From DC Comics:
"Beginning January 2011, DC Comics will implement a line-wide pricing adjustment, lowering the prices of all standard length 32-page ongoing comic book titles currently priced at $3.99 to $2.99.
"This announcement reaffirms DC Comics' commitment to both our core fans and to comic book store retailers," said Jim Lee, DC Comics Co-Publisher. "For the long term health of the industry, we are willing to take a financial risk so that readers who love our medium do not abandon the art form."
"As Co-Publishers, we listened to our fans and to our partners in the retail community who told us that a $3.99 price point for 32 pages was too expensive. Fans were becoming increasingly reluctant to sample new titles and long term fans were beginning to abandon titles and characters that they'd collected for years," said Dan DiDio, DC Comics Co-Publisher. "We needed a progressive pricing strategy that supports our existing business model and, more importantly, allows this creative industry to thrive for years to come. With the exceptions of oversized comic books, like annuals and specials, we are committed to a $2.99 price point."
"This announcement reaffirms DC Comics' commitment to both our core fans and to comic book store retailers," said Jim Lee, DC Comics Co-Publisher. "For the long term health of the industry, we are willing to take a financial risk so that readers who love our medium do not abandon the art form."
"As Co-Publishers, we listened to our fans and to our partners in the retail community who told us that a $3.99 price point for 32 pages was too expensive. Fans were becoming increasingly reluctant to sample new titles and long term fans were beginning to abandon titles and characters that they'd collected for years," said Dan DiDio, DC Comics Co-Publisher. "We needed a progressive pricing strategy that supports our existing business model and, more importantly, allows this creative industry to thrive for years to come. With the exceptions of oversized comic books, like annuals and specials, we are committed to a $2.99 price point."
On a personal note, I stopped buying new comics completely a couple months ago. the expense was just not worth it even though I was enjoying a lot of the stories and artwork. Just like with toys, it's very hard for me to justify spending so much money on something that five minutes later isn't worth the paper it is printed on, especially when I can go to the swap meet and get handfuls of great older comics or collected volumes for dirt cheap. (Tune in Saturday to see an example.)
That being said, I applaud this price drop (even though it means a content drop as well - a couple art/story pages will be replaced by a returning letters column, which in itself is kind of a cool thing) as a good move if DC Comics want to remain viable in this ever increasingly cautious economy.
i kinda like the letters column, too- especially on older comics i buy- it's interesting to hear what was on folks minds in retrospect. i have taken to buying comics used on E-Bay- MyComic Shop & several others offer a flat rate just under $4.00 for all you can buy, and alot of the comics are under $2.00. besides, i missed so much while gone that i could read for years and not ever get caught up, and the old comics make me feel like a kid again :)
ReplyDelete$2.99 is nice but man i still think it is too much for me to spend on a comic book anymore. Heck i remember the glory days of Twenty Five cent comics! Good times.
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