Marvel's random price spikes don't make it easy to try out new books.....

[klinton]

I don't understand complaints about the price of comics. It seems so bizarre to me.

It's a complete luxury, with no possible justification as any sort of need. Indulge in what you can/want to, and move along. There is legit nothing to be angsty about.

[William300]

You could always read digital comics, much cheaper.

[MindofShadow]

And if you wanted to just "try out" books anyway, there are.... cheaper.... ways to do that.

[MajorHoy]

I don't understand complaints about the price of comics. It seems so bizarre to me.

Eh, it's blowing off steam. Marvel's prices do seem inflated for the product they produce, so people get annoyed. We may not be aware of all the costs that go into producing those titles (staff costs, salaries/contracts with writers and artists, and what the hell do all those Editors and Assistant Associate Sub-Editors actually DO?!?), but we do know when are wallets get emptier and we don't always feels as fulfilled as we remember from when we were younger.

[Cloudman]

Looks like you've upset all of CBR's resident Marvel defenders, OP. How dare you voice a negative opinion!

But yes, you're correct, Marvel are slowly sabotaging themselves as the $4 price tag is killing less dependable books. This is why we have numerous Spider-titles, X-titles and Avengers-titles. Consumers don't want to spend $4 on something they know nothing about, so the big franchises win while smaller, riskier books suffer.

But that won't stop many people on this forum from piling on top of you and telling you not to complain about something that is clearly affecting you. Any critical thought about Marvel's business practices is to be discouraged.

[ian0delond]

Amazing Spider-Man #1 is 72 pages. I don't know what is going to be the amount of ads compare to a regular 32 pages in it but 6 dollars for a 72 pages for a floppy seems a really decent ratio.

It is an expensive issue but there is more in it than in a regular one.

[Cloudman]

Amazing Spider-Man #1 is 72 pages. I don't know what is going to be the amount of ads compare to a regular 32 pages in it but 6 dollars for a 72 pages for a floppy seems a really decent ratio.

It is an expensive issue but there is more in it than in a regular one.

One does have to question how much of that page-count will be filler. With most of the $4.99 Secret Wars tie-ins I've picked up, I've gotten the strong impression that the story could just as easily have been told within the regular amount of pages. Seems like Marvel is testing the water with these books, and will put the regular price up once they've established that they can get away with it.

[FanboyStranger]

Looks like you've upset all of CBR's resident Marvel defenders, OP. How dare you voice a negative opinion!

But yes, you're correct, Marvel are slowly sabotaging themselves as the $4 price tag is killing less dependable books. This is why we have numerous Spider-titles, X-titles and Avengers-titles. Consumers don't want to spend $4 on something they know nothing about, so the big franchises win while smaller, riskier books suffer.

But that won't stop many people on this forum from piling on top of you and telling you not to complain about something that is clearly affecting you. Any critical thought about Marvel's business practices is to be discouraged.

Well, speaking as someone who doesn't really care who publishes a book, my problem with these sort of threads is that the answer is staring everyone right in face: If you don't enjoy a book or feel it is overpriced, don't buy it! I don't see why someone needs a sign of solidarity from the forum to make what should be a very simple decision. Especially when the person in question only makes these kinds of threads every few weeks, but rarely contributes in any other way.

[RobinFan4880]

Get a subscription to Marvel Unlimited. 10 bucks a month gets you access to every new comic from 6 months ago plus 13,000 back issues.

[MajorHoy]

Looks like you've upset all of CBR's resident Marvel defenders, OP. How dare you voice a negative opinion!

But yes, you're correct, Marvel are slowly sabotaging themselves as the $4 price tag is killing less dependable books. This is why we have numerous Spider-titles, X-titles and Avengers-titles. Consumers don't want to spend $4 on something they know nothing about, so the big franchises win while smaller, riskier books suffer.

But that won't stop many people on this forum from piling on top of you and telling you not to complain about something that is clearly affecting you. Any critical thought about Marvel's business practices is to be discouraged.

You aren't paying attention to some of the arguments, are you?

The initial post had some silly / misguided ideas, like "If other companies can put out $2.99 books, why can't Marvel?" This sort of ignores the idea that other companies have different costs, AND the fact that enough fanboys have basically said it's okay if Marvel puts out more expensive comics since the comic book shops keep ordering many of those titles by the truckload.

It's one thing to say you're unhappy with the price Marvel is charging for a product, but it's not "stupid" from Marvel's standpoint if it works, and it is "stupid" if the person complaining about the higher prices keeps buying those books new from the comic book shop or new digitally without exploring options that may be less expensive.

[MyriVerse]

I don't understand complaints about the price of comics. It seems so bizarre to me.

It's a complete luxury, with no possible justification as any sort of need. Indulge in what you can/want to, and move along. There is legit nothing to be angsty about.

Comics weren't always a luxury. Once upon a time they were the equivalent of a snack.

But $6 doesn't sound all that bad for 80 or so pages in 2015.

[Chrysalis_Changling]

comics shouldn't be seen as a rich mans hobby

[MajorHoy]

comics shouldn't be seen as a rich mans hobby

Based on what?!?

I hear / see you complaining, but what other options have you looked into?

And are they really a "rich man's hobby", or is it just you can't afford to read everything you want to?

[Chrysalis_Changling]

Based on what?!?

I hear / see you complaining, but what other options have you looked into?

And are they really a "rich man's hobby", or is it just you can't afford to read everything you want to?

what other options? Most comic book companies put out more $3.99 titles than anything else(since the site i go to charges $3.99 plus tax on shipping price jumps make packages a bit more expensive than they should be)and if i wanna read what i wanna read i gotta clear out space on my pull list to keep it manageable

too many good books come out for me to even give half of them a chance and i always have to turn them down due to my marvel love

it's a very sad thing for a comic book reader such as myself either i read mostly marvel comics with a few outside Big Two Titles or i abandon all hope of these comics being worth those prices and jump on image comics I have an interest in but the unfamiliar landscape and writers unknown to me always scare me off

[PeteGunn]

There is nothing wrong with choosing to stop reading Marvel because they cost too much. Spend your money on something else. I sometimes think that there is a "shelf life" to this stuff, that costs and tastes will drive you away for a while or forever. That may be something Marvel doesn't want to hear, but it is natural. So don't feel bad.

The only flak you may get is that comics are getting popular, people are jumping on board and they will ask why you aren't jumping on too (or why you're jumping off after all these years). People get bent out of shape because you choose not to share the experience, which is a puzzle.