Pittsburgh indie scribble master Nate McDonough joins Dan Greenwald, Shawn Atkins, and Nick Marino to talk about his new graphic novel, Don't Come Back, and more.

Nate discusses his Kickstarter campaign for Don't Come Back (you should become a backer!!!) and the experience of putting the entirety of Don't Come Back online for free (you should read it!!!)...

...all while sketching away at a new Bears in Space comic (seriously -- you can hear him drawing while we podcast).

Neal asks: When it comes to the Super Bowl, is the game just a break for the ads? Neal says yes, but that's mostly because he doesn't know anything about football. Nick disagrees. And Justique just has halftime show ennui.

Neal thinks that the NFL was crazy for letting MIA on the show in the first place, at which point Nick reminds him that terrorism is not a genetic trait. Justique, on the other hand, just hated Madonna's performance.

Once all of the Super Bowl talk is done, Nick wants to talk about Sheba, Baby (on Netflix and Amazon). The film has a water sports fight scene wherein Pam Grier rides a jet ski into battle, spraying casual racists with a flared barrel gun.

Kenny and Nick reunited!!! Will the HyperComboCast #28 tear them apart?!? LISTEN AND FIND OUT!!!!!!

We kick things off with some awesome listener feedback from David Rodriguez. After that, Nick takes a few moments to offer up his thoughts on Kenny's topic from HyperComboCast #27.

Here's the car accident background Kenny talks about from Capcom vs. SNK.

Then it's time for a passionate discussion about art direction in fighting games. Character art, backgrounds, loading screens, and all of the other design touches that set the tone for the entire game.

We cover fighting game series like Capcom vs. SNK, Mortal Kombat, Marvel vs. Capcom, Samurai Shodown, King of Fighters, Tekken, and more. Oh... and, you know there's some love in there for the HyperComboCast favorite, Marvel Super Heroes.

The character art from Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was awesome!!!

After the end theme, we discuss fighting games with the worst art direction.

And, finally, we want to know: which fighting games do you think have the best art direction? You can hit us up two different ways: email HyperComboCast@gmail.com or call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606.

ALSO: Hypno-Hustler.

On this week's Destruct-O-Cast: making a Super Haters comic strip from start to finish. Join Nick Marino as he details his creation process, revealing lots of little Super Haters secrets along the way!

It all starts with the plot, building it up through brainstorming and conversation. Then, after plenty of tweaks, the process moves onto the scripting phase.

Once the initial script is complete, it's time to put the characters in place. After the panels are composed, they're copied into another file and lettered.

The time-consuming lettering stage is also an opportunity to rewrite the dialogue and tighten up the jokes. Once that's finished, the webcomic is exported, uploaded, and posted to the Super Haters blog.

Above is the final product, Super Haters #339, which is then shared across multiple social media networks including Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Google+. AND THAT'S A WRAP!

Another episode packed full of deep issues and ethical conundrums!

Just kidding. We're talking about Prince movies.

Kaylie is back to discuss Purple Rain, Under the Cherry Moon, and Graffiti Bridge.

Have you watched the Prince movies? Tell us what you think about 'em! Leave us a message on our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play what you say on the podcast.

ALSO: Ross announces the debut of his new Wet Moon blog (Wet Moon 6 starts running on Friday!). And Nick teases some things to come in Super Haters.

PLUS: The return of the Rockycast! Ross and Kaylie are sick of anime, so Nick tries to convince them to watch Welcome to the NHK. And after the end theme, Kaylie disappears.

IN 2 WEEKS: Kelly is back for the Talentcast.
IN 4 WEEKS: Kaylie returns to discuss Mac and Me.

Double-sized episode!

39. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Conrad's wife makes a cameo appearance in the film.

Too long. Too boring. Too famous.

38. Double Indemnity (1944)

Nick's in love! This film is a taut thriller that stands the test of time. Watch it!

37. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Conrad's the only one that watched this movie about three soldiers returning home to the USA after WWII. It was good.

36. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Hmmmmmmm. Yeah. This movie's the inspiration for the name of Rizzo the Rat.

NEXT: To Kill a Mockingbird and High Noon. EDIT: We forgot to mention It Happened One Night. That's #35.

Kenny kicks things off by discussing the new additions to the Street Fighter X Tekken cast, including this handsome fella:

But after that, then it's time for the real battle... comeback mechanics vs. self-imposed limitations!!!

Actually, it's not a battle. Instead, Kenny poses two different-but-related fighting games questions:

1. Do comeback mechanics like Soulcalibur's Ring Out or Street Fighter IV's Ultra Meter make the games unique or ruin the gameplay?
2. Do you have self-imposed limitations when you play?

