Go, Read: ICv2.com On DC’s Kindle Pricing

There's a smart article here at the hobby business news and analysis site ICv2.com on something I didn't pick up on at all: that by offering books like Watchmen in a Kindle-only version at the $9.99 price, DC may be establishing a precedent for digital trade pricing that could have a far-reaching impact for comics publishing. I think the point is more important than the prose-publishing context, but that's also helpful if you've never read it before.

My only quibble would be that I'm not certain that the protection of comic book store pricing is the main issue here, but the fact that these are really big corporations whose overhead and cost needs per copy are on some level rigid -- at least as these institutions currently exist. In other words, places like Marvel and DC are set up to profit at a sustainable, even profitable level from X-number of paper goods priced at Y-level prices. They aren't necessarily set up to profit at a sustainable level from A-number of combined paper goods and digital offerings priced at B-level overall pricing. This isn't an issue right now, as digital is still seen as bonus money from the main income source of print. That's why the key here is the establishment of a precedent that may hold sway when digital is more of a direct component of initial monies earned. As I can't see the people that profit from these corporations willing to settle for less of what they're getting unless they're absolutely forced to, I imagine that it's the creators that stand a very good chance of taking it in the shorts.
 
posted 5:30 am PST | Permalink
 

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