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RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Gilight — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:44:15 GMT

I have officially cut back- just lost my 2nd job - btw that and the prices I am hitting the dollar bins at conventions

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

oxbladder — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:29:53 GMT

[quote][b]NDPsycho (1/24/2010)[/b][hr]I know this has been debated to death before, but you're both paying quite a bit more than I'm used to. My monthly order last month was for 37 books and I paid $77.74, which included the shipping. Quite a difference. It's too bad you don't buy more books Set One, you could probably offset the shipping charges and still come out ahead using someone online.[/quote]

The problem is it really mostly just works for Americans to order from the big online subscription services. USPS and other shipping outlets have raised prices so much that unless discounts greatly exceed 25% on all books would we save any money. I looked at doing the mail order thing but I would have saved MAYBE $3-5 dollars at best and that was when shipping prices were BETTER.

The only way Canadians could save as much is if Diamond set-up s distribution hub in Canada instead of the books destined for Canada heading to hubs in the US then being sent to Canadian outlet which then distribute it to the dealers. That would drastically cut shipping and allow retailers here tremendous leeway with pricing (not to mention cut shipping costs dramatically for retailers and Diamond.) Right now I think many of the books are printed in Canada, ship south, then to other hubs, then back north ... which is criminally inefficient.

I also expect many online subscription services to disappear in the years to come because they use a model that is essentially unsustainable. Yes, yes overhead is low and all that gibberish but it is not like they don't have zero expenses and eventually giving away their profit will catch up. It did with B&M retailers and it will for online retailers too. Online stores could walk away, with no warning, and all your money.

As an aside when people can easily get books so cheap, in some case much cheaper than they could five to ten years ago, I don't know why they complain about the price of books. If it is a problem of bang for the buck then why buy if it is simply price then, well, most Americans have what few in the world have ... outlets where they can get their books for pennies over dealer cost (some for LESS than cost).

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Set 0ne — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:58:08 GMT

[quote][b]oxbladder (1/24/2010)[/b][hr]Sounds like they are marking them up quite a bit ... past exchange. The is barely 10 cents between the US and AUS buck right now which should not translate to nearly 6 dollars a book. I bought 38 books yesterday (2 and a bit weeks works worth) and it was $151.56 CDN ($143.24 .. roughly) which $3.99 a book. (that price includes 15% discount which really only saves me the tax which is 12% in my province)[/quote]
$3.99 per book is fairly nice price. I remember pay that about that price in the mid 90's.
Here we also get slugged with GST and then there is another tax added onto book purchases so it pushes up the price. For example a new novel here might cost you around $30AU but then you look online in America and you'll see that same book retailing for around $10 to $20US. SO much cheaper. For comics I'm thinking it's the same thing hence the higher prices even though our exchange rate is rather good.

[quote][b]NDPsycho (1/24/2010)[/b][hr]I know this has been debated to death before, but you're both paying quite a bit more than I'm used to. My monthly order last month was for 37 books and I paid $77.74, which included the shipping. Quite a difference. It's too bad you don't buy more books Set One, you could probably offset the shipping charges and still come out ahead using someone online.[/quote]

Dang..37 books for $77.74 :P I've only ever found one online shop to offer all the comics I currently purchase. I used to enjoy purchasing more comics from them when they had 'Free shipping' for international orders over $100US now they don't.

On another note-
If I'm going to order 20+ comics I will always order online because I will save money. I just wish there was a company that would 'hold' the comics until I've got a bigger amount to ship over. I don't mind waiting a few months to read a comic.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

NDPsycho — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:39:12 GMT

I know this has been debated to death before, but you're both paying quite a bit more than I'm used to. My monthly order last month was for 37 books and I paid $77.74, which included the shipping. Quite a difference. It's too bad you don't buy more books Set One, you could probably offset the shipping charges and still come out ahead using someone online.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

oxbladder — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:12:27 GMT

Sounds like they are marking them up quite a bit ... past exchange. The is barely 10 cents between the US and AUS buck right now which should not translate to nearly 6 dollars a book. I bought 38 books yesterday (2 and a bit weeks works worth) and it was $151.56 CDN ($143.24 .. roughly) which $3.99 a book. (that price includes 15% discount which really only saves me the tax which is 12% in my province)

