Some fans, known as cosplayers, construct elaborate costumes of their favorite comic characters. The results are amazing, but they don't come cheap.

Two big movie theater companies are showing kid-friendly films, and tickets (for kids and adults) are just $1 each, sometimes cheaper.

More and more, getting a good value on tickets to movies and sporting events feels like an unwinnable contest. The average price of a movie ticket has increased 23% over the last five years —...