Marvel Price Hike

[HipHopHead]

I have heard and read before, the comic industry needs to outreach beyond the medium. Why not run a commerical during the Sunday Night Fox Animation? Why not advertise on Fringe? Why not advertise on comic related DVD movies? All I see in advertising within comic books, which WE are reading. The comic industry doesn't need to convince us, comics are good, but the people who are not reading them.

The movies and comics also need to be in sync. The Batman movie was great, but the Batman comics are confusing (is he going to die?). The Superman movie sucked, but now the comics are good (maybe even great). I had to tell so many people Wanted, 300, Sin City etc were based on comic books. Forget the term "Graphic Novel", it makes it sound obscene to those who don' know the term.

[JohnMayo]

I have heard and read before, the comic industry needs to outreach beyond the medium. Why not run a commerical during the Sunday Night Fox Animation? Why not advertise on Fringe? Why not advertise on comic related DVD movies? All I see in advertising within comic books, which WE are reading. The comic industry doesn't need to convince us, comics are good, but the people who are not reading them.

The movies and comics also need to be in sync. The Batman movie was great, but the Batman comics are confusing (is he going to die?). The Superman movie sucked, but now the comics are good (maybe even great). I had to tell so many people Wanted, 300, Sin City etc were based on comic books. Forget the term "Graphic Novel", it makes it sound obscene to those who don' know the term.

Good question with a simple answer. Commercials are expensive. Compared to how much the comic book publishers are making now, commercials are very, very expensive.

Print ads might work but they too cost money. A full page ad in a magazine could easily run $6000+ dollars or more. Much, much more.

Those print ads or commercials need to bring in at least as much as they cost in order to be considered effective. Granted, they don't need to bring in that money immediately but there does need to be a tangible return on the advertising investment.

I completely agree that comic books should be markets to people that aren't buying them. I'm doing what I can to encourage it but it takes time for these things to happen.

[Wood]

I have heard and read before, the comic industry needs to outreach beyond the medium. Why not run a commerical during the Sunday Night Fox Animation? Why not advertise on Fringe? Why not advertise on comic related DVD movies? All I see in advertising within comic books, which WE are reading. The comic industry doesn't need to convince us, comics are good, but the people who are not reading them.

The movies and comics also need to be in sync. The Batman movie was great, but the Batman comics are confusing (is he going to die?). The Superman movie sucked, but now the comics are good (maybe even great). I had to tell so many people Wanted, 300, Sin City etc were based on comic books. Forget the term "Graphic Novel", it makes it sound obscene to those who don' know the term.

Good question with a simple answer. Commercials are expensive. Compared to how much the comic book publishers are making now, commercials are very, very expensive.

Print ads might work but they too cost money. A full page ad in a magazine could easily run $6000+ dollars or more. Much, much more.

Those print ads or commercials need to bring in at least as much as they cost in order to be considered effective. Granted, they don't need to bring in that money immediately but there does need to be a tangible return on the advertising investment.

I completely agree that comic books should be markets to people that aren't buying them. I'm doing what I can to encourage it but it takes time for these things to happen.

True indeed. That said, if there were ever a time it would be doable AND make financial sense, it's now. Country undergoing the most severe advertising recession in two generations and it's going to get worse for next seasons upfronts. Perfect time for Time Warner, especially, to use some remnant house TV inventory to promote its own stuff, like DC Comics.

[IanG]

The main revenue stream, as far as I know, is---and always has been--gleaned from advertisement fees. If comic book publishers are not fully utilizing that business model, I would be stunned senseless.

I also don't understand why Marvel doesn't sell more print advertising in their comic books. If they sold more ads maybe they could keep prices at $2.99. The extra advertising wouldn't bother me while I'm reading my books.

There's a reason why you can get a magazine subscription at about 75% off cover price. The ad revenue in magazines makes up for the majority of the production costs. I understand we're in a major economic recession right now but more advertising will eventually come back. I see a lot of advertising on comics news websites like CBR and Newarama. A quick scan shows ads for Sirius satellite radio, the Hellboy II DVD, and Tom's toothpaste. You never see ads like these in comic books and why not. I think Marvel could sell plenty of ads for that "elusive" male demographic in their 20's to 30's.

I'm reading in to what people like John are saying, that a price increase to 3.99 won't be good for the industry as a whole. If the price goes up across the board, I think you'll see a lot titles just get canceled. That's too bad because in my opinion the entertainment quality is at its best in about 25 years. Also part of the appeal to me is the wide selection of good comics that we can get today. I hope that comics, as we know it, can be "saved" by a great idea. No matter where it comes from.

