Comic Book Titles on ComicVine

Loading...

I just wanted to get some consensus on how you know the correct title and the correct punctuation of the title of any given comic book.

There are two competing suggestions. The first is that the title should be what it says on the cover of the book and the punctuation is arbitrary.

The second suggestion is that the title should be according the masthead inside the book and the punctuation should follow this strictly.

The title in dispute is the John Constantine book, Hellblazer. Despite Constantine's name appearing on the cover since the very beginning until today:

The text in the masthead contains the single word, "Hellblazer":

I, therefore, maintain that the title of this book is "Hellblazer", while another member thinks the book should be called "John Constantine - Hellblazer" or "John Constantine: Hellblazer".

Please let me know what you think.

Cheers.

Edited 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by Sparda (12,843 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

I sort of think that the title should be what's on the cover, but the text in the interior would seem to be the definitive source on what the comic is called. So, I think that the issue should just be called "Hellblazer".

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by TheDrifter (25,865 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Online Now

I say John Constantine : Hellblazer

because it appears on the cover and it's easier for newer members. Plus you can't just go changing titles all willy-nilly, it messes up the links.

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by Nobody (27,630 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

I would say its Hellblazer

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by asxz (194 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

TheDrifter said:

"I say John Constantine : Hellblazer

because it appears on the cover and it's easier for newer members. Plus you can't just go changing titles all willy-nilly, it messes up the links. "

But why have you added a colon that doesn't exist anywhere in the book and why have you added a space before the colon which doesn't exist anywhere in the English language?

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by TheDrifter (25,865 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Online Now

Touche. I don't remember changing it though.

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by aztek the lost (19,841 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Moderator

Sparda said:

"I sort of think that the title should be what's on the cover, but the text in the interior would seem to be the definitive source on what the comic is called. So, I think that the issue should just be called "Hellblazer"."

do you mean issue or volume? I don't see why the issue would be called Hellblazer o_O

anyways, my question is...why is it that only this series drops the "John Constantine" in its database description, what do you do with the annual and other specials? other sites all seem to differ on the John Constantine part or not...but in my opinion by keeping it there it makes it more sensible when a user searches John Constantine because all those volumes will pop up as well

as for the "-" or ":", that's just a user's way of pointing out a title, and a subtitle, and in some cases, a sub-subtitle, I don't think its extremely important which one you use

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by Sparda (12,843 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

aztek the lost said:

"do you mean issue or volume? I don't see why the issue would be called Hellblazer"

I meant comic/volume, my bad.

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by Slinger (6,920 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

aztek the lost said:

"anyways, my question is...why is it that only this series drops the "John Constantine" in its database description, what do you do with the annual and other specials? other sites all seem to differ on the John Constantine part or not...but in my opinion by keeping it there it makes it more sensible when a user searches John Constantine because all those volumes will pop up as well

as for the "-" or ":", that's just a user's way of pointing out a title, and a subtitle, and in some cases, a sub-subtitle, I don't think its extremely important which one you use"

It's an encyclopedia, it shouldn't be about what makes things easier to find as much as it should be about accuracy of information. I would be inclined to use what's printed in the masthead, as sometimes on covers the lettering can make things a little ambiguous. Anyone who searches John Constantine should easily enough be able to navigate to the Hellblazer page by looking at his appearances, and anyone looking at the Hellblazer page should easily enough be able to find John Constantine by looking at who appears in that.

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by aztek the lost (19,841 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Moderator

Slinger said:

"aztek the lost said:
"anyways, my question is...why is it that only this series drops the "John Constantine" in its database description, what do you do with the annual and other specials? other sites all seem to differ on the John Constantine part or not...but in my opinion by keeping it there it makes it more sensible when a user searches John Constantine because all those volumes will pop up as well

as for the "-" or ":", that's just a user's way of pointing out a title, and a subtitle, and in some cases, a sub-subtitle, I don't think its extremely important which one you use"
It's an encyclopedia, it shouldn't be about what makes things easier to find as much as it should be about accuracy of information. I would be inclined to use what's printed in the masthead, as sometimes on covers the lettering can make things a little ambiguous. Anyone who searches John Constantine should easily enough be able to navigate to the Hellblazer page by looking at his appearances, and anyone looking at the Hellblazer page should easily enough be able to find John Constantine by looking at who appears in that."

accuracy of information? than why's there a Watchmen page? so that users can more easily locate it, that's why...

but the point is, its quite clear on the covers that in this case its John Constantine - Hellblazer, after 253 issues you think they'd get rid of it if it wasn't supposed to be there, don't you?

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by G-Man (10,231 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Staff

Sparda said:

"I sort of think that the title should be what's on the cover, but the text in the interior would seem to be the definitive source on what the comic is called. So, I think that the issue should just be called "Hellblazer"."

I'll say the Official stance should be what is in the interior. The only problem with this, is sometimes they change it. Not often though. Whenever I add a new title, I find that print and enter the title as is.

