Digital comics: should the comic book be worried?

I've done a lot of downloadable gaming lately, either on Xbox Live Arcade or on my iPod Touch or PlayStation Portable.

Currently I'm playing Hydro Thunder Hurricane. It's a sequel to Capcom's arcade racer Hydro Thunder which I believe also appeared on the N64, Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 and it isn't half bad as far as arcade-style racers go. It's part of Microsoft's Winter of Arcade thing which they kicked off last year which gave us the stonkingly great Shadow Complex.  

I also hear that there's a new game from the creators of Canabalt called Gravity Hook HD which is available on the NZ App store now so I'll try and check that out this week (I think it's around $4). I've played a bit of PikPok's Flick Kick Football on my iPod Touch lately, too.

On the PSP I'm playing Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker whenever I have the time and it's a game that is perfectly suited to the type of bite-sized gaming that the PSP offers. It's also a sign that perhaps we're going to start seeing some better games for Sony's handheld, which has been lacking some decent titles in the past.

Lately Sony has been making a big push on its Minis downloadable games for the PSP - the 100Mb or so games that offer pick-up-and-play-style gaming - and its digital comics lineup, which from today will be bolstered by Marvel Entertainment's Fantastic Four and X-Men and IDW Publishing's Tank Girl and Star Trek. The comic packs will set you back $4.60. Apparently the Marvel comic packs are only available for one month from launch, so if you want them, be quick about it.

As a youngster I loved reading comics (mainly 2000AD0 but with the advent of devices such as the PSP and now the iPad, do you think digital comics are going to find favour among comic book lovers or do you think digital comics will never replace the feel of holding an actual comic book in your hand?

Should the paper comic book be shaking in fear from the digital upstart?

Today, thanks to PlayStation New Zealand, I've got two (2) $30 PlayStation Network cards to give away. All you have to do is send me an email with your name, delivery address and an email address, and I'll put you in the draw, which I'll probably do on Tuesday as I'm in Auckland interviewing someone from Bungie about Halo Reach on Monday. Contest rules: one entry per person, per email address; the judge's decision (that's me) is final and the draw for the two PSN cards won't be done under police supervision; no bribes or flattering comments will be accepted; blah, blah blah.)

Note, to use a PSN card you must have a PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Portable, and open an account on the PlayStation Network.

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