Over the last 24 years there were long stretches where I was buying probably more than 80% of DC's monthly output. After Batman Inc and Dial H end, I'll be down to 1 comic from DC.
Theyve been pulling that trick for a while now with me. It seems they just werent satisfied with me only giving up about 75-80% of their product I had been buying. Theyve seemed determined to force me away entirely. It was almost funny. Now I would swear they are down right daring me to quit. I may even be at a point where i can accept the challenge.
I think the idea of villains month is quite a good one, it certainly feels in keeping with the New 52's feel i.e. trying to bring in new readers. This certainly feels aimed at giving people a chance to see what the villains of the nuDCU are all about.
However, this is also quite obviously meant to be a cash cow to push their dollar share up. $3.99 a book is harsh, and I'm assuming they'll not be raising the page count with the price? But who knows, when the solicits come out, they may offer $2.99 versions of the books... But I doubt it.
I'll get the Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Earth 2 and Justice League books, that's about it.
Wasn't a Villains' month done a couple years ago? I believe it was called "New Years Evil."
Over the last 24 years there were long stretches where I was buying probably more than 80% of DC's monthly output. After Batman Inc and Dial H end, I'll be down to 1 comic from DC.
I'm right there with you. However, I did sign up for Batman 66. When it shows up, I'll be back up to two titles.
I think the idea of villains month is quite a good one, it certainly feels in keeping with the New 52's feel i.e. trying to bring in new readers. This certainly feels aimed at giving people a chance to see what the villains of the nuDCU are all about.
However, this is also quite obviously meant to be a cash cow to push their dollar share up. $3.99 a book is harsh, and I'm assuming they'll not be raising the page count with the price? But who knows, when the solicits come out, they may offer $2.99 versions of the books... But I doubt it.
I'll get the Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Earth 2 and Justice League books, that's about it.
Wasn't a Villains' month done a couple years ago? I believe it was called "New Years Evil."
The next gimmick is extending the time until price drops on digital to 8 weeks. Just got this back from Comixology this AM. So, no new DC books for me for a few weeks.
JUN 05, 2013 | 10:31AM EDT Andrew replied: Thanks for the email!
DC's price drops will now take place at 8 weeks after the book has been released. This change was just recently put into place at the beginning of May.
If you have any questions at all, let us know.
- Andrew JUN 05, 2013 | 10:11AM EDT Original message info wrote:
Device: kindle Are DC Comics no longer dropping in price by one dollar after one month? I don't see the price drop in the store, even for issues that are over one month old.
I think the idea of villains month is quite a good one, it certainly feels in keeping with the New 52's feel i.e. trying to bring in new readers. This certainly feels aimed at giving people a chance to see what the villains of the nuDCU are all about.
However, this is also quite obviously meant to be a cash cow to push their dollar share up. $3.99 a book is harsh, and I'm assuming they'll not be raising the page count with the price? But who knows, when the solicits come out, they may offer $2.99 versions of the books... But I doubt it.
I'll get the Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Earth 2 and Justice League books, that's about it.
Wasn't a Villains' month done a couple years ago? I believe it was called "New Years Evil."
Well I guess this is a good enough reason to keep reading the trades. I just wish they had a better trade policy. I decided to switch all my hard covers over to trades, and I have no clue how they decide the printing schedule. It makes no sense. It's hard to stay excited about a title when it takes over a year to get a trade of 6 issues.
Ohh well at least I have Knights of the Dinner Table (almost) every month. I just finished issue 198 (my exciting for 200 is going into overload).
heres a crazy gimic that's just so crazy it might actually work... get talented writers and artist (truly talented), put them to work and basically leave them the fuck alone!.
Well my come to Jesus moment has come to Jesus. I'm back to trades only. Even on my beloved Supergirl. :( Somehow the New 52 has brought me right back to where I was about 2 years back...Wonder Woman may be the lone holdout...
