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April 2, 2010 1:06 pm @gobo - Oh, yeah-- I don't think a 50-75% reduction across the board for trades/collections makes sense. But the recent Amazon Glitch taught us how excited people are about comics, when they can read a huge collection of a classic book for around ten bucks. I think the publishers should learn from that moment.

April 2, 2010 1:04 pm @josh - Sure, I can see why a paper copy isn't really worth a huge premium-- but surely a DRMed digital copy isn't worth MORE than the paper copy. I was trying to list examples of things that add value to a paper copy, not all of them.

April 2, 2010 1:02 pm @gobo - Even on iTunes, an album usually costs less than the individual tracks. It's not about less production cost, it's about encouraging people to buy more at once. It's good business sense.

April 2, 2010 12:49 pm

Paper back issues usually cost $1-$2. Now they will be $2 for a copy that I can't hold, keep, or get signed.

Trade paperback collections usually cost $10-$15. Now they will cost $12-$20 for individual issues that I can't hold, keep, or get signed.

It just does not make sense to me that a digital copy of something is worth more than a tangible copy. Maybe, at a stretch, it's worth the same, but I really feel that a digital discount is obvious.

I see the point that new issues cost $4 these days, so $2 looks like a discount. However, that isn't valid unless the pricing includes same-day-release new issues. Can I get the NEXT issue of Fantastic Four the Wednesday it comes out? Or is this just the stuff that's in the back-issue section and/or out as a trade? Also, do digital copies of $3 books cost less than digital copies of $4 books?

April 2, 2010 12:38 pm

I do see a problem with the $1.99 price point. This is almost entirely back-issues, which can often be found in print for $1.00.

 For same-day new releases of major ($4.00) titles, I think $1.99 is a bit of a stretch, but I could just about see it. For back-issues and minor titles, I really think this is going to flop.

 In my mind, a comic book issue is comparable to a music single. (The physical copies are certainly priced similarly.) So that leaves me thinking that premium books should cost about $1.29, and the rest should go for 99 cents, or even 79 cents for older stuff.

 When the newspapers talk about charging nearly as much for digital content as they do for their print editions, we all laugh them off stage, and say that the bullheadedness of a stubborn medium resisting inevitable change is going to lead to the death of the newspaper. Why don't we hold comics to the same standard?

I didn't pre-order an iPad, because I wanted to see how the publishers handled things. (I think the device itself is perfect as a comics reader.) Now I know-- They aren't handling it at all, it's the same ridiculous pricing we were seeing on the other mobile apps.

Marvel, ComiXology, etc. had a chance to revolutionize the comics industry, move into a new era, and broaden the audience of readers phenomenally in a way that would increase volumes and sales of trades/collections. If this is their plan, they have botched it.

 New titles should be $1.29. Back issues should be 99 cents. Collections should be discounted from the total cost of the issues. Omnibus-length collections of really old stuff should go for $9.99. Do that, and things would change. Stay the course, and you can bet the audience and sales will continue to slowly retract, and the only way to make real money will be the movies. 

March 29, 2010 2:35 pm

Do Brubaker and Rucka letter the books? Does Lark do all of the pencils, inks, and colors?

It usually takes five people to create a comic book, and that cover only has four including three writers.

March 25, 2010 3:27 pm Oh cool, I get it. Guardians of the Globe aren't the Avengers, they're Alpha Flight. It all makes sense now.

March 16, 2010 4:15 pm

I see it going something like this...

 Zatanna adjusted to her new environment, a desolate gray expanse of rock and fog at the peak of Wundagore. 

"siht si erom ekil ti!" she said. 

While she considers her next phrase, Zatanna sees boiling red chaos energy pouring out of the woman in red's eyes. Rather than speaking a spell, the Scarlet Witch simply screams, wiping Zatanna and her entire home universe from existance.

 The last phrase the sorceress heard amongst the screams of rage, before ceasing to be? "IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" 

 --

In this setup, I have to give it to Wanda, hands down. Generally in the DCU and MU, magic users are strongest in their home dimension, and especially in their homes. While these two both have very generalized powers, recently Zatanna's have had more power limits, while the Scarlet Witch has remade universes. Also she's batshit crazy, while Zatanna is a fairly well-balanced and nice person.

March 10, 2010 1:28 pm This will be great for the quality. Not sure about DCs implicit decision to make two of their flagship books quarterly titles, though. (Can anyone really see JMS getting 2-3 monthly books on time, while also working on the Earth 1 OGN?)

February 8, 2010 12:26 pm

It looks like this will probably be the "Street Level" and or "Spy" team of Avengers. The ones who do the dirty work, rather than the big visible heroes.

Does that silhouette look like a Deodato Spider-Man to anyone else? Though why would Spider-Woman be on the main team, and Spider-Man on the sneaky team? She's the spy.

Or maybe some of the existing teasers have been for people on the Secret team after all?