Tintin Forums

Does anyone know why the hardback books are so much more expensive in English than French?
They're priced at £9.99 UK, which is as mentioned around $25 AU, whilst the French editions are 8,95 EUR officially, which works out at just over £6, or $15 AU.
It's bizarre, even the English paperbacks are £6.99 now (they've doubled in price over the last ten years - a scandal).

Also can anyone tell me why the albums are available in both hardback and paperback in Dutch, published by Casterman, but only hardback in French?
Are the Dutch books more expensive than French hardbacks ?

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[Post moved from "Should I buy Tintin in hardcover or softcover?"]

Richard:
Does anyone know why the hardback books are so much more expensive in English than French ? ...
Also can anyone tell me why the albums are available in both hardback and paperback in Dutch, published by Casterman, but only hardback in French ?

I don't actually know, but I think you may have answered your own question: namely, in French only hardbacks are available, making them the mass-produced norm. In English, mostly paperbacks are produced (I've never actually seen an English hardback myself), so perhaps the relative rarity of the hardbacks makes them more expensive, both because of limited supply (overhead costs are higher for any individual unit) and greater demand (among collectors, anyway).

-J21, your amateur economist. :)

richard Also can anyone tell me why the albums are available in both hardback and paperback in Dutch, published by Casterman, but only hardback in French ?
Well I definitely recall seeing French-language Tintin paperbacks for sale in a few comic shops the last time I was in Belgium.
I seem to remember that they were being sold in special "bargain bins" at a ridiculously cheap price, something like buy-two-for-4-or-5-euros.

Really *strokes chin* ... I never knew that ! I know that there were some special editions produced by Total (petrol company) that were softback, and had the entire story plus a few pages about the background. I think they did Sceptre, Star, Crystal Balls & Prisoners and Flight 714. Were there standard paperbacks produced, then ? I suppose there's little need for them, seeing as the hardbacks are that cheap.

Hmmm... It's possible I'm completely wrong of course - I didn't investigate that closely as I was probably too bedazzled by the other goodies on offer. I seem to remember them being in the twin shops "MultiBD" and "Boule D'or" and also the "Brussel" comic shop; I don't think they were in the official shop.

Unless someone else can tell us otherwise I'll make sure to double check next time I'm in Brussels.

...I hope the old memory isn't playing up signifying the first signs of advanced age...

On a related note, you chaps back on the eastern side of the Pond have a much easier time of collecting Tintin and paying for it than do we New Worlders. Although softcover English albums are $9.99 (which is roughly the same as the UK price), hardcover French books are a staggering $19.99, and Spanish books a lethal $22. Wow. And I've never even seen a hardcover album in English!

Most libraries over here have hardbacks for durability (although there's recently been a wave of new Egmont paperbacks) so thanks to the booksales occasionally held, I've got hardback editions of The Blue Lotus and The Broken Ear, although they've clearly served their time and look like they've been enjoyed for years.

The only times I've ever seen hardback English albums for sale were at the Tintin Shop in Covent Garden, and the exhibition shop at Greenwich for Tintin at Sea. Apart from that, they're not readily available in most bookshops, although they can be ordered.

Oh, I see. My fault -- I was ignoring the copies over here with library bindings. The albums are rebound with a very durable cover that retains the original illustrations and artwork on both front and back, but by the time a US library is selling one, the pages are soiled and the book looks like a wreck! I was referring in particular to the sort of hardbound albums such as the French editions; I don't think Little, Brown publishes them.

Richard
Apart from that, they're not readily available in most bookshops, although they can be ordered
That's funny, because I see the hard-backs quite regularly in bookshops; where abouts are you?

I'm in North London, and my nearest Waterstones carries them, as does the one close to where I work, and I think the local Borders does too. Even our two little local independent book-shops have them (albeit that one actually specialises in children's books).

The books (and perhaps the rest of the merchandise) at Greenwich were supplied by Ottokars, and although I don't have a local one, I think they pride themselves in keeping a fairly comprehensive Tintin stock.

They may not be as ubiquitous as the Astèrix hard-backs, but they are out there...

As to why the price variation?
Firstly, economy of scale: they do much larger print runs of the French titles, because the market is larger. The English titles serve a smaller market, which will cost more to produce (you have to do the same amount of set-up of presses and what have you, to make fewer things, ergo, greater cost). Add to that all the associated shipping and what have you...
Secondly, it's a different market: on the continent, Tintin as a series and brand is a mass appeal thing, part of everyones lives, especially childhoods.
In the U.K., it's more specialist, less wide-spread, and trades on this - it's not just another comic, and therefore is seen as a "premium" product, that one would pay more for.

I'm in Lancashire, wa-a-ay up north, and my local Waterstones has most of the series, all in paperback, and only Alph-Art in hardback. My local Ottakar's has a full set of the books on a rocket spinner, with a few 3-in-1's plus some Snowy plushes.

I think we're very Tintin-deprived around here, even the second-hand bookshops (all two of them) don't stock any Tintin - plenty of small Asterix books, but no quiffed chappy and his dog ...