Forever Evil #1 Forever Evil: Rogues #1 Forever Evil: Arkham War #1 Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. #1 Batman #23.1 The Joker #1 Batman #23.2 The Riddler #1 Batman #23.3 The Penguin #1 Batman #23.4 Bane #1 Batman and Robin #23.1 Two-Face #1 Batman and Robin #23.2 The Court of Owls #1 Batman and Robin #23.3 Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins #1 Batman and Robin #23.4 Killer Croc #1 Batman: The Dark Knight #23.1 The Ventriloquist #1 Batman: The Dark Knight #23.2 Mr. Freeze #1 Batman: The Dark Knight #23.3 Clayface #1 Batman: The Dark Knight #23.4 The Joker’s Daughter #1 Detective Comics #23.1 Poison Ivy #1 Detective Comics #23.2 Harley Quinn #1 Detective Comics #23.3 The Scarecrow #1 Detective Comics #23.4 Man-Bat #1 Batman/Superman #3.1 Doomsday #1 Action Comics #23.1 Cyborg Superman #1 Action Comics #23.2 General Zod #1 Action Comics #23.3 Lex Luthor #1 Action Comics #23.4 Metallo #1 Superman #23.1 Bizarro #1 Superman #23.2 Brainiac #1 Superman #24.3 H’el #1 Superman #24.4 Parasite #1 Green Lantern #23.1 Relic #1 Green Lantern #23.2 Mongul #1 Green Lantern #23.3 Black Hand #1 Green Lantern #23.4 Sinestro #1 Justice League #23.1 Darkseid #1 Justice League #23.2 Lobo #1 Justice League #23.3 Dial E #1 Justice League #23.4 Secret Society of Super-Villians #1 Justice League Dark #23.1 The Creeper #1 Justice League Dark #23.1 Eclipso #1 Justice League of America #7.1 Deadshot #1 Justice League of America #7.2 Killer Frost #1 Justice League of America #7.3 Shadow Thief #1 Justice League of America #7.4 Black Adam #1 The Flash #23.1 Gorilla Grodd #1 The Flash #23.2 Reverse-Flash #1 The Flash #23.3 The Rogues #1 Green Arrow #23.1 Count Vertigo #1 Aquaman #23.1 Black Manta #1 Aquaman #23.2 Ocean Master #1 Wonder Woman #3.1 Cheetah #1 Wonder Woman #3.2 First Born #1 Earth-2 #15.1 Desaad #1 Earth-2 #15.2 Solomon Grundy #1 Swamp Thing #23.1 Arcane #1 Teen Titans #23.1 Trigon #1 Teen Titans #23.2 Deathstroke #1
So -- not only are these books a dollar more expensive than usual (in most cases), but several of these titles are coming out multiple times within the month besides.
This has the smell of 'killing the goose that lays the golden eggs' all over it.
The one potential upside of the multiplication of titles in this month-- in some cases, the creators being brought on these issues might be someone you are interested in. I don't know how much these will interconnect, or need the context of the regular title. But if someone wants to read Marv Wolfman writing about Trigon again, they could always treat that issue like a one shot. It reminds me of the "resurrected" titles that they had during Brightest Day.
However- if I were the regular artist or writer of one of these titles, and suddenly there was a month were the audience was asked to buy four books, including those by others, instead of your one. . . I might not be too excited by that.
I have a feeling these are going to be one-shots that marketing is numbering in a way that makes the uniformed buyer feel like they need to buy the whole set to get a full story. I'm just going to buy the ones that have creators I like and I'm ignoring what it's called or how it's numbered. I think the quality of books would be stronger if the business wasn't propped up by a community of completists that feel the need to have every issue of a tittle or character no matter what the quality.
I was thinking this morning since Morrison's Batman run killed my Batman run (and ultimately my anchor to collecting DC), I don't really have an interest in the character anymore (note: that excludes Nolan's movies). Morrison's run is ultimately ending and after 7 years, I really just have no interest in reading the titles.
Now to my thread transition, this gimmick (and the WTF month) are not gaining any interest from me. I'm figuring this gimmick is a marketing ploy to get sales & pick up non-regular readers (obviously). I think it has the reverse effect.
If you're doing great stories, accompanied by great art, the titles will sell themselves. I think about Johns' run on The Flash. I never collected the title, but I heard such amazing things about the run (pun intended), I pick up the title. I don't recall any OMG month or platinum, hieroglyphic cover edition to sell the book.
I look at this stunt as applying lipstick to the pig. I hope these gimmicks tank so they can move on to strengthening the content.
I know there's not a lot of faith in DC at the moment. But let's imagine for just a minute that Villains month is going to be awesome??? We'll be given some great one shots staring villains great and small. And Forever Evil is going to be the best crossover in years.
If you're doing great stories, accompanied by great art, the titles will sell themselves. I think about Johns' run on The Flash. I never collected the title, but I heard such amazing things about the run (pun intended), I pick up the title. I don't recall any OMG month or platinum, hieroglyphic cover edition to sell the book.
M
I know this is what we all want to believe, but let's face it, this doesn't always sell comics. Every month a book is cancelled and the fans of the book are saying "this book was great, had a spectacular writer, artist" and so on. It's sad, but just because a great creative team is on a book doesn't mean it will sell. The other point I would say is some books need time to find an audience. If there is a #1 issue (which normally generates higher sales) and it flops, they may even cancel the series before #4 is even solicited. Hard to prove your quality of work if it's cancelled before it's even read.