The recent example comes to mind is the "X-Men and Spider-Man" mini. I entered it as it was seen in the tiny print: "X-Men/Spider-Man." I'm not happy that they do this but it should be entered as the tiny print lists it.

Maaaaybe we'd want to add aliases to volumes. I don't know if that'd just cause more confusion.

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by asxz (194 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

aztek the lost said:

...but the point is, its quite clear on the covers that in this case its John Constantine - Hellblazer, after 253 issues you think they'd get rid of it if it wasn't supposed to be there, don't you?"

No, the point is that it's entirely unclear on the covers.

Another point here is that too many people are adding information to the ComicVine database without ever actually opening a comic book. It's very easy to rip data from other sites, but it's far more useful to actually look inside the book to see what's going on.

If you look at the listings in the pre-order catalogs and DC's own site, you'll find the title listed as "Hellblazer". Let's not try to reinvent the wheel and be smarter than the guys who actually publish the title, right?

Edited 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by inferiorego (12,207 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Online Now

Staff

Diamond promotes it as "Hellblazer".... Therefor, I call it "Hellblazer"

I'm a sheep

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by Shatterstar (1,989 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Moderator

That thing along the bottom of the inside page, I think its called the indexia, I'm pretty sure thats the one we go with. Most of the volumes in the database were built up with help from the GCD and I believe thats what is standard in their database. So... Hellblazer.

Edited 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by aztek the lost (19,841 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Moderator

asxz said:

"Another point here is that too many people are adding information to the ComicVine database without ever actually opening a comic book. It's very easy to rip data from other sites, but it's far more useful to actually look inside the book to see what's going on.

since this is one of your issues, I do have to ask...if people who haven't read the comic don't add it to the database who will? this site will never grow if only people who've read a comic add it to the database because 99% of users don't even submit at all

if your insinuating I've never read Hellblazer, I have, but I never look at that thing at the bottom, I have no interest in reading it

anyways, I see I was wrong in declaring it John Constantine - Hellblazer and I apologize...looks like the argument has been unanimous in your favor throws confetti everywhere

Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Post by fesak (3,833 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Online Now

Moderator

So about Ultimate Comics Spider-Man.
The covers just says Ultimate Spider-Man, and according to Some Guy the fine print for issue 1 reads Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, but issue 2 just says Ultimate Spider-Man.

Anyone who reads it care to check what it says? Also the other current ultimate titles.

Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Post by KillerZ (381 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

@fesak:
yeah first was "Ultimate Comics Spider-Man" and from #2 and onward it's just "Ultimate Spider-Man"again. Don't know about other post-Ultimatum titles

Edited 3 weeks, 5 days ago

Post by xerox-kitty (4,039 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Online Now

Moderator

@KillerZ said:

"@fesak: yeah first was "Ultimate Comics Spider-Man" and from #2 and onward it's just "Ultimate Spider-Man"again. Don't know about other post-Ultimatum titles "

That surprises me, because they're being solicited for January 2010 as Ultimate Comics Spider-Man.

Posted 3 weeks, 5 days ago

Post by jamesewelch (46 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

What about small stuff like "X-Necrosha" vs "X Necrosha"?

The indixia, solitics, and cover say "X Necrosha", but it was added to comicvine with a dash. I can see how it's easy to accidentally add it in there, since all the other Marvel "X" titles use a dash.

I didn't want to correct the volume title if it would mess up the links and stuff, but since this is just a one shot, I don't know how big of an effect changing it would have.

Posted 3 weeks, 4 days ago

Post by xerox-kitty (4,039 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Online Now

Moderator

@jamesewelch: Changed it :) It shouldn't break links... if it does, then it can be reported as a Bug :)

Posted 3 weeks, 4 days ago

Post by aztek the lost (19,841 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Moderator

okay, here I have the prime example of Marvel's stupidity when it comes to indexing a series...

yesterday they released what the cover and previous issue's indicias would indicate to be "Anita Blake, The Laughing Corpse - Executioner No. 1" but instead it says "Anita Blake No. 11"

-_______-

I hate indexing Marvel comics, why can't they just stick with a numbering! The cover says 1 of 5 and yet it's #11?!

Posted 3 weeks, 4 days ago

Post by xerox-kitty (4,039 posts) See mini bio

Loading...

Online Now

Moderator

@aztek the lost: Complete the following sentence: Marvel Comics couldn't organise a _____ in a ______.

Posted 3 weeks, 4 days ago

	aztek the lost 197 posts
	jloneblackheart 164 posts
	xerox-kitty 117 posts
	KillerZ 86 posts
	fesak 49 posts
	inferiorego 33 posts
	cold_fuzion 26 posts
	Shatterstar 20 posts
	Emperor Gonzo Noir 19 posts
	kore 17 posts

Editing & Tools Forum

Comic Book Titles on ComicVine