Steven Universe Comics: Where do I start???

Have you ever thought about checking out the Steven Universe comics from the beginning and can’t figure out where to start...

Because there are literally dozens of things labeled “#1”?

In this post I will outline for you what comics exist, which #1 issues belong to what series, and where you should start.

FIRST OF ALL:

Steven Universe comics generally don’t require that you read them in any specific order.

So any #1 is a fine place to start reading and it won’t ruin any enjoyment for you.

That said?

There IS an order that these things came out, and I can explain it to you. Please scroll down for an exhaustive explanation of what’s what–including several individual comic series, the trade paperback collections with rereleased content, the original graphic novels, and the standalone comic issues.

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Steven Universe Original Comic Series

• 8 issues total

• Ran from 2014–2015

• Generally retailed at $3.99 USD

• Completed

These original comics were lovely little one-shots–several stories in each paper issue. Only one story had a “to be continued” and finished in the next issue; they’re almost entirely self-contained. Some are one-page art inserts or two- or four-page shorts, with a main story or two.

The above image depicts the main cover art for #1 covers you may see include art by Andrea Fernandez, Coleman Engle, Matt Cummings, Steven Sugar, or Grace Kraft. They look like this:

And you shouldn’t come across these other ones because they’re ridiculously rare, but if you do find the Amber Rogers or Rebecca Sugar covers, please know you have found an Original Comic #1. (And then me immediately because I have been trying to buy them and having no luck.)

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Original Comics Trade Paperback

• Contains 4 Original Comics issues + cover gallery & bonus content

• Published 2015

• Generally retailed at $14.99 USD

• Volume 1 of 2

To make things more complicated, most comic series that come out in individual issues will later be released in trade paperback editions–for this series, it’ll be the first four issues combined into one sturdier, thicker book, and you’ll also see that labeled #1 or Volume 1.

If you see this one and it is listed online as a trade paperback (and is selling for more than you think a comic book would), it is probably a compilation of Original Comic 1–4.

It features the same cover art as individual #1′s main cover art, by Bridget Underwood. You may see Volume 1 referred to as “Believe In Steven,” with Volume 2 listed as “Keep Beach City Weird.”

You can get all of the content from the individual issues by buying the trade paperbacks, plus both the trade paperbacks for the Original Comics have bonus content (a cover gallery and extra stories that aren’t individually released anywhere). Be careful not to mix these up with Volumes 1 and 2 of the later Ongoing Comics (discussed below).

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Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems Comic Series

• 4 issues total

• Ran in 2016

• Generally retailed at $3.99 USD

• Completed

This series is a complete arc featuring the Gems investigating the mystery of the Glass Ghost. It’s a continuing story that culminates in the last issue.

The main cover #1 of the same content–first in the four-part series Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems. The artists are Allison Strejlau, Missy Peña, Sam Davies, Jeremy Sorese, Josceline Fenton, Steven Sugar, and Amber Rogers.

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Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems Comics Trade Paperback

• Contains 4 Original Comics issues + cover gallery

• Published 2016

• Generally retailed at $14.99 USD

• Complete in 1 volume

Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems’ trade paperback is generally labeled without a number, but some sites may still label it “Volume 1″ even though there is no Volume 2. You can get the complete story buying the trade paperback. Kat Leyh’s cover art from issue #3 is on the front cover of this collection.

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Steven Universe Ongoing Comics

• 25+ issues

• Began in 2017

• Generally retailed at $3.99 USD

• Ongoing

This series has one complete story in each paper issue, but the issues don’t connect to each other and can be read in any order (with the exception of an ongoing connected story that began in issue 25, but is going back to individual stories after that completes).

The main cover #1 of the same content. The artists are Missy Peña, Rian Sygh, and Jenn St-Onge.

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Ongoing Comics Trade Paperback

• Contains 4 Ongoing Comics issues + cover gallery

• Published 2017

• Generally retailed at $14.99 USD

• Volume 1 of ?? (Ongoing)

Well this is awkward. You may see either of these covers and they are the same thing. “Volume One” may be on your cover and the spine, and/or it may say “Warp Tour”–a title they gave to Volume One apparently. (If you want to know how the Ongoing Comics work in subsequent trade paperbacks, please know that Volume Two containing 5–8 is “Punching Up”; Volume Three containing 9–12 is “Field Researching”; Volume Four containing 13–16 is “Just Right”; and Volume Five containing 17–20 is “Find a Way.”) The cover art for this volume is Missy Peña’s art for Ongoing Comic #1.

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Steven Universe Harmony Comics

• 5 issues total

• Ran in 2018

• Generally retailed at $3.99 USD

• Completed

Steven Universe: Harmony is a complete arc featuring the Gems investigating the mystery of the Harmony Core, balanced with Sadie Miller’s new life as a musician.

It’s a continuing story that culminates in the last issue. The main cover #1 of the same content–first in the five-part series Steven Universe: Harmony. The artists are Savanna Ganucheau, Veronica Fish, Brittney Williams, and Sara Talmadge.

Harmony also has a trade paperback similar to Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems in that it will be all in one volume and will not be numbered #1 or Volume 1.

