By Hunter Camp
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Friday, June 3rd, 2011 at 10:32 pm
DC Comics took a bold step on this week when they announced their digital pricing scale, while also introducing the very first Comic Book Combo Pack. Okay, so this is a little crazy, especially when we get to the pricing scale. But here are the details: On Wednesday, August 31, 2011, DC Comics will be releasing a combo pack with a physical copy of a single-issue comic starting with Justice League #1 that contains a special code that allows buyers of the physical comic to download the digital copy of the same comic.
That sounds great, right? Just like a Blu-ray! Well, yes and no. Yes, DC finally released the pricing scale for the upcoming comics, and it’s a little bit confusing. But let me try to clarify. When the comics are released, we’ll see the physical comics and digital comics released on the same day, but the price for the digital copy will be the same as the physical copy, and if you want to get the combo pack, you can simply shell out an extra dollar for that sucker!
With Justice League, for example, the physical copy will come out with a price tag of $3.99, and the digital comic will come out with a price tag of $3.99. Yep. And the combo pack will be $4.99. I understand that there is a cost associated with the digital platforms, but I don’t know how well this is going to go over with customers. So all of this leads to the fact that on all comics, the digital pricing will be the exact same as the physical pricing. This is great news for retailers, but not really for consumers.
But here’s the confusing part… after four weeks, the digital prices of comics will drop to $1.99, while for oversized physical issues, such as Justice League, the price will drop to $2.99. I honestly have no idea, but if you want to check the entire official DC announcement, you check that out here below.
On Wednesday, August 31st, DC Comics will make publishing history again with their first-ever comic book combo pack. Each issue of JUSTICE LEAGUE, by New York Times bestselling writer and DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns and bestselling artist and DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee, will be available in a convenient combo pack including a print edition and digital version of the comic book.
Those who want a physical copy of JUSTICE LEAGUE to read and collect, as well as the ability to download it onto their favorite device for easy transport, get ready. Each print edition of the comic book and an individual code for digital download will be wrapped in a poly bag and available for $4.99. Separately, the standard version will retail for $3.99 and the digital version will retail for $3.99.
“As we continue to expand our readership and make our titles more accessible to readers everywhere, we’re excited to provide our comic shop retail partners and their consumers with multiple formats of JUSTICE LEAGUE in one convenient place,” said John Rood, EVP Sales, Marketing and Business Development.
Not only will Johns and Lee be collaborating for the first time, but their contemporary take on the origin of the comic book industry’s premier superhero team will be available in DC Comics’ historic first comic book combo pack.
Both digital and print editions of DC’s comics will have parity pricing for the first four weeks of release; thereafter, the digital titles drop in price down to our standard 1.99 digital price point. Oversized issues, including JUSTICE LEAGUE #1, will start at $3.99 and drop to $2.99 after four weeks.
Does this make any sense to you guys? Does this excite you? Do you agree with me that this is a really weird pricing model? I mean, clearly it’s great to push the digital initiative, but is this helping them achieve their goal? Tell us in the comments section below!
As I said before to somebody on FB if you think of it this way you could give the code to a nephew or child there’s a new fan maybe and if Marvel did this it would be $5.99 at least going by their current prices. I know that’s much help but it’s an ideaÂ
As I said before to somebody on FB if you think of it this way you could give the code to a nephew or child there’s a new fan maybe and if Marvel did this it would be $5.99 at least going by their current prices. I know that’s much help but it’s an ideaÂ
This is awesome! As soon as Blu-rays had “digital copies”, i thought this was the ONLY way for comics to go! Pricing scheme does seem a little “difficult” for a local mom&pop shop, but honestly, I think the consumers are the winners here!Â
If i buy only digital books, I’ll be a month late, but better than a year and half that am waiting now for the TPBs!
Weren’t DC (and Marvel) going to reduce the price of comics across the board this year from $3.99 to $2.99? This seems like a reason NOT to keep the lower prices. And instead of using the digital comics code to justify keeping prices at $3.99, DC is actually going to INCREASE the cost to $4.99? That’s $2 in the wrong direction plus all that extra polybagging garbage for each and every comic. Not buying it (the comic or the reasoning).
