The new firmware will extend the PSP’s XMB to make space for the Comic Reader, reports andriasang.  A new “Extra” column will be added where you will find an icon, a swift click of which will download the Comic Reader you will need to, well, read comics.

While we have no confirmation from UK or US sources for a release date for the firmware the releases tend to be global.  No other new features or changes that the firmware might bring are known and all PSP models from the ‘1000 to the ‘go will receive the update.

The opening of the Japanese Digital Comic Store has also been dated for December 10th.  Back in August at GamesCom Sony announced that December would see the Digital Comic Store arrive in both the US and EU, so the possibility remains that December 10th will be a simultaneous global launch.  Well, we can hope can’t we?

My personal excitement regarding the forthcoming opening of the Digital Comic Store has only been heightened following a tweet yesterday from the PlayStation Comics team:

2000AD join PSP Digital Comics! With almost 30 comics available from launch including Judge Dredd!

I may already have the vast majority of Dredd’s exploits on paper at least once but I am looking forward to reading them again on my PSP.  Now I just want confirmation that the Store will also play host to Halo Jones…

Update: I missed the following tweet from the PlayStation Comics team a couple of hours ago:

EU / US comic store will be coming a little later than the Japanese one

So it won’t be a simultaneous global launch.  Anyone surprised?