Limited series
Encyclopedia
A limited series is a comic book
series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series
in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues.
The term is often used interchangeably with miniseries (mini-series) and maxiseries (maxi-series), usually depending on the length and number of issues. In Dark Horse Comics
' definition of a limited series, "This term primarily applies to a connected series of individual comic books. A limited series refers to a comic book series with a clear beginning, middle and end." Dark Horse Comics and DC Comics
refer to limited series of two to twelve issues as miniseries and series of thirteen issues or more as maxiseries, but other publishers alternate terms.
format, but only a few of these have been produced.
Limited series are often done by a single creative team, but in cases where there are changes, it is usually the writer who remains constant throughout the run while the artist(s) may change. The number of issues is usually determined by some combination of the writer’s plotting and editorial mandate.
series and back-up stories in series featuring the title character. Publishers would often experiment with new characters and stories. If proven popular, these characters were quickly spun off to their own titles. This was a particularly common strategy of comics in the 1960s and 1970s, which saw a comics sales boom (many times, new titles were launched despite uncertainty about whether a character or team could carry a new series for more than a few issues).
Nowhere was this seen more than with DC Comics
, which released many titles between 1975 and 1978, reaching close to 60 monthly ongoing titles. Eventually, DC was forced to scale back and cancel more than half of its titles (see the so-called DC Implosion
). Aside from suffering financially, DC Comics was also criticized for straining itself creatively and editorially, affecting the quality of their comics.
During 1979, 23-year-old Dave Sim
had been a frequent user of marijuana
, and soon began experimenting with LSD
, taking the drug with such frequency that he was eventually hospitalized. Sim claims that it was this incident that led to the inspiration of creating to produce a comic book series called Cerebus the Aardvark
, fixing the amount of issues to 300.
Sim did not realize at the time that by fixing the limit of issues, he had created a new format. As well as being the first limited series, it is also the longest limited series of all time, spanning 300 issues released from December, 1977 to March, 2004.
In 1979, in the process of recovering from the DC Implosion
, DC Comics decided to experiment with a new format to tell stories. The result was the 1979 World of Krypton miniseries, as DC termed such short-run works. The new format allowed the company to tell stories that may not have fit into an ongoing series and to showcase characters into a short story without the risk and obligations of an ongoing monthly. It also freed creators to tell a longer story without the confines characteristic of a backup story.
was the first limited series to run to twelve issues and be dubbed as a "maxiseries." Camelot 3000 was printed on Baxter
paper stock and sold through direct market
stores. DC followed Camelot 3000 in 1983 with another important contribution to the concept, Ronin
, also printed on Baxter
paper stock, with more pages than the conventional magazine pamphlet and featuring no advertisements. Without the advertisements, it resulted in a different pacing in comics storytelling.
It did not take long for other publishers to follow the limited series form. Marvel Comics
used it to feature popular characters from team titles and put them in a lengthy solo adventure. Wolverine
's earliest solo adventures were told in limited series. Crossovers between two characters or teams presented as major storylines were also in limited series form before the concept of crossover stories jumping from one title to another was conceived. Contest of Champions
brought forth the idea of a major event affecting the Marvel Universe. This would be taken further with the twelve-issue Secret Wars
saga in 1984 and by DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths
in 1985.
, which was square-bound with a card-stock cover. The Prestige format
is not favored by other publishers and DC Comics is the only publisher that continues to use it.
’s comics are released in limited series form. Their contribution would be the idea of a series of limited series. Each limited series told a complete story to be followed by another one that built its story from the previous limited series. This provided an avenue for creator-owned works where the uncertainty of investing the creator’s property in an ongoing series was lifted from the creator’s concern. The owning creator could complete a limited series installment and follow it with another when they could. This was a model other publishers would use.
Since then, the limited series made it possible for creators to tell graphic novel
-length stories. Releasing the story in monthly installments enabled them to immediately receive returns on investment. Further returns are possible with trade paperback collections of the series.
, Amethyst, Princess of Gem World
and Squadron Supreme
. This form almost faded out in the 1990s. One point that went against it was the greater financial risk in investing in a lengthy limited series. The popularity of the maxiseries length was resurrected by DC with the success of Batman: The Long Halloween
and The Kents
.
