B&N EXCLUSIVE EDITIONS OF DARK HORSE MANGA HIT STORES

[MattBrady]

In a deal similar to that of Marvel’s which saw exclusive Barnes & Noble editions of Marvel Masterworks and the mammoth Ultimate Spider-Man collection, exclusive B&N editions of Dark Horse manga reprints have begun hitting the bookseller.

As with both the Masterworks and the Ultimate Spider-Man the B&N deal with Dark Horse is offering bookstore customers something that’s unavailable to comic retail outlets – the B&N editions of the Dark Horse books are dust jacketed hard covers, and are priced lower than Dark Horse’s original trade paperback editions.

For example, the line’s two debut titles, the earlier-released Akira vol. 1 is priced at $14.95, compared to the trade paperback edition from Dark Horse at $24.95. The other title seeing store shelves, Yasuhiro Nigtow’s Trigun, a digest-sized and hardcover with a dust jacket, is priced at $11.95, compared to the original trade price of $14.95.

The books are a joint production between Barnes & Noble, Dark Horse, and Digital Manga, though no identifying marks of either Digital Manga or Dark Horse appear on the spine – only B&N is named.

In speaking to Publisher’s Weekly, Dark Horse’s Lee Dawson described the new relationship as “an experiment,” and indicated that the publisher is curious to see how such a relationship will work with the retailer.

As with the Marvel books published by B&N, the bookstore chain is merely licensing the material from the publisher (who originally licensed it from its original Japanese publishers). The B&N editions contain the exact same story and inner content.

B&N exclusive editions of Dark Horse manga in December include: hardcover editions of Trigin vol. 2, and Hellsing vol. 1, both priced at $11.95.

[Gordon McAlpin]

Originally posted by MattBrady
For example, ... Akira vol. 1 is priced at $14.95, compared to the trade paperback edition from Dark Horse at $24.95.

Oh, so rather than spending around $150 for the paperbacks, I could've spent $90 for hardcover editions instead? WHICH I WOULD'VE WANTED INSTEAD IF THEY HAD BEEN AVAILABLE?

Hey, Dark Horse, don't you think just maybe that pricing should've been the other way around? $25 for even 300 (or whatever) pages of a B&W paperback comic was way too high, and the fact that Barnes & Noble can obviously make a (smallish, presumably) profit off hardcovers at $10 less per book proves it.

I guess I don't really have a point, I'm just b-----ing about the price gouging on the paperback edition. :1

[KyleV]

The price point necessary for Dark Horse to publish something and for Barnes and Noble to publish something are very, very different.

Dark Horse's pricing for their editions isn't gouging.

[Ben543250]

Originally posted by Gordon McAlpin
I guess I don't really have a point, I'm just b-----ing about the price gouging on the paperback edition. :1

Since I assume you are a book publisher yourself, you must know when they were and weren't "price gouging." If you say they could've charged less but didn't so they could stick it to the fans, I believe you. I'm sure you know what you're talking about.

[pmpknface]

AKIRA Vol 1 has been available in HC from B&N for months now. You knew they were going to do that with all of them eventually.

[Jason Copland]

And..... I seriously doubt Dark Horse did it intentionally. I mean, their soft cover trades have been out for years. It's not like they said, "Let's put out our trades for a few years at high prices and then give them the hardcovers at a lower price! That'll teach them!"

It's just the way it worked out.

[Mandike320]

Man I want the hardcovers
I spent all the money of the softcovers of Akira.

Great read BTW

[walterk]

I'm hesitant to spend $25 on ANY book, and $30 for Marvel hardcovers is often pushing it big-time on the rare occasions I pick one up.

However, for something like Akira--which I've been interested in checking out for a couple years, but haven't been able to bring myself to spend $25 on, I will certainly pick up for $15...

It DOES suck, though, to not know what format various books are going to take, and what the prices would be. With the Ultimate Spidey deal, had I known that if I waited awhile I could've gotten (what was it? 3?) volumes for $10 more than cover price for ONE volume (essentially full price for one, and $5/each for the others)...I would certainly have waited.



At least comics haven't been restricted legally as a form of gambling....

~Walt

EDIT: ...yet.

[Hdefined]

After debating it for a while, I think I'm going to pick up both Trigun HC's #1 and 2 when 2 ships. They look awesome.

I wish B&N would give an advance list or something about its special deals/imprints. Are any other Masterworks series coming out?

[Hannibal King]

I agree with the majority, cheaper prices on softcovers would be better, but if you want'em you'll pay for'em. I am all for the deals like this though if it will bring more kids or adults into comic book stores looking for something different, or even just more of the same ala Spider-Man.

[Gordon McAlpin]

Originally posted by Ben543250
Since I assume you are a book publisher yourself, you must know when they were and weren't "price gouging." If you say they could've charged less but didn't so they could stick it to the fans, I believe you. I'm sure you know what you're talking about.

Your sarcasm demans that I say, Yes, in fact, I have worked in publishing, thankyouverymuch. I'm a freelancer at the moment, but that doesn't change the fact that I do know what I'm talking about.

[Gordon McAlpin]

Originally posted by KyleV
The price point necessary for Dark Horse to publish something and for Barnes and Noble to publish something are very, very different.

Dark Horse's pricing for their editions isn't gouging.

The main difference is that Barnes & Noble is effectively both the publisher and the distributor, so they don't need to make as large of a profit off both in order to make a profit. But that difference is not $10 a book.

It's A BLACK AND WHITE REPRINT, man! That book could not have cost more than $4 to print!

[Nat Gertler]

Originally posted by Gordon McAlpin
The main difference is that Barnes & Noble is effectively both the publisher and the distributor, so they don't need to make as large of a profit off both in order to make a profit. But that difference is not $10 a book.

B&N gets hold of more money for each copy of the book they sell than Dark Horse gets in for each copy that they sell, with the exception of the presumably relatively few copies sold through DH's own retail outlet.

And despite assumptions seen elsewhere here, B&N may not be making a profit on this book. It could be a loss leader for them, with the aim of bringing in the manga customers who will also buy profitable items.

As for the "gouging" claim, the Dark Horse price is reasonable for a book that's as long as about 16 modern comics (not counting the ads.) It's a bit more per page than many manga digests, but the pages are much larger.

[Burke 0011]

GREAT - now they offer a hardcover edition of AKIRA volumes and its CHEAPER than the older trades from a few years back?...



To quote a small round wiseman:

I think I just got F-ed in the A........

[RyanMcLelland]

I picked up the Akira Volume 1 HC at Barnes and Noble today and I must say...it is fairly sweet. 300 some odd pages, the very first few in color, and, well, its the story of Akira. I loved the movie and this will be my first chance to read the entire book.

Looking forward to more volumes...and a GREAT buy for 15 bucks...