch

Books carried on from the Marvel Universe:


Title First Issue Last Issue NOW Status
Avengers Assemble #9 (November 2012) End - #25 MU - Continued
Avenging Spider-Man #15.1 (December 2012) End - #22 (June 2013) MU - Continued
Captain Marvel #9 (January 2013) End - #17 MU - Continued
Daredevil #23 (February 2012) End - #36 MU - Continued
Dark Avengers #184 (December 2012) End - #190 (May 2013) MU - Continued
Gambit #8 (January 2013) End - #17 (Sept 2013) MU - Continued
Hawkeye #6 (December 2012) MU - Continued
Journey into Mystery #646 (November 2012) End - #655 (August 2013) MU - Continued
Red She-Hulk #58 (October 2012) End - #67 (July 2013) MU - Continued
Scarlet Spider #13 (January 2013) End - #25 MU - Continued
Venom #31 (February 2013) End - #42 (October 2013) MU - Continued
Winter Soldier End - #19 (June 2013) MU - Continued
Wolverine and the X-Men #19 (October 2012) End - #42 (Feb 2014) MU - Continued
X-Factor #250 (January 2013) End - #262 (Sept 2013) MU - Continued

1st Wave - Marvel NOW Launch:

Title First Issue Last Issue NOW Status
A+X #1 (Oct 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
All-New X-Men #1 (Nov 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Avengers #1 (Dec 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Avengers Arena #1 (Dec 2012) #18 NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Cable and X-Force #1 (Dec 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Captain America #1 (Nov 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Deadpool #1 (Nov 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Fantastic Four #1 (Nov 2012) End #16 (Jan 2014) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Fearless Defenders #1 (Feb 2012) #12 (Dec 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
FF #1 (Nov 2012)  #16 (Jan 2014) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1 (Feb 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Indestructible Hulk #1 (Nov 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Iron Man #1 (Nov 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Marvel Now - Point One #1 (Oct 2012) #1 (Oct 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Morbius: The Living Vampire #1 (Jan 2013) #9 (Sept 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
New Avengers #1 (Jan 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Nova #1 (Feb 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Savage Wolverine #1 (Jan 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Secret Avengers #1 (Feb 2013) #16 NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
The Superior Spider-Man #1 (Jan 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Thor: God of Thunder #1 (Nov 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Thunderbolts #1 (Dec 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Uncanny Avengers #1 (Oct 2012) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Uncanny X-Force #1 (Jan 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Uncanny X-Men #1 (Feb 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Wolverine #1 (Mar 2013) NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
X-Men Legacy #1 (Nov 2012) #24 NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
Young Avengers #1 (Jan 2013) #15 NOW - Phase 0 (Initial Launch 2012)
2nd Wave - Marvel NOW newer titles (Fall 2013)

Title First Issue Last Issue NOW Status
Avengers A.I. #1 (Sept 2013) #12  NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Mighty Avengers #1 (Nov 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #1 (Sept 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
The Superior Foes of Spider-Man #1 (Sept 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Avengers - The Enemy Within #1 (May 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Hunger #1 (Sept 2013) #4 (Dec 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Infinity #1 (Aug 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Infinity: The Heist #1 (Sept 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Inhumanity #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Superior Carnage #1 (July 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Thanos Rising #1 (Apr 2013) #5 NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
Ultron AU #1 (Apr 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
What If? AVX #1 (Sept 2013) #1 (Sept 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
X-Men: Battle of the Atom #1 (Sept 2013) NOW - Phase 1 (2013)
3rd Wave - Marvel NOW - 2014

Title First Issue Last Issue NOW Status
Origin II #1 (Jan 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Amazing X-Men #1 (Jan 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
All-New Doop #1 (Apr 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
All-New Ghost Rider #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
All-New Invaders #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
All-New Marvel Now - Point One #1 NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
All-New X-Factor #1 (Jan 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Apr 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Avengers Undercover  #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Avengers World #1 (Jan 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Black Widow #1 (Jan 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Cable and the Uncanny X-Force #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Cyclops #1 (May 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Daredevil #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Deadpool: The Gauntlet #1 (Jan 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Elektra #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Fantastic Four #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Hulk #1 (Apr 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Inhuman #1 (Apr 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #1 (Apr 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Iron Patriot #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Loki: Agent of Asgard #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Magneto #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Miracleman #1 NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Moon Knight #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Ms. Marvel #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
New Warriors #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Nightcrawler #1 (Apr 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Revolutionary War #1 NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Rocket Raccoon #1 (July 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Secret Avengers #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
She-Hulk #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Silver Surfer #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
The Punisher  #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Winter Soldier: The Bitter Mar #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Wolerine and the X-Men #1 (Mar 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
Wolverine #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)
X-Force #1 (Feb 2014) NOW - Phase 2 (2014)