Stories of greater length, those running to more than twelve chapters, were often done in multi-title crossovers
, though the 1995 Marvel Comics event, Age of Apocalypse
, involved several limited series that replaced the ongoing X-Men
-related titles for four months and book-ended by two one-shot specials. This idea was revisited by Grant Morrison
in 2005 with the Seven Soldiers of Victory
project, and which he dubbed as a mega-series. Marking the difference between the two, Age of Apocalypse was produced by several writers while the ambitious Seven Soldiers was the work of a single writer.
The DC project, 52
, which ran from May 2006 to May 2007, became the largest limited series aside from Cerebus, composed of 52 weekly issues. DC did not label it as either a maxiseries or a miniseries, calling it simply a series (which is misleading since the project was always intended to end by the fifty-second issue). On 9 May 2007, DC immediately followed this series with another, similarly to be published weekly for 52 weeks, entitled DC Countdown. When DC Countdown was completed, DC launched another series in the same weekly year-long format, Trinity
.
As a rule, the number of issues a limited series will run is determined from the outset. However, there have been cases where this rule was changed. There are usually only two reasons for this, one being commercial, the other being, to a rarer extent, creative. Dark Horse’s 1993 Aliens: Colonial Marines was originally supposed to run twelve issues. When the sales of Colonial Marines faltered midway through the run, the series was shortened to ten issues. Marvel’s Fantastic Four
: Big Town was set to run six issues only to be set back to four issues. Number changing does not always result in reduction of issues. The first Gen¹³
was to run four issues, with the fourth a double-sized finale. Instead, the final issue was split to two in order to meet publishing schedules. Brian Michael Bendis
found difficulty in resolving the finale of Ultimate Six
and Marvel granted his request of extending the series from six to seven issues. The same thing happened with Marvel's Eternals Vol. 3, which went from six to seven issues when writer Neil Gaiman
asked for an extra issue to resolve the ending. Most recently, the eight-issue X-Men First Class, as well as the six-issue Avengers: The Initiative, were both amended to become ongoing series instead, although with X-Men First Class the new books are officially considered as a second volume.
Occasionally, an ongoing series will be turned into a limited series. Marvel's The Ultimates
began as a monthly series, but became a limited series when production issues arose. When Ultimates 2 was released, it too was released as a limited series. When Marvel's New Universe
line of comics was cancelled completely, the final issues of the remaining three titles (Psi-Force
, D.P. 7 and Justice (New Universe)
) were labeled "#32 of a Thirty-two-Issue Limited Series", in the same style that Marvel used to mark limited series at the time. This was humorously repeated as Marvel, when ending its Transformers comic book in 1992 with issue #80, put a caption on the cover of the book claiming that it was "#80 in a four issue limited series".
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues.
The term is often used interchangeably with miniseries (mini-series) and maxiseries (maxi-series), usually depending on the length and number of issues. In Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
' definition of a limited series, "This term primarily applies to a connected series of individual comic books. A limited series refers to a comic book series with a clear beginning, middle and end." Dark Horse Comics and DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
refer to limited series of two to twelve issues as miniseries and series of thirteen issues or more as maxiseries, but other publishers alternate terms.
Characteristics
The limited series has a single story to tell. It follows the standard plot set-up of beginning, middle, and resolution. Usually, all plot points are covered by the end of the series. There have been limited series done in an anthologyAnthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
format, but only a few of these have been produced.
Limited series are often done by a single creative team, but in cases where there are changes, it is usually the writer who remains constant throughout the run while the artist(s) may change. The number of issues is usually determined by some combination of the writer’s plotting and editorial mandate.
History
The genesis of the limited series may be traced to anthologyAnthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
series and back-up stories in series featuring the title character. Publishers would often experiment with new characters and stories. If proven popular, these characters were quickly spun off to their own titles. This was a particularly common strategy of comics in the 1960s and 1970s, which saw a comics sales boom (many times, new titles were launched despite uncertainty about whether a character or team could carry a new series for more than a few issues).
Nowhere was this seen more than with DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, which released many titles between 1975 and 1978, reaching close to 60 monthly ongoing titles. Eventually, DC was forced to scale back and cancel more than half of its titles (see the so-called DC Implosion
DC Implosion
The DC Implosion is the popular label for the sudden cancellation of more than two dozen ongoing and planned series by the American comics publisher DC Comics in 1978.-History:...
