Volume numbers

[Cavaliere (moderator emeritus)]

Hello, heroes!

I have a question about cataloguing comics and would like your opinions.

When one publisher uses the same series name more than once, volume numbers are easy. What about when multiple publishers use a series title over time? There are other examples but the one I'm currently looking at in updating my own database is DC's 1987 Captain Atom series. This was DC's first series of that name but there were three previous series from three other publishers (just in America). There was Nation-Wide Publishing in 1950, Charlton in 1965, and Modern in 1977.

So--is the 1987 series volume 1? Volume 4? Or, given that the 1950 series was a completely different character, is the '87 series volume 3?

My personal inclination is to call it volume 4 but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.

Thanks for your input!

[Jeff of Earth-J]

When in doubt, go with the indicia.The series in question is simply "Captain Atom." Beyond that, if further differentiation is needed, add "DC" and/or "1987" parenthetically.

[Mark Sullivan (Vertiginous Mod)]

As a retired librarian, I endorse this answer! It's exactly what I was going to say.

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

I think Jeff's suggestion is great. If you need more, I'd suggest finding a resource like GCD or another that you canrefer to and use their methodology, rather than making one out of whole cloth.

[Luis Olavo de Moura Dantas]

Not very relevant here, but it is my understanding that the 1965 series and the 1987 series also feature different characters (even if the later pretends to have a similar origin and nature to that of the earlier).

[Jeff of Earth-J]

I checked The Standard Catalog of Comics and the Overstreet Price Guide.

STANDARD CATALOG:

• CAPTAIN ATOM (CHARLTON)
• CAPTAIN ATOM (DC)
• CAPTAIN ATOM (NATIONWIDE)

OVERSTREET:

CAPTAIN ATOM
Nationwide Publishers: 1950 - No. 7, 1951 (5¢, 5x7-1/4", 53 pgs)

CAPTAIN ATOM (Formerly Strange Sus. Stories #77)(Also see Space Adv.)
Charlton  Comics: V2#78, Dec, 1965 - V2#89, Dec, 1967

CAPTAIN ATOM (Also see Americomics & Crisis on Infinite Earths)
DC Comics: Mar, 1987 - No. 57, Sept, 1991 (Direct sales only #35 on)

Under the Charlton section, Overstreet notes "83-85(Modern Comics-1977)-reprints"; no mention of "Modern" is made in the Standard Catalog.

Also, if DC ever launches a new Captain Atom series, it will likely be "Volume 2."

[Cavaliere (moderator emeritus)]

Thanks for the input, all! I sure appreciate it.