Why are Marvel collected editions so much more expensive than DC?

[quinnzel]

The question I have is (and I do not intend this to be snide or condescending...I am truly wondering)...are you from America? Why I ask is because you used the word "allowed"; America is a capitalist country, where we (for the most part) do not have price controls, certainly not on the book market. If I have a comic book company and want to charge $10,000 an issue for a magazine, I can do that. No one might buy it, but no one will tell me I am not "allowed."

The reason Marvel's prices keep going up are really known to them, but my guess it has something to do with Disney; Disney has always charged higher prices for their merchandise (including their movies, which often do not appear under $30 even at discount stores like Walmart or Target), though I would concur with the folks below who have stated really we are the ones who set the prices by buying the merchandise. That is really how prices change - when people stop buying an item. If Marvel feels that the higher prices won't harm their sales, they will raise them. Simple as that.

lol Yes, I'm from California. I shouldn't have used the term "allowed", that wasn't really what I meant. As others said, what I really meant is why are we as consumers willing to support Marvel's outrageous prices and DC hasn't jumped on that band-wagon (for the most part, there's always exceptions and DC is far from perfect in terms of pricing)? This isn't to say I want DC to start over-charging to the degree that Marvel does, but I just don't understand why Marvel seems to have such little regard for consumers that they'll charge $17 for a 4-issue TPB mini-series where DC will charge $14.99 for 6-7 issues in the same format.

[Tony]

Marvel Zombies!

For real though I'm not sure why people buy such overpriced books. The books are terribly written where 1 story will take a year and the hit you 3 times terrible prices on the mini trades.

[jjsheridan1001]

lol Yes, I'm from California. I shouldn't have used the term "allowed", that wasn't really what I meant. As others said, what I really meant is why are we as consumers willing to support Marvel's outrageous prices and DC hasn't jumped on that band-wagon (for the most part, there's always exceptions and DC is far from perfect in terms of pricing)? This isn't to say I want DC to start over-charging to the degree that Marvel does, but I just don't understand why Marvel seems to have such little regard for consumers that they'll charge $17 for a 4-issue TPB mini-series where DC will charge $14.99 for 6-7 issues in the same format.

Lol fair enough. I was actually just reflecting the other night on how DC ha actually improved IMO. A lot of their paperback New 52 collections include 7 to 8 issues plus an annual or event book and only cost 16.99 instead of 14.99

But I think the easy answer to your question is, we are to blame. People talk about cutting back...well, obviously not enough are and tbh I don't think it's a matter of cutting back. I think platforms like Marvel Unlimited are so popular (and profitable) that a small drop in book sales doesn't make them feel threatened. Omnibuses have been an example of this. Fewer are selling? Just print fewer. The only consequence to us is they go out of print faster...but hey everything is online on Marvel Unlimited.

I think they only would feel it if titles like Avengers started dropping sales....and good luck finding enough fanboys concerned enough with this issue to do that. Cynical perhaps but true.

And whoever said the ones that suffer are the LCS are correct. I've bought thousands of books in the last four years and not one has been from my LCS