Comments
M
http://www.comicbookdb.com/storyarc.php?ID=563
JUN 05, 2013 | 10:31AM EDT
Andrew replied:
Thanks for the email!
DC's price drops will now take place at 8 weeks after the book has been released. This change was just recently put into place at the beginning of May.
If you have any questions at all, let us know.
- Andrew
JUN 05, 2013 | 10:11AM EDT
Original message
info wrote:
Device: kindle
Are DC Comics no longer dropping in price by one dollar after one month? I don't see the price drop in the store, even for issues that are over one
month old.
Ohh well at least I have Knights of the Dinner Table (almost) every month. I just finished issue 198 (my exciting for 200 is going into overload).
I feel like I'm back in college, looking at the new releases at the comic store, and just shaking my head.
Forever Evil: Rogues #1
Forever Evil: Arkham War #1
Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. #1
Batman #23.1 The Joker #1
Batman #23.2 The Riddler #1
Batman #23.3 The Penguin #1
Batman #23.4 Bane #1
Batman and Robin #23.1 Two-Face #1
Batman and Robin #23.2 The Court of Owls #1
Batman and Robin #23.3 Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins #1
Batman and Robin #23.4 Killer Croc #1
Batman: The Dark Knight #23.1 The Ventriloquist #1
Batman: The Dark Knight #23.2 Mr. Freeze #1
Batman: The Dark Knight #23.3 Clayface #1
Batman: The Dark Knight #23.4 The Joker’s Daughter #1
Detective Comics #23.1 Poison Ivy #1
Detective Comics #23.2 Harley Quinn #1
Detective Comics #23.3 The Scarecrow #1
Detective Comics #23.4 Man-Bat #1
Batman/Superman #3.1 Doomsday #1
Action Comics #23.1 Cyborg Superman #1
Action Comics #23.2 General Zod #1
Action Comics #23.3 Lex Luthor #1
Action Comics #23.4 Metallo #1
Superman #23.1 Bizarro #1
Superman #23.2 Brainiac #1
Superman #24.3 H’el #1
Superman #24.4 Parasite #1
Green Lantern #23.1 Relic #1
Green Lantern #23.2 Mongul #1
Green Lantern #23.3 Black Hand #1
Green Lantern #23.4 Sinestro #1
Justice League #23.1 Darkseid #1
Justice League #23.2 Lobo #1
Justice League #23.3 Dial E #1
Justice League #23.4 Secret Society of Super-Villians #1
Justice League Dark #23.1 The Creeper #1
Justice League Dark #23.1 Eclipso #1
Justice League of America #7.1 Deadshot #1
Justice League of America #7.2 Killer Frost #1
Justice League of America #7.3 Shadow Thief #1
Justice League of America #7.4 Black Adam #1
The Flash #23.1 Gorilla Grodd #1
The Flash #23.2 Reverse-Flash #1
The Flash #23.3 The Rogues #1
Green Arrow #23.1 Count Vertigo #1
Aquaman #23.1 Black Manta #1
Aquaman #23.2 Ocean Master #1
Wonder Woman #3.1 Cheetah #1
Wonder Woman #3.2 First Born #1
Earth-2 #15.1 Desaad #1
Earth-2 #15.2 Solomon Grundy #1
Swamp Thing #23.1 Arcane #1
Teen Titans #23.1 Trigon #1
Teen Titans #23.2 Deathstroke #1
I guess Animal Man was spared because he doesn't have any of his own villains!
M
Only one I'll get.
I'll also get...
Arcane
Darkseid
Desaad
Solomon Grundy
Black Adam
And maybe couple more if they take my fancy when they come out.
This has the smell of 'killing the goose that lays the golden eggs' all over it.
However- if I were the regular artist or writer of one of these titles, and suddenly there was a month were the audience was asked to buy four books, including those by others, instead of your one. . . I might not be too excited by that.
Now to my thread transition, this gimmick (and the WTF month) are not gaining any interest from me. I'm figuring this gimmick is a marketing ploy to get sales & pick up non-regular readers (obviously). I think it has the reverse effect.
If you're doing great stories, accompanied by great art, the titles will sell themselves. I think about Johns' run on The Flash. I never collected the title, but I heard such amazing things about the run (pun intended), I pick up the title. I don't recall any OMG month or platinum, hieroglyphic cover edition to sell the book.
I look at this stunt as applying lipstick to the pig. I hope these gimmicks tank so they can move on to strengthening the content.
M
Wouldn't that be great???