Even DC, which has kept Detective Comics on legacy numbering during its 1000-plus-issue run (or at least is currently doing that), divides its trade collections into volumes based on creative team. So you have Detective Comics volume 1 from 4 from a few years ago, which is Mariko Tamaki's run. Now you have volumes 1 and 2 again for Ram V's run.
And then the other method of referring to an entire title's "run" as a volume. i.e. Fantastic Four is on its seventh volume with Ryan North's latest run, but somehow Jonathan Hickman's run was part of volume 1, even though volumes 2 and 3 took place before the Hickman run.
It's also hard to come up with a better jumping-on tactic for new readers other than starting again at 1. There are so many titles on the shelf nowadays, that putting "New story arc!" prominently on the cover probably won't catch very many people's eyes, if the issue number is 157.
Other than doing manga numbering from 1 and never resetting, there doesn't seem to be an easy way of using numbering on issues or trades to keep track of things, other than just resetting to issue 1 when there is a "new" direction on the book. However, in France, the publishers who republish DC and Marvel comics create very detailed reading guides that they make available to readers.
I'd like to hop on to your comment and add that the best-selling series TPB collections -- Sandman, Saga, Walking Dead, etc. -- were the collections where you could get the whole series, in order, and not have to ask "wait, why are issues 9 and 10 in this other book?"
I've become a big fan of Marvel's Epic Collections, at least, but they aren't released in sequence and aren't available with any regularity. Once they're out of print, they're gone until they print more. But those examples I mentioned -- they're evergreen, because they're easy to find and easy to sort.
There is (IMO) a huge difference between saying "Yes, the ACLU should defend anyone's 1st amendment rights, even if I don't agree with them." and a private company arguing that Nazis should have a platform. I can support one and not the other and not be a hypocrite. Between this and their stance on transphobes (ie guys like Jesse Singal), I've definitely soured on Substack. I'm not taking the knee jerk reaction of leaving completely, because I realize some of the people I follow don't have a great alternative. If you were to move to another platform, I would definitely follow.
Comic book numbering is hopelessly confusing.
Even DC, which has kept Detective Comics on legacy numbering during its 1000-plus-issue run (or at least is currently doing that), divides its trade collections into volumes based on creative team. So you have Detective Comics volume 1 from 4 from a few years ago, which is Mariko Tamaki's run. Now you have volumes 1 and 2 again for Ram V's run.
And then the other method of referring to an entire title's "run" as a volume. i.e. Fantastic Four is on its seventh volume with Ryan North's latest run, but somehow Jonathan Hickman's run was part of volume 1, even though volumes 2 and 3 took place before the Hickman run.
It's also hard to come up with a better jumping-on tactic for new readers other than starting again at 1. There are so many titles on the shelf nowadays, that putting "New story arc!" prominently on the cover probably won't catch very many people's eyes, if the issue number is 157.
Other than doing manga numbering from 1 and never resetting, there doesn't seem to be an easy way of using numbering on issues or trades to keep track of things, other than just resetting to issue 1 when there is a "new" direction on the book. However, in France, the publishers who republish DC and Marvel comics create very detailed reading guides that they make available to readers.
I'd like to hop on to your comment and add that the best-selling series TPB collections -- Sandman, Saga, Walking Dead, etc. -- were the collections where you could get the whole series, in order, and not have to ask "wait, why are issues 9 and 10 in this other book?"
I've become a big fan of Marvel's Epic Collections, at least, but they aren't released in sequence and aren't available with any regularity. Once they're out of print, they're gone until they print more. But those examples I mentioned -- they're evergreen, because they're easy to find and easy to sort.
Love the wisdom you dropped in my article, my friend. Thanks for contributing!
Thank you for answering my nerdy numbering question although AUGH - seems that Arsenal Comics event would have been cool. Sorry I missed it!
There is (IMO) a huge difference between saying "Yes, the ACLU should defend anyone's 1st amendment rights, even if I don't agree with them." and a private company arguing that Nazis should have a platform. I can support one and not the other and not be a hypocrite. Between this and their stance on transphobes (ie guys like Jesse Singal), I've definitely soured on Substack. I'm not taking the knee jerk reaction of leaving completely, because I realize some of the people I follow don't have a great alternative. If you were to move to another platform, I would definitely follow.
looking forward to meeting you at Megacon!