Tell us about your self-imposed limitations or share your feelings about comeback mechanics by emailing HyperComboCast@Gmail.com or calling our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 (don't forget to tell us your name and the episode you're calling about!).

On this week's Destruct-O-Cast, Nick Marino (that's me!) and Justique Woolridge are joined by Brett Wallwork, Super Haters super fan!

Above: Brett on the left. Dorks on the right.

We discuss Brett's taste in comedy, his taste in candy bars, and his taste in Super Haters comics. (Actually, now that I think about it, we spend a lot of time talking about candy...)

Above: Brett's favorite story arc... one that doesn't exist.

We also toss around ideas for future Super Haters stories AND future Destruct-O-Casts, plus Nick teases what you can expect from the upcoming story arc.

Above: Brett's least favorite story arc... the current one.

Pittsburgh cartoonist Ed Piskor joins Nick Marino and Shawn Atkins to discuss hip hop history, the formulation of taste, hand lettering, comics reprints, and tons more.

Ed's recently embarked on an ambitious new project -- chronicling the genesis of rap music through a comprehensive Hip Hop Family Tree series for his Brain Rot webcomic on BoingBoing.net.

But this isn't Ed's introduction to the history of rap music. He's a passionate hip hop head with his own specific views on the development (and death) of the genre.

And we don't just talk about hip hop in this episode. We also dig into our mutual love of comics, covering topics such as: reading old original issues vs. recolored reprints, "Where's Waldo?" X-Men, The Kubert School, assembly line comics production, the proportion wheel, and emotional connection to source material.

After Neal and Nick pen the latest mega-dance hit -- Do the Martha Stewart -- live on the podcast, then it's time to talk about...

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret. Nick (that's me!) is currently obsessed with it, especially loving the David Cross humor and the show's editing. While it's not new, it seems like everybody is suddenly feeling this comedy series.

Well, everybody except for Neal. But that's okay because he has his own British TV show that he's digging right now...

Sherlock. And Neal's not the only person loving this 21st century reinvention of Sherlock Holmes -- it's a pretty big hit on the interwebs. But it's led Neal to wonder: does British TV suffer from being too closely related to Shakespeare?

Got thoughts on Todd Margaret or Sherlock? Call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

After that, Nick wants to talk about his new audiobook passion, Going Rogue... as read by its author, Sarah Palin! Plus, NealShyam.com got a revamp.

Finally, after the end theme, the guys take it back to the earliest days of the AudioShocker Podcast and reveal their confessions.

On this week's Destruct-O-Cast, Nick Marino (that's me!) is joined by Andrew Kilian. He's the hyper-awesome artist behind the hyper-anatomy of Andrew Kilian Guest Week, a 5-page Super Haters story that debuted last fall.

NOTE: We spend a lot of time referencing our collaboration, so if you haven't already read it, you should check it out! It's a short read and only mildly NSFW.

Andrew and I kick things off by discussing his experience at The Kubert School. Then we chat about his major first comic book project, Majestic XII.

After that, we talk Super Haters! Why were the Haters liberating for Andrew? Why does he think perfection sucks? Plus: learn the shocking (or, uhhhh... not-so-shocking) secrets of our past collaboration and thrill as we tease a future collaboration!

Also, Andrew and I explain our respective approaches to comics creation. And we go through our story and reveal some hidden moments that you may have missed!

Kelly Thompson wants to know -- what do creators owe fans?

Does Ross Campbell owe you anything? Probably not. (photo shamelessly lifted from Tom Spurgeon's 2011 TCAF coverage)

Special guest Kelly (writer of She Has No Head, podcaster of 3 Chicks Review Comics, and blogger-er of 1979 Semi-Finalist) makes her triumphant return to lay down an ethical smackdown, discussing fan entitlement and creator responsibility.

Tell us what you think that creators owe their fans! Leave us a message by calling our automated comment line at 412-567-7606, and then we'll play what you say on our next show.

PLUS: Boogers, podcasting talk, Paris Hilton, Ross likes Hunger Games, Neal, superheroes in thongs, Galaxy Quest ringtones, and Tim Allen.

AND AT THE END: A talent throwdown!!! Kelly and Ross believe in talent... but Nick says he sorta doesn't. IS HE (and by he, I mean me) FULL OF SHIT???

P.S. If you dug our main topic on this show, check out Sequential Underground #30 - What Do Creators Deserve? for the flipside of today's conversation.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Tuesday's regular weekly series -- the AudioShocker Podcast -- is going bi-monthly (as in once every two weeks). That means the the AFI 100 Movies Podcast now has a new day and schedule -- alternating every other Tuesday with the AudioShocker Podcast!

41. West Side Story (1961)

Conrad and Nick both agree -- despite the goofiness of the music numbers and some weirdness with the casting, this is a well-made movie that deserves its place on the AFI 100 Years 100 Movies List.