). Aside from suffering financially, DC Comics was also criticized for straining itself creatively and editorially, affecting the quality of their comics.
Cerebus the Aardvark
Dave Sim
David Victor Sim is an award-winning Canadian comic book writer and artist.A pioneer of self-published comics and creators' rights, Sim is best known as the creator of Cerebus the Aardvark, a comic book published from 1977 to 2004, which chronicles its main character in a 6,000-page self-contained...
had been a frequent user of marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
, and soon began experimenting with LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
, taking the drug with such frequency that he was eventually hospitalized. Sim claims that it was this incident that led to the inspiration of creating to produce a comic book series called Cerebus the Aardvark
Cerebus the Aardvark
Cerebus the Aardvark, or simply Cerebus , is an independent comic book, written and illustrated by Canadian artist Dave Sim, with backgrounds by fellow Canadian Gerhard. Cerebus ran for 300 issues from December 1977 to 2004, and was over 6000 pages long, the longest-running original...
, fixing the amount of issues to 300.
Sim did not realize at the time that by fixing the limit of issues, he had created a new format. As well as being the first limited series, it is also the longest limited series of all time, spanning 300 issues released from December, 1977 to March, 2004.
World of Krypton
DC Implosion
The DC Implosion is the popular label for the sudden cancellation of more than two dozen ongoing and planned series by the American comics publisher DC Comics in 1978.-History:...
, DC Comics decided to experiment with a new format to tell stories. The result was the 1979 World of Krypton miniseries, as DC termed such short-run works. The new format allowed the company to tell stories that may not have fit into an ongoing series and to showcase characters into a short story without the risk and obligations of an ongoing monthly. It also freed creators to tell a longer story without the confines characteristic of a backup story.
Camelot 3000, Ronin
With the success of the miniseries format, DC Comics followed by experimenting with longer stories and concepts that were outside of their universe of superheroes. Debuting in 1982, Camelot 3000Camelot 3000
Camelot 3000 is an American twelve-issue comic book limited series written by Mike W. Barr and penciled by Brian Bolland. It was published by DC Comics from 1982 to 1985 as one of its first direct market projects, and as its first maxi-series.-Plot:...
was the first limited series to run to twelve issues and be dubbed as a "maxiseries." Camelot 3000 was printed on Baxter
Baxter
Baxter originated from the Northern English and Scottish occupational surname meaning "baker," from the early Middle English bakstere and the Old English bæcere. The form Bakster was originally feminine, with Baker as the masculine equivalent...
paper stock and sold through direct market
Direct market
The direct market is the dominant distribution and retail network for North American comic books. It consists of one dominant distributor and the majority of comics specialty stores, as well as other retailers of comic books and related merchandise...
stores. DC followed Camelot 3000 in 1983 with another important contribution to the concept, Ronin
Ronin (comic book series)
Ronin is a comic book limited series published between 1983 and 1984, by DC Comics. The series was written and drawn by Frank Miller with artwork painted by Lynn Varley. It takes place in a dystopic near-future New York in which a ronin is reincarnated...
, also printed on Baxter
Baxter
Baxter originated from the Northern English and Scottish occupational surname meaning "baker," from the early Middle English bakstere and the Old English bæcere. The form Bakster was originally feminine, with Baker as the masculine equivalent...
paper stock, with more pages than the conventional magazine pamphlet and featuring no advertisements. Without the advertisements, it resulted in a different pacing in comics storytelling.
Marvel: Wolverine and Contest of Champions
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
used it to feature popular characters from team titles and put them in a lengthy solo adventure. Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
's earliest solo adventures were told in limited series. Crossovers between two characters or teams presented as major storylines were also in limited series form before the concept of crossover stories jumping from one title to another was conceived. Contest of Champions
Contest of Champions
Contest of Champions is a three-issue comic book limited series published from June to August 1982 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Mark Gruenwald with art by John Romita, Jr. and Bob Layton.-Publication history:...
brought forth the idea of a major event affecting the Marvel Universe. This would be taken further with the twelve-issue Secret Wars
Secret Wars
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is a twelve-issue comic book crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton...
saga in 1984 and by DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
in 1985.
