At this point in the evolution of downloadable content, I am excited.  True, it’s a slippery slope towards making you pay for everything in a given experience, but the idea of buying what I want, when I want, revolving around the base product is very satisfying.  Most webcomics that have chosen to take this route have done so with subscriptions, something that I will only consider for the very best of strips.

But some others have found success in offering ancillary material for a small price, much like the DVD extras that serve to bolster a great movie with supplemental information on the story, characters, and production of the film.  Products like PvP: The Series are successful because they build on an already strong property with a low-cost alternative that offers something the comic strip never could.  Now, Brinkerhoff is getting in on some of that action with Wild Hare, a series of longer strips that provide deeper looks into the characters we already know and love.  And the price is just too low to pass up.

For only 25 cents per installment, Wild Hare offers downloadable pages (via Lulu.com) that tell longer stories that just aren’t possible with the comic strip’s four-panels-a-day layout.  The first installment, “Stung”, tells the story of a couple of bees who have had enough of the status quo.  It’s short, it’s sweet, and it’s well worth the admission price.  Personally, I’d rather have DLC (downloadable content) like this available in print, so the option to do so yourself from your chosen PDF viewer is a welcome one, indeed.

As with all of these additional content offers, the price is only worth it if you enjoy the original work, and there are few finer than Brinkerhoff.  Wild Hare looks to continue, and hopefully expand, the sharp writing of creator, Gabe Strine, so go check out the first story and help him support this new venture.  Because more Brink humor in my day is certainly worth a quarter.