My thought process is that I went to an inflation calculator and entered a dime in 1960 and it told me it would be 1.13 now. Here's a link: https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/. According to Duck Duck Go AI, a cup of coffee in 1960 cost about 34 cents, and a beer was anywhere between 10 and 25 cents. Coors was on the 20cent end, because it was considered premium.
What's astounding is that 10 cents per issue back then was enough to keep the business rolling. these days 5 bucks barely keep the lights on.
Reading single issues is such a weird experience. The old ones that stick to self-contained stories are great but the modern ones with long running storylines - yeeesh. We don't even have the single issue imported anymore - just TPB and hardcovers with complete storylines and it is always overpriced as fuck.
Watch "How To Marry A Millionaire" with Marilyn Monroe.
At one point she walks into a Manhattan penthouse apartment. It has two floors, overlooks Central Park, and has 24/7 concierge service. "Holy Toledo! This place must cost $1,000.00 a month!"
it doesn't mean much to me because i'm from another country and we had some wild inflation swings over the years. Purchasing power dynamics is weird all the time.
The US economy was pretty stable from the end of WW2 until President Lyndon Johnson started his Vietnam war build-up. He thought that he could win with one big knockout blow, but that turned into a long slog. Neither Johnson or Nixon after him wanted to raise taxes, so they just printed money to pay for it. That's a quick lesson in how America ruined its own economy
34 Comments
Idreamofcheesy@lemmy.world · 34 pts · 78d
I love how the mermaids are also wearing 1950s housewife dresses. Like, obviously Superman would never be attracted to some seashell-wearing trollop.
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 77d
unlike that weirdo Aquaman
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 9 pts · 78d
A comic book was 10 cents in 1960.
$3.00 in 2026 for the cheap ones.
ZoteTheMighty@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 78d
$1.13 after inflation.
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 1 pts · 78d
You are going to have to explain your thought process to me.
Look at the actual prices. In 1960 a dime would buy two cups of coffee, a glass of beer, or a cheap trinket like a toy or a comb.
You can't buy any of those things for $1.13.
But instead of thinking the inflation indicator you're using is off, you decide that it's reality's fault.
ZoteTheMighty@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 77d
My thought process is that I went to an inflation calculator and entered a dime in 1960 and it told me it would be 1.13 now. Here's a link: https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/. According to Duck Duck Go AI, a cup of coffee in 1960 cost about 34 cents, and a beer was anywhere between 10 and 25 cents. Coors was on the 20cent end, because it was considered premium.
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 4 pts · 77d
Thanks for proving that AI doesn't work.
Edges@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 78d
So you're saying comics today are comparatively cheaper?
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 5 pts · 77d
In 1960, Federal minimum wage was $1.00 and hour. At 10 cents a comic, one hour of labor would buy ten comic books.
Today, the Federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour and the most expensive comic book's cover price is $7.99.
BeardedBlaze@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 77d
That federal minimum wage didn't apply to majority of US workers:
https://legalclarity.org/what-was-minimum-wage-in-1960-the-1-00-rate-and-coverage/
Federal income tax was pretty high on top of that : https://web.stanford.edu/class/polisci120a/immigration/Federal%20Tax%20Brackets.pdf
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 77d
What's astounding is that 10 cents per issue back then was enough to keep the business rolling. these days 5 bucks barely keep the lights on.
Reading single issues is such a weird experience. The old ones that stick to self-contained stories are great but the modern ones with long running storylines - yeeesh. We don't even have the single issue imported anymore - just TPB and hardcovers with complete storylines and it is always overpriced as fuck.
LordCrom@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 77d
Don't forget the 5 title crossover events with the 1 off stories in random books that belong in the event.
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 77d
per month
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 4 pts · 77d
Watch "How To Marry A Millionaire" with Marilyn Monroe.
At one point she walks into a Manhattan penthouse apartment. It has two floors, overlooks Central Park, and has 24/7 concierge service. "Holy Toledo! This place must cost $1,000.00 a month!"
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 77d
damn
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 1 pts · 77d
Rewatch 'The Rockford Files.'
Jimmy talks about actual prices all the time. Media made since around 2000 AD avoids that because inflation makes it sound weird.
Remember the $5.00 milkshake from Pulp Fiction?
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 77d
it doesn't mean much to me because i'm from another country and we had some wild inflation swings over the years. Purchasing power dynamics is weird all the time.
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 1 pts · 77d
American here [like you didn't know!]
The US economy was pretty stable from the end of WW2 until President Lyndon Johnson started his Vietnam war build-up. He thought that he could win with one big knockout blow, but that turned into a long slog. Neither Johnson or Nixon after him wanted to raise taxes, so they just printed money to pay for it. That's a quick lesson in how America ruined its own economy
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 75d
got it. thx.
spittingimage@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 77d
She's in the ocean. How is her hair dry?
Honytawk@discuss.tchncs.de · 6 pts · 77d
10 kilogram of hairspray
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 77d
Silver Age DC water ain't wettin' them hair, eh.
DagwoodIII@piefed.social · 2 pts · 77d
[slaps head]
Now that you mention it, I can't unsee it. Pretty much every undersea comic has that problem.
GreenKnight23@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 77d
because she's a salty bitch.
Gonzako@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 77d
Good ol someone's barely disguised fetish. That or the wife divorced him
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 77d
i guess that's what happened
cholesterol@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 78d
Not sure what the fish tail is for that he couldn't do already. Maybe it makes him compatible wink wink
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 77d
it is for clarity.
albbi@piefed.ca · 1 pts · 78d
Woke Superman had gender reassignment surgery. Looks like he'll be happy now.
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 77d
Silver Age DC, eh. I think Batman had a storyline in which Joker turned him into a woman for literally shits and giggles. it was the 60s...
PabloSexcrowbar@piefed.social · 2 pts · 77d
Can Superman breathe underwater? Does he even need to breathe in the first place?
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 77d
It's silver age DC so the answer is probably "yes, unless it is no"
_stranger_@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 77d
his shirt is tucked into his...belt?
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 77d
don't ask. it's a long story.