The Dark Knight Returns
In 1986, DC released The Dark Knight Returns, the first mainstream comic printed on glossy paper stock utilizing the "prestige" (or "bookshelf") formatPrestige format
Prestige format is a term coined by DC Comics and later came into wider use to refer to a square-bound comic book with cardstock covers. A prestige format comic book is usually longer than a normal, stapled 32-page comic...
, which was square-bound with a card-stock cover. The Prestige format
Prestige format
Prestige format is a term coined by DC Comics and later came into wider use to refer to a square-bound comic book with cardstock covers. A prestige format comic book is usually longer than a normal, stapled 32-page comic...
is not favored by other publishers and DC Comics is the only publisher that continues to use it.
Dark Horse
The majority of Dark HorseDark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
’s comics are released in limited series form. Their contribution would be the idea of a series of limited series. Each limited series told a complete story to be followed by another one that built its story from the previous limited series. This provided an avenue for creator-owned works where the uncertainty of investing the creator’s property in an ongoing series was lifted from the creator’s concern. The owning creator could complete a limited series installment and follow it with another when they could. This was a model other publishers would use.
Since then, the limited series made it possible for creators to tell graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
-length stories. Releasing the story in monthly installments enabled them to immediately receive returns on investment. Further returns are possible with trade paperback collections of the series.
Lengths of limited series
Four-to-six issues is still the norm for most limited series, and presents the most reasonable investment for comic publishers, though there are series that run for as short as two or three issues. The twelve-issue maxiseries form was popular in the 1980s. Many memorable series ran this length, such as Secret Wars, Crisis on Infinite Earths, WatchmenWatchmen
Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
, Amethyst, Princess of Gem World
Amethyst, Princess of Gem World
Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld is the name of three comic book series published by DC Comics in the 1980s. The series tells of a teenage girl named Amy Winston who discovers that she is in fact the orphaned princess from the magical Gemworld...
and Squadron Supreme
Squadron Supreme
The Squadron Supreme is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Squadron Supreme first appeared in Avengers #85 - 86 The Squadron Supreme is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Squadron Supreme first...
. This form almost faded out in the 1990s. One point that went against it was the greater financial risk in investing in a lengthy limited series. The popularity of the maxiseries length was resurrected by DC with the success of Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: The Long Halloween is a 13-issue comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. It was originally published by DC Comics in 1996 and 1997. It was inspired by the three Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials by the same creative team...
and The Kents
The Kents
The Kents is the title of a twelve-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics, from August 1997 to July 1998. The story concerns a troubled generation of ancestors to Jonathan "Pa" Kent . Set in the mid to late 19th century, the two main characters are brothers Nathaniel and Jebediah....
.
Stories of greater length, those running to more than twelve chapters, were often done in multi-title crossovers
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
, though the 1995 Marvel Comics event, Age of Apocalypse
Age of Apocalypse
"Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 - 1996 comic book crossover storyline published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The Age of Apocalypse briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616, although it was later retconned as having occurred in the alternate universe of Earth-295, it had...
, involved several limited series that replaced the ongoing X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
-related titles for four months and book-ended by two one-shot specials. This idea was revisited by Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
in 2005 with the Seven Soldiers of Victory
Seven Soldiers of Victory
The Seven Soldiers of Victory is a fictional team of comic book superheroes in the DC Comics universe...
project, and which he dubbed as a mega-series. Marking the difference between the two, Age of Apocalypse was produced by several writers while the ambitious Seven Soldiers was the work of a single writer.
The DC project, 52
52 (comic book)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
, which ran from May 2006 to May 2007, became the largest limited series aside from Cerebus, composed of 52 weekly issues. DC did not label it as either a maxiseries or a miniseries, calling it simply a series (which is misleading since the project was always intended to end by the fifty-second issue). On 9 May 2007, DC immediately followed this series with another, similarly to be published weekly for 52 weeks, entitled DC Countdown. When DC Countdown was completed, DC launched another series in the same weekly year-long format, Trinity
Trinity (comic book)
Trinity is the title of an American weekly comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted during the first week of June, 2008. It ran for 52 issues.-Conception and production:...
.
