Why are Marvel TPBs more expensive than DC TPBs?

[Duy]

I've noticed this trend by and large, and it's what really keeps me away from Marvel, especially here, where prices get ridiculously marked up. But look.

Dark Phoenix Saga. 200 pages. $24.99.

Long Halloween. 368 pages. $19.99.

Spider-Man Brand New Day, Book 1. 200 pages. $19.99

Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War, Book 1, HARDCOVER. 176 pages. $24.99. Softcover. $14.99.

Anyone have any explanation for this?

[AaronJ]

Marvel thinks they can sell at a higher price?

That's just a guess.



Honestly, I read so little Marvel that it makes almost no difference to me.

[bringthenoise]

What diana_fan said. Marvel's books sell at that price, DC thinks their books wouldn't.

[carabas]

Same reason Marvel thinks they can ask $4 for 22 pages of story while DC offers 22 pages + a backup feature for the same price: Marvel's just greedier.

[raskal66]

Same reason Marvel thinks they can ask $4 for 22 pages of story while DC offers 22 pages + a backup feature for the same price: Marvel's just greedier.

I'm inclined to believe this is true.

[scout1279]

Yeah, it's pretty much just what Marvel thinks they can sell them at. I've noticed that Marvel will sometimes put out really affordable hardcovers, but then the next one will be much more expensive. By then you're already committed to the story though. That's why I end up buying most of my trades through Amazon. I kind of feel bad about not using a comic retailer, but I also buy a lot of single issues, so I've earned the right to get much better discounts on my trades.

[AaronJ]

What diana_fan said. Marvel's books sell at that price, DC thinks their books wouldn't.

Holy shit! I was right about something?!


:)

[Calvin Government]

While the paranoid egotist in my wants to believe it's all a ploy to get me to read waaaay less Marvel than I want to read (damn them all), the real reason is probably much simpler, and has been stated already: because they can. If the audience will pay it, they have no reason not to keep raising the price.

[Duy]

Thanks guys. And here I thought they used some fancy coloring hardware or some better paper or something.

[KevinTBrown]

Thanks guys. And here I thought they used some fancy coloring hardware or some better paper or something.

Nope. Just some good ol' fashioned greed.

[K-DoG7p7]

Same reason Marvel have more comics at 3.99

they need to pay all the artists they got to sign exclusives

Thats litteraly the excuse JoeyQ used

[NickThompson]

Thanks guys. And here I thought they used some fancy coloring hardware or some better paper or something.
I think they do have better paper sometimes at least, but I'm not sure if that'd affect prices much.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Greed + Market Share

[NickThompson]

I think complaining of greed is a bit unfair. They're a business, why wouldn't a business charge what they are able to charge? How is a business meant to operate, barely making a profit?

[Ziggy Stardust]

I think complaining of greed is a bit unfair. They're a business, why wouldn't a business charge what they are able to charge? How is a business meant to operate, barely making a profit?

Of course they're out to make money.

But, are they selling something at fair market value or milking it for all it's worth?

I think DC is trying to sell things at a fairer price, but that's likely just to try and encourage readers to buy their product over Marvel's.

[mortari]

I only buy trades and hardcovers at shows. I've been able to get most of what I want up to 75% off.
Last days of WWC I can get hard covers for $5.

[Lester C.]

Some of those trades are also older and even if reprinted use cheaper paper, colors etc.

[scandalsavage]

The last two comic shows I've been at had boxes upon boxes of Marvel books for 70-90% off. They only had a few DC books. So maybe Marvel isn't selling that many at higher prices.

[PatrickG]

The last two comic shows I've been at had boxes upon boxes of Marvel books for 70-90% off. They only had a few DC books. So maybe Marvel isn't selling that many at higher prices.

Marvel seems to have more in-roads at bookstores. Bookstores want the list price to be higher than what they actually charge. I think, to some extent, it's Marvel being savvy to bookstores wanting to slap a "20% off" sticker on the cover. They may be more likely to do that to the Marvel book than the DC book.

[DubipR]

I've noticed this trend by and large, and it's what really keeps me away from Marvel, especially here, where prices get ridiculously marked up. But look.

Dark Phoenix Saga. 200 pages. $24.99.

Long Halloween. 368 pages. $19.99.

Spider-Man Brand New Day, Book 1. 200 pages. $19.99

Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War, Book 1, HARDCOVER. 176 pages. $24.99. Softcover. $14.99.

Anyone have any explanation for this?

Well, Marvel uses a slightly better paperstock for certain reprintings such as Dark Phoenix Saga, which also requires a complete recoloring job as well. There's a huge expense right there for shelling out 25 bucks. That's not a bad price for it, actually...like the Marvel Visionaries line. For 200 plus pages you get quality paper and good recoloring.

DC uses good paper for certain items, like its Absolutes or specialty items like the soon to be Wednesday's Comics HC.

There's little factors in it that makes the price range.
Overall, it's fat cat greed.

[Village Idiot]

Same reason Marvel have more comics at 3.99

they need to pay all the artists they got to sign exclusives

Thats litteraly the excuse JoeyQ used

But it's not the excuse a Marvel higher-up used. He said they did it to maximize profits. And I think maximizing profits was an enticement for Disney.

[Duy]

It's a shame because in my particular case, the Marvel books just make it out of my price range.