SUPERMARKET chain Asda is cutting the price of children's comics such as Rupert the Bear and Postman Pat, claiming they represent poor value for money compared to publications aimed at adults.
A magazine for adults with 140 glossy colour pages can cost #1.60 compared to #1.95 for a 50 page children's magazine printed on cheap paper.
Asda has thus decided to drop the cost of the Rupert the Bear comic from #1.95 to 99p with the cost of others also set to fall.
The store said about half the 40 million comics sold each year were bought in supermarkets.
Deputy trading director Richard Baker said this made it easier for publishers to push up the prices.
He said: ''Because many comics are bought in supermarkets, publishers think they can hide massive price hikes in the overall cost of the weekly shop.
''It is ridiculous that a few pages of cartoons on cheap paper can be nearly #2 when quality hardback books for children are available for as little as 99p.''
A spokesman for Marvel Comics, whose publications include Thomas the Tank Engine, denied the comics were bad value and said it would be interesting to see what effect the price cuts had on sales.
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