40. North by Northwest (1959)

Conrad was a little bit bored by this classic Hitchcock thriller. He's pretty sure that he prefers the unofficial 90s teen remake, If Looks Could Kill.

NEXT: Doctor Zhivago and Double Indemnity.

Kenny dares to go where no HyperComboCast has gone before!

He kicks it solo to deliver an AUDIO COMMENTARY TRACK for 2010's The King of Fighters movie!

Watch along with Kenny by streaming TKoF on Netflix, or if you really love the AudioShocker, you can buy it from Amazon through our associate's link.

Thrill to the intense fights! Be awed by the heart-wrenching drama! Watch Maggie Q get her butt whooped by Ray Park!

Now that's what I call cinema.

Welcome back to the Destruct-O-Cast, a new weekly podcast devoted exclusively to the Super Haters webcomic! In this episode, Justique joins Nick (that's me!) to discuss the co-writing process.

We kick things off with some listener questions from Dana Spallinger (a.k.a. lunch bag artist supreme) and Shawn Atkins (a.k.a. comics storyteller gordita).

To leave us feedback of your own, tweet @super_haters, write on the Super Haters Facebook wall, or call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

After that, Justique and Nick dive into the details of their co-writing relationship. Who's better with plots? Who's better with new ideas for characters? Who's better with character voices? Listen and find out!!!

NEXT: If he can get his Skype up and running, our guest will be Andrew Kilian. If not, we'll have a surprise guest on the show!

An AudioShocker first! On this week's Sequential Underground, you get to choose your own adventure!!! We've got two podcasts... and two distinctly different paths for you to travel down...

Sequential Underground #33a - To Sketch Or Not To Sketch?
Mega artist Dave Wachter (from The Guns of Shadow Valley and That Hellbound Train) joins Shawn Atkins and Nick Marino for a sedate discussion about sketching at comic book conventions.

Sequential Underground #33b - Not Comics
Dave, Shawn, and Nick discuss almost everything except for comics in this stream of consciousness conversation about life, love, and uhhh... other stuff. NSFW.

Which path will you travel down? Will you choose the refined discourse of #33a... or the confessional spontaneity of #33b? The choice is yours.

Photos by the stupendous Seth Fronzoli.

[Note: We received some awesome feedback regarding our previous episode with Tom Scioli, #32 - The Superhero Virus. I forgot to read that feedback this week. SORRY! I promise I'll read it on #34.]

It's the ultimate battle you've all been waiting for... the supreme throwdown of all beef supremes... it's...

These AudioShocker co-founders and podcast co-hosts can't agree on anything in this episode covering important topics such as Beyonce's birthing process, British actors on TV vs. British actors in film, and Fletch vs. Fletch Lives...

Finally, after their massive battle of the brains, Neal and Nick put out a wild offer to listeners -- if you think you can do better, then DO IT. We want you to take the AudioShocker Podcast "I Can Do It Better" Challenge.

What's that, you ask? WELL I'LL TELL YOU: we'll let you and a friend host the AudioShocker Podcast for one full month. If, after that month, you've been able to produce weekly episodes better than us, we'll let you continue to host Tuesday's AudioShocker Podcast for three weeks out of every month... for eternity! For more info, email nick@audioshocker.com.

But if you're too chicken to do that and you just wanna leave us feedback, call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

Kenny. Goes. Solo.

In this intimate podcast message, Dr. Riot shares the games he's looking forward to in 2012, a few solid fighting games tips, and some of the great things you can expect from the HyperComboCast in the coming months.

To leave us feedback for future episodes of the HyperComboCast, hit up our email HyperComboCast@Gmail.com OR call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

Welcome to the debut of the Destruct-O-Cast, a new weekly podcast devoted exclusively to the Super Haters*! Nick (that's me!) dives into feedback from Facebook and Twitter, answering questions and dropping shoutouts.

Dan Greenwald asks about Nick's character creation process for the Haters, while Byron Winton wants to know what's up with Destruct-O-Tron's new political stance in the current Republican Motherhood story arc.

To leave us feedback of your own, tweet @super_haters, write on the Super Haters Facebook wall, or call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

After the end theme, Nick sends out special thanks to the godfathers of the Super Haters, Neal Shyam and Seth Fronzoli. And here's a link to more about the band that partially inspired Destruct-O-Tron's name, Disasternauts (on the show, I call them Destructonauts... whoops!!!).

NEXT: Super Haters co-writer Justique joins in to discuss the creative process and answer more of your questions.

*In case you don't already know, Super Haters is a Mon-Fri superhero satire webcomic starring Destruct-O-Tron and Mind's Eye.

