It's been a pretty weird year for comic book prices. Monthly Big Two titles seemed to range from $2.99-$3.99 at random, with specials and one-shot cover prices bordering on $5 or higher.

Honestly, I had stopped paying much attention and just estimated the cost of comics at $5 an issue so I always felt like I was getting a deal at the counter to help ease the pain.

DC did fandom a solid today, however, revealing to CBR part of the publisher's actual rhyme and reason for these price differences, even if they really just boil down to "We gotta make money, ya dig?" Basically, books with co-features are going to stay at $3.99 and books without co-features will go back to $2.99.

So I'm actually pretty pleased by Dan DiDio's explanation of DC's plans for 2010, even if I suspect prices could continue to climb. Comics are a business and fans should support the creators that produce their preferred form of entertainment, but it 's hard not to feel like you're getting bled dry without a little publisher-to-fan interaction.

The sooner publishers admit they're reacting to a shrinking niche market the better I'll feel about how much comics cost me in the direct market. So good on DC for now.

More From ComicsAlliance