Comic prices!

Rico · March 26, 2008, 05:57:03 AM

I little rant from me. I've bought and read comics for a long time. While I know everything seems to be skyrocketing in price lately, comic pricing seems to be getting out of hand. Many comics are $2.99 now - some are more. That's quite expensive for about a 10 minute read. I love comics, I love the art, the stories, etc. But these prices are killing me. I probably spend $15 on average per week. And with gas costs, and everything else this is starting to bug me. I'm really thinking of cutting back a lot on which issues I buy. It's too bad because the writing, art, etc. in a lot of books is very good right now. I almost wish I could pay a fee and read the current stuff online. Marvel is starting this a little, but it's for older books mainly. I really think the big guys like Marvel & DC are hurting themselves by these high prices and driving a lot of customers away - especially the young kids who they need to get reading comics so they will as they grow up. I hardly ever see little kids in the comic shops anymore. They can't afford to buy them without having a job!

Anyway, what do you guys think?

Ktrek · March 26, 2008, 07:52:33 AM

I have not bought any comics in a long time and price has been and is an obstacle for me. I had wanted to collect the new IDW Star Trek line but I decided to just wait for the graphic novels to be released. They are more permanent and better quality paper anyway. I just don't get to read the stories as quickly is all.

Kevin

Rico · March 26, 2008, 07:59:18 AM

Yeah, I think a lot of people do things that way nowadays. Wait for the trade paperbacks. I'm probably heading in that direction for some titles. There are still some books I like getting each month when they come out. Just going to have to tweak my buying list.

jedijeff · March 26, 2008, 08:42:15 AM

I found that I like the Trade paperbacks as well. I found following certain comic series to be difficult, as the releases were not regular, and in some instances they would release a few in a short time, and I would fall behind. I guess with some of the series I was following, Such as Star Wars Dark Times, it just got to confusing for me when they would come out. I could not imagine following multiple series, as keeping up with the release schedules could be a full time job. I agree with Kevin, the Trade Paperbacks/Graphic Novels seem to be of better quality.

Geekyfanboy · March 26, 2008, 11:30:16 AM

Yeah price have gone up since I use to collect a bunch of different titles. I mainly get anything Star Trek, Firefly/Serenity, Buffy or Angel. But I agree sometimes it's hard to find the books each month.. I haven't done Trades but I might go that route..

Rico · March 26, 2008, 11:40:31 AM

Went out to lunch and picked up my comics for this week. Spent $19.60! Two new Trek comics this week. But I did drop getting the World of Warcraft comic. It hasn't been that good.

Dan M · March 26, 2008, 02:16:00 PM

I order my comics online and get them shipped to me each month. (I use scifigenre.com.)

Still, comics are too expensive for the amount of entertainment you get from them. Should 4 or 5 comics cost the same as DVD? I don't think so.

I'd definitely pay to view (and save) my comics in an online format. Storing comics is also a burden, so electronic versions would have that benefit for me.

Rico's right that the high prices are driving away the next generation of potential comics fans and buyers. The industry needs to rethink its distribution methods, because it can't survive the way things are going.

Meds · March 26, 2008, 02:37:54 PM

Great rant Rico. I'm shocked by prices. I started collecting the Supergirl comics (i tend to buy any number 1 and if i like it I'll give it a go) but in England once you buy them and get it posted to you that will cost £3, which is about $5.90. Ridiculous price. Mind you i got 100 superman comics for around £41 including P&P. Which ends up to being around $81 so that would be 81 cents for a comic which i think would be a good standard price.

Blackride · March 26, 2008, 03:09:04 PM

I think they are a bit high also. I think this is due to the quality of both the art,stories and physical paper that they are printed on. The standards have gone way up imo which costs more money.

I myself am also a Baseball and Football card collector and it's even worse. You can easily pay upwards of $500 - $1000 per box. I know for a fact that the card industry sees the market as 30+ year old collectors and not kids anymore. Maybe the comic industry feels the same way.

Just some my thoughts on this...

GeekyWhiteGuy · March 26, 2008, 03:15:56 PM

I actually had to stop buying comics a few years ago because my wife stopped working and started going to Nursing school. One paycheck and paying for comics don't mix.

>:(

Rico · March 26, 2008, 03:18:28 PM

Quote from: Blackride on March 26, 2008, 03:09:04 PM
I think they are a bit high also. I think this is due to the quality of both the art,stories and physical paper that they are printed on. The standards have gone way up imo which costs more money.

I myself am also a Baseball and Football card collector and it's even worse. You can easily pay upwards of $500 - $1000 per box. I know for a fact that the card industry sees the market as 30+ year old collectors and not kids anymore. Maybe the comic industry feels the same way.

Just some my thoughts on this...

Yeah, I know what you mean. But the only way to get more 30+ year old buyers is to grab them when they are young. I actually started reading comics regularly pretty late in high school. Which is probably a lot older than the way it used to be. Got to hook them when they are young.

Blackride · March 26, 2008, 05:23:09 PM

Quote from: Rico on March 26, 2008, 03:18:28 PM
Yeah, I know what you mean. But the only way to get more 30+ year old buyers is to grab them when they are young. I actually started reading comics regularly pretty late in high school. Which is probably a lot older than the way it used to be. Got to hook them when they are young.

I did the same thing. The McFarlane Spiderman comics came out and we started buying them like crazy. I don't really like how they are producing Spiderman so often now. I don't think they need to do it that much....

Ricardocameron · March 26, 2008, 05:31:34 PM

I agree...miss a few issues NOW, and you're way behind... and $3 an issue, 3x a month... they're just missing one more '3'! :D

Heck, i buy books for my kids too....sheesh!

Roman · April 20, 2008, 06:44:46 PM

When I started buying comics they were 60 cents. Yea just told my age lol but yea prices are just to high. If I was a kid no way could I afford them. I only buy one comic a month now so not to bad for me.

X · April 20, 2008, 09:27:31 PM

I know people that get their comics from DCB Service and it's up to a 40% discount. That adds up for the a big savings for the amount of stuff I buy.