Featuring the triumphant return of Kaylie McDougal! She joins Ross Campbell and Nick Marino (a.k.a. me) to discuss... ERNEST P. WORRELL!

We watched Ernest Goes to Camp, Ernest Goes to Jail, Ernest Scared Stupid, and some... uhhhhh... other stuff:

Then it's time for a comics intermission!!!

We share some project updates, including the status of Ross' Leonardo one-shot for IDW's TMNT line, Kaylie's Dinogeddon webcomic, and a possible Kaylie guest week on Nick's Super Haters comic.

We also have a call-in from a past Super Haters guest artist, Andrew Kilian, who shares some thoughts about #118, an olde tyme Super Haters radio show, and a few other awesome things. To leave us feedback of your own, call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

AND... speaking of #118, both Andrew and Brandon Williams shared their work spaces with us:

Then it's back to Ernest!

Including sexy Jim Varney and a preview of our upcoming Princecast (happening in a month or two).

NEXT EPISODE: Kelly Thompson returns to the podcast!

It's here!!! The award ceremony that no one's been waiting for... the 2011 YOU DON'T SUCK Awards!

Join our hosts -- Justique, Neal, and Nick -- as we pick the 2011 media that didn't suck the most. Listen to find out which nominees just didn't not suck enough to win! Thrill at the strange and confusing explanations behind our winners! And learn what media we would have picked if we'd judged different categories!

MOVIES (judged by Justique)
Captain America: The First Avenger

TV (judged by Neal)
Spy

WATCH INSTANTLY (judged by Justique)
Shin Chan

COMICS* (judged by Nick)
The Adventures of Gyno-Star

MUSIC (judged by Neal)
"Talk That Talk" by Rihanna

PODCASTS (judged by Nick)
Yamagato Industries Business Report

AND... for our prestigious 2011 YDS champions, here's the 2011 YOU DON'T SUCK Awards winners banner. Proudly display it on your websites and profiles, proclaiming "I DON'T SUCK!!!" to the world. (Click on the banner for a hi-res png that you can resize to your liking.)

*If you'd like to listen to a thoughtful and comprehensive round up of comics in 2011, check out Comic Book Pitt #82 feat. Nick!

To kick off 2012, I go solo to deliver my Personal Top 11 Fighting Game Moments from 2011!!!

11. Kuma's bear fart hyper combo.

10. Finding someone who'll take my copy of Super Street Fighter IV PC.
09. Giving up on Super Street Fighter IV.
08. The UMvC3 theme songs tournament.
07. Learning how to hook my new laptop up to my TV with an HDMI cord.
06. Learning how to advance one frame at a time in MAME.
05. Return of Hyper Combo Wallpaper.
04. Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
03. Discovery of World Heroes.

02. Posting YouTube videos of my terrible gameplay.
01. CLASSIFIED. Listen to find out!!!

Remember, we wanna hear from you! Leave us feedback via email HyperComboCast@Gmail.com OR call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

A conversation so

that it can't be summed up with only a few small words

Tom Scioli joins Shawn Atkins and Nick Marino to discuss indie comics, superheroes, artistic expression, and tons more.

Here's Tom's trailer for the American Barbarian print collection:

ALSO: Indie comics vs. superheroes (debunked!), ballpoint pens vs. art teachers (grudge match!), and novels vs. comics vs. movies (0-1-0).

What is American cuisine? Neal wants know, so Justique and Nick try to help him figure it out.

Is it a pretzel burger?

Or maybe s'mores pizza?

After that, we serve up more puppet conversation as Justique and Nick saw The Muppets, and Neal saw Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special. And finally, after the end theme, Nick explains why he's taking his Nik Furious music off of iTunes, Amazon, and other major music sales websites.

Conrad and Nick are trying to put their long-standing misunderstanding to rest -- did the original AFI 100 Years 100 Movies list come out in 1997 and the 10th anniversary revision in 2007? Or was it 1997 and 2008? Or 1998 and 2007? We're confused.

43. King Kong (1933)

Conrad thinks King Kong is most notable for the sets, stop-motion animation, and the rear projection used in the backgrounds.

42. Rear Window (1954)

Conrad and Nick were both pretty impressed with the way the apartment courtyard was used in the film. Nick appreciated the limited setting, but feels like the format has been improved upon greatly since the 50s. Conrad found the film's plot too predictable and he wasn't satisfied by the film's oddly perfect ending. Overall, a decent film, not great for us.

NEXT: West Side Story and North by Northwest.

Featuring special guest, Rachelle a.k.a. Morose Poet! And she wants to talk about C'Mon Ride It (The Train) and gaming.

Then we play a call-in from Andrew Kilian and Nick takes the opportunity to announce the Destruct-O-Cast, a Super Haters podcast launching in 2012.

