Help needed - Captain America!

[gummibears]

Haha,

Seriously though. Im just getting back into reading/collecting again and im a bit confused. Why do some title have volumes and what volumes mean in the comic world?

Example


Captain America Vol. 1 #100-454, 600-present, Annual #1-13 (Apr. 1968- Aug. 1996, Aug. 2009 - present)
Captain America Vol. 2 #1-13(November 1996 - November 1997)
Captain America Vol. 3 #1-50, Annual '99-'01(January 1998 - February 2002)
Captain America Vol. 4 #1-32 (June 2002 - December 2004)
Captain America Vol. 5 #1-50 (January 2005 - July 2009)

Are these entirely different stories or what?

 

[rggkjg1]

the series' were just relaunched with new numbering/volumes to boost sales of the title. the issues that make up volumes 2-5 of captain america are basically issues #455-599. some of the more recent issues/volumes of captain america should have the new numbering AND the original numbering on the front cover before it went back to the original numbering with #600.

 

[gummibears]

the series' were just relaunched with new numbering/volumes to boost sales of the title. the issues that make up volumes 2-5 of captain america are basically issues #455-599. some of the more recent issues/volumes of captain america should have the new numbering AND the original numbering on the front cover before it went back to the original numbering with #600.

By relaunched do you mean the story continuity was entirely different? Was it a whole new story? Are volumes 1-5 all the same cotinuing the same story? Im new to comics so please break it down

 

[wonderfly]

By relaunched do you mean the story continuity was entirely different?

No, it's all the same continuity that was started with Captain America Comics in 1941. Starting with Volume 2 in the 90's, they just decided every few years to start over the title with a new 1st issue to help designate that it's the start of a new period in the comic (or rather, the start of a new period in the life of Captain America).

 

[Shawn Hopkins]

You have to understand that for comic book collectors, the first issue is a special event that they're more likely to pick up than a random issue. In recent years Marvel has rather cynically exploited that by starting titles over with a "new" number one every time they have a major creative team change or feel they need a sales bump. They've done it so much it's a joke, basically, for a lot of the ones with the new numbering they started running the old numbering alongside it on the cover.

This is much different than the way it used to be. In the old days starting a new title was a big deal because of issues with mailing permits and distribution. Marvel would just cram superheroes into low-selling science fiction comics and eventually change the titles of those books to avoid starting new volumes. You looking for Mighty Thor Volume One Number One? There ain't one, Thor started in Journey Into Mystery and was eventually retitled.

I kinda balk at saying Captain America Continuity is a straight line from 1941. It can be, but with a lot of heavy selective memory and retroactive continuity changes, especially around the Captain America: Commie Smasher and Captain America's Weird Tales years.

 

[gummibears]

You guys are great, i get i now! Sorry for being such a noob, but honestly i am



Essential Captain America, Vol. 1Tales of Suspense #59-99; Captain America (vol.1) #100-102SC: ISBN 0-78513-006-3Essential Captain America, Vol. 2Captain America (vol.1) #103-126SC: ISBN 0-78510-827-0

 

[Jin Kazama]

I really need to get that second Essential Captain America volume. I really want to read those Jim Steranko issues, since it's pretty much viewed as some iconic Cap work. Always surprised me because of the short span of time he was on the book. Just not sure how it would look in black and white.

As for the whole "Volumes" thing? I've come to accept it as part of the game a long time ago. But this past summer when I went back and organized/catalogued all of my stuff for easy access, it made it a complete pain in the neck. Eventually I just started breaking it down into "2010 Series" or "1987 Series."