Daily Comics Digression #3: I'd Buy that for a Dollar

Daily Comics Digression #3: I'd Buy that for a Dollar

With all of the political posturing propagated by pros and patrons alike, it's easy to think that the solution to the comics industry sales predicament lies behind embracing a particular ideology. On the one hand, you have those on the left who think their approach is what will bring in readers. Unfortunately, sales for comics continue to decline despite several initiatives meant to bring in a more diverse readership. On the other hand, some fans on the right think that they can do the opposite of leftism and bring in an untapped audience. Still others want to return to a previous age of comics where sales where good and stories seemed less politically divisive.

A great deal has been opined regarding how one side of the political spectrum or the other has ruined comics and led to its dismal sales. I think, however, that there are some other problems that may be playing a larger role in the health of the industry. Specifically, I am of the opinion that the cost associated with the medium is prohibitive. To be more blunt: comics are too expensive. The barrier to entry and sustainability of the hobby are too high.

Let's think about it. What are you comfortable spending $3.99 on in regards to entertainment? Currently, you can rent a film from Redbox for between $1.50-2.00 and enjoy about two solid hours of entertainment. Conversely, spending twice as much or even more when it comes to some of the recent event comics nets you an experience that doesn't even last half an hour if you're lucky. This comparison of value is even worse when compared with video games. Anyone with a Steam account knows that with a little bit of patience, one can buy a game that may net dozens of hours of content for the price of a trade paperback graphic novel.

Speaking for myself, spending money in a comic book store does not feel as good as it should. Now I am a skinflint, but seeing my Andrew Jackson buy such a thin stack of paper that doesn't even cover a fraction of one of the big two's monthly offering leaves me depressed. The only exception to this feeling is when I've been able to go through some dollar long-boxes and walk away with a healthy stack. I also only really buy trade paperbacks when I find them on clearance. This reticence is further evidence of the problem; I don't feel encouraged to purchase content at full price. I only feel like I've obtained my money's worth when I've managed to circumvent the market as intended.


To summarize, it seems to me that the comics market is flooded with content, but consumers without absurdly deep pockets have difficulty participating in it and may not feel like they are receiving enough value for what they are spending.

For those who need an even briefer synopsis, I offer the following: