March 5, 2012 9:59 am So, there might be some spoilers in here so consider yourself warned.
I have to believe the suggestion that Jeffrey DeMunn asked to be let off the show after Darabont was forced out. Anyone could have died in that spot so why kill one of the key characters (and most recognizable actors) of the show? T-Dog could have bit it there right? Not like he has had anything to do lately. It seems like they just threw the character of Dale away which is exactly what I would expect if someone wanted out. I think the show is really going to miss what Dale brings to the group dynamic. I don't mind changing things up from the book, in fact, I think it is important to give the comic fans something to keep them tuning in every week but Dale should have been around a lot longer.
Also, it is time to move on from The Farm. I understand the budgetary reason for setting most of this season on The Farm but the story is getting stale. Go ahead and have Carl kill Shane, introduce Michonne and let's get to the prison.
Elasticity is a good concept here (had quite enough of it in my graduate economics class) but I am not sure the right data is being looked at. What I would like to see are some numbers/graphs that compare average comic book price versus industry wide demand. I think this would give better information than say looking at the demand for a single book at $2.99 versus that book at $3.99. The second case doesn't give us the whole story as it doesn't show if a buyer is not choosing to buy book B because he has to pay more for book A. The price change may not have a direct effect on a single book but an increase in the average price of a book may very well have an overal effect on the industry. So ultimately what I am not sure of is if the demand for comics as a whole is price elastic or price inelastic. One thing I do know is that I try and keep a set budget for books per month. If prices on some books go up then something has to get cut.
I also think price is becoming a significant barrier to new readers and I just don't mean kids. If you are new to comics does $3.99 encourage you to try something? You can eat lunch on that. Maybe not a big lunch but you can get a meal. Sure, we fans will pay more for the same book but what about the average person who wants to try something new? At what point does price scare them away? Are the numbers we are seeing reflective of the price barrier?
I think the trend for some time has been less sales in both per issue numbers and revenue. Raising the price shores up the revenue drop but not the # of issues drop and even then the flattening of the revenue curve can only be temporary as the steadily decreasing demand will eventually catch up to it. What I would like to see is the publishers working to build the audience instead of trying to artificially prop up the income statement. In the long run it is bad for everyone.
Can we assume that the price increase on many books from $2.99 to $3.99 is at least partially at fault here. I cut my pull list last month because of the increase and the side effect was that my overall comic spending went down. Look at it this way, say I was buying two books at $2.99 each. That would be a retail (who pays retail but stick with me) of $5.98. If both of those books went to $3.99 then I might have to cut one of them thus only spending $3.99 when I was originally spending $5.98. Same thing could happen where I cut a $2.99 book that I only marginally liked to be able to continue to buy the other book I really enjoyed at $3.99. The end result on the sales side would be both a quantity decrease AND a gross spending decrease.
I read a lot from DC about the change in pricing and how they felt it would not hurt the books going up in price. That might be true. If someone wants to read a story they will probably keep reading it at $3.99. The true side effect, however, will be people dropping other books or not buying new titles because the books they are already reading are more expensive. In the end this will mean less choice, lowered spending and lower volume sales. Not to mention raising the costs of entry for new readers.
All of this, of course, is just one guy's theory. I may be wrong.
JohnnyStooge - Happy Early birthday! Mine is also Nov 5.
I am not sure I like what I saw in the trailer. I know I hated all the armor, but it seems like the story is pretty interesting. Anyone know if that was Mark Hamill doing The Joker?
October 8, 2008 11:33 am With the first Dark Tower Mini and now this I am starting to wonder if I am wasting money buying the same story over and over again. I will try the first issue I guess and then decide from there.
March 7, 2008 3:58 pm I have to agree with some of the others here. The book was pricey for what you got. I think if there were about 3-5 pages I would not have had a problem but there just wasn't enough story there for me. I can see the potential though so I am going to stick with it for a few more issues.
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Some rights reserved.
Just FYI, you can often see the Atlanta Skyline from 15 miles or more outside the city depending on where you are standing, driving, etc.
I suspect the delay in going after Merle had more to do with him being a racist, redneck, piece of trash more than how far it was to the city.
Elasticity is a good concept here (had quite enough of it in my graduate economics class) but I am not sure the right data is being looked at. What I would like to see are some numbers/graphs that compare average comic book price versus industry wide demand. I think this would give better information than say looking at the demand for a single book at $2.99 versus that book at $3.99. The second case doesn't give us the whole story as it doesn't show if a buyer is not choosing to buy book B because he has to pay more for book A. The price change may not have a direct effect on a single book but an increase in the average price of a book may very well have an overal effect on the industry. So ultimately what I am not sure of is if the demand for comics as a whole is price elastic or price inelastic. One thing I do know is that I try and keep a set budget for books per month. If prices on some books go up then something has to get cut.
I also think price is becoming a significant barrier to new readers and I just don't mean kids. If you are new to comics does $3.99 encourage you to try something? You can eat lunch on that. Maybe not a big lunch but you can get a meal. Sure, we fans will pay more for the same book but what about the average person who wants to try something new? At what point does price scare them away? Are the numbers we are seeing reflective of the price barrier?
I think the trend for some time has been less sales in both per issue numbers and revenue. Raising the price shores up the revenue drop but not the # of issues drop and even then the flattening of the revenue curve can only be temporary as the steadily decreasing demand will eventually catch up to it. What I would like to see is the publishers working to build the audience instead of trying to artificially prop up the income statement. In the long run it is bad for everyone.
Can we assume that the price increase on many books from $2.99 to $3.99 is at least partially at fault here. I cut my pull list last month because of the increase and the side effect was that my overall comic spending went down. Look at it this way, say I was buying two books at $2.99 each. That would be a retail (who pays retail but stick with me) of $5.98. If both of those books went to $3.99 then I might have to cut one of them thus only spending $3.99 when I was originally spending $5.98. Same thing could happen where I cut a $2.99 book that I only marginally liked to be able to continue to buy the other book I really enjoyed at $3.99. The end result on the sales side would be both a quantity decrease AND a gross spending decrease.
I read a lot from DC about the change in pricing and how they felt it would not hurt the books going up in price. That might be true. If someone wants to read a story they will probably keep reading it at $3.99. The true side effect, however, will be people dropping other books or not buying new titles because the books they are already reading are more expensive. In the end this will mean less choice, lowered spending and lower volume sales. Not to mention raising the costs of entry for new readers.
All of this, of course, is just one guy's theory. I may be wrong.
JohnnyStooge - Happy Early birthday! Mine is also Nov 5.
I am not sure I like what I saw in the trailer. I know I hated all the armor, but it seems like the story is pretty interesting. Anyone know if that was Mark Hamill doing The Joker?