As a rule, the number of issues a limited series will run is determined from the outset. However, there have been cases where this rule was changed. There are usually only two reasons for this, one being commercial, the other being, to a rarer extent, creative. Dark Horse’s 1993 Aliens: Colonial Marines was originally supposed to run twelve issues. When the sales of Colonial Marines faltered midway through the run, the series was shortened to ten issues. Marvel’s Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
: Big Town was set to run six issues only to be set back to four issues. Number changing does not always result in reduction of issues. The first Gen¹³
Gen¹³
Gen¹³ is a fictional superhero team and comic book series originally written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi and illustrated by J. Scott Campbell. It was originally published by Image Comics under the banner Wildstorm, which went on to become an imprint for DC Comics, who continued publishing the Gen¹³...
was to run four issues, with the fourth a double-sized finale. Instead, the final issue was split to two in order to meet publishing schedules. Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis is an American comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim for his self-published, Image Comics and Marvel Comics work, and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics, with his books selling consistently highly for over a...
found difficulty in resolving the finale of Ultimate Six
Ultimate Six
Ultimate Six is a seven-issue comic book limited series and crossover between Spider-Man and the Ultimates , featuring the Ultimate Marvel version of the Sinister Six...
and Marvel granted his request of extending the series from six to seven issues. The same thing happened with Marvel's Eternals Vol. 3, which went from six to seven issues when writer Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
asked for an extra issue to resolve the ending. Most recently, the eight-issue X-Men First Class, as well as the six-issue Avengers: The Initiative, were both amended to become ongoing series instead, although with X-Men First Class the new books are officially considered as a second volume.
Occasionally, an ongoing series will be turned into a limited series. Marvel's The Ultimates
Ultimates
The Ultimates is a fictional group of superheroes that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team was created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, and first appeared in The Ultimates #1 , as part of the company's Ultimate Marvel imprint...
began as a monthly series, but became a limited series when production issues arose. When Ultimates 2 was released, it too was released as a limited series. When Marvel's New Universe
New Universe
The New Universe is a comic book imprint from Marvel Comics that was published in its original incarnation from 1986 to 1989. It was created by Jim Shooter, Archie Goodwin, Eliot R. Brown, John Morelli, Mark Gruenwald, Tom DeFalco and edited by Michael Higgins.In 1986, in honor of Marvel Comics'...
line of comics was cancelled completely, the final issues of the remaining three titles (Psi-Force
Psi-Force
Psi-Force was a thirty-two-issue comic book series published by Marvel Comics under their New Universe imprint from 1986 to 1989. Along with D.P...
, D.P. 7 and Justice (New Universe)
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
) were labeled "#32 of a Thirty-two-Issue Limited Series", in the same style that Marvel used to mark limited series at the time. This was humorously repeated as Marvel, when ending its Transformers comic book in 1992 with issue #80, put a caption on the cover of the book claiming that it was "#80 in a four issue limited series".
Notable limited series
| Title | Publisher | Year | Number of issues | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerebus the Aardvark Cerebus the Aardvark Cerebus the Aardvark, or simply Cerebus , is an independent comic book, written and illustrated by Canadian artist Dave Sim, with backgrounds by fellow Canadian Gerhard. Cerebus ran for 300 issues from December 1977 to 2004, and was over 6000 pages long, the longest-running original... |
Aardvark-Vanaheim Aardvark-Vanaheim Aardvark-Vanaheim is a Canadian independent comic book publisher founded in 1977 by Dave Sim and Deni Loubert. It is best known for publishing Sim's Cerebus.... |
1977 | 300 | Creator Dave Sim Dave Sim David Victor Sim is an award-winning Canadian comic book writer and artist.A pioneer of self-published comics and creators' rights, Sim is best known as the creator of Cerebus the Aardvark, a comic book published from 1977 to 2004, which chronicles its main character in a 6,000-page self-contained... had the idea of creating a 300 issue series (and make sure that this was the fixed number of issues). As well as being the first official limited series, it is also the longest limited series of all time (in terms of both number of issues and time span), spanning 300 issues released from December, 1977 to March, 2004. |
| World of Krypton | DC DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner... |
1979 | 3 | Originally scheduled for Showcase #104-106 to coincide with the premiere of Superman: The Movie. The storyline was rescheduled for Showcase #110-112, but by then Showcase had been cancelled. |
