Can we all agree that comics prices are getting ridiculous?

[Prince Disarming]

It appears that a lot of comics are moving from the $3.99 price to a $4.99 price. That is just ridiculous to me. It is very clear that Marvel and DC are just getting greedy and not only does that suck for the consumers of their product but it doesn't bode well for the future of the medium. By putting the prices so high it seems like The Big Two are no longer really trying at all to get new readers, but instead are determined to squeeze as much cash out of their existing fans as possible. What new fan is going to want to drop $5.00 for a booklet they can read in 15 minutes or under? What kids are going to have enough cash to get into comics if prices keep rising like this? And how many people are going to have to cut back on their pull list with prices rising?

[Kid A]

Getting ridiculous?

All companies are greedy. DC and Marvel just happen to have almost all of the power in this market (though that's changing recently), so they can charge as high as they want, and going by sales, people are somehow willing to spend that much to get their fix of their favorite characters.

The other problem is that Diamond has a monopoly on comic book distribution, so the direct market is never going to reach out to new readers.

[Pharozonk]

What's ridiculous is that people are actually willing to pay such prices for comics.

[lancerman]

This is why I trade wait or had to go digital (though I was against it forever). How anyone can justify spending $4 or $5 on a 20 to 30 page comic that you'll finish in a little over 5 minutes and probably never read again is beyond me.

[byrd156]

What's ridiculous is that people are actually willing to pay such prices for comics.

Especially for the current stuff coming out.

[Biff Pow!]

I don't think the aging, shrinking base of hardcore, completist fans can support this business model much longer. At this point, pretty much any change will be for the better.

[doctormistermaster]

As a university student I have been driven to trades due to the high price point. I have yet to go digital but I expect it to happen at some point in the near future.

[MykeHavoc]

Well it would seem the majority of books at the 5 dollar price point either come with a digital copy or are oversized. Plus if you buy in bulk, most places give a discount. But I trade wait or do digital anyway. Never got into floppies unless they are dirt cheap or large collected arcs that are unavailable in trade.

[Dutch]

I live in a rural area with the closest comic shop not always having the newest issues. This forces me to order most of my stuff online and I can get a decent discount, so the $4 price point isn't that big of an issue...for now. If the titles I like all move to $5 each then I'll definitely cut back to just a select few.

Also, can someone explain what "trade wait" means? I googled that term but couldn't find anything.

[Pharozonk]

I live in a rural area with the closest comic shop not always having the newest issues. This forces me to order most of my stuff online and I can get a decent discount, so the $4 price point isn't that big of an issue...for now. If the titles I like all move to $5 each then I'll definitely cut back to just a select few.

Also, can someone explain what "trade wait" means? I googled that term but couldn't find anything.

It means you wait for a storyline in a series you're following to be collected in a trade

[Dutch]

It means you wait for a storyline in a series you're following to be collected in a trade

Derp. Should have figured that out, it makes perfect sense. Thanks for the explanation, Pharozonk.

[bert]

I buy a lot.. but not too many $3.99 books. Luckily, as i buy almost no Marvel (a crime book by Oeming), and very few DC (as in 2 or less). .the majority of the Image, Dark Horse, etc. . are less than $3.

however, I have cut back on my BOOM and IDW (and Avatar) as those all tend to be $3.99, and even with my good discount, and free shipping, it adds up.

[Don C]

It appears that a lot of comics are moving from the $3.99 price to a $4.99 price.

Aside from one vague comment by Rich Johnson, I haven't seen any evidence that companies are trying to--or planning to--raise their prices to $4.99.

[Cometman]

I thought $4 was to high. Given the minimal content of todays comics I would never pay $5. Not a huge deal for me because most of my reading and collecting is 90's books and earlier. Only reading one current book now (Punisher) because everything else sucks. No matter there is decades of vintage stuff I haven't read. If you don't like todays prices pick up those current titles a year from now and pay half the price.

[Prince Disarming]

Aside from one vague comment by Rich Johnson, I haven't seen any evidence that companies are trying to--or planning to--raise their prices to $4.99.

Marvel has a bunch coming out in September.