What's up with Comic Book cover prices?

What's up with Comic Book cover prices?

Have comic prices jumping back and forth (between issues) ever left you scratching your head to figure out just why?

Editorial Opinion
By Wolverine19742 - Oct 21, 2011 07:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Other

Today I was going through my comic books and entering them into a spreadsheet so that I can sell them. I decided to get all the major headlines done such as Title, Publisher, Issue #, Cover Price, & What there worth now. as I was looking over the cover prices on a lot of the books and how they were priced it made me think. For instance a few issues were priced @ $1.95 then only 4 issues later the same book was &1.99 for one issue then back to $1.95. The funny part is there was nothing special about that issue.

This went on and on through my whole collection(all 500+ books.) I found it funny that the main publisher for the increase and decrease in cover prices within a few issues was Marvel. For the most part DC, DreamWave, Image, Top-Cow, ect. books cover prices stayed the same for more than I'd say 10-12 issues unless it was a double size or anniversary issue.

The other thing that I found so very funny was that it amazed me a comic book could NOT be worth its own cover price today. I used comicspriceguide.com to price my books. They base them on 9.4 for pricing. Now all my books are bagged, border, and boxed so I'd say that 9.4 is fair grade for my collection. I found at least 15-20 books were worth less than their cover price.

Check your collections and see what I mean. I also ask what are your thoughts on this. Thanks all.

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headlopper
headlopper - 10/21/2011, 9:06 PM
This is a good topic.
I've noticed the same thing. Most books are $3.99 now.
It's hard to just break even if you decide to sell them.
Most shops just what the super old or super rare issues.
marvel72
marvel72 - 10/22/2011, 4:30 AM
i remember buying new comics for 40p-60p in the mid 80s,now they're £2.65 each.

just buy trades nowadays online,works out cheaper.
Wolverine19742
Wolverine19742 - 10/22/2011, 4:56 AM
I agree with all of you it is sad. I know what my collection is worth but, I was going to just sell it at cover price so get some much needed cash to pay bills. The funny thing is that the difference between cover price and price guide is only $650.00 dollars.
StrangerX
StrangerX - 10/22/2011, 10:26 AM
I agree with Marvel72 just get the trades. The only reason I get a comic is if I want to be in the know right then, but by the end I've spent 3x's what the trade price cost. An average trade will run you 15-25. You've already spent that much within 4-5 issues.

As for what comics are worth, with all the prints for just one issue nowadays, i'm not surprised they are worth less.
marvel72
marvel72 - 10/22/2011, 2:50 PM
i recently brought the venom hardcover graphic novel.

venom graphic novel (1-5) £10.35

venom comics (1-5) £13.25

maybe only £3.00 but if you got mutiple titles it would be a much bigger saving.
comicoverlord
comicoverlord - 10/27/2011, 9:44 AM
There is actually a good, although incredibly stupid reason for the small discrepancies in price. When a book goes up to 1.99 then falls to 1.95 and back up again within a few months it's because the prices are changing and the designers who do the cover layouts can't keep up or even accidentally use the wrong file. The trick is, when you purchase the book, you are still probably being charged the 1.99 unless you happen to catch it. And that's not the fault of the shopkeeper. He's just expecting it to be 1.99 like the rest of the books.
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