A Modest Proposal--Price Points

Or, snell saves the comic industry.

While at my local comics emporium, me and the droogs were discussing some of the odd price points on a couple of this week's comics.

Which led me to blurt out, "You know, a comic's price point should be the same as its issue number."

And we all looked at each other, as we simultaneously realized what a great idea that would be.

Issue #1? 1¢. #2? 2¢. Issue 25? 25¢. Issue 249? $2.49. (See the pattern yet?)

Now think about how genius this system would be.

• It would encourage the companies to keep titles going, rather than cancelling and relaunching them with new #1's constantly.
• At the same time, it would encourage creators to keep increasing the quality of the book, in order to make the buyers feel justified in plunking down a higher amount of money each issue. And if they couldn't produce $4.26 of quality, well, maybe it's time for the book to end.
• It would be a huge boon for creators of new series, as potential readers would be FAR more likely to sample a new series for a penny than they would for $3.95.
• It would be an easy sell to the suits upstairs. FATCAT: "Well, Quesada, how's that new book doing?" QUESADA: "Great sir! Issue #2 showed a 100% revenue increase over #1!!" FATCAT:"BLARGH!! Keep up the good work, minion! Now go pick up my dry cleaning!"
• The savings in ink alone would be enormous, as they would no longer have to print both the issue number and the price on the cover.
• It would be the perfect justification to NOT eliminate the penny.

This is why I make the big money, people--ideas, always ideas, they can't be stopped..