To leave us feedback, call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

We discuss the Captain America movie and Rachelle teaches us about SOCOM:

AND THEN (get ready cuz this is really exciting!)... Ross Campbell announces that he's going to be the artist on the upcoming Leonardo one-shot comic from IDW's new TMNT line!!! It'll be out sometime in the spring of 2012 (April, maybe?).

Next, Rachelle wants to talk about comics creation. In particular, she wants to talk about tools of the trade and studio setups. Here's her drafting table:

Here's Ross's work space:

And, uhhh... here's Nick's everyday setup (awkward):

After that, we talk about commercials, My Buddy, and more.

It's BONERIFIC!

Justique and Nick watched tons of Haruhi Suzumiya anime (Season 1, Season 2, and the movie) over the weekend. Unfortunately, Neal hates new anime.

Nick thinks Neal is now officially a weird (and/or creepy) uncle, but Neal thinks he's gonna be the "cool" uncle (if there even is such a thing).

Then a conversation about PBS donation drives leads to a rant about children's entertainment. And... is life more rigorous for kids now than it was before?

Finally, after the end theme, Neal confesses his love for romantic comedies.

Note from Nick: BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE! The reason today's episode is going live a few hours late is because I was posting the latest release from the Unlicensed Attorneys at Law, my rap group. It's called the The Bacon and Eggs EP, and you can find it on SoundCloud, Bandcamp, PureVolume, YouTube, and the Unlicensed Attorneys website. It's three free songs with some extremely offensive NSFW work rhymes. Basically, it's not for everybody. But if you enjoy raunchy humor, then you'll dig the Attorneys.

It's the final battle in the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament!! Kenny and Nick kick things off with a listener call-in by kickass artist Andrew Kilian (see Andrew's work in his Super Haters Guest Week collaboration with Nick!).

To leave us feedback of your own, email HyperComboCast@Gmail.com with your questions or comments OR call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

And now... the conclusion of the UMvC3 theme song tourney!

Match 1: Nova

VS. Virgil

Match 2: Doctor Strange

VS. Firebrand

WHO WILL WIN THIS MOMENTOUS CHALLENGE??? Does Nova still own nick's heart? Will Kenny push Firebrand all the way to the win? Listen to find out who will be crowned the UMvC3 Theme Song Champion!

ALSO: Here's Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3.

SURPRISE AGAIN!!! Back after only one week, Conrad and Nick return to their AFI 100 Years 100 Movies countdown, recording over the phone via TalkShoe.

45. A Streetcar Named Desire

Conrad couldn't get enough of this thrilling, captivating 50s classic! Oh, wait... wrong movie. He was bored out of his mind by this one.

44. The Birth of a Nation

Conrad and Nick both shared in the pain by watching this silent, 187 minute, and horribly racist cinematic landmark. Ranking at #44 on the 1997 list, this film was nowhere to be found on the 2008 revision... leaving the guys wondering why this bigoted film was ever ranked on the AFI list in the first place.

NEXT: King Kong and Rear Window.

Which side of the table are you on? Dan, Shawn, and Nick discuss being comics creators vs. being comics fans.

Dan never wants to lose his passion as a fan, no matter what. Shawn has always approached comics with creation in mind, and for him being a fan has always been a secondary role. Nick was once a rabid fan, but as his passion to create comics increased, his passion to read comic books decreased.

ALSO: When is it inappropriate for creators to act like cranky fans? Where does the line begin and end? Have JMS and Dave Johnson both crossed the line?

Also, sandwiched between the theme songs (at around 25 mins in), Shawn and Nick discuss the idea of releasing webcomics in chapters. They each have their own ideas about what it means to use a chapters format, but the goals are the same -- create a more engrossing reading experience.

Nick loves the Warren the Ape show (a puppet-filled reality TV satire):

But Neal hates puppets. And Nick wants to understand why.

Then we talk about Rodney Dangerfield, from his Sum 41 music video cameo to the oft-forgotten My 5 Wives.

Nick watched the documentary Wham! Bam! Islam!, detailing the production and licensing of THE 99 (the superheroes, not the protest movement).

That leads into a licensing discussion, spinning off into a talk about Neal's short attention span for media and why he prefers TV over movies.

Also, Nick watched The Walking Dead: Season One and liked it. But Neal hates zombies.

Kenny and Nick kick off Round 3 of the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament by responding to some listener feedback. We play a call-in from Pierce Johnson, who wants to know about playing fighting games on the PC. Kenny drops some knowledge and Nick has a gift for Pierce -- his unused copy of Street Fighter IV PC. Then we answer an email from Kurtis Homan about the Ultimate Fighting System card game.

To leave us feedback of your own, email HyperComboCast@Gmail.com with your questions or comments OR call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

And now... the tourney!

