Prices

[The Fenske's]

My $0.02 worth on the price issue. 

First cent: when I visit my local comic specialty shop, and browse a 
bit, it is clear that most comics are still the 32 page standard size 
that sell (in Canada, where I happen to reside) for $3.50 - $4.50, 
depending on  title and other factors.  If you're talking the Japanese 
manga comics, then you've got those thick little books that are quite 
pricey.  But I can't think of many monthly prestige titles like the 
Gemstone Disney's.  However, the regular Gemstones are still a little 
higher priced than most regular comics.  The dealer who works at the 
shop has commented on that.  He has trouble selling them for that reason.

2nd cent:  Perhaps the problem for some of isn't *totally* the high cost 
of Gladstone's US and WDCS formats, which for me is close to $9 CDN.  
It's the fact that I just don't think most of the material published is 
worth it.  I'll be honest, I'm a bit of an elitist, and I find that, in 
general, the only comic stories I enjoy are those by Carl Barks, Don 
Rosa, and to a slightly lesser extend, William Van Horn.  If an issue 
doesn't have a  Don Rosa story, or a classic Barks I don't already have, 
then I just don't usually feel it's worth buying.  Most of the other 
stories published are just not that interesting.  Even a new Van Horn 
story, while usually enjoyable, isn't as strong a drawing card as Bill 
is usually a pretty quick read.  His stories go by pretty fast.  Whereas 
a new Rosa takes a while to go through, is written at an adult level of 
entertainment, can be savoured and reread, is great great fun to look 
at, and has the best developed sense of character for the ducks (aside 
from Barks himself).  So there you have it.  If an issue has a new Rosa 
and a Barks or Van Horn to boot, I'm in heaven.  If it has none of 
these, I'd rather leave it on the shelf. 

Now, that might change if the monthly comics were more in the $4-5 
range.  But $18 a month for the two titles is just a bit much when you 
have other expenses in life.  What I'd really like are Rosa-only issues 
published periodically when enough stories are out to fill one - I'd buy 
those every time.  But I can see there aren't enough new stories there 
to make that economically viable.

For the record, up to lately I have bought most issues, to support the 
industry and keep the Rosa stories coming, but financial circumstances 
over the past year have made me rethink this long and hard.  Such is 
life....

Dave Fenske



Gary Leach wrote:

> Mark Baker-Wright (and ALL):
>
>> I'm going to try to take this question seriously, but I find the  
>> question just a little insulting.
>
>
> Oh? And here I just thought I was being direct and unambiguous. Silly  
> me. I'll try to be a little more obtuse and opaque next time.
>
>>  The average comic book these days is about $3.00-$3.50.
>
>
> And the average comic book is what? 32 pages in color? 64-page  
> squarebounds? 80-page "giants"? 144-page graphic novels? 200-page  
> pocket books? $80-million cinema spectaculars?
>
> Fact is, the "average" in the US comics market disappeared years ago.
>
> And frankly, Mark, I'm not just digging at you - how could I, since  
> this subject has been raked over the coals here time and time and  
> time again, and it hasn't gotten anybody anywhere?
>
> I don't think it has to be like that. It is clearly a subject that is  
> of concern to most everyone, and it certainly won't go away. Still,  
> can we see if we can gather a consensus of some sort on just what  
> we're comparing to what? Perhaps Gemstone will still come out looking  
> pricey, but wouldn't a better understanding of the real situation -  
> whatever that may be discovered to be - prove a worthy goal for a  
> forum like this?
>
> Gary
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