Comic Book Cover Price Increases through the Years 1 1

[01TheDude]

On 1/30/2012 at 7:23 AM, gadzukes said:

I remember how pissed I was as a kid when comics went from 20 cents to 35 cents in just a few years. I would get $8 a month allowance from my folks and I spent it all on comics. That would get me 40 comics in 1972, 32 comics in 1974, and 24 comics in 1977. And I was also young enough that I got duped into clipping Marvel Value Stamps. I clipped the one in my Hulk 181.... geez the 70s were tough.

Awww-- look at poor little Richie Rich over here!

I'd feel sorry for you except I didn't get an allowance at all that I can recall (at most it was a buck). I had to get a paper route to feed my comic buying, ended up having three of them.

[Batman1fan]

When I was growing up in the 1970s and early to mid 1980s, I distinctly remember when comics went from 60 cents to 75 cents, and thinking that I was being robbed blind.  I stopped buying new comics, for the most part, when DC rebooted Batman again after the New 52.  Not that I don't think that new comics are any good, I still buy a special issue every once in a while, like Action #1000.  I know inflation is part of life, but I personally think that current cover prices, between $3.00 and $4.00, are utterly ridiculous.  I don't know how the publishers think that most kids today can afford to collect more than 2 or 3 comics a month at these cover prices, and a lot of older collectors, like myself, will eventually say to hell with buying new comics at these prices.  For the same price as cover on a new comic, and I mean the regular $3 or $4 versions, not variants or special editions, I can buy a mid grade bronze or low grade silver age book that I won't likely see in the dollar bins in 6 months.

[01TheDude]

1 minute ago, Batman1fan said:

When I was growing up in the 1970s and early to mid 1980s, I distinctly remember when comics went from 60 cents to 75 cents, and thinking that I was being robbed blind.  I stopped buying new comics, for the most part, when DC rebooted Batman again after the New 52.  Not that I don't think that new comics are any good, I still buy a special issue every once in a while, like Action #1000.  I know inflation is part of life, but I personally think that current cover prices, between $3.00 and $4.00, are utterly ridiculous.  I don't know how the publishers think that most kids today can afford to collect more than 2 or 3 comics a month at these cover prices, and a lot of older collectors, like myself, will eventually say to hell with buying new comics at these prices.  For the same price as cover on a new comic, and I mean the regular $3 or $4 versions, not variants or special editions, I can buy a mid grade bronze or low grade silver age book that I won't likely see in the dollar bins in 6 months.

I had the same experience though when it went from 35 cents to 40-- I had enough. Was 25 cents when I started collecting.

[jmg3637]

Guess I am a bit older then most here.  I started reading at 12 cents.  When visiting older cousins I read  some of their older 10 centers .  I read the one page justification for the 20% increase.  Years  later when the price went up to 15 cents they used the exact same wording as the ten year previous increase.

About a year after that 25% increase I stopped.   Did not start back until mid original crises which I think was just after the increase from 60 to 75.  I have been on for the ride forward and backward ever since 

 

[jaeldubyoo]

12 hours ago, Batman1fan said:

When I was growing up in the 1970s and early to mid 1980s, I distinctly remember when comics went from 60 cents to 75 cents, and thinking that I was being robbed blind.  I stopped buying new comics, for the most part, when DC rebooted Batman again after the New 52.  Not that I don't think that new comics are any good, I still buy a special issue every once in a while, like Action #1000.  I know inflation is part of life, but I personally think that current cover prices, between $3.00 and $4.00, are utterly ridiculous.  I don't know how the publishers think that most kids today can afford to collect more than 2 or 3 comics a month at these cover prices, and a lot of older collectors, like myself, will eventually say to hell with buying new comics at these prices.  For the same price as cover on a new comic, and I mean the regular $3 or $4 versions, not variants or special editions, I can buy a mid grade bronze or low grade silver age book that I won't likely see in the dollar bins in 6 months.

It's hard for me to understand why so many prefer shelling out money for current comics when there are lots of good old comics available for the same or less money. 

[Larryw7]

I distinctly remember the day when the price changed from .20 to 25¢ on Marvel comics. I went to the candy store, owned by the local grump, and saw Spidey 132. It was always exciting when a new Spidey hit the stands. I eagerly took my two dimes from my pocket when I saw that the cover price was 25¢. I didn't know what to do. I went up to the grump and asked him if I could give him 20¢ for the comic, and I'd bring an extra nickel the next time I came to the store, and he told me to "hit the road!". I was in his store at least once a week for comics, and he knew where I lived, so he knew he'd get his nickel. I was a very disappointed 8 year old. I did get the book a few days later when my dad accompanied me to the store. Of course Groucho was all sweetness and light to my 6'2" ex Marine dad.

[ADAMANTIUM]

You can imagine a day and time when an 8 year old could walk/ride to the store all by himself! @Larryw7. 

Edit... errr when it was safe. 

Edited May 26, 2018 by ADAMANTIUM

[pemart1966]

20 hours ago, jmg3637 said:

Guess I am a bit older then most here.  I started reading at 12 cents.  When visiting older cousins I read  some of their older 10 centers .  I read the one page justification for the 20% increase.  Years  later when the price went up to 15 cents they used the exact same wording as the ten year previous increase.

About a year after that 25% increase I stopped.   Did not start back until mid original crises which I think was just after the increase from 60 to 75.  I have been on for the ride forward and backward ever since 

 

Same - started in 1964 reading at 12 cents.  When they raised the price to 15 cents, I quit buying - never bought a 15 cent comic.  I can still tell you the last issue I ever purchased for every title I was reading.  

The jump to15 cents was exactly the time that DC purged their classic artists for a "new look".  Price increase and art meant "no buy" from me.  I did continue to buy the giant 25 cent books for the reprints though.  Stopped reading Marvel at the exact same time.