Comic Book Prices

[Lee Stone]

New comics are quickly becoming a luxury item for the upper class.

I buy almost all my comics now after digital price drops.
$1.99 is the most I will pay for a comic unless it's a first issue of a series that I want to help get a leg up.
After the first issue, if I like it, all future issues go to the 'wish list' until the price comes down.

Of course, I'm not averse to reading old comics or re-reading things I've read before.
And I have public domain golden age comics from Digital Comics Museum and my library offers Hoopla, which carries a lot of recent trades.
So I always have something that I can read.

It seems that full price modern day comics have become a commodity for people to buy and resell... not so much to read.
And in that regard, they probably are priced right.

[hedgehogvampire]

I think they're a little on the high side. I do still buy single issues mostly of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Universe, and Power Rangers but I do get a few random Marvel comics that catches my attention. But mostly I like to buy the trade paperbacks they seem worth more of my money.

[Pat Thomas]

I've only ever bought single issues, and TPB's (for me) just aren't the same things as owning the original. I've tried, but I
always end up buying the single issues anyway. I do think comics are too expensive right now, especially when they need to
revitalize their base with youngsters who currently don't have jobs or rely on an allowance. Since most people live paycheck
to paycheck, that also doesn't leave much room for adult readers who might want to start reading comics. Truthfully, comics
have turned into a luxury item that have to be budgeted in, or they can break you, and that's not how they originally were
meant to be. I just wonder how much the "improvements" in paper, ink, etc have to do with the price point? As a kid, I never
had a problem with the newspaper pages, and I can't think of a time I heard anybody else complain. The books are prettier
now, but did anybody really care? Luckily for me, money isn't a problem, but comics are just too expensive for most people
nowadays to really get into the hobby.

[Crazy Diamond]

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.

Unless if I'm hooked on a series and I can't wait to see what happens next, I just get the trades. If you have a good used bookstore or library, you can pick them up for pretty cheap or read for free. Digital comics on various sites (ex. Comixology, peepgamecomix, etc.) tend to have sales from time to time and I've gotten several issues for 99 cents or for free. There's also this one site which used to have discount trades (40% or more) - I think it's called DCBS.

[Crazy Diamond]

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.

Say, which issue cost you $9.99? I saw an anthology issue coming out by Boom Studios that was 9.99.

[GOLGO 13]

In the 1940's, a 64-page comic book costs only 10 cents. No wonder it is the golden age of comics.

I remember when comics were thicker than a dime.