There is other news today, but I have a feeling it will be overlooked. Still, the world moves forward, as does Archie Comics with its announcement that it is offering digital versions of its comics on the PlayStation Portable.
Press Release
Sony Computer Entertainment America recently announced the digital reader for PSP (PlayStation Portable), a new Play Station Network service that will allow PSP owners to access a range of media on their PSP. The digital reader service will be launched with Digital Comics this December, putting PSP owners in control of a huge library of Digital Comics.
Archie Comics digital publishing partner iVerse Media will be adapting Archie Comics to fit this new digital medium. This is not a re-purposing of the material already available. These will be all new images prepared in Sony’s proprietary system. Instead of viewing comics frame by frame, the PSP will bring the full page to the users who will be able to move around the page using the PSP controller. When the system is up and running, you will be able to pick up Archie Comics at any Wi-Fi hotspot.
According to iVerse’s Michael Murphy “We are working on reformatting the Archie Comics in our digital library into the new PSP format. We will have all the Archie titles in our library available at the PlayStation Store when the comic store is launched in December.
Archie Comics co-CEO Jon Goldwater stated “We are excited to be part of Play Station’s Digital Comics launch. Archie Comics was part of the launch of the Direct Market and we are always looking for new and innovative ways to get Archie Comics into the hands of our fans.â€
The Archie Comics line of comic books is one of the most successful, longest running lines in the history of the comic industry. Archie Comics are favorite reading of young people and young at heart adults. They are also published in nearly a dozen different foreign languages and distributed all over the world. Archie Comics has not only spawned characters that have been successfully exploited in comics, but characters whose popularity has spilled over into other media and who have become part of popular culture. In addition to comic books, ARCHIE has found success on television, radio and in the music industry. SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH has also become a major television star with two animated series and a live action network sitcom. JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS have also enjoyed success beyond comics, with an animated series and a recording career, and a major motion picture. The characters of Archie Comics have also found success on the Internet, at www.archiecomics.com
3 Comments
So a comic that barely no one reads is digitized to a platform that barely no one has?
Got to disagree with you Gaumer. This is pretty big, as it shows how the comics are continuing to enter the digital market place. I myself have a PSP and use it everyday for entertainment purposes, and only once or twice a week for actual gaming. Sure, the PSP may not have the same market at the iPhone, but at the same time a lot of young kids are more likely to own a PSP.
With the line up of PSP accessible (or soon to be accessible)comics including Marvel, IDW, Image and now Archie, it has taken a pretty big step. Also, if I had the choice between handing my kid the latest Archie or the latest Batman, the Archie would win hands down everytime. The Archie Comics are one of the few remaining all-ages comics.
Yeah…..wonderful….except those of us in Canada…left out again. I used my PSP for more entertainment than gaming as well…..but am going to switch to IPod touch…because I can do everything and now more….becaust It’s all available to me in Canada through I-Tunes. Sony is dropping the ball on this one, leaving Canada out!