Overheard in a comic shop

[DeliBebek]

As I was flipping through back issues, I heard a couple of customers talking to an employee of the comic shop. One of the customers was coming back to the hobby after several years away. The employee explained how the New 52 was a complete reboot. The customer went on tell his friend some of the basics of buying comics, what was available at the store, etc.

 

It was nice to know that new blood comes in and old blood comes back. I'm glad there are enough dealers with visible and accessible storefront operations to get this kind of traffic.

[DrWatson]

I'm glad sticks of gum are individually wrapped.

[comicparadox]

I'm glad Watson exists, otherwise we'd have to invent him.

[Comicopolis]

I'm glad Watson exists, otherwise we'd have to invent him.

 

That would take a vivid imagination.

[DrWatson]

I'm glad Watson exists, otherwise we'd have to invent him.

I liked you in person...

[TupennyConan]

[Bill Robinson]

 

On the Carousel of Butthurt, all the animals go up and down. -- seanfingh 07.02.12

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite authors.

[ComicConnoisseur]

As I was flipping through back issues, I heard a couple of customers talking to an employee of the comic shop. One of the customers was coming back to the hobby after several years away. The employee explained how the New 52 was a complete reboot. The customer went on tell his friend some of the basics of buying comics, what was available at the store, etc.

 

It was nice to know that new blood comes in and old blood comes back. I'm glad there are enough dealers with visible and accessible storefront operations to get this kind of traffic.

I took a friend into a comic store for his first time in twenty years. The lcs owner was very friendly and explained about the revivals of Valiant,Watchmen and the new DC to him. My friend was getting very enthusiastic about comics until he saw the cover prices between $2.99 to $3.99. He told me he will get his superhero fix from movies,animation and video games.

[DrWatson]

On the fringe, my man... On the fringe.

[valiantman]

My friend was getting very enthusiastic about comics until he saw the cover prices between $2.99 to $3.99. He told me he will get his superhero fix from movies,animation and video games.

The average price of a comic 20 years ago was the same as two gallons of gas.

If that was still true, comics would be $6 to $7 each.

 

$3.99 isn't that bad.

[revat]

My friend was getting very enthusiastic about comics until he saw the cover prices between $2.99 to $3.99. He told me he will get his superhero fix from movies,animation and video games.

The average price of a comic 20 years ago was the same as two gallons of gas.

If that was still true, comics would be $6 to $7 each.

 

$3.99 isn't that bad.

i like that attitude. it actually makes me feel better about it.

[stroszek]

My friend was getting very enthusiastic about comics until he saw the cover prices between $2.99 to $3.99. He told me he will get his superhero fix from movies,animation and video games.

The average price of a comic 20 years ago was the same as two gallons of gas.

If that was still true, comics would be $6 to $7 each.

 

$3.99 isn't that bad.

 

The average price of a comic book 30 years ago was less than that of one-half of a gallon of gas. If that was still true, comics books would cost about $1.50.

 

Obviously gas today is way too cheap!

 

 

[sterlingcomics]

My friend was getting very enthusiastic about comics until he saw the cover prices between $2.99 to $3.99. He told me he will get his superhero fix from movies,animation and video games.

The average price of a comic 20 years ago was the same as two gallons of gas.

If that was still true, comics would be $6 to $7 each.

 

$3.99 isn't that bad.

i like that attitude. it actually makes me feel better about it.

 

Considering a family of four has to spend $50 to watch a movie (on average, given snacks and/or ticket prices)... :shrug:

 

Video games cost $60...

 

[ComicConnoisseur]

My friend was getting very enthusiastic about comics until he saw the cover prices between $2.99 to $3.99. He told me he will get his superhero fix from movies,animation and video games.

The average price of a comic 20 years ago was the same as two gallons of gas.

If that was still true, comics would be $6 to $7 each.

 

$3.99 isn't that bad.

i like that attitude. it actually makes me feel better about it.

 

Considering a family of four has to spend $50 to watch a movie (on average, given snacks and/or ticket prices)... :shrug:

 

Video games cost $60...

He is single and not a family of four,so going to see the Spider-man movie for two and hours cost him only $6.00

Playing the new Amazing Spider-man video game will last hours for entertainment.

Driving on $3.99 worth of gas will still give him much more longer entertainment value than the average 10 minute read $3.99 comic book would,

and that`s for one comic book.

If he spent $20 dollars that would have landed him 5 brand new comic books.

Now tell him if comic books are a better value than going to see movies playing,video games and paying for gas.

[Hamlet]

Yup, comics have gone up much faster than inflation in general. Gas isn't the best choice of an inflation measure because it fluctuates wildly. In the last 4 years alone, it has gone from $4/gal to $1.80/gal and back up again.

