COUNTING THE COSTS...HOUSE OF M AND COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS

[MattBrady]

Over the last several months as Marvel and DC have aggressively promoted their respective universe-wide events - House of M and Countdown to Infinite Crisis - both publishers have gone on record saying neither intends for or expects its fans to read every issue that’s been marketed as a tie-in to the main series.

Each has been sure to make it very clear fans can read what titles interests them and will be able to follow the stories on individual basis and/or the larger event without the satellite tie-ins. In fact, DC has gone so far as to provide weekly recaps of key events on their website for fans being selective as to what titles to read.

But here at Newsarama we don’t like to leave any stone unturned, and no fan gets left behind. So as a service for those brave souls who do want or intend to read it all, we got out our abacus…abacuses…abacai? and did a little calculating for you. Newsarama has figured out approximately what one can expect to spend if one’s dedication to each storyline knows no monetary bounds.

Bear in mind the following estimates cover only announced tie-ins so far and assumes the original suggested retail cover price for past and/or current issues demanding more on the after-market, and estimated standard cover prices for issues not yet solicited.

We’ll start with Marvel’s House of M, or the event perhaps best suited for the rabid completionist on a budget.

[disclaimer: just to reiterate, both Marvel and DC Comics are on record saying fans should not feel like they need to read all issues tying into their summer events]

Consisting of one main 8-issue limited series, four additional satellite limited series, a special one-shot, a $0.50 promotional “newspaper”, and 25 issues of current series (details here), according to Newsarama’s calculations a mortgage for the House of M is going to run you $147.57.

Of course, if you want to be serious about the full picture, you might want to pick up Avengers: Disassembled, and we can save a few coins by picking up the trade for $15.99, and say, the first five issues of New Avengers just so you know who these folks coming into the House calling themselves the Avengers are. Five issues, @ $2.25 = $11.25. For a getting up to speed price of $27.24, added to the above, making it $174.81 to know the backstory, and get the main story of House of M.

Now mind you that’s just for fans who only care about what’s between the covers. For readers who really want it all, the variant cover to each respective issue of House of M and the Oliver Coipel gatefold variant cover to the second printing of issue #1 will tack on another $26.91 (assuming you can get them at cover price) to the bill for a new grand, grand total of $201.72.

Now onto DC’s Countdown to Infinite Crisis, or the story event of choice for the fan who’s gots the bling and an admirable sense of dedication...

[disclaimer: we did say that both Marvel and DC Comics are on record saying fans should not feel like they need to read all issues tying into their summer events, right? Okay, cool. Just checking…]

Calculating the full cost of a full-on Countdown commitment is a little more problematic, requiring some creative accounting and a lot of research.

For one, Countdown itself is a prelude to another upcoming and yet-to-be-solicited event, Infinite Crisis. DC has also announced many stories - some going back as far as two years, and some not identified as official Countdown tie-ins (like last year’s Identity Crisis, the current Red Hood story in Batman, and The Return of Donna Troy) - are key stories in a larger tapestry that all comes to a head in Crisis.

And because there are likely many more unannounced tie-ins to come throughout next spring when Crisis concludes and all DCU titles begin “OYL” (one year later), fans planning on getting it all might consider applying for an open-ended line of credit at their local comics shop.

First off, for the more story-oriented fan, in order to keep costs down we’re going to let the upcoming Prelude to Infinite Crisis serve as the bulk of the back-issue catch-up. For just $5.99, the 96-page special promises reprints of The Flash #219, Wonder Woman #214 (in their entirety), the lead story from Superman Secret Files 2004, and key sequences from at least 22 separate past issues, including Superman/Batman #6 and Titans/Young Justice Graduation Day (more issues listed via the above link).

Now no self-respecting DC fan intent on being in the full Crisis mix can skip Brad Meltzer’s Identity Crisis, so we’re also putting you down for September’s hardcover collection, which at $24.99 gets you out of dodge a few ducats below the original combined cover prices for each issue.

Likewise, the events of Green Lantern: Rebirth had a direct effect on Day of Vengeance and Hal Jordan’s return is very likely to be a major factor in Crisis. Now we don’t know what October’s hardcover collection is going to cost, so we’re going with the combined cover prices for the 6-issue series for $17.70.

So relatively caught up to the present, we have $48.68 on the books to start. The remaining calculations and issues included in the initial tally are based on DC’s solicitations from March through Aug. 2005, their weekly “Crisis Counseling” recaps of events fans should be aware of, press releases officially identifying Countdown tie-ins, JLA #115-#119 (two issues @ $2.25, three @ $2.50) and the advanced inclusion of seven issues of Infinite Crisis at an estimated $2.50 a pop, leaving us with:

One special 80-page one-shot, six limited series, and 53 issues (so far) of ongoing series, for an eye-popping all-in total of $252.39. Or ... if you're in it just for the core, that is, Countdown, the miniseries, the tie-ins, and Crisis, that'll run you $209.71.

