How Much do Comic Books Cost These Days?

[Brain Toad]

I've never been into comic books, as a kid I had a few that I liked and read, but I never got into collecting, I preferred novels.

But recently I've been seeing Star Wars comics, reading summaries and reading the books and I want to buy them and support the series, etc.

But I have no idea how much they cost. I don't know of any online comic book dealers and searching google gives more about comic news than stores. Amazon has new and used from private dealers for $4 or so and Trade Paperbacks for $12, so I'm thinking this is the norm.

So any comic book fans can tell me how much the average book costs and any online retailers they know of (though I'm more likely going to check out a local store to do the actual purchasing)

Thanks

[Melonballer]

Re: How Much do Comic Books Cost These Days?

Most comics today cost around $3.00. I know, I remember when they were 75 cents too. Some can cost more if they extra size or something.

Here is a great site that can help you find a store in your area.

http://www.the-master-list.com/index.shtml

or try this one. this one is more accurate, but may miss some stores.

http://csls.diamondcomics.com/

PS, if you want any info on good stuff to read, I'm your comic geek.

[CaptainTeach]

Re: How Much do Comic Books Cost These Days?

Can't speak for all, but since this is a Disney board, I can tell you that the Gemstone versions of Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, and Uncle Scrooge issues, run for $8.00, but they are more "graphic novel" in size than traditional comic book. You can get them for less if you shop around.

Lots of them come out in small, 7" versions too, for less, such as Donald Duck Adventures, and the ever popular Non Disney Archie series. The latter are frequently found at supermarket checkout stands.
You might try a comic shop online, to get current prices. Mile High Comics is a pretty good one.

[Bornieo Goes Bananas]

Re: How Much do Comic Books Cost These Days?

The current Star Wars comics are put out by Dark Horse Comics. They've reprinted the ones published back in the 70's and 80's as well as newer series.

www.darkhorsecomics.com

Most trades run from $11 to $20 range. Also, some have been published in Hardcover and those can run up to $50.

[Brain Toad]

Re: How Much do Comic Books Cost These Days?

Most comics today cost around $3.00. I know, I remember when they were 75 cents too. Some can cost more if they extra size or something.

Here is a great site that can help you find a store in your area.

http://www.the-master-list.com/index.shtml

or try this one. this one is more accurate, but may miss some stores.

http://csls.diamondcomics.com/

PS, if you want any info on good stuff to read, I'm your comic geek.

$3 eh? That's not too bad, lot cheaper than novels and CDs (my usual "collectibles"). Thanks for the links, found one near me that has been around for ages.

The current Star Wars comics are put out by Dark Horse Comics. They've reprinted the ones published back in the 70's and 80's as well as newer series.

www.darkhorsecomics.com

Most trades run from $11 to $20 range. Also, some have been published in Hardcover and those can run up to $50.

Reprints of the old ones, cool. I'd love to get my hands on a few of those.

[Lost Boy]

Re: How Much do Comic Books Cost These Days?

Most of the current comics today are $2.99 and some are $3.99. This is pretty much for the majority of DC, Marvel, Dark Horse and Image. Independent titles can run from $2.99 to $4.99 depending on paper type and number of pages. Trades run from $12.99 to $24.95. Back Issues run up and down depending on how popular they are, and how many the store might have in stock. Wizard Magazine prints a monthly price list every month for the most popular titles.

The store I help out at uses that only as a guide and we are below the so called "List Value" of back issues as there is simply no such thing as a "Mint" condition comic in the back issues and even in the brand new comics. Once they leave the printing machine and are handled by people for packing and shipping to Diamond Distributors they are no longer "Mint". And by the time Diamond gets through mashing them into the boxes for shipping to your local dealer you are lucky if any show up in decent shape. The whole grading and price system for comics these days is a business in itself and it's a total waste of your money.

Anybody who says for $25 they will grade any comic you send them and then return it in s "special" plastic case to preserve it is a scam artist. They don't know grading from dirt. And I have been collecting comics since before most of you were born. I know condition and grading and its all nonsense because it is all subjective on the person doing the grading. It's that simple.

What one person considers "Fine" another will say it's "Mint" and probably neither are correct. I am not against comic book collecting, but thinking that so called "Collectors" items are going to put your kids through College, is a real mistake.

[Brain Toad]

Re: How Much do Comic Books Cost These Days?

Went to Barnes and Noble today and was looking through the magazine section and found a small comic book section. They actually had a few Star Wars comic books. $5 cover price. So now I have a quicker place to go to then the shop I found, though I may still go to check it out and I always feel better about supporting the smaller guys then bigger companies like B&N.

[Monkey joe]

Re: How Much do Comic Books Cost These Days?

Go for the trades as well.

[Lost Boy]

Re: How Much do Comic Books Cost These Days?

Trades are a good way to get a complete collection of certain comics or stories. And I highly recommend them as a cheaper way to collect a particular story that you may hear about after it has been published in single issues. It costs more for the back issues and keeps them in a single volume and is easier to store. They usually run about $14.95 to $24.95 depending on the company, the paper used and the length of the story. But it is a much easier and more inexpensive way to collect a title or story.