Despite their growing popularity, web-comics pose little danger to traditional comic books, says Jay Bardyla, owner of Edmonton's Happy Harbor Comics.

"The webcomic is a different animal. They are short, concise, catering quite often to a different niche. It's appealing to people who want that quick little zing to their day."

But webcomics lack depth, says Bardyla, who's been collecting comic books for more than 27 years. There's nothing like holding an illustrated story in your hand, or the suspense that precedes every turn of a glossy, coloured page.