The last PSP firmware update added the option to download the Digital Comics reader app. One minor problem, though. There weren’t any digital comics to download at the second it was offered. I know this too well -- I looked for a comic and ended up downloading some garbage visual comic for two bucks. Turns out that’s a totally different thing.
The lack of comics has been remedied now. Earlier last afternoon the official PS blog blasted a single redeemable code, giving PSP users the ability to download their first digital comic, Star Trek: Year Four -- The Enterprise Experiment.
It’s a good thing SCE decided to give this thing away for free, because I’m pretty sure no one would download it at a cost. Regardless, the code is available over at the PS blog and just for fun, we’ve went ahead and did a small demo of how the Digital Comics reader works. Check it out in the header, and don't forget tell us how you feel about the app.
I used the “AutoFlow” functionality for the first few panels. This thing makes me sick to watch as it zooms from panel to panel. Thankfully, you can control the comic at your leisure with the analog nub. This is illustrated in the latter portion of the look.
There are actually 4 free comics to choose from and counting the Star Trek one there is an Astro Boy comic, based on the movie, a Transformers comic, and my favorite Aleister Arcane. Most of them, if not all of them, were given away on the PSN Comics twitter account.
EC2N-9HBR-HJD6 - Transformers: All Hail Megatron
63N8-R2BF-9E4D - Aleister Arcane
FF3N-H7B6-M2JF - Astro Boy
Seems all right so far, but seriously, where is DC comics? Marvel's been spiraling downward of late. If its just all Marvel and IDW, tha's kind of disappointing. And whiie I'm not really into manga, I think there's potential for that as well.
portable readers lose a lot of the visual spacing in better comics. Curious to see how it does with splash pages or sequences that follow across the spine.
Also, I don't understand, are you getting the full runs of these series or paying for one issue?
My one real gripe with the little time I used the reader was that after it was done doing whatever (in one case, with the Transformers comic, shakey-camming a truck), the page will just start slipping to the right. I'm confident I wasn't pushing on the nub, so WTF? Stay where you are so I may stare at you, and stop trying to slink away from me. *induces battered comics syndrome*
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Contest:
7:15 PM on 11.21.2009
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EC2N-9HBR-HJD6 - Transformers: All Hail Megatron
63N8-R2BF-9E4D - Aleister Arcane
FF3N-H7B6-M2JF - Astro Boy
Also, I don't understand, are you getting the full runs of these series or paying for one issue?
Post-Civil War Spidey is about as bad as the Clone Saga Spidey. There's no free Spidey.
Aleister Arcane was awesome, though.If IDW keeps the quality up on that one, it may be worth reading. Their supplemental movie stuff - not so good.