One-Shot

In American comics a one-shot is a single issue that stands alone — a special, an anniversary story, a character spotlight, or a tie-in to a larger event. It has a beginning, middle and end within its pages.

In manga

Japanese magazines publish one-shots (yomikiri, "read to the end") constantly. New creators use them to try out characters and ideas, and magazines use reader surveys to decide which deserve a full serialization. Several famous series exist as a one-shot first and a long series second, and creators' early one-shots are often collected in short-story volumes.

On the shelf

Because they are short, one-shots usually reach bookshops inside anthologies or a creator's short-story collection rather than on their own.

One-shots in American comics

American publishers use one-shots for anniversary specials, holiday issues, stories set between arcs and introductions to new characters. Collected editions often include relevant one-shots alongside the series issues, listed in the contents.

Short-story collections

For manga creators, collections of one-shots show their range across genres and periods, and often include the pilot chapter that led to their famous series. They are a good introduction to a creator's style without the commitment of a long series.

A collection of a manga creator's one-shots is a good way to sample their range before committing to a long series.