Match 1: Ghost Rider

VS. Strider Hiryu

Match 2: Hawkeye

VS. Firebrand

During Match 1's discussion, Nick mishears a key piece of opinion from Kenny... will this mistake derail the entire tournament?!?!? Luckily, Match 2 is a much easier battle.

The winners of the two matches face off for the last spot in the finals. Which hot track will make it to the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament, FINAL ROUND???

ALSO: Here's Round 1 and Round 2.

UPDATED: Here's the Final Round!

SURPRISE!!! We're back! Conrad and Nick return to their AFI 100 Years 100 Movies countdown with a new style and renewed determination.

47. Taxi Driver

After rewatching this Scorsese classic multiple times in the past few years, Conrad feels it deserves its placement on the AFI list.

46. A Clockwork Orange

Both Conrad and Nick rewatched this film, enjoying the weirdness of it but debating its merits as an AFI film. Conrad thinks it should remain at its original #46 placement, but Nick agrees with its lower spot on the revised 2008 AFI list. What do you think? Call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and let us know!

NEXT: If everything goes to plan, we'll be back in two weeks to talk about A Streetcar Named Desire and Birth of a Nation.

Ross found sexy Shadoweyes fan art by gravedigger1006:

Then it's time for listener feedback! We've got call-ins from a creepy guy and Rachelle (@morosepoet). You can leave your own call-in message through our automated comment line at 412-567-7606.

Anyway, Rachelle wants to know about drawing and music. Nick rambles for a while, and Ross manages to talk about music but not really answer the question.

And somehow we end up talking about Ernest:

Then, after the end theme, Ross gives a very non-spoilerish Wet Moon 6 update! (HINT: It's finished.)

Nick watched the new Sex Ed Couples Therapy sketch from last weekend's SNL and he loved it. Neal... not so much.

That leads into an intense Saturday Night Live discussion, spinning off into other comedy, including Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (Neal's favorite movie):

...AND SuperTwins, a new superhero comedy web series that Neal and Nick learned about at NYCC 2011:

ALSO: An Ox's Tale: The John Entwistle Story and other The Who documentaries.

Kenny and Nick reunite for Round 2 of the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament!!! (Here's Round 1.)

Match 1: Iron Fist

VS. Virgil

Match 2: Doctor Strange

VS. Nemesis

Match 1 is a super close fight, while Match 2 is far more decisive. The winner from Match 1 goes up against the winner from 2... and it's a another super close battle! Who will advance to the finals? LISTEN TO FIND OUT!

P.S. Pierce, we didn't forget about your message! We'll answer it on the next show.

UPDATE: Here's Round 3.

What do comics creators deserve? Shawn and Nick discuss the question, from unknown webcomics creators to the most famous and successful creators in comic books.

Do webcomics creators deserve compensation from their fans? Should it be money, gifts, or just a constant stream of feedback?

Does the Jack Kirby estate deserve compensation from Marvel? Did Siegel and Shuster finally get a fair deal?

What should creators expect from corporate publishers? And what should they expect from creator-owned properties?

FIRST: Nick thinks Thanksgiving is a horrible holiday and he's worried that Neal is becoming the 1%.

THEN: Neal has a dilema: should he stop taking money from his 'rents?

PLUS: Nick disliked Super 8 for a number of reasons and he explains them all.

ALSO: GHOST IN THE MACHINE! Destruct-O-Tron (from Super Haters) has started a Twitter account -- @DestructOTron -- WTF?

AND: What is a précis?

A.K.A. Changing the Game pt 2!!!

Kenny and Alex get together to record their long awaited sequel to HyperComboCast #13 - Changing the Game pt 1, in which they express concerns that the more vocal competitive fighting game scene may have a dangerous effect on the creativity behind fighting games.

ALSO: The controversial "is it a fighter or not" game, Super Smash Bros Melee, kicks things off as Alex's prime example of this effect taking place. Could this be the most polarizing episode yet? Will Nick be unlocked for the next episode? Listen and find out!

Also, don't forget to send feedback to HyperComboCast@Gmail.com!

Ross talks about the talk he gave at the Center for Cartoon Studies, and how White River Junction has a lot of dead cats.

Then Ross and Nick share coincidence stories. Also, we chat about the West Lakes Great Lakes Avengers.

Nick didn't join a band recently, Ross wants to make digital music, and -- after the end theme -- we wonder: is our podcast too continuity heavy?

Neal couldn't take a shower this morning... and that made him cranky.

Above is the video I said I'd link to in the show notes.

Wake up early and go hard.

CORRECTION: Ooops! I forgot to link to Super Haters #300 when I first posted this.

Two artists with two very different paths... similar passions but opposing pursuits...

