Yes, I went to Millarworld...

So the blokes at Millarworld came up with this -- The Cheaper Comics Manifesto. I think it got shot down pretty quickly, but it deserves a look.

I have to agree that such a change would not necessarily draw new readers to comics, but merely change the way current comics readers spend their money. But what of that? What would that mean for independent comics, which are almost always more expensive than mainstream comics, which is frequently an excuse for why retailers don't stock them and mainstream readers do not buy them? What about encouraging readers to try out new titles by lowering prices? What about retaining readers who might have dropped out altogether with the chance to find a new title they might like better? And what about, as Greg comments below my "Link Pondering" post, encouraging kids to try out comics by giving them something they can afford? Perhaps if publishers tried out some cheaper books for specific markets (not a one-shot once in awhile, but as an ongoing policy), they could entice some new readers, or in the case of small press, bring over some readers from manga or the mainstream.

But are there in fact ways of lowering prices? I doubt we would ever go back to newsprint entirely, but what about supermarket newsprint titles, or preview titles, for a buck? More likely, how about smaller comics, pocket-sized comics, for lower prices? Or would it actually be more expensive to change means of production that have become rather set in stone at this point? What about incorporating ads into some books that currently have none? (I would NOT like this myself, but it's an option). One thing that makes this rather doubtful on the independent publishing side is that there is already a system for publishing and selling comics in a cheaper format. They're called zines, and nobody buys them.

More thoughts on this later.