| The Untold Legend of the Batman The Untold Legend of the Batman The Untold Legend of the Batman is a three-issue Batman comic book miniseries published by DC Comics in 1980. It was written by Len Wein, and drawn by Jim Aparo and on the first issue, also John Byrne. The primary plot elements of the story are retellings of the origins of several Batman characters... |
DC | 1980 | 3 | First miniseries created especially for the format. |
| Tales of the Green Lantern Corps | DC | 1981 | 3 | |
| Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes | DC | 1981 | 3 | Detailed the origins of each member of the Legion of Super-Heroes Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino.... ; revealed that R. J. Brande R. J. Brande Rene Jacques "R. J." Brande is a fictional DC Comics character in the 30th and 31st centuries with the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Pre-Crisis:Originally a Durlan named Ren Daggle, Brande was frozen in human form by the deadly Yorggian fever... is Chameleon Boy's biological father |
| Camelot 3000 Camelot 3000 Camelot 3000 is an American twelve-issue comic book limited series written by Mike W. Barr and penciled by Brian Bolland. It was published by DC Comics from 1982 to 1985 as one of its first direct market projects, and as its first maxi-series.-Plot:... |
DC | 1982 | 12 | First "maxi-series" |
| Contest of Champions Contest of Champions Contest of Champions is a three-issue comic book limited series published from June to August 1982 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Mark Gruenwald with art by John Romita, Jr. and Bob Layton.-Publication history:... |
Marvel Marvel Comics Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media... |
1982 | 3 | Marvel's first limited series |
| Green Arrow Green Arrow Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City... |
DC | 1983 | 4 | |
| Ronin | DC | 1983 | 6 | Comics icon Frank Miller Frank Miller (comics) Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300... 's first solo series. |
| Secret Wars Secret Wars Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is a twelve-issue comic book crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton... |
Marvel | 1984 | 12 | A major Marvel Marvel Comics Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media... crossover series. |
| Secret Wars II Secret Wars II Secret Wars II is a nine-issue comic book limited series and crossover published from 1985 to 1986 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Marvel's then Editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and primarily pencilled by Al Milgrom.... |
Marvel | 1985 | 9 | Arriving at about the same time, Secret Wars II and Crisis on Infinite Earths introduced the idea of limited series as company-wide crossover events. |
| Crisis on Infinite Earths Crisis on Infinite Earths Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity... |
DC | 1985 | 12 | A pivotal series that re-shaped the entire DC Universe DC Universe The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity... . |
| Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a four-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Frank Miller, originally published by DC Comics under the title Batman: The Dark Knight in 1986. When the issues were released in a collected edition later that year, the story title for the first issue... |
DC | 1986 | 4 | First use of the "prestige format Prestige format Prestige format is a term coined by DC Comics and later came into wider use to refer to a square-bound comic book with cardstock covers. A prestige format comic book is usually longer than a normal, stapled 32-page comic... " |
| Watchmen Watchmen Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form... |
DC | 1986 | 12 | One of Alan Moore's Alan Moore Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell... highly praised comic limited series', recently adapted into a film Watchmen (film) Watchmen is a 2009 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder and starring Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. It is an adaptation of the comic book of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons... . The series won the Eisner Award Eisner Award The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the... for "Best Finite Series" in 1988. |
| The Shadow The Shadow The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"... |
DC | 1987 | 4 | |
| Hawkworld Hawkworld Hawkworld is a comic book series that was published by DC Comics. The initial story line was published as a three-issue mini-series and then, based on the high sales and interest level generated by this limited series, launched as an ongoing monthly book... |
DC | 1989 | 3 | |
| From Hell From Hell From Hell is a comic book series by writer Alan Moore and artist Eddie Campbell, originally published from 1991 to 1996, speculating upon the identity and motives of Jack the Ripper. The title is taken from the first words of the "From Hell" letter, which some authorities believe was an authentic... |
Kitchen Sink Press Kitchen Sink Press Kitchen Sink Press was a comic book publishing company founded by Denis Kitchen in 1970. Kitchen owned and operated Kitchen Sink Press until 1999. Kitchen Sink Press was a pioneering publisher of underground comics, and was also responsible for numerous republications of classic comic strips in... |