[HipHopHead]

Commericals are expensive? like $3.99 cover price expensive?

Okay, forget the "networks", I see Billy Maze (sic) pushing crap all the time on NBA Channel. Why not target the sports channels like NFL Network, NBA TV, NHL Channel and the upcoming MLB Channel? It should be less than the network channels and you have a core audience that will spend money. They can also target the kids on Disney, Boomerang, Nickelodeon etc. You can run a 15 to 30 second commercial, I have seen it done with PPV Boxing. There is radio advertising.

My point is we don't need the marketing. With these all the comic related podcast, blogs and website, we don't need to see Marvel advertisement in a Marvel book.

When the Dark Knight premiered there was a local comic shop having a Joker look-a-like passing out flyers in the lobby of the movie theatre. MARKETING!! If a local comic shop can come up with an marketing idea, why can't the Housing of Ideas (don't mean to pick of Marvel )

[JohnMayo]

The main revenue stream, as far as I know, is---and always has been--gleaned from advertisement fees. If comic book publishers are not fully utilizing that business model, I would be stunned senseless.

I also don't understand why Marvel doesn't sell more print advertising in their comic books. If they sold more ads maybe they could keep prices at $2.99. The extra advertising wouldn't bother me while I'm reading my books.

For starters, gien the low print runs for comics these days, I'm really not sure how much the publishers are making from ads. Clearly it isn't enough.

Also, to sell more ads, comics would probably need more pages. More pages mean higher shipping costs for retailers which cuts into their profit and general happiness.

While I'd like for ads to be the answer, it does look like it is.

[JohnMayo]

Commericals are expensive? like $3.99 cover price expensive?

Okay, forget the "networks", I see Billy Maze (sic) pushing crap all the time on NBA Channel. Why not target the sports channels like NFL Network, NBA TV, NHL Channel and the upcoming MLB Channel? It should be less than the network channels and you have a core audience that will spend money. They can also target the kids on Disney, Boomerang, Nickelodeon etc. You can run a 15 to 30 second commercial, I have seen it done with PPV Boxing. There is radio advertising.

My point is we don't need the marketing. With these all the comic related podcast, blogs and website, we don't need to see Marvel advertisement in a Marvel book.

When the Dark Knight premiered there was a local comic shop having a Joker look-a-like passing out flyers in the lobby of the movie theatre. MARKETING!! If a local comic shop can come up with an marketing idea, why can't the Housing of Ideas (don't mean to pick of Marvel )

Running commercials on cable channels isn't cheap either. Not cheap as in each one you run would require a boost in sales of thousands of units on a comic to even come close to cover the costs. There is also the cost to produce the commercials as well.

Your point of reducing the in-house ads is interesting. I'm curious how many of those are because they couldn't sell the ad space to anyone and how many are because they think it actually convinces existing readers to buy more comics.

Marvel can come up with marketing ideas. They even ran a television commercial recently. The problem isn't coming up with the ideas, it is coming up with ideas that are cost effective enough to be worth doing.

[HipHopHead]

Also, to sell more ads, comics would probably need more pages. More pages mean higher shipping costs for retailers which cuts into their profit and general happiness.

I agree, that is all we need is more pages slowing down the Secret Invasion or Final Crisis event.

Maybe we can get someone on Oprah, now she can push a book.

[JohnMayo]

Also, to sell more ads, comics would probably need more pages. More pages mean higher shipping costs for retailers which cuts into their profit and general happiness.

I agree, that is all we need is more pages slowing down the Secret Invasion or Final Crisis event.

Maybe we can get someone on Oprah, now she can push a book.

I'm working on it... Give me time...

[IanG]

Also, to sell more ads, comics would probably need more pages. More pages mean higher shipping costs for retailers which cuts into their profit and general happiness.

While I'd like for ads to be the answer, it does look like it is.

How about product placement? You see it all the time now in the era of DVR. You could have Peter Parker drinking a Starbucks coffee while on a Motorola phone or something like that. They wouldn't have to increase the page count. Just a thought.

I'd like to see John on Oprah, that would be the best.

[JohnMayo]

Also, to sell more ads, comics would probably need more pages. More pages mean higher shipping costs for retailers which cuts into their profit and general happiness.

While I'd like for ads to be the answer, it does look like it is.

How about product placement? You see it all the time now in the era of DVR. You could have Peter Parker drinking a Starbucks coffee while on a Motorola phone or something like that. They wouldn't have to increase the page count. Just a thought.

I'd like to see John on Oprah, that would be the best.

