Millarworld considers economics:
“If comics cost half as much… would you buy twice as many? Or if they cost twice as much would you buy half as many? How much does budget control your comic habit?”
“I would buy more, but probably not double. I get about 5-7 a week now, and I don’t think there are 10-14 books that come out each week that I would even want to read. But, I would really enjoy if books cost $1.50. I would more than likely end up buying more trades because my money has been freed up.”
“I’m fortunate enough that I don’t have to think that much about how much they cost; I buy what I want to read, and leave it at that. I pay for my comics monthly. and though I keep a passing eye on how much the bill is for, it comes out automatically by direct debit, and I never have to consciously pay a bill. I couldn’t actually tell you how much my comic book guy charges for a standard single issue. What I am buying is dropping off fairly sharply, and that has nothing to do with the cost.”
“At half the price I’d definitely be buying twice the books. At double the price… that high I’m not sure I’d be buying any books at all. It’s hard to justify $3 for 10 minutes of entertainment as it is. I can’t imagine paying $6 for a standard 22 page single. Even 15 years ago I could see it, if only for indies. But the price point was out there so it was a little easier for us to swallow to get up to where we are now. I really yearn for a return to monthlies as inexpensive and ultimately disposable packets of entertainment, leaving special formats and printing to special projects. There’s nothing special abotu formats anymore unless you’re talking $75 absolute editions. I know, I know, nothing new there, said many times, but it still sticks me…”
May 21st, 2007 at 9:58 am
I would buy more comics if they were cheaper. I’m cutting back now because I’m spending too much money. I’ve cut my comic purchases by 20%, and I hope to get closer to 40% by the end of June. If comics were cheaper, I wouldn’t be making these cuts.
May 21st, 2007 at 10:31 am
I’d probably be more willing to give a look at books I don’t buy now if they cost half as much. And I would also probably be less quick to drop something and give it more of a chance to play out.
May 21st, 2007 at 11:34 am
My sentiments are similar to Dave’s. Of course, I would also be more inclined to sample titles if I was sure I wasn’t getting a fraction of a story. Oddly enough, I’m more inclined to buy a $15 TPB of a title to sample it than I am a $3 issue. Part of that is due to the fact that a TPB will have had enough feedback/reviews generated to help me make an informed decision, but it’s also that there’s a much better chance that I’ll be getting a complete story (this is especially true of indies/small press). I probably wouldn’t buy any more monthlies than I do now, though, because of time restraints rather than financial.
May 21st, 2007 at 1:58 pm
I’m spending over $100 a month on comics, even with a 40% discount. But there are still many issues that I’d love to buy but can’t…another $30-50 a month. If prices were less, I’d buy more. If prices were higher, I’d probably be all TPBs and buy less $$$ worth in the year.
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:54 am
I’m very price resistant and tend to buy whatever I want to read and the the titles I have collected for years. I purchase somewhere between 50 and 75 titles a month plus some trades and cool junk from Previews. I’m not a student so I have the income to indulge my hobby. If prices were to drop, I’d probably spend the extra money on archive hardcovers and comic strip collections like Terry and the Pirates.