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So, the first issue of "Dark Avengers" from last month was $3.99, but, it was extra sized:

DARK AVENGERS #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC 48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99


But look at #2:
DARK AVENGERS #2
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO
Variant Cover by MIKE CHOI
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99


The price stays at $3.99 and the page count drops down to a normal size comic. I am not going to be buying this (just on general principles).

Makes me wonder about the other "extra sized" #1s that Marvel is soliciting this month. Will the price stay at $3.99 and the page count drop to normal next month on these:

SECRET WARRIORS #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & JONATHAN HICKMAN
Penciled by STEFANO CASELLI
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
48 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

BLACK PANTHER #1
Written by REGINALD HUDLIN
Penciled by KEN LASHLEY
50/50 Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
50/50 Cover by KEN LASHLEY
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
“DEADLIEST OF THE SPECIES, PART 1
Tie-in to “DARK REIGN”
40 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

AGENTS OF ATLAS #1
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by CARLO PAGULAYAN & BENTON JEW
Cover by ART ADAMS
Variant Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
48 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

ASTONISHING TALES #1
Written by C.B. CEBULSKI, DANIEL MERLIN GOODBREY, CHRIS SEQUERA, & JONATHAN HICKMAN
Penciled by KENNETH ROQUEFORT, LOU KANG, CHEW CHAN, NICK PITARRA, and JONATHAN HICKMAN
Wraparound Cover by KENNETH ROQUEFORT
Variant Cover by MARC SILVESTRI
40 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99


And look at these (normal sized Ultimate books were never $3.99 before)
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #60
Written by JOE POKASKI
Penciled by TYLER KIRKHAM
Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
White Variant Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM
SERIES FINALE! Ultimatum tie-in!
32 PGS./Rated A ...$3.99

ULTIMATE X-MEN #100
Written by ARON E. COLEITE
Penciled by MARK BROOKS
Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
White Variant Cover by MARK BROOKS
SERIES FINALE! Ultimatum tie-in!
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99


Seems like the first wave of a price increase at Marvel.

It will be my policy (at least for now) to "Just Say No" to any normal length Marvel Comic with a $3.99 price tag on it.

The Punisher #2 is listed with a price of $2.99, so maybe for some books will go back to $2.99. The Hulk #10 is listed as $3.99, so the rationale could be this:

Top Selling Titles
Mini-Series
Last issues

I am not going to boycott the $3.99 books. If I would buy one from Image or IDW or another independent publisher, why not Marvel? I went to a store today and picked up Gigantic #1 for $3.50 (based on your recommendation). That doesn't bother me that much. That said, I have already reduced my pull list and might have to drop a couple more titles to make room. What is funny is that I probably drop more DC than Marvel to make room because I am enjoying the Marvel stuff more.

And those who say, I am going to wait for the trade, guess what is next?!

How long do you think it will be before DC follows? Do you think they'll wait and see how it goes for Marvel. What does history of this kind of thing show?

I get about as many Marvel titles as i do inderpendents, so it won't be so bad for me. I never minded paying a little more for indies though, because they're smaller companies.

I was really hoping Dark Avengers and Secret Warriors wouldn't be 3.99, it puts both on the fence for me now.

I just read the issue of Big Hero 6 #3 that came out last week. The main story was a full 20 or so pages (I didn't count the pages but it was "full length"). Due to the larger physical page count, the story ended shortly after the staple.

Then came the editor's intro to the back matter.

In it, the editor explained that since the characters in Big Hero 6 are fairly obscure that there simply wasn't much stuff in the archives to pull for reprints. (The editor's comments about the Sunfire story in the previous issue weren't exactly postive either.) Basically, it sounded like they were scrambling to fill the pages with something but had no idea what it would be. That seems like something they should have figured out prior to making the decision to go with an expanded page count and $3.99 cover price.

The result was a text story starring Big Hero 6 related characters that went on for eight or ten pages. They used a larger font size than was probably needed had they used black text on a white page so I'm not sure how long the story was compared to a short story published in a book.

And I don't know if it was any good because after the lackluster pitch for it by the editor, I skipped it.

I get the financial reasons they are moving to a higher price. But between stuff like this and the recent Astonishing X-Men: Ghost Boxes #1 with two 8 page stories and the script for each, I'm not really thinking this price hike is going to go over too well. (Nor do I think it should.)


Typcially when either DC or Marvel raises prices, they other does shortly thereafter. At least that is what I seem to recall.