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Set 0ne — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:24:45 GMT

[quote][b]oxbladder (1/23/2010)[/b][hr][quote][b]Set 0ne (1/23/2010)[/b][hr]Last week I made a purchase of 11 comics and it cost me $66.75AU ($60.26US)...That felt expensive :x[/quote]

What were you buying that cost you $6 a book? Even with exchange that seems a bit high.[/quote]

Just my normal comics (Sonic, Green Arrow,Simpsons) nothing special. But I've paid worse here for comics more like $8AU+. Comic prices at the LCS can be out-right horrible. One reason I tend to order from the USA because of these high prices but my order was small.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

oxbladder — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:24:10 GMT

[quote][b]Set 0ne (1/23/2010)[/b][hr]Last week I made a purchase of 11 comics and it cost me $66.75AU ($60.26US)...That felt expensive :x[/quote]

What were you buying that cost you $6 a book? Even with exchange that seems a bit high.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Set 0ne — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:29:52 GMT

Last week I made a purchase of 11 comics and it cost me $66.75AU ($60.26US)...That felt expensive :x

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

gallyangel — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:03:46 GMT

Frankly, the cost of comics hasn't changed any.

In 1992!, for Battle Angel Part One, # 1, I paid $2.75.
In 2010, for Uncle Scrooge #387, I paid $2.98.

Even the price of manga is a better deal.
Blade of the Immortal #22 had 7 parts and it cost $19.99.
If it had been published as individual issues, then it would've cost $21.00, at least.
Not a lot of savings, but Blade is on the high end. The exception basically.
Take something like Bleach. #28 cost $7.95 and you got nine chapters. That's priced way below what individual comics would cost, if Bleach came out that way.

What's really changed between now and then is the issue of extra covers per issue, the compilation albums, and all the reprinting of just about everything which was sitting in the vaults, where nobody could read it because it was to expensive to get any of it.

I think we're dealing with a shear amount issue, because there is so much out there every week, and so much of it is good enjoyable stuff.

Expensive or not, it's better than meth.

gallyangel

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Slaymaster — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:46:14 GMT

[quote][b]jesjet1969 (10/18/2008)[/b][hr]I get a fantastic discount on my comics including bagged and boarded. however even with that its getting very tough. I stopped collecting nascar diecast, which is about $40.00 a pop. So i could continue buying what I want but at sometime I will have to slow down some. When you start seeing the

STILL ONLY 2.99 then I will start worrying.

right now I get a new issue if its $2.99 for 1.95

3.50 for $2.25

and buy all my back issues from half price books. Who right now is buying a lot of the LCS back stock.

Jesse James[/quote]

I love it, "Still Only $2.99!":D That was a good laugh, JJ, would be funny if Marvel did that again.

Or maybe it wouldn't, since the price would probably jump to $4 a copy.:angry:

Yeah, prices are a bit steep right now, but so long as they stay this price for a good long time I'll be hip. Comic book companies gotta look at new ways to make comics affordable, different paper and ink, whatever... just keep it at $3 a copy for the next 50 years and I won't complain.;)

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

oxbladder — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:49:17 GMT

[quote][b]thatjerk (10/31/2009)[/b][hr][quote]

As for the pricing, I'm not sure how you came to the conclusion that dropping the comparatively expensive paper they use now (which used to be reserved exclusively for things like graphic novels) for a less opulent material will increase the cost to consumers, [/quote]

I have a friend that publishes and according to him, the cheaper quality paper actually ends up costing about the same as the more nicer paper, so the small difference in cost is more than offset by the look of the quality of the final product. I t might not increase the cost overall, but it won't reduce it either.[/quote]

