Clix plus fourteen percent and change
I've been too busy to jump in on various, easily weightier issues over the past few days (and obligations will probably sink me again for the next day or two), but the official announcement for the new Ultimates set has been made, and while most are focusing on the figures, speculations on the four, new team abilities and the confirmation that some or all of the powers about to be introduced in Unleashed will be included, some of us couldn't help but stop to appreciate the over 14.2% price increase. Retail list price for boosters of Unleashed are $6.99. They'll be out at the end of this month. List price for the June-debuting Ultimates? $7.99. So, each little piece of plastic will go from a pre-tax price of about $1.75 to $2.00.
In my time of buying comics I've seen them go from 12 cents to about $3, and felt each painful step along the way. It's fair to assess that I'll simply adjust. Still, there's no contesting that I'm buying far, far fewer comics these days than I once did. If nothing else, when Ultimates hits I'm going to be far more resistant to the retail impulse buys I generally indulge in.
Some of this is likely simple inflation, but my gut instinct is that the increase is almost entirely driven by Topps, which bought the company last year. They smarted a little during the most recently-reported quarter, when their new acquisition was blamed for a poor showing as several new lines from Wizkids failed to thrive. So... I guess the best way to keep the shareholders happy is to squeeze extra-hard on one of the lines that's doing well. Judging from most of the fan reaction (scroll down once you're there), it appears they've made a good business decision, at least in the short term. Almost all of the focus is on the clix, and most who are even noting the price increase are taking it immediately in stride as business as usual.
I could very easily fall back in with the herd by the time the set launches, my ire spent and having talked myself into seeing this up-front leap in prices as a safeguard against any others for the next couple years... but for the moment I'm feeling somewhat used.
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