I suspect that DC is trying to let Marvel go first on this. If so, that is a smart move.

Another price hike. They skipped a month on Hulk (maybe hoping you wouldn't notice....)

From October:
HULK #9
Written by JEPH LOEB
Art & 50/50 Covers by ART ADAMS & FRANK CHO
32 PGS./Rated A ...$2.99

From December:
HULK #10
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & 50/50 Covers by ED MCGUINNESS
32 PGS./Rated A ...$3.99

Let's not get crazy quite yet. Those issues are sure to have cardstock covers, totally worth the extra dollar.

Didn't Marvel do a similar thing in the 80's? The first month of the new higher price were all double-size specials. The following month, all the page counts dropped back to normal but the price stayed up high....

If Mighty Avengers goes to $3.99, I might have to give it the axe. I was looking forward to Slott taking over the title, but I've found Koi Pham's art during the Secret Invasion issues really unpleasant. I'm not going to pay $4 for a book with an artist I can't stand.

It'll kill me if Agents of Atlas is a $3.99 book on a regular basis because I won't be able to pick it up monthly. Ugh!

Koete wrote:Let's not get crazy quite yet. Those issues are sure to have cardstock covers, totally worth the extra dollar.

Ha! Good one!

I wonder if the price increase of $3.99 on an extra sized first issue, followed by a regular size $3.99 second issue might hurt sales. If that first issue isn’t top writing and art, I personally would be less likely to continue trying a new series if I’m not impressed by either medium.

If I recall correctly, Marvel made the jump to $2.99 before DC joined them a couple months later. I imagine a similar format will follow. If Marvel shows a short term financial success to increased prices, then DC will join them. What I’d like to see how sales of DC books at $2.99 compare to regular series from Marvel at $3.99. Will we see DC start make ground on percentage of comics sold, but not make any ground on monetary sales?

I discussed this a bit with the LCS because I was taken back by the $3.99 for the latest Amazing Spider-man issue (with the Punisher). I soon realized that it was an extra sized issue, so that was okay. But, it did start the discussion. The shop owner was frustrated by the marvel price increase. He said that it’s begun to hurt them as a small business owner, as customer’s are leaning more towards dropping or not picking up/trying a book (and I’m sure coupled with a depression doesn’t help) So, we might see a segment of comic shops close the doors. And I’m not sure that the segment that the comic industry loses by higher prices or stores closing will translate to comic sales elsewhere. I think the industry may just lose some of that buyer base.

BobBretall wrote:Another price hike. They skipped a month on Hulk (maybe hoping you wouldn't notice....)

From October:
HULK #9
Written by JEPH LOEB
Art & 50/50 Covers by ART ADAMS & FRANK CHO
32 PGS./Rated A ...$2.99

From December:
HULK #10
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & 50/50 Covers by ED MCGUINNESS
32 PGS./Rated A ...$3.99

The price went up to make up for the fact that the book will so late, an issue will come out once every two months

Seriously, I am shock that I don't see any discussion at the comic book news sites about the price increases. Nothing at all.

BobBretall wrote:From December:
HULK #10
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & 50/50 Covers by ED MCGUINNESS
32 PGS./Rated A ...$3.99

Is this $3.99 for Hulk, a typo at Newsarama because it's listed as 2.99 over at Comics Continuum? It's a typo at one of them anyways.

Regardless, I won't pay 3.99 for Hulk. The story isn't good enough. The art is really nice though. I'm getting it on a Marvel subscription but I wouldn't pay more for Hulk either way.

IanG wrote:

BobBretall wrote:From December:
HULK #10
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & 50/50 Covers by ED MCGUINNESS
32 PGS./Rated A ...$3.99

Is this $3.99 for Hulk, a typo at Newsarama because it's listed as 2.99 over at Comics Continuum? It's a typo at one of them anyways.

Regardless, I won't pay 3.99 for Hulk. The story isn't good enough. The art is really nice though. I'm getting it on a Marvel subscription but I wouldn't pay more for Hulk either way.

Both the text and PDF versions of the retailer order form on the Diamond website have it at $3.99.

I'm curious, is the December order form something that only you have access to? I couldn't easily find that on Diamond's website. I saw the November order sheet but not the December. I believe it's 3.99 now nonetheless.

I noticed She-Hulk and Skaar are still $2.99. Marvel is testing the waters with one of their top sellers. They'll see if the sales numbers are substantially affected or not.