Bought a Dc comic last month for $2.99, and this month's issue is $3.99. Others were still $2.99, anyone know if others are going up in price also ??? (I can remember when comics were $.10 and an annual was $.25 in the 60's).

Oh for those kind of prices. Most shops charge $1 = £1. This is why I tend to wait for the graphic novel/hardback.

Most titles for both Marvel and DC will be 3.99 by the end of spring. As the market shrinks due to a)the recession b)an aging buying market {the new average of a comic book buyer is 36!} that is not bringing in new readers and c)trades being released within a few months from the original storyline conclusion creating a new consumer that "waits for the trade" decreasing the number of weekly single issue readers. The companies are doing everything to pad the numbers. As a former comic book shop owner I still talk with other shop owners to get the lastest info. Currently trade sales account for 35% of profit dollars and single issue sales accounting for 30% with the other 35% given to either back issues, toys, games, etc. This is down from 60% of profit dollars coming from weekly issues just 10 years ago. The problem is that most people do not go to comic book stores to buy graphic novels/trades they get them from book stores or amazon at a discount. So, the traffic to comic book shops is dwendling. Along with the fact that you get the complete story if it involves crossovers with multiple series(a trend that is become even more common then ever). I will be intrested to see what happens over the next 5 years. I have several people thinking that the single issue format will fade away leading only to graphic novels.

I wanted to pick up a comic book for my neighbor's kid and I havn't seen a new one in quite awhile. I have a few old Marvels buried somewhere and I did read them a lot when I was a kid.

Well I was shocked.

Not so much with the prices, but with the fact they were so thin (as in short and small) and the paper and drawings are done so differently now. I put it back because it didn't look like a child would be interested.

Maybe that's why comic sales are down. The storylines and drawings are geared to adults, leading to graphic novel format, which is cheaper than trying to pick up small issues individually. And a young kid can't buy many comics at 4 bucks a pop, even if the story was something he/she could understand.

I think I'll look for my old Thors and FF, I'm feeling nostalgic.

All very valid points, Raven.

quote:

Not so much with the prices, but with the fact they were so thin (as in short and small) and the paper and drawings are done so differently now. I put it back because it didn't look like a child would be interested.

Maybe that's why comic sales are down. The storylines and drawings are geared to adults, leading to graphic novel format, which is cheaper than trying to pick up small issues individually. And a young kid can't buy many comics at 4 bucks a pop, even if the story was something he/she could understand.

Also, it's very rare that a story is complete in one issue now. I have a standing order of about 20 titles. Each time I do a pick up and read, I think about dropping comics entirely. A lot of the time I don't know what's going on even though I get cross-overs. I hold on, as I keep on expecting the latest 'event' (52, Final Crisis, Darkest Night) to clean up the mess.