A couple of news bits combined into one regarding the future of Batman and Detective Comics.
First up, the preliminary sales numbers for comics have been released and The Batman Universe continues to hold strong by holding three of the top ten comics. Batman held the number two spot. Detective Comics moved up two spots and currently sits at number six. Batman: The Dark Knight also moved up taking the number nine slot moving up from number twelve.
The next news is that Detective Comics will be one of two titles joining the digital combo pack set of comics. Batman will have its first digital combo pack release later this month. The digital combo packs are priced at one dollar more than the normal cover price, and includes a code for the digital version of the comic. Detective Comics will be available in the digital combo pack starting in April.
Finally, it appears that the price of both Batman and Detective Comics will be going up in price some time in 2012. In their monthly interview with DC execs, John Rood and Bob Wayne, Newsarama posed a couple of questions regarding the price increase.
Newsarama: This time last year, I interviewed Jim Lee and Dan DiDio, and their big push at that time was the "Hold the Line at 2.99" initiative, which was the guiding pricing principle for DC in 2011. How did it perform for you in 2011, and is it something you're going to continue into 2012?
John Rood: How can we even be in the dollar share stratosphere with the other guys when 46 of our 52 books are $2.99? That's why I was laughing these past months. To be in the dollar share conversation with a fewer number of books and at the distinct lower price point versus other publishers is what makes me laugh each month. But yes, we'll continue to hold to "Draw the Line at 2.99," if it's a 32-page book. That said, Detective Comics and Batman are going up to 40 pages, and as such, they're going to $3.99.
Newsarama: Will these larger, more expensive Batman and Detective comics have back-up features, and is the change being made for content or just from a sales perspective?
Bob Wayne: The reason for adding the story pages is for the story and the editorial content. I think that when you find out what we're doing with those extra story pages, it will all make perfectly good sense.
So could Detective Comics and Batman be seeing the addition of co-features or will it be more behind the scenes type material? Time will tell.
Posted by Dustin Fritschel