One of the reasons they originally switched paper was that the "old" newsprint paper was more expensive than the glossy stock. Just because IN THE PAST the glossy stock was more expensive doesn't mean that it is now. It is a widely used paper now in all sort of publications.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

thatjerk — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:15:06 GMT

[quote]

As for the pricing, I'm not sure how you came to the conclusion that dropping the comparatively expensive paper they use now (which used to be reserved exclusively for things like graphic novels) for a less opulent material will increase the cost to consumers, [/quote]

I have a friend that publishes and according to him, the cheaper quality paper actually ends up costing about the same as the more nicer paper, so the small difference in cost is more than offset by the look of the quality of the final product. I t might not increase the cost overall, but it won't reduce it either.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

oxbladder — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:43:37 GMT

[quote][b]expander (10/31/2009)[/b][hr]
I wouldn't expect it to get any cheaper. [/quote]

Nothing gets cheaper. Even prices of fluctuating thing like gas trend up.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

expander — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:13:58 GMT

i would have to agree with price being a pain, but i'm not really after alot of new books. I would love to see more money's-worth coming from the major publishers, but{
1. your average writer/inker/whatever hasn't got any cheaper to keep happily employed and benefits/pay isn't cheap
2. and nowadays companies are so scared of being sued over stupid things that they keep multi million dollar attorneys on retainer.
3. While printing supply prices skyrocket they have to pay someone to find "better and Cheaper Stuff" (like the Snapple Commercial)
I wouldn't expect it to get any cheaper. Especially considering How many people are involved with these books now days. How many departments and development phases does a book have to endure before it even hits a press??? I hope this ranting seems to make some sense.

I guess my bottom line is with so much (over)development and (over)hyping there's a letdown when it comes to what you get for your money.

Somewhere from the LCS or where-ever you get your books, to home and having read your new prize ultimatley you decide whether it was worth it. For me it's about 50/50. that's my 2............ cents that is

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Silver Age Surfer — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:36:02 GMT

[quote][b]oxbladder (10/3/2009)[/b][hr]Yes. $3.99.

What's wrong with the paper? You would prefer they go to newsprint and raise the price? Most people prefer the new stock they print on. I have no issues with paper no matter what it is because i know that the paper DOESN'T significantly impact the price. What does is the cost of the creators. They are not paid out of a pool any more.

As for the content ... you probably will find lots of people that agree with you but they are mostly old and cynical and see the past as something that was all puppies and rainbows while not realizing there was a ton of crap back then too. Times change readers desires change and what flew in the past certainly wouldn't now.

There is lots of great stuff through all the eras of comics ... whether you think so or not. It drives me nuts when folks backhand certain eras just because they don't like them. It's a downer.

As for variants ... you don't even like new books so why cry over it? Do you realize that some of the variants have very low runs and it can cost dealers a lot of money to get them in? So say you are a dealer and there is a 1:50 variant one of your customers wants but to get it you actually have to order 50 books to get it and your normal order is for 5 copies. What do you do?

Personally I do not approve of some of the prices dealers affix to the variants but I disagree that they should charge cover for them. The idea is to sell through your stock ... or a majority of it anyway. Otherwise it sits in back issue and every square foot or piece of shelf space it takes up is losing money or taking space away from active selling merchandise.

BTW folk, just guess which decade saw the greatest increase in prices?[/quote]
I don't think it's so much a matter of "backhanding" modern era works, but rather putting what is currently available in the context of what it's actually worth to [b]me[/b]. Of course there was a ton of crap back in the day, but in my [b]opinion[/b] there is a hell of a lot more now. Modern comics, for the most part, rely on blood and gore far more than, say, Golden or Silver age titles, and focus far less on [i]storytelling[/i] than the do on [i]images[/i]. I read Daredevil #5 and it takes me a good twenty minutes, maybe with a break here and there. I read Old Man Logan and I'm done in less than five minutes (if that). So for me, a lot of the value is gone right there.