And that's just with the issues named as being tie-ins to date, mind you - it's pretty likely there will be some tie-ins to Crisis from ongoing series, so there's potential upward wiggle room.

Now again, for the hardcore completionist, that figure is going to be considerably higher, as DC has been publishing reprints with new or newly colored covers. We tried our best to generate an accurate estimate assuming a purchase of every issue (including reprints) mentioned sometime/somewhere by DC has being related to Crisis.

- Let’s start by adding the other half of Infinite Crisis’s dual covers (George Pérez/Jim Lee) (as announced in Wizardworld: Philly) for another $17.50 (7 x $2.50).

- There have been 10 total additional printings (so far) of the four main Countdown limited series, for $25.00.

- Assuming you got them all at cover price, Identity Crisis #1-7, and the 10 total various reprints of particular issues will total $67.15 ($3.95 x 17). Now you get credit back for the ID Crisis hardcover from the initial estimate, so $42.16 gets added.

- Green Lantern: Rebirth has four total reprint issues for another $11.80 ($2.95 x 4).

- Batman #638 also got a second printing with a new cover.

- Countdown To Infinite Crisis got a reprint with a new cover (the "body" is recognizable as Blue Beelte) for $1.99, and that gets added in.

- As far as all the original issues included in full or in part in the upcoming Prelude to Infinite Crisis, assuming you already have them or can find them, that’s going to ring in another (and very approximate) $64.95 (which includes Teen Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day #1-3 and a $6.95 80-page compendium that included 8 pages from Teen Titans #1 and The Outsiders #1).

Your new total?? A nice round figure of $418.04

[disclaimer: we really, really, really want to make sure you know that that both Marvel and DC Comics are on record saying fans should not feel like they need to read all issues tying into their summer events. Really…]

Are you a DC and Marvel fan? Expect to spend between $357.27 and $618.76.

When asked to comment on this story Monday morning, “Access Q. Amalgam” Talk@Newsarama’s resident (though quite rare) fan of all things both Marvel and DC equally, said, “Oh @#$%&!, I wonder if Home Depot is hiring part-time..?”

[GuitarSmashley]

when you put numbers like that to it you make me hate myself thanks

[Ragnarokker]

Its amazing what we'll pay for a decent story. Goes to show you that comic book afficionados may as well be crack addicts.

[Punchy]

Hah take that DC fanboys saying 'it's the house of Money'

I honestly don't get the point in buying a complete crossover, most of the tie-ins are neglibible at best, i'm getting all the HoM miniseries apart from Mutopia, and getting the tie-ins of series that either me or my brother gets.

Countdown, i'm getting Rann/than, OMAC, Donna Troy and all my regular books, My brother is getting the other 2 minis and the JLA arc, i'll also get the Infinite crisis mini proper.

[Kevin T. Brown]

Pretty funny that you actually took the time to figure this all out..... Someone had extra time today.

[seesoul]

There goes my drug money...

[Mercury]

Or, you could try the following:

Spend either a minimal amount of money, or none whatsoever, by finding a bookstore that has all or many of the crossover titles. Read a book or two if you really need to know whats going on, then decide if it's worth such a costly gamble.

My girlfriend had to study for final exams, and so she went to Barnes & Nobles; as many students do, to study in the cafe area. I took advantage of this time to waste more minutes of my life by reading the House Of M prelude in Excalibur, therefore confirming what I'd suspected about House Of M being nonsense; and the current Batman to see what I'm missing.

There you go; I was able to read these hype books free of charge and now, when I go into my comics shop, I'll be able to gauge a bit better what my hard earned cash is going towards.

All you need do is seperate yourself from the severe feeling of 'needing' a title; you don't really, and next summer Marvel and DC will have something else they'll say is bigger and more groundbreaking than either of these events.

(Now, someone PM-d me to say that that practice is 'unfair' and 'hurting comics' since I essentially went in and read 2 or 3 comics for free. I disagree- it might be if you stole them, obviously- but I think these summer 'events' are unfair and hurt comics much more than getting a chance to try out 2 or 3 titles that you'd consider trying anyway)

[EmeraldGuy32]

Great article but You forgot the Adam Strange Mini! I'll be getting both core series plus most of the countdown crossovers since they are in books I'd buy anyway. My Marvel HoM spending will be limited to Hulk, and maybe Ironman and Fantastic Four.

[AllMarvelreader]

I think we all could've save money instead of Marvel and DC, if Amalgam Comics (the Marvel/DC merge universe) was still arround.
Hey Matt, do the math here. How much would it cost us if Amalgam Comics did this summers hottest crossover "Crisis in the House of M?"

[MarkG72]

Originally posted by guitaryoni
when you put numbers like that to it you make me hate myself thanks

I was thinking the same thing! This is without the other titles I get too. JEEZ.

[johnlayman]

This is shoddy journalism, Matt.

You forgot to double the price of the Fantastic Four House of M mini. It's gonna be so awesome everyone is gonna want to buy two!