Product placement is an interesting idea. CrossGen did some experimenting with it a few years back. I would imagine that the core problem is that it would be specific to an issue and the circulations are so low that it might be hard to convince a company that the product placement we seen be enough people to be worth doing.

I think it would be hard enough to get a comic book on Oprah, getting me on there would be impossible. But Quesada got on The Colbert Report twice so there is always the outside chance that Oprah might one day talk about a comic book on her show. It would be a huge marketing move if that ever happened. Some day, some day...

[Flash77]

How about product placement? You see it all the time now in the era of DVR. You could have Peter Parker drinking a Starbucks coffee while on a Motorola phone or something like that. They wouldn't have to increase the page count. Just a thought.

I'd like to see John on Oprah, that would be the best.

Instead of product placement (one of the many things to ruin Blade Trinity for me)...how about product collaboration. Would it be strange for Marvel or DC to forge a relationship with Starbucks coffee? They could be the official seller for a line of books or tpbs. They did an exclusive with the latest Paul McCartney CD and other items. Seems to me, coffee and relaxing place to read would be a perfect fit for comics.

[Flash77]

I've been pondering this topic of potential permanent pricing on new comics. It seems that what buyers want for an increase of that amount is more content. And not just text or artwork...but story. In addition to that, the idea of a short story by a green writer/artist doesn't seem to appeal to the majority.

So, what would people think about paying $2.00 for a monthly comic that is 16 pages of story. Before thinking I'm nuts...let's consider.

A $2.99 22-page comic is essentially $.073 per page. Decreasing the cost and page count to $2.00 and 16-pages would come to $.080 per page. This is the first step in increasing revenue for the publisher. The second would be that with artist & writers producing approximately 3 full comics less a year (difference between 22 and 16 page comic times 12 months), their time could be utilized on other properties or special issues. Utilizing this talent would in theory mean that other writers or artists do not have to be hired. Thus further savings and potential increased quality of material. And the third savings is the cost in paper/printing. Less pages...less supplies to use.

I guess what I'm getting at is would you as a comic buyer be willing to take a reduction in content along side a reduction in cost.

Now, there is the downside that telling stories in their current "Bendis" style or for the trade would probably not work in 16 pages. But...maybe a smaller page format would revitalize how stories are told. And get us back to shorter arcs or issues that actually are packed with content and not multiple 2-page splash pages.

Any thoughts on this?

[comicm]

For me it is simple and I will cut back on a few books to account for the added expense.

Here is my solution:

1) Don't raise the cost
2) Throw in more ad space to account for the needed cost. Maybe place those full page ads with many ads inside of them that way smaller companies can advertise. They used to do this in older comics. I personally don't mind ads and actually love looking at them when reading old back issues as it gives me a little bit of pop culture history. I would much rather deal with more ads then a price hike.

Given that they probably won't take my advice I will cut back accordingly and probably buy older cheap issues to feel in gaps in my collection from mycomicshop.com.



Also here is how DC used to deal with a price hike. The good old days.

[JohnMayo]

I've been pondering this topic of potential permanent pricing on new comics. It seems that what buyers want for an increase of that amount is more content. And not just text or artwork...but story. In addition to that, the idea of a short story by a green writer/artist doesn't seem to appeal to the majority.

So, what would people think about paying $2.00 for a monthly comic that is 16 pages of story. Before thinking I'm nuts...let's consider.

A $2.99 22-page comic is essentially $.073 per page. Decreasing the cost and page count to $2.00 and 16-pages would come to $.080 per page. This is the first step in increasing revenue for the publisher. The second would be that with artist & writers producing approximately 3 full comics less a year (difference between 22 and 16 page comic times 12 months), their time could be utilized on other properties or special issues. Utilizing this talent would in theory mean that other writers or artists do not have to be hired. Thus further savings and potential increased quality of material. And the third savings is the cost in paper/printing. Less pages...less supplies to use.

I guess what I'm getting at is would you as a comic buyer be willing to take a reduction in content along side a reduction in cost.

Now, there is the downside that telling stories in their current "Bendis" style or for the trade would probably not work in 16 pages. But...maybe a smaller page format would revitalize how stories are told. And get us back to shorter arcs or issues that actually are packed with content and not multiple 2-page splash pages.

Any thoughts on this?

I like this idea. Particularly if the total page count for these comics was 24 pages. The additional pages would allow for a letter page and some ads. The only change I would suggest would be to lower the price a penny and go with $1.99 instead of $2.00. Conventional marketing wisdom seems to dictate that people will feel that the price is more acceptable since it is under $2 versus being $2.

The other upside to this format is that since the creative team needs to produce fewer pages each issue, they ought to be able to get them out on time.