1Maddz
What do people think about using the Alternative Titles CK field for story-arcs in comic book series? Obviously the canonical title should be the comic title (generally the series) & issue number, but it strikes me it's useful information that should be indexed.
For example, Cerebus No. 123 is part of the Jaka's Story arc, and is part 10 of that arc. That would mean the alternative title would be Jaka's Story 10.
Not all issues would be part of a story-arc, but it helps identifying those that are.
For example, Cerebus No. 123 is part of the Jaka's Story arc, and is part 10 of that arc. That would mean the alternative title would be Jaka's Story 10.
Not all issues would be part of a story-arc, but it helps identifying those that are.
2aspirit
I have two thoughts about this:
(1) The current series system is already an efficient tool for tracking story order, and
(2) "Jaka's Story 10" (as an example) should go in the Alternative titles field only if that's how Cerebus No. 123 is referenced in conversation.
(1) The current series system is already an efficient tool for tracking story order, and
(2) "Jaka's Story 10" (as an example) should go in the Alternative titles field only if that's how Cerebus No. 123 is referenced in conversation.
3Maddz
>2 aspirit: Well, you could include the story-arc and index in the series index (Cerebus No. 123 (123 (Jaka's Story 10)) but that is messy because you end up with an alphabetic sort not a pure numeric sort.
Including it in the issue title is also tricky - not all issues have a specific story title, and it makes it look like some have been missed out.
That's why I thought of using the CK Alternative Title for these sub-series titles.
Including it in the issue title is also tricky - not all issues have a specific story title, and it makes it look like some have been missed out.
That's why I thought of using the CK Alternative Title for these sub-series titles.
4aspirit
>3 Maddz: The way this is* handled in the series system is with a "reordering of" relationship.
I'll see if I can quickly find a good example to share here. ETA: Maybe I can't. I remember seeing character story arcs in some of the biggest comic series as related series, but either I imagined that or someone deleted the story arc series long enough ago to not show in recent edit history. Hmm.
* (or so I thought?)
I'll see if I can quickly find a good example to share here. ETA: Maybe I can't. I remember seeing character story arcs in some of the biggest comic series as related series, but either I imagined that or someone deleted the story arc series long enough ago to not show in recent edit history. Hmm.
* (or so I thought?)
5Maddz
>4 aspirit: When I was working on the Hellboy series, I added some of the miniseries (mostly the complicated ones) as their own series as well as part of the mini-series. These miniseries are generally fairly self-contained, though, and the publication order of the main series is not always chronological.
The problem with doing that with Cerebus is that not only do the different sub-series form the main story arc, they've also subsequently been reprinted as a stand-alone series with different numbering of the issues. I did wonder about combining them with the original issues (especially Cerebus bi-weekly), but decided to leave well alone on the grounds that most fan bois (and grrls) would distinguish between the originals and the reprints.
The only other comic series where I'm aware of reprints is Sandman: the original issues (which I have), 30th Anniversary (gosh, is it really that long ago? but these may be the trades not the issues) and Essential Vertigo. A quick check of the editions & covers suggests the Essential Vertigo issues have been combined with the original, but I don't see any 30th Anniversary issues or covers.
The problem with doing that with Cerebus is that not only do the different sub-series form the main story arc, they've also subsequently been reprinted as a stand-alone series with different numbering of the issues. I did wonder about combining them with the original issues (especially Cerebus bi-weekly), but decided to leave well alone on the grounds that most fan bois (and grrls) would distinguish between the originals and the reprints.
The only other comic series where I'm aware of reprints is Sandman: the original issues (which I have), 30th Anniversary (gosh, is it really that long ago? but these may be the trades not the issues) and Essential Vertigo. A quick check of the editions & covers suggests the Essential Vertigo issues have been combined with the original, but I don't see any 30th Anniversary issues or covers.
