Comic Book Prices

[socratesmalig]

Do you think comic books are fairly priced? Personally, I consider myself more of a reader rather than a collector and I think that comic books are expensive. Currently I'm deciding whether to continue reading comics or to completely stop.

[Carbon Based Stickler]

Do you think comic books are fairly priced? Personally, I consider myself more of a reader rather than a collector and I think that comic books are expensive. Currently I'm deciding whether to continue reading comics or to completely stop.

I feel you. You can tell by my pull list I spend a lot every month. And I usually buy probably 10 random books per month on top of that. I can't completely stop, but seriously thinking about going digital or at least trade waiting more titles if not all of them.

[socratesmalig]

I feel you. You can tell by my pull list I spend a lot every month. And I usually buy probably 10 random books per month on top of that. I can't completely stop, but seriously thinking about going digital or at least trade waiting more titles if not all of them.

Is reading comics on a monthly basis rather than trade waiting much more satisfying? Or do you do it for collection purposes?

[Carbon Based Stickler]

Is reading comics on a monthly basis rather than trade waiting much more satisfying? Or do you do it for collection purposes?

I'll say yes, but because I buy so many I'm almost always a few issues behind. And a lot of times I end up re-reading an arc again towards the end just to refresh my memory, so I guess there's no reasons why I couldn't just trade wait other than the 6-8 month gaps & collection purposes. There's a few things I trade wait now, but it's way harder to stay interested. It's kind of like TV to me. Sure, I could binge watch the entire season, but what do I look forward to next week? Honestly though, a lot of it probably does just boil down to that collector gene.

[mortari]

When I'm working I buy a lot of new books, When I'm not working I know just about every new book will be a dollar box at a show in a year or less.

[Panfoot]

I'm mostly fine with DC's double shipping 3 dollar price point, the books don't feel short and the stories haven't felt stretched out, that could change but so far so good. Marvel on the other hand, a lot of their books don't feel worth the 4 dollar price point that they made standard, and now were getting a ton of 5 dollar #1s or 5 dollar books with backups I don't care about(that's why I stopped reading Howard the Duck). Even the better books feel slightly too short sometimes, the only couple I feel i'm really getting my money's worth is with Vision, Scarlet Witch, and All New Wolverine.

[Vericc]

Well I've only started collecting single issues since rebirth as before I just bought trades. I understand how much work goes into them but I still think they are just far too dear.

[GreenLanternRanger]

I think most books are fairly priced. $2.99 or $3.99 for a product that entertains and satisfied me much more then most much more expensive movies or video games ever could is a steal in my book. $4.99 or more is pushing it abit, but if the book is good I don't mind that much

[Adset]

while i do monthlies by rule, i find it very easy to wait for a .99 comixology sale for some books i like but don't feel like paying $4 for.

[codystarbuck]

Compared to other print media, with much higher circulations, similar level of materials, and the level of advertising supplementing things, be glad they aren't more expensive. Print isn't cheap and the books don't carry the level of advertising that the average magazine does, and those are losing money (despite bigger circulations)

I can recall when comics bumped from 35 cents, to 40 to 50, within a relatively short timeframe. Then we got Dollar Comics; but, those were filled with more pages, so we didn't get so uptight. Then, when the direct market was more prominant, we were paying a dollar for a comic that had fewer pages than the previous 50 cent ones. The trade off was no advertising.

Without a circulation to justify holding prices down, they are priced as well as they can be.

[dancj]

Yeah, I think for 5-10 minutes of entertainment which usually isn't even a whole story, comics are way overpriced right now. I can't really blame the publishers though. They have to cope with the low print runs.

I think the honest truth is that physical monthly issues are gradually dying, which will mean they have to get more and more expensive until digital takes over.

I do blame publishers for overcharging for digital comics though. They make a much huger margin on digital comics and could easily charge half what they do and still make more money per issue than they do on physical copies.

TPB prices are much more reasonable.

[GOLGO 13]

I'm 99.9% digital now. I have significantly cut back on Marvel/DC books. I now focus on mostly horror & big Civil War storylines "IF" they have an outstanding artist. If the artist is just garbage then I'm out.

So yes, price is mostly why I've stopped the "collecting" aspect of the hobby.

I read & delete at this point.

[Kolimar]

Yeah, I think for 5-10 minutes of entertainment which usually isn't even a whole story, comics are way overpriced right now. I can't really blame the publishers though. They have to cope with the low print runs.

I think the honest truth is that physical monthly issues are gradually dying, which will mean they have to get more and more expensive until digital takes over.

I do blame publishers for overcharging for digital comics though. They make a much huger margin on digital comics and could easily charge half what they do and still make more money per issue than they do on physical copies.

TPB prices are much more reasonable.

Agreed. ....

[Carabas]

Yeah, I think for 5-10 minutes of entertainment which usually isn't even a whole story, comics are way overpriced right now. I can't really blame the publishers though. They have to cope with the low print runs.

You get roughly the same money/page value in Europe though. Our albums tend to be about €8 for about 48 pages.
Of course these things come out only every three months at best, usually more like half a year, the physical quality (paper, binding...) is massively superior, and pretty much everything is set in its own universe and nothing crosses over with anything else, so there's nothing that urges you to buy 10-20 books every week.

[Tigrtigr]

I still can't get over paying $9.99 for a 64 page book. Considering I remember paying 1.75 or 2.95 years ago for a similar product. Thankfully these issues don't come out that often.