Katie Henderson's first love was animation. She recounts the desires and experiences that led her to follow her current path, living in Los Angeles and working hard to break into the animation business. While Katie's done comics in the past (see below, from Stick Cats #8), she doesn't necessarily feel it's the medium for her.

Shawn Atkins' first love was also animation. He tells of his journey that took him to the animation program at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. And he explains how comics have become his second love, dominating his professional focus and becoming his primary medium (see below, from Time Log #47). He loves the autonomy of creating comics and now he can't imagine ever stopping.

Join Nick Marino as he cross-examines these two creators, grilling them on their illustration inspirations and goals as cartoonists.

Neal wants to know why white people love Saag Paneer, Nick thinks Pittsburgh Italian food sucks, and he made a video about Herman Cain and pizza:

Occupy iTunes, Neal attended the Silicon Alley Talent Fair, he has stinky farts, and Nick watched Winnebago Man:

Justique watched Hellevator, and Nick misses good action comedies.

HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER! Kenny brings in a good local friend of his, John Amenta (ZanSam), to expand on the topic of, HyperComboCast #3 - Learning, and compare the differences between learning in the past (where Kenny started 20 years ago) as opposed to learning now (where John started).

Expect a deep conversation that includes a lot of Chicago area shoutouts, term definitions, civil debate, and other fun stuff.

FIRST: Ross and Nick get metaphysical!!! Nick's been having lots of compelling dreams lately and he's wondering what it all means. Ross tells stories about some of his dreams, plus he shares some dream art:

THEN: Action Jackson and why YOU should watch it (if you haven't already... or, if you have, go watch it again).

PLUS: Ross's upcoming Visiting Artist lecture at the Center for Cartoon Studies. And, after the end theme, a conversation about stuttering.

Nick's pasta, Amazon's design, flashing, and Neal's been watching Spy on Hulu Plus.

Nick watched the arm wrestling documentary Pulling John based on a recommendation by Andrew Kilian. It was awesome.

PLUS: Phonocasting vs. FM radio, and names that begin with N.

Welcome to Round 1 of the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament!!!

Match 1: Rocket Raccoon

VS. Frank West

Match 2: Nova

VS. Phoenix Wright

Finally, the winner from Match 1 goes up against the winner from Match 2... and while I won't spoil the final fight, I will say it has a very marvelous outcome!!!

UPDATE: Here's Round 2.

Dan, Shawn, Juan, and Nick talk about shows! Conventions, expos, festivals, fairs.

We're talking about SMALL SHOWS (for example, PIX)...

...versus BIG SHOWS (for example, NYCC).

What makes a comic book show "small" or "big"? Is it scale? Is it theme?

What makes more sense for an indie comics creator? We discuss table cost, freebies, making personal connections, and tons more. Shows covered include: PIX, SPACE, Pittsburgh Comicon, SPX, NYCC, and more.

We start with a completely fictional recap of #201. Then we talk Halloween costumes! Justique was a baroque hottie, Nick was modern art:

Nick had a very Carl Weathers weekend. Plus, he watched Jean-Claude Van Damme in Assassination Games. Justique's been watching a lot of Shin Chan. Neal doesn't like Prime Suspect. And he's looking for boots... fashion boots.

And... Neal went on a date! And talked shit on Occupy Wall Street.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! It's the Darkstalkers episode.

Kenny and Nick are joined by Justique and Kayin to discuss the Darkstalkers (a.k.a. Vampire) series from Capcom.

From the gameplay to the character art and everything in between, we've got your ultimate Darkstalkers review right here!

BUT WAIT! There's more than just the video games -- we also discuss Darkstalkers anime, cartoons, manga, comics, and more.

PLUS: Check out our Darkstalkers wallpapers.

Ross recaps his titillating New York Comic Con 2011 experience, including the announcement of his latest project, Glory. And... is it time for Ross to have a Morrison-esque psychedelic awakening?

Then we answer questions!!! We field Creature Girl's final post from Ross' long-running deviantART feedback thread. Ross rants about shared universes and Nick raves about comic book covers like this, this, this, this, and this.

And after the end theme (about an hour in), we answer Brandon's questions from last episode's comments. Also... The Fart from Secret Fort Mountain Awesome!!!

Neal loves 1995 and Nick doesn't understand.

Instead, Nick sees the immense beauty of 1991.

It's 1991 vs. 1995...

WHO WILL WIN? U DECIDE!

Nick rants about NYCC, MvC3 on the Xbox, and bad dpads...

THEN IT'S TIME FOR THE FEEDBACK!

Wait... no... Dr. Mario.

BUT THEN IT'S TIME FOR FEEDBACK!

Christian Wolfe sent us a fantastic email! He wants to know about learning how to use a joystick, and Nick likes his question. Kenny drops knowledge on the topic and his advice is don't feel like you have to use a joystick to play console fighting games nowadays (just don't rely on hot keys). BUT... Kenny still thinks it's a good idea to learn on a stick.