[March Haire]

Originally posted by Mercury
Or, you could try the following:

Spend either a minimal amount of money, or none whatsoever, by finding a bookstore that has all or many of the crossover titles. Read a book or two if you really need to know whats going on, then decide if it's worth such a costly gamble.

My girlfriend had to study for final exams, and so she went to Barnes & Nobles; as many students do, to study in the cafe area. I took advantage of this time to waste more minutes of my life by reading the House Of M prelude in Excalibur, therefore confirming what I'd suspected about House Of M being nonsense; and the current Batman to see what I'm missing.

There you go; I was able to read these hype books free of charge and now, when I go into my comics shop, I'll be able to gauge a bit better what my hard earned cash is going towards.

All you need do is seperate yourself from the severe feeling of 'needing' a title; you don't really, and next summer Marvel and DC will have something else they'll say is bigger and more groundbreaking than either of these events.

(Now, someone PM-d me to say that that practice is 'unfair' and 'hurting comics' since I essentially went in and read 2 or 3 comics for free. I disagree- it might be if you stole them, obviously- but I think these summer 'events' are unfair and hurt comics much more than getting a chance to try out 2 or 3 titles that you'd consider trying anyway)

Now...Batman is a tie in, but it hasnt been revealed as to how. Personally, I dont pick up the Bat, and I wont until someone I like is writing it, but Im not going to say no to three finly crafted minis and two decent ones just because some title I dont read ties into it somehow.

The same goes for excalibur and House of M. Two diffrent writers, two diffrent artists, and Bendis is far and away better than Chris Claremont, so it isnt really fair to compare.

[Crump's Brother]

I'll be over here, biting my nails, waiting for the trades.

Curses!

[Mercury]

Now...Batman is a tie in, but it hasnt been revealed as to how. Personally, I dont pick up the Bat, and I wont until someone I like is writing it, but Im not going to say no to three finly crafted minis and two decent ones just because some title I dont read ties into it somehow.

The same goes for excalibur and House of M. Two diffrent writers, two diffrent artists, and Bendis is far and away better than Chris Claremont, so it isnt really fair to compare.
**************************************** ***

I don't mean to compare- in my *opinion* (i stress that word just so noone engages me in debates/defenses about Claremont and Bendis), Claremont and Bendis are both hacks anyway. I meant, this is a practice you can apply to any title, any time, but especially if theres some sort of massive, company wide, crossover 'event'. With Batman, I meant the return of the whole Jason Todd thing *ugh*.

[BlueThunderArmy]

Originally posted by Punchy
My brother is getting the other 2 minis and the JLA arc, i'll also get the Infinite crisis mini proper.

Wish I had a brother...

[rogue_tomato]

Wow, I forsee a ton of comic reader going broke this summer (or getting 2 jobs ) I knew that they were gonna be expensive, but damn!

[earth2tom]

Originally posted by seesoul
There goes my drug money...

Poof

There goes my baby's diaper money. I guess I will be chasing him around the house with a pooper scooper.

[350z]

Ridiculous--and I can afford to get these projects (I will not, however). I find company-wide events to be incredibly underwhelming and these two especially so (I am not too sure about the DC project, but from what I have gathered so far has not impressed me...). When projects like these are overly promoted, overly exxposed, and overly priced, the expectations of fans are almost always too high. That is, the projects can never match the hype and fervor that surround them.

Whatever happened to the days when the projects spoke for themselves--when there were not press conferences to announce what will be happening--a year from now--in the latest titles? Oh well, I am just a reader...

[BlueThunderArmy]

Anybody care to break this down into $/month? Just an average would be fine. I suspect the numbers would turn out a bit more equitable, since the DC multi-event spans a couple years whereas Marvel's (not counting Disassembled) is confined primarily to the 8 months of the miniseries.

[Dave Phelps]

Interesting...

One thing you might want to toss in, though - the time element.

Aside from Avengers, House of M start to finish is going to be 5 months (including the Excalibur preludes).

From Identity Crisis to the end of Infinite Crisis, we're looking at close to two years.

The financial pinch doesn't feel as bad if you space it out enough.

[BillReed]

Ahh. I shan't be spending one single dime for any of that!

[Blind Assassin]

Originally posted by BlueThunderArmy
Anybody care to break this down into $/month? Just an average would be fine. I suspect the numbers would turn out a bit more equitable, since the DC multi-event spans a couple years whereas Marvel's (not counting Disassembled) is confined primarily to the 8 months of the miniseries.

Actually, with Marvel, it will be less than that.

It is an 8 issue mini, but the main HOuse of M 1-8 is shipping twice a month, meaning it should end in 4 months, not 8.

[md62]

and this is the reason I avoid these mega crossovers.....

[Charlie Hustle]

not buying into either. admittedly i'm not into traditional superhero massive crossover stuff so maybe it's not up my alley to begin with. I was just as annoyed by these during the 'boom' of the 90's.

[Fazhoul]

I will be buying ALL of the DC books but I will pick and choose which of the House of M books that I want. I read so much more DC than Marvel that I won't have to pick up any ongoing titles that I don't usually get and I want to read all of the minis and specials.