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One-Shot Comic: Greg Universe Special

• 1 issue total

• Published in 2015

• Generally retailed at $4.99 USD

• One-Shot

Surprise! Steven Universe: Greg Universe Special is labeled #2. It features lovely sentimental stories by various artists about Greg Universe, Steven’s wonderful dad. The above main cover is by Ru Xu. You likely will NOT come across this variant of the Greg Universe Special by Fellipe Martins:

…But if you do see it, for the love of god buy it and let me pay you a bunch of money for it.

Anyway, it’s a variant of the above and it contains the same stories.

This is self-contained and the stories in it DO NOT APPEAR in any Trade Paperback. It’s widely considered part of the 2014–2015 original series, but it isn’t included in those trade paperbacks at all, so you have to find the single issue to read it. It’s a standalone.

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One-Shot Comic: 2016 Special

• 1 issue total

• Published in 2016

• Generally retailed at $7.99 USD

• One-Shot

Another surprise! Steven Universe: 2016 Special, also known as the Big Donut Special, is also labeled #2. It features a bunch of stories that center around the Big Donut and its employees Sadie and Lars. The above main cover is by Ayme Sotuyo. You may also see these variants by Missy Peña and Katie Jones:

These two are variants of the above and they contain the same stories. Again, this is self-contained and the stories in it DO NOT APPEAR in any Trade Paperback. You have to find the single issue to read it–it’s a standalone.

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One-Shot Comic: Fusion Frenzy

• 1 issue total

• Published in 2019

• Generally retailed at $7.99 USD

• One-Shot

Steven Universe: Fusion Frenzy is another comic labeled #2. It features five stories, each by a different artist/author combo, about a different Fusion (Stevonnie, Garnet, Smoky Quartz, Opal, Sugilite).

The above main cover is by Nathalie Fourdraine. It actually connects with one of its variants (also by Nathalie Fourdraine) to make a full picture, and there are two more covers (by Abigail L. Dela Cruz and Alexandra Lillie).

These, like the other one-shots, are variants of the above and they contain the same stories. Again, this is self-contained and the stories in it DO NOT APPEAR in any Trade Paperback. You have to find the single issue to read it–it’s a standalone.

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Original Graphic Novels

• Individual Novels

• First one published in 2016

• Generally retailed at $14.99 USD

• Each is a One-Shot

As if this wasn’t confusing enough with all these comic issues and variant covers and trade paperback versions of them, there are also original graphic novels!

These are trade paperbacks that are complete in the large graphic novel form and were not previously individually released. They’re legit graphic novels, and though the released (and announced) volumes are not connected to each other story-wise, they are being labeled Original Graphic Novel 1, 2, 3, and so on.

The Original Graphic Novel #4 is Camp Pining Play.)

Too Cool for School is about Steven trying to go to school with Connie for the first time. It has a second short story at the end about Vidalia having a yard sale. Its cover art is by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell and there are no variants.

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Things that are not comics

You may run into the soundtrack, the show itself, minisodes of the show, or the coloring book. (If you want the coloring book, though, it’s awesome. Just make sure you get the licensed one. People sell a lot of compilations that are edited screenshots and fanart, and they pretend they’re official coloring books. They are not.)

Keep in mind also there are books–they tend not to have numbers on them, but if you see books such as The Answer, Guide to the Crystal Gems, Quest for Gem Magic, Steven Universe Mad Libs, What in the Universe?, Live from Beach City!, Best Buds Together Fun, Postcard Power!, Keep Beach City Weird!, Make Art! (On Purpose), Steven Universe: Art and Origins, Lion: Mane of Mystery, Fusion for Beginners and Experts, or the Steven Universe Sketchbook–these are standalone storybooks, insight books, or activity books for the series.

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If you are a person attempting to purchase print media as a gift and just want a quick and dirty suggestion for what to buy:

Buy the graphic novels and the trade paperback compilations. Only die-hards will need every scrap of material, so it’s okay if you can’t find the Greg Universe Special or Big Donut Special. My recommendations:

• Buying ONE ITEM for a comics fan? Get Warp Tour.

• Buying TWO ITEMS for a comics fan? Get Warp Tour and Punching Up.

• Buying a GROUP OF ITEMS for a comics fan? Just get them all the trade paperbacks, starting with Volume 1 (”Believe in Steven”).

• Buying ONE ITEM for a fan of the show, and don’t know if they’re into comics? Consider Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems trade paperback, Anti-Gravity, or The Ultimate Dough-Down–they’re more like books–or you can actually get a regular book. Keep Beach City Weird is funny for any age and Steven Universe: Art and Origins is cool for deep diggers and older fans.

• Buying INDIVIDUAL ISSUES? Absolutely recommend all of the one-shots–the Greg Universe Special, 2016 Special, and Fusion Frenzy. Try to scoop up the first few of the ongoing series OR, if the person’s experienced with comics, try the original series or Harmony.

• Buying stuff for a completist">#1 on eBay or KaBoom’s site. Open your wallet and cry.

Feel free to read my reviews of every piece of media in the franchise if that will help you.

:heart: 🤓