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Marvel, Disney And The $1.99 Comic Book

Started by Spider,

25 posts in this topic

Hedge Collector

Hedge Collector

Posted
Posted

I think it would be great.

 

One thing I can never understand is why comics these days are now published on such high grade paper. Or is it not?

 

As a publisher, I would take the risk of downgrading the paper and cover stock significantly in order to lower the price and save cost. I think they would see a great ROI (or return on less investment).

 

Anyone know the breakdown of where the $3.99 goes when you buy a comic?

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SPDREYCER

SPDREYCER

Posted
Posted

I think that would be great. I don't really collect moderns myself, but getting a next generation of readers to experience all the joys to collecting and reading new stories is a great thing. I also believe it would help out the comic market in the long run.

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Designer Toast

Designer Toast

Posted
Posted

If a publisher wants to use less expensive paper and/or cut the cost of their product, they'll do it. I just don't see it happening any time soon. What I do see happening is the comic industry continuing to hike prices on books and trying to push people into digital comics.

 

 

 

 

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mschmidt

mschmidt

Posted
Posted
I'd might pay .75 cents for a modern. I find them for .25 cents all the time. On a good day I can get a ton of them for .10 cents a peice. I'm dumbfounded people pay that kind of money for comics.

 

Because some people actually enjoy reading full story arcs and following an on-going series?

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PokerKid

PokerKid

Posted
Posted

While I agree that lowering the quality of the paper could save some money, it shouldn't really affect it much. My guess is that the paper itself accounts for a few pennies of the comic. The art, the printing, distribution, etc. make up a big portion of the expenses.

 

Since they need to charge more to cover those costs, spending an extra few pennies on better quality paper stock makes sense to make the buyer feel he is at least getting a decent quality product for his $2-$7.

 

 

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KolmarAvenue

KolmarAvenue

Posted
Posted

If we all just buy from the bargain bins, then there won't many books anymore.

 

We see it in most comic shops these days with the razor thin margins (a chuckism) they just carry enough to get by. And that's with the relatively low number of comic shops per capita.

 

I buy a relatively low number of monthly's and focus on older material. I'm guilty of it myself, I try to support the lcs, but at what point to draw the line? If my lcs is charging X amount, and then I find it online for half of X...

 

The only thing I know for sure is that someone's losing their shirt.

 

And yes, comics shouldn't cost 3.99 a pop.

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oakman29

oakman29

Posted
Posted

If people stopped buying newer comics wouldnt that "in the longrun" hurt the back issue market? I think there may be a fine line here,if you stop supporting your local LCS they will go out of business.leaving it more difficult for newer readers to get material for their favorite character,after a period of time "out of sight,out of mind" the back issue interest we are seeing now would slow to a halt 2c

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Bronty

Bronty

Posted
Posted
While I agree that lowering the quality of the paper could save some money, it shouldn't really affect it much. My guess is that the paper itself accounts for a few pennies of the comic. The art, the printing, distribution, etc. make up a big portion of the expenses.

 

Since they need to charge more to cover those costs, spending an extra few pennies on better quality paper stock makes sense to make the buyer feel he is at least getting a decent quality product for his $2-$7.

 

 

well said

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JayT

JayT

Posted
Posted
If people stopped buying newer comics wouldnt that "in the longrun" hurt the back issue market? I think there may be a fine line here,if you stop supporting your local LCS they will go out of business.leaving it more difficult for newer readers to get material for their favorite character,after a period of time "out of sight,out of mind" the back issue interest we are seeing now would slow to a halt 2c

 

My thought would be that a newer reader would be much more net savvy then that and would probably view a physical location that can't come close to competing in prices as an irrational novelty, not a deterrent. "Out of sight, out of mind" I think wrongly assumes that (new) people even see comics at an LCS in the first place. There is a profound difference in value in being seen where newer readers would see a comic (Walmart etc) and an LCS, which has essentially become a club for 30-somethings and older waxing nostalgia (not that there's anything wrong with that).

 

Specialty stores should never be the frontline of what was once a mainstream hobby based on mass produced product.

 

 

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MR.COMICBOOK

MR.COMICBOOK

Posted
Posted
I don't care if the book is $1.99 or $3.99 I'm still going to buy comic books to read anyway 2c

Exactly,I have read quite a number of comic books the last two years and the majority are uninteresting and a chore to read. I rather go spend 50 dollars on a videogame and have countless hours of entertainment.The lower price will not help,most people spend more on tradepaperbacks anyways.

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Flemmings

Flemmings

Posted
Posted
If people stopped buying newer comics wouldnt that "in the longrun" hurt the back issue market? I think there may be a fine line here,if you stop supporting your local LCS they will go out of business.leaving it more difficult for newer readers to get material for their favorite character,after a period of time "out of sight,out of mind" the back issue interest we are seeing now would slow to a halt 2c

 

My thought would be that a newer reader would be much more net savvy then that and would probably view a physical location that can't come close to competing in prices as an irrational novelty, not a deterrent. "Out of sight, out of mind" I think wrongly assumes that (new) people even see comics at an LCS in the first place. There is a profound difference in value in being seen where newer readers would see a comic (Walmart etc) and an LCS, which has essentially become a club for 30-somethings and older waxing nostalgia (not that there's anything wrong with that).

 

Specialty stores should never be the frontline of what was once a mainstream hobby based on mass produced product.

 

 

Most non-comic collectors don't even know LCS exist. They just grab them from book stores. I did the samething when I got back into comics.

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gaz2810i

gaz2810i

Posted
Posted

In my uneducated opinion a lower price wouldn't make a difference other than allowing those who already buying moderns to buy more. I go to my LCS everyweek and I have a modern budget that buys me 3-5 books. However, if they lowered the price I would most likely spend the same amount but buy 5-8 books. In my opinion what Disney need to do is get the books out there where people don't need to seek them out. In the UK, where I am, it's the LCS (i'm lucky as I have one near me) or the Internet. This is just not good enough if you want more people to get involved. I mean is the Direct market to blame? I mean, even when there is a a newstand edition I have seen them for $4.99 which is definantly a deterrent.

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