As for the pricing, I'm not sure how you came to the conclusion that dropping the comparatively expensive paper they use now (which used to be reserved exclusively for things like graphic novels) for a less opulent material will increase the cost to consumers, but let's assume for the moment that I'm suggesting something that will actually make new issues more affordable... what's wrong with that? I don't need my 3 squares of dialogueless blood spatter spoon-fed to me through heavy gloss - it's unnecessary and overly indulgent. And I understand your point about not asking retailers to sell variants for the cover price, but a 900% markup? Get outta here. Seriously, I pity anyone who pays that much for alternative cover art and expects the comic to somehow retain that value in the coming years, either commercially or for themselves.

And I don't mean any of this in a "high-and-mighty new comics suck" kinda way, even though it probably seems that way. I guess major-publisher superhero comics (specifically) have taken a direction in terms of format, content and presentation that doesn't stack up in terms of overall value compared to books produced over 40 or 50 years ago [i]for me, as a reader and a collector[/i].

For $49, I can get a Blackest Night variant cover, or Doctor Strange #169 in VF condition. For me, there's no contest here.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

oxbladder — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:10:20 GMT

[quote][b]Silver Age Surfer (10/3/2009)[/b][hr]New issues for $3.99? Variant covers instantly packaged by store owners for $29 to $49 a pop? Paper that has no business being in a comic book and, to add insult to injury, more often than not less than 10 highly unimaginative words on a page? Yes, they are simultaneously getting far too expensive and worse overall products. I buy very few current titles.

But I have caved and am reading/collecting Blackest Night. At least they read like old comic [b]books[/b].[/quote]

Yes. $3.99.

What's wrong with the paper? You would prefer they go to newsprint and raise the price? Most people prefer the new stock they print on. I have no issues with paper no matter what it is because i know that the paper DOESN'T significantly impact the price. What does is the cost of the creators. They are not paid out of a pool any more.

As for the content ... you probably will find lots of people that agree with you but they are mostly old and cynical and see the past as something that was all puppies and rainbows while not realizing there was a ton of crap back then too. Times change readers desires change and what flew in the past certainly wouldn't now.

There is lots of great stuff through all the eras of comics ... whether you think so or not. It drives me nuts when folks backhand certain eras just because they don't like them. It's a downer.

As for variants ... you don't even like new books so why cry over it? Do you realize that some of the variants have very low runs and it can cost dealers a lot of money to get them in? So say you are a dealer and there is a 1:50 variant one of your customers wants but to get it you actually have to order 50 books to get it and your normal order is for 5 copies. What do you do?

Personally I do not approve of some of the prices dealers affix to the variants but I disagree that they should charge cover for them. The idea is to sell through your stock ... or a majority of it anyway. Otherwise it sits in back issue and every square foot or piece of shelf space it takes up is losing money or taking space away from active selling merchandise.

BTW folk, just guess which decade saw the greatest increase in prices?

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Andy — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:28:27 GMT

[quote][b]oxbladder (10/2/2009)[/b][hr][quote][b]Andy (9/30/2009)[/b][hr]Greed, plain and simple. I am so tired of wanting to read a new book, but passing because it is $4. If someone wants to offer credibility to the claim that comics have increased in price along with everything else, please do. In my opinion, magazines (4x4 magazines) have only gone up a dollar (20%) or so in the last eight years, and as such, comic books have doubled that. I remember buying Spawn #50 for $1.95 off the newsstand. Now, new issues are $2.99+ which is a 50% price increase. I bought a few issues of Mouse Guard new a few months ago for $3.50 each and almost had a heart attack. For now, I am relegated to the local HPB and will be loving bargain bins![/quote]

So you compare an eight year old 4x4 magazine price to a 13 year range between Spawn #50 (June 1996) and a current Spawn?

You do realize that based on the example you give that your magazine has a greater annual increase?

