Comic books have come a long way since The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck. If you know who Obadiah Oldbuck is, then you are either over 175 years old, or you know your comic book history. Kudos either way!

While they’ve changed throughout the years, comics still tell stories through picture panels accompanied by text above, inside or underneath. Millions of people collect and read comics every day, and now they have the option of reading them on their BlackBerry ® PlayBook ™ tablets.

I’ve put together a few classic comic books along with a popular reader specifically designed for your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, plus a shopper app that gives you an advanced list of pop-culture related merchandise released each week.

• Archie Strips Pack 1 Comic by ZERO-SUM, LTD.: This app includes 75 classic Archie Comics from one of the longest running comic strips appearing since the winter of 1942.
• G.I. Joe Comic by ZERO-SUM, LTD.: A classic comic book by all means, G.I. Joe has been a title of a comic book in every decade since the 1940s. This app features five issues of all new threats from Cobra for the elite military force.
• Calvin and Hobbes by Kenzilab by Handster Inc.: Calvin and Hobbes has been a favorite since first release in April 1987, and now you can get your daily Calvin and Hobbes fix with this app. Enjoy classics and pre-cache comics for fast loading.
• Comics by Endare bvba: Start reading your comics anywhere and everywhere with this comic reader app. Features include swipe to change pages, a library, pinch-to-zoom and a complete settings menu. This app will scan your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to find any comics you have saved to your device.
• Comic Shopper by Brian J. Coan: Never miss the release of your favorite comic books — you’ll know the exact date they are due in stores. Comic Shopper gives you an advanced list of comic books, cards, games and related comic merchandise released each week. This app allows you to create a shopping list and check items off as you add to your collection.

If you think there is an app we should have mentioned, let us know in the comments below!

Have you started your own collection of comics on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet? What are some of your digital favorites? How many of the hard-copy originals do you own?