Is the $4.99 price point going to become a reality for Big Two comics in the immediate future?

Marvel shared a look at the publisher’s wares in June, including a peak at the next crossover after the recently concluded Secret Wars, Civil War II. While the first issue of Secret Wars had an expanded page count, the issue sold at the premium $4.99 price point. Based on solicitations from CBR, Marvel showed that Civil War II #1 is $5.99, justified by a 56-page count. Aside from a fury of tie-ins launching in June, Civil War II #2 ALSO boasts a $4.99 price point with another expanded 40-page count. The event mini-series is double-shipping in June.

Unfortunately, that’s not all the money that Civil War II is going to set readers back during the month of June. Civil War II: Choosing Sides #1 again has an expanded 40-pages priced at $4.99. Civil War II: X-Men #1, Civil War II: Amazing Spider-Man #1 and Civil War II: Gods of War #1 are four additional mini-series that are all also priced at $3.99 in addition to the regular tie-ins from the line.

While it may be disappointing to see fans have to pay a premium for a huge issue, I can’t help but appreciate the fact that fans are getting the pleasure of a visual feast in nearly 100-pages of David Marquez’ (Invincible Iron Man) artwork for Civil War II. Sound off in the comments below:  

CIVIL WAR II #1 (OF 7)
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • DAVID MARQUEZ (A)
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
IT’S HERE!
The explosive first chapter in the comic event EVERYONE will be talking about. And we come out swinging with a blistering double-sized first issue from the creative team behind last year’s best-selling debut of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN and Miles Morales. A new Inhuman, with the ability to profile the future, emerges and the ramifications ripple into every corner of the Marvel Universe. Lines are drawn, bodies fall, and the Marvel Universe will be rocked to it’s very core. The action starts here!
56 PGS./Rated T+ …$5.99 (MAR160703)

CIVIL WAR II #2 (OF 7)
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • DAVID MARQUEZ (A)
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Variant cover by Jim Steranko
CONNECTING VARIANT C COVER BY Kim JUng Gi
VARIANT COVER BY MICHAEL CHO
CHARACTER VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO
Two issues in one month? Hell yes! As the Marvel Universe reels from the events of the first issue, Tony Stark decides to take matters (and the law) into his own hands and declares war on the Inhumans. But not everyone agrees with Tony’s perspective and they are willing to die trying to stop him.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

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4 COMMENTS

  2. Step 1: Wait for the trade.

    Step 2: Don’t buy the trade, because all the reviews by that point will let you know what a garbage series this was. It;s written by Bendis, who has never written a decent ending in his career.

  3. “Boasts a $4.99 price point with another expanded 40-page count” isn’t much of a boast. Doesn’t Marvel now include front and back covers in that page count? So for an extra dollar, you’re really only getting four pages more than most other companies’ 32 page comics (which, plus covers, total 36 pages.) And are those additional four pages all editorial material? That’s one expensive comic book!

    A small nit to pick I suppose, if the story is something you’re absolutely compelled to own — but I think there’s a point when the product is just so physically slight for the money required to buy it, it’s just not worth it.

    I’m not a fan of the term “floppy”, but it does apply to Marvel’s comics more and more. Downsized in dimensions several years back, “coverless”, packed with ads and printed on glossy stock that’s almost tissue thin — at the rate they’re going, you’ll soon be able to call them mini-comics. (In fact, I’m sure if Marvel could figure out a way to print ink-on-ink to cut costs, they’d do it!)

    I guess die hard Marvel Zombies (said lovingly — I use to be one), will suck up these slimming down/price increases for event books and core titles, but I think there’s a point where even Zombies need to consume more than high-priced empty calories.

  4. Marvel is moving in the wrong direction; a smarter approach would be to make the giant crossover cheaper than the tie-ins. This would broaden the audience and sell more books. Marvel’s crossover of the fiscal quarter for $2.99 an issue? I’d jump back in. As it is, there’s higher quality content at a lower price over at Image. All of a sudden even the $3.99 Boom! books are looking better and better every week.

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