$1.00/8 = $0.125/yr

$1.04/13= $0.08/yr

In fact, when I started collecting 30 years ago they were $0.35 and now they are 2.99 for the most part. That's a difference of $2.64:

$2.64/30= $0.088/yr

I can't think of ANYTHING that hasn't gone up in price in the last 30 years. Some stuff not much of an annual increase but at the same time their production has not changed that much along the way. There have been few changes in how a comic is manufactured BUT who creates them is a VERY different business ... and much more expensive. No one works for peanuts any more.[/quote]

I hadn't broken it down like that, but now that you have, thank you. Still, the increase in comic books is unwarranted, and yet, the companies continue to drive the price up.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Silver Age Surfer — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 04:26:10 GMT

New issues for $3.99? Variant covers instantly packaged by store owners for $29 to $49 a pop? Paper that has no business being in a comic book and, to add insult to injury, more often than not less than 10 highly unimaginative words on a page? Yes, they are simultaneously getting far too expensive and worse overall products. I buy very few current titles.

But I have caved and am reading/collecting Blackest Night. At least they read like old comic [b]books[/b].

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

oxbladder — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:44:44 GMT

[quote][b]Andy (9/30/2009)[/b][hr]Greed, plain and simple. I am so tired of wanting to read a new book, but passing because it is $4. If someone wants to offer credibility to the claim that comics have increased in price along with everything else, please do. In my opinion, magazines (4x4 magazines) have only gone up a dollar (20%) or so in the last eight years, and as such, comic books have doubled that. I remember buying Spawn #50 for $1.95 off the newsstand. Now, new issues are $2.99+ which is a 50% price increase. I bought a few issues of Mouse Guard new a few months ago for $3.50 each and almost had a heart attack. For now, I am relegated to the local HPB and will be loving bargain bins![/quote]

So you compare an eight year old 4x4 magazine price to a 13 year range between Spawn #50 (June 1996) and a current Spawn?

You do realize that based on the example you give that your magazine has a greater annual increase?

$1.00/8 = $0.125/yr

$1.04/13= $0.08/yr

In fact, when I started collecting 30 years ago they were $0.35 and now they are 2.99 for the most part. That's a difference of $2.64:

$2.64/30= $0.088/yr

I can't think of ANYTHING that hasn't gone up in price in the last 30 years. Some stuff not much of an annual increase but at the same time their production has not changed that much along the way. There have been few changes in how a comic is manufactured BUT who creates them is a VERY different business ... and much more expensive. No one works for peanuts any more.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

XcasperX — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:55:05 GMT

dooty HAPPEN!!!! How I See it.

Depending on what I need the current week, decides on how much I spend. I ussually spend $20-25 a week at the LCS. If I need bags and boards I by them together for $15 and I will buy 3 Current issue out of my bin. Depending on price though is how I buy, I go in price sets. example I will buy all the 2.99 issue and then the week after buy the $3.50 issues. I do get a discount to : $2.99=2.25, $3.99=3.25. All depends.

Inflation sux, Economics sux, face it dooty happens. You canstill budget and still have fun collecting, you don't need every issue in the run. enjoy whatyou have.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Andy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:58:39 GMT

Greed, plain and simple. I am so tired of wanting to read a new book, but passing because it is $4. If someone wants to offer credibility to the claim that comics have increased in price along with everything else, please do. In my opinion, magazines (4x4 magazines) have only gone up a dollar (20%) or so in the last eight years, and as such, comic books have doubled that. I remember buying Spawn #50 for $1.95 off the newsstand. Now, new issues are $2.99+ which is a 50% price increase. I bought a few issues of Mouse Guard new a few months ago for $3.50 each and almost had a heart attack. For now, I am relegated to the local HPB and will be loving bargain bins!

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

head-rush — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:05:14 GMT

I stand corrected. Although I still think that most of the bronze and modern books over all averaged 22 pages of story. Pretty cool facts Speedy-D on the price flux.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Speedy-D — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:29:27 GMT

In the early days, comics were many more than 22 pages, and often came out far less frequently than monthly. Some were bi-monthly, some even quarterly. Also, around the 1970, tons of DCs were 48 and 64 pages on a regular basis. Not sure about Marvels.

