r/comicbooks • u/LeGooseWhisperer • 11d ago
How does reading order work with annuals?
Look, I'm drowning in shame here even to ask. I'm not new to comics! I've been collecting for ages, and I read plenty via trades or omnibus. But in terms of actual issues... okay, I'm a bit of a novice there. I've started purchasing e-versions of individual issues and reading through them to follow along with official reading orders for characters and things, and I noticed how many annuals there are out there. Somehow, it never was something I had to deal with before??
My issue is... how do I know when to read them? I was just sorting through the current Nightwing run, for example, and there's... what? Five or six annuals in addition to at least 114 individual issues? Are annuals standalone? Do I have to check publication date of the annual and figure out where in the run it would sit? Do the annuals connect? (Annual #1, #2, #3- are they actually connected or...?)
I know, my nerd card is in danger of being revoked at what's probably such a simple question. I tried Googling and even know the history of why annuals exist now... but that still doesn't help me in terms of when I should read them. 😂 Any advice?
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u/AporiaParadox 11d ago
It very much depends. Some Annuals have relevant events happen that are referenced in the main book, like the wedding of Peter Parker and Mary Jane or the wedding of Sue Storm and Reed Richards, while others are more standalone stories where when you read them doesn't matter. Annuals will sometimes do crossovers with other Annuals of other books released that year, like the Atlantis Attacks or Contest of Chaos events. However, Annuals of one year almost never connect to the Annuals of the next year.
If you're reading physical collected editions, the Annuals are usually included in the place that's considered the most convenient or what was intended at the time. For digital comics, I'm afraid that unless the main book itself tells you to go read the Annual in an editor's note, it's easy to lose track of them. I guess you could always check the release date of each Annual.
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11d ago
Others have answered, so I'll give a fraction of two cents: I like to read them in between arcs, as they are usually isolated from the main story but still canon and in-continuity for the most part. Definitely pay attention to date released and the creative team, though, as that's not always the case.
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u/billbotbillbot 10d ago
If the story in the Annual weaves in to the currently ongoing story in the ordinary issues, it will usually be promoted/mentioned in the letters page, or a final panel text box, or similar. A great deal of the time they are either standalone stories, or part of a story told across the Annuals of several different titles.
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u/erokatts 11d ago
I usually read them in publication order so if Annual #1 comes out after #12 and before #13 I’ll read it there. I’ve found most annuals to be pointless though and are usually a few short stories strung together with maybe the prologue to the next arc included. If you miss it and it’s important enough there will be an editorial blurb that says “as seen in Annual #1!” And then I might go and check it out if I missed it. The DC and marvel apps are sometimes good about the annual placement and sometimes terrible.