$5.00 Comics! Sorry I'm Out!

[Mikekerr3]

The thing that irritates me about the debate is how many people want cheaper comics but flip out about a few ad pages. I'm willing to have a few ads in the periodicals if it keeps costs down. If you want the ad free version, buy the trade.

I don't think there are any comics left that sell enough copies that adds would make a difference, at least not by the big two

Advertising dollars usually go to mass-media and Comics are not longer that

[GhostPirateX]

With this economy is was only a matter of time for the price increase.
I don't have an issue with physical copy price increases.
But if they continue to price digital copies the same I will have a problem with that.

[Brave Sir Robin]

Meanwhile elsewhere struggling webcomics artist and writers are creating original content practically for free.

I don't know how much my favorite web comics artists make, but they do make a go of it. I think that they make most of their money merchandising and selling books of their work. I have many books and pieces of art from my two favorite web comic artists.

Right now in my office, I am gazing at four printed panels from Scary Go Round.

[Den]

I find myself dropping a lot of my $3.99s, so $5.99s are right out

[Brave Sir Robin]

The thing that irritates me about the debate is how many people want cheaper comics but flip out about a few ad pages. I'm willing to have a few ads in the periodicals if it keeps costs down. If you want the ad free version, buy the trade.

I want more ad pages! as long as they are the ones from my youth... So if I am reading my digital copy of Saga, I won't mind if there are ads for Sea Monkeys, X-ray glasses, Charles Atlas, various sporting goods.. I think the problem with ads for the advertisers are that the market is too small and fragmented to make it a good buy.

[doodledude]

There is nothing wrong with the economy.If wages had risen like everything else you could afford a $5.99 comic.Wages for Americans compared to production and inflation are completely out of wack!That's what your asses get for voting Republican.It's as simple as that.

[bert]

I find myself dropping a lot of my $3.99s, so $5.99s are right out

agreed.

I don't buy a lot of DC, and almost no Marvel. . but I still spend upwards of $200 a month (and that's WITH heavy discount, and free shipping -- that sometimes costs my shop over $30).

I buy a lot of independents, and Dark Horse/Image seem to have nailed my sweet spot with multiple titles at $3.50. . which I don't mind paying.

but the books from Avatar, Boom, and other companies that are $3.99 or higher (including several from Image & Dark Horse)? I only get one or two per month, despite liking the concepts on a lot of their books.

[md62]

2015 will be my last year to buy NEW books. Yes price is a factor but for me I have gotten tired of the endless recycled ideas of my favorite series.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

10/12cents kid

Same with me! Ahh! The good old days!

[Taral-DLOS]

I don't think there are any comics left that sell enough copies that adds would make a difference, at least not by the big two

Advertising dollars usually go to mass-media and Comics are not longer that

I don't think that's correct. There are ads in comics, so they must be worth something. Maybe not a lot, but if ad revenue was trivial then it's cheaper to sell the book with fewer pieces of paper in it.

I wish they went back to putting all ads on one sheet though. I'm considering doing some binding work, and my older books tend to have ads on one sheet that could be excised, but recently all of my books have ads on one side and content on the other.

[cranger]

I don't think that's correct. There are ads in comics, so they must be worth something. Maybe not a lot, but if ad revenue was trivial then it's cheaper to sell the book with fewer pieces of paper in it.

I think Marvel did this already. A lot of their books switched to self-covers which basically lowers the page count by 4 if the cover is now part of the 32 page printing. I do not read Marvel anymore so maybe someone can confirm if the 'flimsy cover' issues have 32 pages including the cover or if the self-cover is still separate from that count.

Regardless, I think there is a reason they stick to 32 pages but it has to do with how the sheets are printed and cut and folded which makes 32 still the ideal page count even if they revenue from printing ads does not actually cover the cost of printing them.

[GOLGO 13]

When porn becomes cheaper than comics then are through the looking glass.

[Brave Sir Robin]

I wonder how much of the price increase pushes people into digital. I already have droppend all my digital subscriptions and just place the interesting books on my wish list. When the price drops, I buy them.

Then, if I really like a book and it holds up, I get the trades. Most books I buy are $1.99 and I also get sale books at $.99. I hardly ever buy one new at full price.

I hardly ever buy trades from the LCS, including trades. They are almost always cheaper on Amazon, even with the LCS discount. I typically try to support local businesses but the comic market, to me, is inherently flawed and the digital has so many positives. It is either go digital or drastically drop my buying.

[Joker]

I don't buy too many comics these days as $4 adds up pretty fast, and that's just more money than I have to spend on comics. I don't mind spending a little more on creator owned books, but if prices keep climbing, I'll be dropping almost everything in favor of the rare collected edition here and there.

I won't say the creators aren't worth the price increase so they can make a living, but it slips out of range for me. The cost to value ratio doesn't end up working out for me much higher than $3-4.

[Batavenger]

On free comic book day thousands of comics were given away, Even reprinted material has been on sale for a dollar! How can a company justify such a price jump.Both DC and Marvels top books are priced higher than, say their standard books. There is no difference in page count it's just GREED,GREED,GREED.