Hands-on testing proves it: 300% more boob. And they say iPhone apps don’t increase productivity - pshaw!

The sixth - and final - Astonishing X-Men: Gifted motion comic is available from iTunes today. This is easily the best motion comic yet, not just because of the excellent source material but because it represents a huge leap forward in animation style, thanks in no small part to the work of the legendary Neal Adams and his Continuity Studios. Between the spectacular visuals and stellar voice cast (and the aforementioned source material), AXM: Gifted represents a huge leap forward for motion comics.

It’s also really fun to look at the pretty moving pictures!

The digital comics revolution is looking stronger than ever in 2010, with Marvel and other major publishers publishing books for iPhone apps like Panelfly and Comixology’s Comics. Comics are moving onto gaming systems too - the new PSP comic store is really impressive, and it’s likely that the XBox 360 will integrate the digital comics service Longbox by year’s end.

Digital comics publisher Flashback Universe is both a contributor to and beneficiary of the continuing history of comics’ migration onto platforms other than pulp. They’ve also done an excellent job of recounting the tale on their website - I’ve already posted a link to the first half of the piece; part two is now up, and brings the reader up to date on the state of the digital funnybook.

If you want to check out Flashback’s comics, I highly recommend another excellent iPhone comic reader app, ComicZeal. It’s a fantastic reader, and includes a library of free downloadable comics, consisting of some spectacular Golden Age public domain books (including classic early adventures of Plastic Man and Blue Beetle, among others), and of a sampling of Flashback’s offerings.

My second favorite thing to play with in my pocket - the awesome Simpsons Arcade game for the iPhone! It’s got elements of the old-school original, and brand new stuff besides. So much better than last year’s Simpsons console game.

I’m sorry, I’ve just gotta say it - “You’re the man now, dog!”

Last night, I was loving the first, free Issue of the Wallace & Gromit digital comic - “The W Files” - on the iPhone. Turns out I’m not alone: since the book went up on the app store it’s been downloaded half a million times; as of this writing it’s the number one free book for the iPhone in the US and Canada, as well as the jolly old UK. It’s also number 2 down under in Australia.

I’m a huge proponent of digital comics, and without any set standards, some apps get it right and others don’t. It’s always a huge disappointment when they don’t, and very cool when they do. Wallace & Gromit totally nailed it. Great read, smooth transitions, and speaking of transitions it’s remarkable how naturally the characters translate from the movie screen to comics.

There are more W&G books on the way, both for the iPhone/iPod Touch and my newest digital comics source, the PSP. You can find out all about ‘em at www.titanpublishing.com/digital.