X-Men and Alpha Flight publication question...

[JephYork]

I've just run into something odd about the publication dates of the X-Men and Alpha Flight limited series.

I don't own the original comics -- but according to the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators, as well as scans of the front covers, these issues are cover-dated Dec 1985 and Jan 1986.

Trouble is, this miniseries was given a sequel -- in New Mutants Special Edition #1 and X-Men Annual #9. Both are only dated by year ("1985") in both cases, but they apparently came out immediately prior to, or concurrently with, Uncanny X-Men #200. Which was cover-dated December 1985.

It can't possibly be right that the X/AF series came out AT THE SAME TIME as its own sequel, can it?

Does anyone know what the deal is here? Did they post-date the covers more than the standard 2-3 months, for some reason? Did they really flood the market with all four Asgard issues at once? Or, maybe, is my info off by a solid year, and the original issues came out in Dec 1984 and Jan 1985?

Any insight would be appreciated ... thanks!

-Jeph!

[Peter Fabricius]

The cover dates for the X-Men / Alpha Flight mini are correct, and I don't remember them being published outside of the normal timeframe. (Yes I did buy them when they were originally published)

New Mutants Special Edition was published during the same month as X/AF #1, and X-Men Annual #9 in the same month as X/AF #2.

Yes they did flood the market.

[JephYork]

WOW that's strange! Thanks, Peter.

-Jeph!