Daredevil Message Board

WAMurrell · Flying Blind Joined: 29 May 2014 Posts: 15

I have been giving this issue some thought as of late. Why doesn't Marvel bring back the original issue numbering back seen throughout Volume 1 of Daredevil and briefly returned to at the end of Volume 2? According to my mathematical calculations, as of Daredevil #6 (Volume 4), the issue numbering should be in the 550s area.

Now, I understand the marketing and creative aspects of renumbering a series but when a comic series runs continuously for 50 years without interruption (I consider Daredevil: Reborn a continuation of the results of Volume 2 which leads into Volume 3), should not the numbering system continue, as well?

Couldn't Marvel design an issue number box for its covers that would include the current Volume's issue number along with the Series' issue number; similar to what they did leading up to the 500th issue in Volume 2?

In my database of Daredevil comics, I have both its volume issue number as well as its series issue number.

I think of the issue numbering as the root system of a comic series. The higher the issue, the stronger the series will be. It seems, though, that as the continual renumbering occurs, Daredevil's root system is being destroyed. Volume 1 lasts 380 issues before being replaced with 132 issues in Volume 2 to 36 issues in Volume 3. Time will tell how long Volume 4 will run but I would bet close to Volume 3's run. Now, if we were talking about Daredevil #553 instead of Daredevil (Volume 4) #5, people would know, just by hearing 553, that Daredevil has stood the test of time and came out strong. Let these same people hear Volume 4 #5 and they might wonder why so many volumes.

Daredevil has been around for 50 years and that is an accomplishment worth celebrating. By eliminating the one noticeable connection that Volume 4 has to Volume 1, Marvel is sending a message that we only care about the present and the 548 previous issues of Daredevil are no longer important.

My soapbox is turned over to someone else.

james castle · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 1:49 pm Post subject:

Unfortunately that ship has sailed. In the 80s and 90s, during volume 1, it would have never even occurred to me that Marvel could/would restart the numbering with a new "volume". I guess they had done that for the heroes reborn but it just seemed impossible to me. Daredevil, along with all the other oldies had a high number of issues and that was that. New series like X-Men or Spider-Man could pop up but a new volume wasn't even on my radar.

Of course, that was then. We're in volume 4 now. Rebooting and renumbering is the name of Marvel's game. At this point returning to the original numbering would be hard and wouldn't even make much sense. I skipped Daredevil Reborn and consider it a mini and not part of the main series. I guess you feel the opposite way. And for every one of us there are a bunch of people who don't get that we're in volume 4 to begin with.

It's a shame that Marvel keeps Number 1ing Daredevil but once volume 2 showed up the spell of a high number maintained since the 60s was broken and I don't think it'll be unbroken ever.
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Bullseye11 · Flying Blind Joined: 05 Oct 2013 Posts: 67 Location: PA

I mostly agree with you. I could understand why daredevil had a volume 2 since it was cancelled for a few years but volume 3 and 4 are just annoying. Especially since they have the same writer. But there's not much we can do, in the end it's still daredevil but just with a new number in the corner. And it makes marvel more money so they can have more comics for people to read. Perhaps in a few decades when daredevil turns 1,000 and DD is in volume 27 marvel will decide to go back to original numbering.

james castle · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 11:12 pm Post subject:

WAMurrell · Flying Blind Joined: 29 May 2014 Posts: 15

Thank you for your insight.

While I wish the original issue numbering would return, I know it will not.

But who knows. Some said the Boston Red Sox would never win the World Series. Maybe Marvel will forget there is more than one volume and return to the original number system.

Bullseye11 · Flying Blind Joined: 05 Oct 2013 Posts: 67 Location: PA

Ryu Murdock · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:00 pm Post subject:

Another dilemma is Black Panther: Man Without Fear which continued the number of Daredevil up 'til #523 before changing the subtitle to The Most Dangerous Man Alive. Will that be counted? Daredevil volume 3 started before they dropped The Man Without Fear from Black Panther.
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WAMurrell · Flying Blind Joined: 29 May 2014 Posts: 15

Very good observation with the issues concerning Black Panther. I have not read them so have no idea to their content so my comments come from a reader trying to understand Marvel's current issue numbering strategy.

Could Marvel have kept the issue numbering the same to attract the readers that followed Daredevil to now follow Black Panther before giving him his own series with a #1? If this was the case, these issues should be ignored as it pertains to Daredevil's issue numbering. If Marvel can reboot a Ã§omic with a new #1, what's stopping them from starting at #513?

Could Marvel have kept the issue numbering the same to keep the original Daredevil numbering going in case they decided to return Daredevil to his comic after the completion of the Reborn mini-series? Black Panther's storyline could have centered around protecting Hell's Kitchen during Daredevil's absence only to have him return at the end of BP's storyline. The Reborn mini-series could have been a storyline following BP's story. In this scenerio, Reborn would have continued the original issue numbering so the issues with Black Panther would play a part in Daredevil's issue numbering.

Mike Murdock · Golden Age Joined: 08 Sep 2014 Posts: 1750

Hello, I'm new here, but please excuse my off the cuff remarks.

I can't fault going to Volume 2 given where Daredevil was at the end of Volume 1. It was a good excuse to say "hey, this is different." Going from Volume 2 to Volume 3 makes less sense, but I can see keeping the number somewhat reasonable (going back for 500 was cool, but I can see 530 being a little intimidating for new readers). However, I can't think of any reason we went from 3 to 4. 3 wasn't that high, number-wise, and we have the same writer. I know Daredevil changed location, but he's done that before. Are we going to 5 when he comes back?

Given this, I think the only options are to go forward with Volumes 5, 6, and 7 or go back to the original numbering system. My guess is we'll eventually go back for good.
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