Marvel at Marvel's "Ingenuity"?

In 2013, Marvel simultaneously released The Savage Wolverine and the fifth incarnation of an ongoing Wolverine series, but ongoing has become a relatively dubious term, as this week saw the release of a new brand new Wolverine book. Of course, Marvel NOW! is resetting the numbers of many of their series, which will coincide with the debuts of many brand-new series, like Ms. Marvel # 1 with a young female character with no ties to her Kree-empowered predecessor.

But why?

Captain America, following the Brubaker run that restored vitality to the character, has been reset TWICE. The X-books and Avengers books underwent similar numbering changes after the events of A vs. X, and I've probably neglected a Hulk book and Spider-title or ten. So, what's the point?

On the one hand, with DC's shift into New 52 continuity, Marvel may have done this to stay competitive; DC appears to be reviving the mythologies of decades-old characters, and so Marvel wants to appear to be advancing their characters towards newness and freshness, as well. In reality, DC cherry-picked from the pre-52 continuity so that readers and fans weren't completely lost. Another consideration is that the frequent renumbering gives the characters featured in those books a push, the new debut issue promoted as a must-buy event.

Personally, I hate it. This has messed up my pull-list on more than one title in the past, and I have this dark, wet feeling in the pit of my stomach when I become attached to a run on one of these titles that it's going to fold and a new creative team--one I'm not so crazy about--is going to take over. Perhaps it seems hypocritical, but I didn't mind Dark Horse's similar tactics with Hellboy and Sin City, because the writer/artist remained consistent. With Hellblazer, there were frequent artist and sometimes writer changes, but the numbering remained the same, and each arch showcased amazing writing and art talents.

I've written this as the foundation for discussion. What are your thoughts? Are there distinctive advantages I am not seeing? ...Or has this trend upset you in a similar way? I'm intrigued how fandom around the world perceives this. Humor me?

I don't care about a number on the cover of my comic

@peppeyhare: I agree that comics, foremost, are about story conveyed through art and words. It shouldn't matter what issue number is on the front. Do you feel, then, that the frequent renumbering does not distract from the content of the title?

Also, an aside: I read elsewhere that you give your free digital copy to friends. VERY COOL.

@nothing2lose: I can see both sides of it, but Marvel isn't solely culpable, and Hellblazer wasn't the best example. DC has underwent how many Crises since the original, each spinning off a new Titans book or setting the Justice League back to # 1? Sin City originally appeared in Dark Horse Presents, a serial within that anthology title, and so the first trade collected that story, with subsequent limited series being set in other avenues of that storyworld. Meanwhile, Hellboy did do that through the 90s and early 21st century, but now they are numbering the title and have taken those early l.s. into consideration.

However, the part of your argument I really appreciate is the fear of a creative team being replaced by a new one with the new numbering. I don't think the numbers detract from the content, as you say, but I also hate sitting on pins and needles, hoping that the excellent writer or artist who drew me to a title in one run will be on hand for the next.

Also, I agree with your praise. That is very thoughtful, @peppeyhare.

Awesome blog! The only problem I have with Marvel's constant renumbering is that what happens if the original creative team never had the chance to really wrap up their stories and we are left hanging in figuring out what happened because the next creative team might not even continue from where the last writer and artist left off? While I do enjoy the fact that without the constant renumberings, we can see which comic books were able to last for many years, I understand the need to draw in new readers and I guess the constant renumberings is the way to go at the moment.

SO much this.

I don't care and I fail to see the problem with renumbering them. It is new reader friendly. See, I, personally, wanted to get into a few titles but wasn't quite sure when would be a good jumping on point.

I specifically wanted to read xXx-Factor for the longest. However, I saw that the series was on issue 106. It was quite daunting to try to catch up. I also felt I might miss out on some key stories if I just start at 106. Every title being renumbered every time makes it new reader friendly in my book.

At the same time, if Scar Spider (kaine) was not cancelled but instead renumbered, I wouldn't care. (+)