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Comics seem complicated. There are numerous series and issues, and the numbers can be confusing at times. However, it is much simpler than it appears. Check out this guide if you have any questions on how to read comics and how to store comics. This is the second part of my comic book guide. If you haven’t already, you should read Comic Book 101 Part 1.
How to Read Comics
I mentioned in part 1 of this guide that different countries’ comics have different elements. Manga is read from right to left in Japan, which may seem strange to those accustomed to reading from left to right in the United States.
American comic books are read in the same way that any other American novel is. You read them from left to right, following the panels. Following the order of the panels is usually simple, though I will admit that if the panels are laid out strangely, things can get a little more complicated. Just remember to read from left to right and higher stuff first.
When you think of comic books, you probably have two images in your head. One image is most likely a comic floppy. Another image is most likely of a trade.
Floppies
A single issue, also known as “floppy”, is a comic that has a smaller number of pages inside. These are the thin paper comics that don’t have hard covers. Issues are essentially one chapter in a larger series. You can find these in comic book stores. Older issues may already be in a sleeve, but newer issues are usually sleeveless and are sitting on shelves with the cover visible.
Issues, as I previously stated, are analogous to chapters. They are not the entire story, unless it is a one-issue story (sometimes called a “one-shot”). Most of the time, however, there will be other issues, such as how a book has different chapters.
Each issue is labeled with a number. If the number is 1, the issue is the first in the series. If the number is 200, it means that there are 199 issues preceding that issue that you must read before understanding what’s going on in issue 200. The total number of issues is sometimes printed on the cover, but this is not always the case. Basically, the best way to understand them is to treat them like chapters of a book.
Example
| You must read Chapter 1 before reading Chapter 2 = You must read Issue 1 before reading Issue 2 |
| You must read Chapter 3 before reading Chapter 7 = You must read Issue 3 before reading Issue 7 |
The number of issues in a series varies according to the length of the series. There are shorter series that may have 6 issues, 10 issues, etc., and longer series that may have 100 issues. There are 701 issues in an old Batman series from the 1940s.
Most series will have a specific title that will help you differentiate between series for a character. For example, there are numerous Spider-Man series available. The series “Amazing Spider-Man” and “Spectacular Spider-Man” are two different series. So, using the chapter analogy again, those are two different book series, each with their own chapters. Amazing Spider-Man #1 is the beginning of a different story than Spectacular Spider-Man #1.
Sometimes there are series for a character with the same name because it’s just the superhero’s name. Those are sometimes distinguished by the year they were released or the author. A “run” is defined as a series that has a consistent writer and/or artist for multiple issues. They are sometimes labeled as series 1, series 2, series 3, and so on. It’s helpful to do some research to figure out what the series is for these. Mycomicshop.com is a great resource for this.
You don’t usually need to read another series to understand and enjoy one in particular. However, for Marvel and DC, the universes do connect, and one series will occasionally refer to something that happened in another series. You won’t always know when this happens, so sometimes you just have to roll with it.
Variant Covers
Issues will occasionally have what are known as “variants.” Variants are variations of the cover art. Variants indicate that an issue has multiple covers. The amount is determined by the publisher’s decision. For example, issue one of a Harley Quinn comic book could have four different covers, each with a different piece of art.
Certain variants may be rare and thus more expensive, difficult to find, or collector’s editions. The contents of each issue are the same, so you don’t need to collect all of the covers unless you want to collect them for the different artwork on the covers.
Trades
“Trade” is a fancy term for those comic books that look like regular books that you see in stores. They are usually divided into volumes (vol. 1, vol. 2, etc.), but they may also be referred to as “book 1”, “book 2”, and so on. They have multiple issues inside.
For example, a volume 1 trade might include issues #1–5. Then volume 2 could include issues #6–10. The majority of them are paperbacks, but a few have hard covers.
How to Store Comic Books
You’ll want to store your comic books properly to avoid damage. Comic books in good condition have the potential to sell for a lot of money in the future. Trades are simple to store and maintain, as you treat them like any other book. Place them on a shelf alongside your novels.
If the book is too large to stand up on a shelf, lay it flat. To keep them nice, do the same thing you would for any other book. Don’t fold pages in strange ways. Don’t spill anything on it. I’m sure you understand. If you want to be extra cautious, you can always put them into sleeves and comic book storage boxes as well. You will learn more about sleeves and storage boxes in the next section.
Floppies
Floppies, or single issues, require more care. Don’t get anything on them, rip the pages, or spill anything on them. Also, be careful with your fingers. Grease on your fingers can mess up the ink on the page, so wash your hands and use caution when holding them for long periods of time.
To store them, you put them in a plastic sleeve with a piece of cardboard, both of which are made specifically for comic issues. Close the sleeve with a piece of tape. Then put it into a box designed specifically for comic books.
Comic book storage boxes are available in plastic, cardboard, and a few other materials. There are also different sizes. It will protect them from anything in the air that could turn the pages different colors over time. It also allows you to store them in the proper position, as laying them flat isn’t good for them. You can buy these items at comic book stores or online.
You’ll want to store valuable and rare issues in a hard plastic case. Comic books can also be professionally graded and encased in hard plastic. This is known as slabbing or slabbing a comic book. Professional slabbing will cost money. There are also plastic cases and comic book frames that allow you to display comic issues on your walls. Some even have a coating that prevents sunlight from fading comics.
Do you have any questions about comic books? Ask me in the comments.