And Lo, There Shall Come a Price Increase

I’ve noticed for the last couple of solicitations for DC Comics, the standard price point has moved from $2.99 an issue to $3.99 an issue. The titles published bi-weekly (Superman, Action, Batman, Detective, etc) are still listed as $2.99 but otherwise, all the monthly titles are $3.99 which at least come with redeemable codes for free digital copies of the same issue. I’m unsure if there is an page count difference for the $3.99 books beyond the 20 page standard. Well, I suppose it was only a matter of time before DC’s line would increase in price. Marvel has long defaulted to the $3.99 price point for its entire line, even for the titles that double ship. 

 

I’ve tolerated the $3.99 as long as I was getting more bang for my buck.  Over at Image, Kill Or Be Killed by Brubaker & Phillips is $3.99 but the stories are longer, a solid reading experience. And there’s a bonus text feature AND Brubaker actually answers reader’s letters.  The idea of spending $3.99 for 20 pages of story & art just strikes me as a bit of a cheat. Hell, I don’t even get a a letter column.  But apparently one such title has snuck past me. The Batman ’66 comics have jumped in price to $3.99 with 20 pages of story and art. The current project, Batman ’66  meets Wonder Woman ’77, I will see to the end. The next series, Mike Allred’s Batman ’66 meets the Legion of Super Heroes, I may feel compelled to skip.

 

Of course, I’m fighting against the tide. $3.99 comic books are not the future; they are now. $2.99 is receding into the past. 

 

This not a new struggle for me. I fought against $2.99 when the prior price point of $2.50 started going away. I resisted $2.50 when $1.99 comics began to go away.  I even railed against $1.00 titles in the twilight of 75 cent comics.

 

I suppose in the future I will lament the passing of $3.99 comics when the price starts jumping to $4.99.