Daily Comics Digression #43: The Winds of Change Be Blowin'

The Winds of Change Be Blowin'

There is no denying that the comic book industry has seen better days. Much, much better days. Sales are so bad that it's a cause to celebrate when the loss being reported is only nine percent as opposed to ten. 

In  the midst of this turmoil, there are signs that there is some change is in the wind. Digital retailers are seriously undercutting the offerings of other stores. Print books that go for over $25 are being sold for a buck apiece. Obviously, this has some brick-and-mortar stalwarts rather hot under the collar. Brian Hibbs, well known for his writings at the Comics Beat, wrote quite the sore diatribe against Marvel's EIC, C.B. Cebulski, for daring to allow another company over which he has no control to give the best deal possible to consumers.

The very nerve.

I can say with all honesty that .99 cent price point is genius, and one of the best ways to infuse this dead industry with much needed capital. Charging near print prices for digital comics is nonsensical. As I have opined before, the most critical problem menacing comics today is their cost. selling comics for a dollar, the approximate cost of a Redbox rental, is an excellent way to entice consumers away from spending their discretionary income on video games. Best of luck to 'em.

Comics needs to make up its mind. Either it wants to be a dead fringe industry consisting of an ever shrinking amount of boutique stores, or it wants to be a real, competitive business. Pick one.