Rising comic book prices, what to do?

[sciquest2525]

It now appears that a new $3.99 comic price just might become standard in the near future. And that is for a std. 22 page comic. At that price point I would expect more art pages but I doubt that will happen though DC ran briefly 60 cent books with 32 page format that featured 27 pages at the cost of so many ad pages.
Ideas anyone?

 

[miraclefan]

Just suck it up! or don't buy the comics at all.

 

[Davros]

Pay more or buy less.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

Comics (at least the "monthlies") have been pricing themselves out of the market since the late 90s.

 

[TheBrew]

I'll simply just start to trade-wait. There are a slew of Marvel titles that I would get (Dark Avengers, Weapon X) that I refuse to pick up at the $3.99 price point when I can get 6 issues (a trade) for half the price on Amazon.

 

[miraclefan]

I'll simply just start to trade-wait. There are a slew of Marvel titles that I would get (Dark Avengers, Weapon X) that I refuse to pick up at the $3.99 price point when I can get 6 issues (a trade) for half the price on Amazon.

My sister is doing the same thing, most of the time.

 

[Mr Light]

I stopped getting singles and will only buy trade paperbacks now. Which I can read and sell back on Amazon Marketplace and make most of my money back. Sweet.

 

[the Dagman]

If the price is a problem, maybe it's time to quit buying comics.

Once you really look at them you can see that most of them seem to rotate through a rehashing of tales previously told. Such is the state of mainstream comics and the maintaining of a status quo so that anyone can pick up any book at any time and not really be lost. How many times can you read the same story, only told slightly different or with different characters inserted into the roles?

I had my fill long ago back in the mid-90s. I came close to resuming my old buying habit a couple of years ago. Then Marvel OMD'd Spider-Man and put a halt to that. I get by fine with the previews the companies release, the discussion threads and my local library thank you.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

^The problem is that not every issue of every title GET's TPB-d.

What this is going to lead to is a vast IMPLOSION of comic titles (It's started already, but will REALLY take off when they go to Trade-only publishing.)

 

[miraclefan]

^The problem is that not every issue of every title GET's TPB-d.

What this is going to lead to is a vast IMPLOSION of comic titles (It's started already, but will REALLY take off when they go to Trade-only publishing.)

Please Explain!?

 

[Sephiroth]

*looks up from Manga* Huh? oh, nevermind

 

[firehawk12]

*looks up from Manga* Huh? oh, nevermind

Yeah, pretty much.

If they still want to do monthlies, they really should move to a more expensive monthly magazine format with trades for clean-up, in the same way that many manga titles are published in Japan.

I got out when I thought 3 dollar books were expensive. I can't imagine paying 4 bucks for a title now, especially with trades + amazon.com discounts.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

^The problem is that not every issue of every title GET's TPB-d.

What this is going to lead to is a vast IMPLOSION of comic titles (It's started already, but will REALLY take off when they go to Trade-only publishing.)

Please Explain!?

Look at the situation as it stands now. How many books are there out there that AREN'T being "traded", either partially or entirely? Quite a few. At one point we were promised that the ENTIRE run of Thunderbolts was going to be traded, for example. Same with Avengers, X-Men, and so forth.

The B and C list books are disappearing from the monthly line up entirely, as the publishers focus on the fame few "A list" characters that "everybody knows".

If/when they stop publishing monthlies altogether, I expect the entire B and C lists to basically disappear.

 

[Lookingglassman]

Since they dont make the ones I like anymore (Haunted Tank, SGT Rock) with the exception of a few specials, I dont buy comics.

 

[kissthestar]

Dear Goddess! I haven't bought a comic book in years, but the thought of $3.99 for a comic really shocks me. I remember when they cost 12 cents.

 

[Dark Gilligan]

^^ Me too! My 50-cent allowance would buy two 12-cent regular sized comics and a 25-cent giant. Good times.

 

[CommodoreKong]

I only buy trades, I don't feel ripped off when I see the price and it's far more satisfying to read them then reading 22 pages.

 

[miraclefan]

^The problem is that not every issue of every title GET's TPB-d.

What this is going to lead to is a vast IMPLOSION of comic titles (It's started already, but will REALLY take off when they go to Trade-only publishing.)

Please Explain!?

Look at the situation as it stands now. How many books are there out there that AREN'T being "traded", either partially or entirely? Quite a few. At one point we were promised that the ENTIRE run of Thunderbolts was going to be traded, for example. Same with Avengers, X-Men, and so forth.

The B and C list books are disappearing from the monthly line up entirely, as the publishers focus on the fame few "A list" characters that "everybody knows".

If/when they stop publishing monthlies altogether, I expect the entire B and C lists to basically disappear.

Oh, THAT! well HELL I've known that for a while now! do you go to comicshops much? I just came from one today, and they were ''stocked'' with nothing, but WOLVERINE crap on display (with the excepetion of one DEAD-POOL CLASSICS VOL 2)for the upcoming movie!

 

[darkwing_duck1]

I only buy trades, I don't feel ripped off when I see the price and it's far more satisfying to read them then reading 22 pages.

Of course you're going to get that with modern comics, since they're "paced for the Trade".

Comics USED to be much more densely written, routinely servicing the A plot (current 2-4 issues), B-plot (year long plot) and one or more C plots (usually character development).

But the PTB in comics decided us readers were too stupid to follow that much information and reduced the books to pablum.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

Oh, THAT! well HELL I've known that for a while now! do you go to comicshops much? I just came from one today, and they were ''stocked'' with nothing, but WOLVERINE crap on display (with the excepetion of one DEAD-POOL CLASSICS VOL 2)for the upcoming movie!

Sad, isn't it?

My FLCS once upon a time were stuffed to the GILLS with comics. Now it's all DVDs, toys, video games, and a very few long boxes in the back of the store.