 

The $1.50 price is pretty much on target to what comics would go for if they simply matched inflation.

 

The drop in reader volumes and movement to higher quality paper and printing has forced premium pricing compared to the old days.

 

Of course, for most books, you can just wait a couple of years and buy them out of the 50 cent boxes at conventions. Those boxes are a pretty good deal nowadays.

 

 

The average price of a comic book 30 years ago was less than that of one-half of a gallon of gas. If that was still true, comics books would cost about $1.50.

 

Obviously gas today is way too cheap!

 

[revat]

Yup, comics have gone up much faster than inflation in general. Gas isn't the best choice of an inflation measure because it fluctuates wildly. In the last 4 years alone, it has gone from $4/gal to $1.80/gal and back up again.

 

The $1.50 price is pretty much on target to what comics would go for if they simply matched inflation.

 

The drop in reader volumes and movement to higher quality paper and printing has forced premium pricing compared to the old days.

 

Of course, for most books, you can just wait a couple of years and buy them out of the 50 cent boxes at conventions. Those boxes are a pretty good deal nowadays.

 

 

The average price of a comic book 30 years ago was less than that of one-half of a gallon of gas. If that was still true, comics books would cost about $1.50.

 

Obviously gas today is way too cheap!

 

I feel terrible again. Stupid high quality paper jacking up my comic fees....

[Tony S]

My friend was getting very enthusiastic about comics until he saw the cover prices between $2.99 to $3.99. He told me he will get his superhero fix from movies,animation and video games.

The average price of a comic 20 years ago was the same as two gallons of gas.

If that was still true, comics would be $6 to $7 each.

 

$3.99 isn't that bad.

i like that attitude. it actually makes me feel better about it.

 

Considering a family of four has to spend $50 to watch a movie (on average, given snacks and/or ticket prices)... :shrug:

 

Video games cost $60...

He is single and not a family of four,so going to see the Spider-man movie for two and hours cost him only $6.00

Playing the new Amazing Spider-man video game will last hours for entertainment.

Driving on $3.99 worth of gas will still give him much more longer entertainment value than the average 10 minute read $3.99 comic book would,

and that`s for one comic book.

If he spent $20 dollars that would have landed him 5 brand new comic books.

Now tell him if comic books are a better value than going to see movies playing,video games and paying for gas.

 

Good post.

 

Gas is probably the worst choice for comparing comic prices. Or the best if one wants to try to justify the high cover prices.

 

Gas in 1988 was $1.08 a gallon. Comics were 75 cents. Gas is at this moment averaging $3.35 a gallon, but was almost at $4.00 a few months ago. Comics are $2.99 to $3.99.

 

But by every other measure of inflation comics should not -as others have pointed out - cost more than $1.50.

 

The better paper is an excuse to charge more. It doesn't cost the publishers that much more. The real problem is that the circulation numbers, even though they have stablilized of late, suck. Comic books are like loss leaders right now, with the real paydays coming from movies and merchandising.

 

Video games are in a real crisis phase of their own as resistance to the $60 price tags has gotten very high. More and more players just rent the expensive games a few times. Buy the ones they really like used. Games like Angry Birds for cell phones and tablets have demonstrated a cheap game that reaches a wider audience is a much safer bet to produce.

 

In the early 90's, Marvel's stock prospectus stated their intent to raise cover prices. Not because they needed to - but to make more money. That's what publically owned companies do. Try to make more money.

 

I purchase five or six new books a month. I could afford far more, but I don't find them any sort of entertainment value and honestly I'm old school and don't care for how my many of my childhood heroes are being treated. I'd rather read Morning Glories than Spider-Man at this point. Over the last few years a lot of reboots have served as jumping off points for me, not jumping on.

 

It is a pity. Some of the young artists out there have plenty of talent. But the characters and stories don't interest me.

 

Just being random, sorry

[lemonman5]

I didn't know that the boardie was filled with so many statisticians.

[Tony S]

I didn't know that the boardie was filled with so many statisticians.

 

Far more comedians than statisticians on these boards - but then who is counting?

[PovertyRow]

As I was flipping through back issues, I heard a couple of customers talking to an employee of the comic shop. One of the customers was coming back to the hobby after several years away. The employee explained how the New 52 was a complete reboot. The customer went on tell his friend some of the basics of buying comics, what was available at the store, etc.

 

It was nice to know that new blood comes in and old blood comes back. I'm glad there are enough dealers with visible and accessible storefront operations to get this kind of traffic.

 

A nice post that didn't deserve the instant derailment. The Lemmings of Watson.