Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-27849105-20160222191612

Hello I'm new to comics and was wondering how new releases work. For example this year, there have been a lot of new comics that are starting with issue #1. Do they usually retell the hero's story? Or is there some sort of continuation? If I'm new to a certain character, can I read their issue #1 comic even though it's vol. 4?

Also when do they decide to start a new volume? Do they always do it at the start of a new year? Since most of the marvel comics released in Jan 2016 were issue #1.

Sorry just trying to figure out how things work chronologically in the comic universe! Thanks! 