They did manage to stay at a 10 cent cover price for about 25 years though, inflation not withstanding. The 33% price jump that seems to be upcoming shortly ($3 to $4) is the largest ever I believe. 10 cents to 12 cents was 20%, 12 cents to 15 cents was 25% ... o wait, 15 cents to 20 cents was 33%, so there is precedence. But what else could they have gone to, 18 cents? Hmm, now that I think about it, there have been a lot of 25% price jumps.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

head-rush — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:58:27 GMT

[quote][b]yourplace2 (3/6/2009)[/b][hr]

Comics today cost up to 400 times more than than they did then, and come out much less often. They have less pages as well.
[/quote]

as far as I know comics for the most part have always been 22 pages of story plus ads. There hasn't been a change in that. They also still come out about the same as they used to- monthly. Correct me if I am wrong in this.;)

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

yourplace2 — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:21:50 GMT

Comics have been way over priced for years, and I beleive one reason it had such a tough time in the 90's. They flooded the market with bad stories, and raised prices way high.

In the early 70's when I was in my teens, I got 2 bucks allowance. That used to buy me 10 to 20 comics at 10 to 20 cents each. Way more than enough reading in the week until I got my next 2 bucks the following saturday.

Comics today cost up to 400 times more than than they did then, and come out much less often. They have less pages as well.

For some reason, I will never understand how this has happened. You can go buy a newspaper for 50 cents to a buck still, why not a comic?

I think that the comic industry can only blame itself for any failures it has today econically. Greed has hit most of our society anyway, so why not comics.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

robotcat — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:11:07 GMT

It seems pretty high when you compare it to prices from 15 years ago(when I was last buying new comics), but the overall production quality is much improved. Still, at current prices you are better off at getting a subscription. I prefer to wait and just pick them up as back issues. You can probably get 90% of them for 1/3(or less) of the cover price within 6 months after they hit the stands. You'll save enough money to easily afford spending a little extra on any "hot" titles that you missed or on a variant that you most likely wouldn't have gotten for cover price to begin with.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

WerewolfvsVamps — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:36:36 GMT

I say no b/c everything's going up in prices. Gas use to be less than a $1. So I doubt that'll go back down. Someone mentioned in a post about how advertisements went down, but maybe it was too complicated and too much of a headache to call and hustle people to advertise in your comic.

I'm doing an indy comic and i know it's annoying to have people hang up on you or reject you (i took a marketing class) so, that's difficult. I do know that a lot of the ads from the 90s, the companies went belly up. Kids aren't buying that kinda stuff anymore. And I'm sure if say a video game wants in your comic they might ask to be the only video game ad exclusively in your comic. Who knows though

And also you gotta remember there are SOOOO MANY NEW entertainment competitions. Mostly video games and anime.

I'm buying mostly back issue stuff or indy stuff (which is more expensive. But I know that extra dollar or two in the price is b/c it cost all their money to get it together for a smaller print run than the big companies.

Also how come no one's talking about the economy which has had a HUGE domino EFFECT on everyone. Most companies in general have cut back on advertisemnt so... (you can see that with the lack of advertising of the new Street Fighter movie which I'm plugging. haha)

On the bright side I see a comic book or book like this. Ipay a one time price and I can reread it over and over again.

I do agree with some of the comics being toooooo short. Sometimes it's the fact that there aren't a lot of word panels in there. I've had a couple of bogus comics I paid a lot for and I zoomed through it.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

imatonkatoo — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 08:13:27 GMT

[quote][b]Set 0ne (10/23/2008)[/b][hr]Meh..Not really when it comes to US price...But in Australia certainly..They are getting horribly expensive.

Now with the Aussie dollar doing cruddy against the US my buying of comics is going down in general since my shopping was done all online and over seas.[/quote]

Same in UK. I only ever buy online though so I am paying for postage and packaging on top of the actual comic.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Gargantuan2 — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:46:12 GMT

digital is stupid if it's just digital and no comic. I want to be able to take my comic in the bathroom with me. And it makes you choose and pick which comics you really want, me anyway. It's worth the price... usually.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Mo Fun — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:23:12 GMT

I think it's really strange how the local shops are concerned about the dwindling disposable income of their customers but the publishers aren't. And like you, I'm not worried either because I was fine without comics, cable and computers and will be again. Of course I'm kinda weird because I've never had a cell phone!