If DC thought the rich history of their storying lines and sequential numbering of their titles were scaring away potential customers (and thus starting over at #1 to solve that problem), think about what the sticker shock of a single $3.99 book does to potential readers. Or worse, the $4.99 gamble if you want a polybagged physical and digital copy of something you’ve never read before and may not read again. It’s like the brainiacs (sorry, couldn’t help it) at DC aren’t able to decide which way to attract readers. New #1s, day-and-date digital comics, lower prices (or not) and so they’re trying every idea to see which sticks. Unfortunately, all three ideas can’t possibly succeed together and so I’ll sit out on the sidelines and wait for the DC Universe to stablize before giving up self containted TPBs and hardcovers. At least this way, I get complete storylines without the gimmicks.
Oversized issues (like Justice League) will be $3.99 retail with no code. The average page count issues are staying at $2.99, $3.99 with a code. So it’s not moving the money up $2.
Your explanation is (a little bit) more reasonable than what I understood from DCs press release. It’s interesting that DC would use an oversized Justice League title and $3.99/$4.99 price point for the news without making mention of other, cheaper (non-oversized?) titles at $2.99/$3.99 price points though. I’d expect DC to have covered all their bases. On another note, what constitutes “oversized” in the DC world these days? Is it the format or the quantity of pages? Having trouble finding this info on the DC Comics website. Every book I click on seems to be 32 pages long.
32 pages is the normal page count. Pretty much anything from 40 pages and up are the oversized issues, and yeah “oversized” is in reference to page count. And currently, the special page count issues like DC’s Flashpoint event title is currently $3.99. So, it’s not a terrible price point, I just think people will resist paying the extra dollar for just the digital copy. If there was a pinup or something else special in the polybag, I’d be willing to pay the extra dollar.
Interesting. Hadn’t realized that most books were 32 pages these days! Certainly makes $3.99 a little easier to digest. When I started reading back in the early 90s, The Flash was one of my favorites (and still is to this day!). But I recall them priced in the neighborhood of $1 to $1.25 for a 20-something page comic. My collection is stored at my parents house so I cannot check, but I vaguely remember comics still being about 20-something pages long when I gave up about 10 years ago at $2.50-$2.99 per issue. Keeping up with 1-2 dozen titles per week wasn’t sustainable anymore, even with my employee discount of 20% off (and more if I was ordering just for me). And that was with no other expenses except gas money for my truck. These days with a house, utilities, insurance, food, gas, heat, medical bills, divorce lawyer, etc…unfortunately $3.99 is still too much these days. I agree that maybe it’d be a better deal if DC threw in a pinup or something to give the package purchasers an incentive. Otherwise, if I can wait for a TPB or hardcover to be released, then I can certainly wait another month for the discounted digital copies. Comics are supposed to be FUN! Not induce financial worries. Or maybe I’m just becoming old and grouchy LOL!
Unfortunately, the pricing structure discourages the very people DC needs to attract — the older fans who drifted away and the younger buyer who is into other digital entertainment. When they are rebooting the whole universe, they need to put those 52 #1 issues into as many hands as possible. Low priced digital editions would have done that. Pricing them at $2.99 to $3.99 won’t. DC is taking an otherwise bold move and crippling it at birth. What a shame!
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As I said before to somebody on FB if you think of it this way you could give the code to a nephew or child there’s a new fan maybe and if Marvel did this it would be $5.99 at least going by their current prices. I know that’s much help but it’s an ideaÂ
Comment by Ben Rush — June 4, 2011 @ 2:39 am
As I said before to somebody on FB if you think of it this way you could give the code to a nephew or child there’s a new fan maybe and if Marvel did this it would be $5.99 at least going by their current prices. I know that’s much help but it’s an ideaÂ
Comment by Ben Rush — June 4, 2011 @ 2:39 am
This is awesome! As soon as Blu-rays had “digital copies”, i thought this was the ONLY way for comics to go! Pricing scheme does seem a little “difficult” for a local mom&pop shop, but honestly, I think the consumers are the winners here!Â
If i buy only digital books, I’ll be a month late, but better than a year and half that am waiting now for the TPBs!
