Images: Creating colorful comics

Companies like Sony Online Entertainment, the National Geographic Society and Paramount Pictures are licensing a software package called Comic Book Creator, which allows fans to create digital comics based on the providers' content. Proponents of the software say that engaging fans in creating comics based on providers' content helps market the content and build the brand.

A frame of a comic book made with Planetwide Games' Comic Book Creator software and based on a Sony online game.

Paramount Pictures is letting fans create comics based on its Jack Black film "Nacho Libre" even before the film is released.