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

oxbladder — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:30:39 GMT

[quote][b]Mo Fun (1/30/2009)[/b][hr]Your right, but I said yes because comic companies can slash cost/prices by changing the way the books are made.They need to evolve or die. I think we all know what's coming around the corner, why don't they?[/quote]

I am quite sure that they are already using the cheapest manufacturing process and supplies. The last time I checked newsprint was more expensive. I am also sure they will adjust as they go along. It's not like they haven't faced turmoil before.

I am not sure why people seem to think this. Time is so different than before. The only thing which they are not handling very well right now is getting on the digital bandwagon. They are acting like the record companies. They will only cut into piracy is by having a better system in place.

Personally I am not worried in the slightest.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

comicfangirl — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:26:01 GMT

Yes, comic books are getting too expensive. I still go to my lcs, but not as much as I would like to. Maybe once every 3 months. What can I say the joy of paying bills.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Mo Fun — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:47:24 GMT

Your right, but I said yes because comic companies can slash cost/prices by changing the way the books are made. They need to evolve or die. I think we all know what's coming around the corner, why don't they?

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

oxbladder — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:32:52 GMT

Voted no. Comics have pretty much kept pace with or paced behind many other forms of media and entertainment. Unlike some items you buy they can also hold or increase in value ... granted it can take a long time. I also feel that prices have made it a much richer media. There seems to be more quality books out there than ever before. One does not have to get bound up in the larger continuities which usually have these great big events that are very expensive and often leave many unfulfilled.

Of course like any form of media it is nearly impossible to be able to buy everything you want but this is no different than any other era in comics. I have never, ever been able to buy everything I want. If they ever get a digital system figured out that may change things but I am not betting the farm on it.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

NU_Blackshirts — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:02:14 GMT

Yeah, comics are getting too expensive. Of course, I remember when comics went from 30 cents to 35 cents. Man was I mad...I couldn't buy 3 comics for $1 anymore! Now I try to get most of my "modern" issues via Ebay or in bargain bins. Case in point...I just bought the entire current run of Jonah Hex for $1.30 an issue shipped. The bargains are out there if you dig a little bit. I still pick up a couple of issues from the LCS occasionally, but I [i]really[/i] try to limit that.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Mo Fun — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:53:25 GMT

When I quit comics for the first time, it was because the price had gone up to 35 cents! I wish the companies would go back to newsprint and slash their prices. Better than going bankrupt IMO.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

The Jerr — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:43:56 GMT

I believe comics have become too expensive! Once it hits over $2.99 thats when im cutting my pull list to 4 books which are my main ones. God i remember when you can buy a comic for a dollar. This is back in my childhood.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Set 0ne — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:35:55 GMT

[quote][b]marmat (11/2/2008)[/b][hr]Yes, new comics are too expensive, that's why I buy only 4 titles a month and I buy all my back issues from ebay. Recently I won BAtman Jeckyll & Hyde for $4, retailer was $15; ebay is the best way to buy modern comics for peanuts[/quote]

True eBay is sometimes the way to go...But you may win the comic at a good price but once you add in shipping and exchange rates (if any) are you spending around the same? It's just something I like to remind myself every so often.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

Smallville417 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:59:06 GMT

Well I noticed when I made my order last month that the DC books geared towards kids such as Scooby-Doo, Loony Tunes, etc...all raised their prices from $2.25 to $2.50. Still cheaper than the regular line of books, but not the way to get younger readers hooked since it's the parents paying the money out.

RE: Are Comic Books Getting Too Expensive?

slym2none — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:53:07 GMT

"Getting???"

:dontknow:

-slym (thinks they have been overpriced for quite a while now)