-rudy
Comment by Rodolfo Valdes-Castaneda — June 4, 2011 @ 12:28 pm
Weren’t DC (and Marvel) going to reduce the price of comics across the board this year from $3.99 to $2.99? This seems like a reason NOT to keep the lower prices. And instead of using the digital comics code to justify keeping prices at $3.99, DC is actually going to INCREASE the cost to $4.99? That’s $2 in the wrong direction plus all that extra polybagging garbage for each and every comic. Not buying it (the comic or the reasoning).
If DC thought the rich history of their storying lines and sequential numbering of their titles were scaring away potential customers (and thus starting over at #1 to solve that problem), think about what the sticker shock of a single $3.99 book does to potential readers. Or worse, the $4.99 gamble if you want a polybagged physical and digital copy of something you’ve never read before and may not read again. It’s like the brainiacs (sorry, couldn’t help it) at DC aren’t able to decide which way to attract readers. New #1s, day-and-date digital comics, lower prices (or not) and so they’re trying every idea to see which sticks. Unfortunately, all three ideas can’t possibly succeed together and so I’ll sit out on the sidelines and wait for the DC Universe to stablize before giving up self containted TPBs and hardcovers. At least this way, I get complete storylines without the gimmicks.
Comment by PAUL — June 4, 2011 @ 4:24 pm
Oversized issues (like Justice League) will be $3.99 retail with no code. The average page count issues are staying at $2.99, $3.99 with a code. So it’s not moving the money up $2.
Comment by Anonymous — June 4, 2011 @ 9:03 pm
Your explanation is (a little bit) more reasonable than what I understood from DCs press release. It’s interesting that DC would use an oversized Justice League title and $3.99/$4.99 price point for the news without making mention of other, cheaper (non-oversized?) titles at $2.99/$3.99 price points though. I’d expect DC to have covered all their bases. On another note, what constitutes “oversized” in the DC world these days? Is it the format or the quantity of pages? Having trouble finding this info on the DC Comics website. Every book I click on seems to be 32 pages long.
Comment by PAUL — June 4, 2011 @ 10:27 pm
32 pages is the normal page count. Pretty much anything from 40 pages and up are the oversized issues, and yeah “oversized” is in reference to page count. And currently, the special page count issues like DC’s Flashpoint event title is currently $3.99. So, it’s not a terrible price point, I just think people will resist paying the extra dollar for just the digital copy. If there was a pinup or something else special in the polybag, I’d be willing to pay the extra dollar.
Comment by Anonymous — June 4, 2011 @ 10:43 pm
Interesting. Hadn’t realized that most books were 32 pages these days! Certainly makes $3.99 a little easier to digest. When I started reading back in the early 90s, The Flash was one of my favorites (and still is to this day!). But I recall them priced in the neighborhood of $1 to $1.25 for a 20-something page comic. My collection is stored at my parents house so I cannot check, but I vaguely remember comics still being about 20-something pages long when I gave up about 10 years ago at $2.50-$2.99 per issue. Keeping up with 1-2 dozen titles per week wasn’t sustainable anymore, even with my employee discount of 20% off (and more if I was ordering just for me). And that was with no other expenses except gas money for my truck. These days with a house, utilities, insurance, food, gas, heat, medical bills, divorce lawyer, etc…unfortunately $3.99 is still too much these days. I agree that maybe it’d be a better deal if DC threw in a pinup or something to give the package purchasers an incentive. Otherwise, if I can wait for a TPB or hardcover to be released, then I can certainly wait another month for the discounted digital copies. Comics are supposed to be FUN! Not induce financial worries. Or maybe I’m just becoming old and grouchy LOL!
Comment by PAUL — June 5, 2011 @ 1:58 am
They are trying something. If it doesn’t work out, they will adjust it.
There is no successful model to follow… yet.
Comment by Erik Bruhwiler — June 5, 2011 @ 2:17 am
Unfortunately, the pricing structure discourages the very people DC needs to attract — the older fans who drifted away and the younger buyer who is into other digital entertainment. When they are rebooting the whole universe, they need to put those 52 #1 issues into as many hands as possible. Low priced digital editions would have done that. Pricing them at $2.99 to $3.99 won’t. DC is taking an otherwise bold move and crippling it at birth. What a shame!
Comment by Anonymous — June 5, 2011 @ 6:14 am