1991 | 10 | |
| Bone Bone (comics) Bone is an independently published graphic novel series originally serialized in 55 irregularly released issues from 1991 to 2004. Bone was drawn and written by Jeff Smith.... |
Cartoon Books, Image Comics Image Comics Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains... |
1991 | 55 | |
| Sin City: The Hard Goodbye The Hard Goodbye "The Hard Goodbye" is the first Sin City story. It was serialised, as "Sin City," in the comics anthology Dark Horse Presents by Dark Horse Comics and named "The Hard Goodbye" in the trade paperbacks... |
Dark Horse Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book... |
1991 | 13 | The first "yarn" of Frank Miller Frank Miller (comics) Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300... 's iconic Sin City comic series, released in thirteen parts as part of the anthology comic book Dark Horse Presents Dark Horse Presents Dark Horse Presents was the first comic book published by Dark Horse Comics in 1986 and was their flagship title until its September 2000 cancellation. The second incarnation was published on MySpace, running from July 2007 until August 2010... . |
| Hellboy: Seed of Destruction Hellboy: Seed of Destruction Hellboy: Seed of Destruction is the first Hellboy comic book mini-series, published by Dark Horse Comics. It was conceived and illustrated by Mike Mignola and scripted by John Byrne.This was, in part, the basis for the first Hellboy motion picture.... |
Dark Horse | 1994 | 4 | The first solo series for hit character Hellboy Hellboy Hellboy is a comic book superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 , and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers... . |
| Marvels Marvels Marvels is a four-issue comic book limited series written by Kurt Busiek, painted by Alex Ross and edited by Marcus McLaurin, and published by Marvel Comics in 1994.... |
Marvel | 1994 | 4 | Kurt Busiek Kurt Busiek Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:... and Alex Ross Alex Ross Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross is an American comic book painter, illustrator, and plotter. He is praised for his realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. Since the 1990s he has done work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an... burst on the scene. The series won the Eisner Award for Best Limited Series in 1994. |
| Kingdom Come Kingdom Come (comics) Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea... |
DC | 1996 | 4 | The series won the Eisner Award for Best Limited Series in 1997. |
| Marvel vs. DC | Marvel/DC | 1996 | 4 | |
| 300 | Dark Horse | 1998 | 5 | |
| JLA/Avengers JLA/Avengers JLA/Avengers is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to May 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, with art by George Pérez... |
DC/Marvel | 2003 | 4 | Culmination of idea first hatched in 1979 1979 in comics -Year overall:* The "Demon in a Bottle" storyline, by David Michelinie, Bob Layton, and John Romita, Jr., runs through Iron Man .... . |
| Identity Crisis | DC | 2004 | 7 | |
| Infinite Crisis Infinite Crisis Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books... |
DC | 2005 | 7 | |
| Marvel Zombies Marvel Zombies Marvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the Marvel Zombies series of related stories... |
Marvel | 2005 | 5 | |
| House of M House of M House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled... |
Marvel | 2005–2006 | 8 | |
| 52 52 (comics) 52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen... |
DC | 2006–2007 | 52 | Weekly series lasting for one year, with events detailed in real time. Follows Infinite Crisis. |
| Civil War Civil War (comics) Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time... |
Marvel | 2006–2007 | 7 | |
| Countdown to Final Crisis Countdown to Final Crisis Countdown, known as Countdown to Final Crisis for its last 24 issues based on the cover, was a comic book limited series published by DC Comics. It debuted on May 9, 2007, directly following the conclusion of the last issue of 52... |
DC | 2007–2008 | 51 | Weekly series lasting one year, events detailed in real time. Titled "Countdown" for its first 19 issues. Numbered in reverse. Follows 52. |
| The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite is the first comic book limited series of The Umbrella Academy. The series ran for six issues from September 2007 to February 2008. James Jean provided cover art for this series only... |
Dark Horse | 2007 | 6 | The series was written by singer Gerard Way Gerard Way Gerard Arthur Way is an American musician and comic book writer who has served as lead vocalist and co-founder of the band My Chemical Romance since its formation in 2001... of My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock... , who teamed up with critically acclaimed Brazilian comic artist Gabriel Bá Gabriel Bá Gabriel Bá is a Brazilian comic book artist best known for his work on The Umbrella Academy and Casanova... . It also won the Eisner Award for "Best Limited Series" in 2008. |
| Secret Invasion Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008.... |
Marvel | 2008 | 8 | |
| Blackest Night | DC | 2009 | 8 | |
| Brightest Day Brightest Day Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:... |
DC | 2010-2011 | 24 | The follow-up to Blackest Night. |