Next up is Kurtis Homan! He wants to know if we're going to EVO2012 (probably not). He also wants to know about the games we wanna see more of (Kenny = King of Fighters, Nick = World Heroes). And, lastly, he wants to know our personal standards for what makes a fight game good (so we go on a huge rant).

If you want to send us more feedback, email hypercombocast@gmail.com or call 412-567-7606. We want to hear from you!

We're live at Kiva Han in Oakland, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, Earth, Milky Way with our...

PIX (Pittsburgh Indy Comics Expo) 2011 recap!!!

We're talking about everything PIX, from comics to attendance to events and more.

Shoutouts to Pierce Johnson, Paige Shoemaker, Joe Wos, and Bill Boichel. Thx for making the show extra awesome!

This episode's hosts: Dan, Shawn, Justique, and Nick.

PLUS: Our suggestions for next year's PIX.

Our New York Comic Con 2011 recap! Neal and Nick exhibited on the far end of Artist Alley in the Podcast Arena. Find out how it went! (Hint: It was good.)

Also, it's our 200th anniversary episode, so we talk about... uhhhhh... whatever the fuck we want. Yeaaaah. NYCC. Neal and Ross hanging out. Lenticular.

This episode was recorded LIVE in Brooklyn. In Neal's apartment. On Neal's bed. With a fuzzy laptop.

Over one hour of hot Ross and Nick conversation! We're getting ready for NYCC 2011, so we discuss Ross' signing schedule with Oni and Image, plus what's happening at the AudioShocker booth!

The AudioShocker will be located at table D15 on the far side of Artist Alley... in the PODCAST ARENA!

Also, Ross discusses what it was like going to art school at SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design. (Thx to Nimhsay for today's topic)

Chances are SCAD looked nothing like this when Ross was there.

Also, Nick names off a bunch of comics that you can win at the AudioShocker booth (if he can manage to get them to the show, that is). [NOTE: Immediately after recording this episode, Nick threw out his back... so don't count on any heavy collections making it to New York!]

FIRST: After some food talk, Nick does a short recap of last weekend's PIX (Pittsburgh Indy Comics Expo). (You can read his thoughts on Day 1 and Day 2.)

Photo by Dan Greenwald of the Comic Book Pitt

THEN: Neal re-watched Back to School and found it poignant. Nick saw Balance of Power starring Billy Blanks and loved it.

AND: A little New York Comic Con conversation, a missed connection, Neal watched Tron Legacy, and he hates backup content for films and TV shows.

AFTER THE END THEME: Nick teases the prizes you can win from the AudioShocker at this weekend's NYCC!!!

We want your feedback!!! In fact, HyperComboCast #18 (in two weeks) is gonna made out of your feedback! Kenny set up a new email address -- hypercombocast@gmail.com -- and he wants to hear from you. We're even taking a one week break to give you time to hit us up. Send us questions, comments, and rants... we'll read 'em on the show!

Later this week, Nick's gonna be at New York Comic Con... so stop by and say hi! He's gonna have comics, podcast collections, prizes, and more! Find the AudioShocker at table D15 in Artist Alley.

Then Kenny and Nick close out the show with some thoughts about the new Dead or Alive 5 trailer. Is it gameplay? Is it just a fancy trailer thingy? Or is it some sort of elaborate cut scene?

Oh... and... BEAR FART HYPER COMBO.

FIRST: A call-in from Justin Rivers of the Distro1 podcast. He talks about his scrapped comics project (a topic we discussed on the show back in SU #22).

THEN: What's a bindlestiff? WAIT... WHO CARES? Shawn Atkins and Nick Marino recap their 24-Hour Comics Day 12-Hour Comics Day experience at the Toonseum. Shawn showed up 45 minutes late... but Dan Greenwald showed up 11 hours late!

Shawn and Nick toiling away at 24HCD (photo by Barry Linck)

Shawn did an artistic Gello Apocalypse story, while Nick drew a dramatic Stick Cats tail tale. Dan talks about past 24HCDs, including his 2010 story, Spacebase 01.

PLUS: It's time for PIX! Everybody's excited about the second year of Pittsburgh's fledgling indie comics show. Dan'll have more copies of Spacebase 01, Blue Wraith minicomics, and more. Shawn'll have this year's and last year's 24-hour comics, Phoenix 9, Explorers of the Unknown, Gello Apocalypse, and hopefully some prints.

Nick will have tons of comics both old and new (see above) including Zombie Palin, Super Haters, Time Log, Stick Cats, Passage, XLK, and more!

NEXT: A PIX and NYCC Recap!

DEEPCASTING! First up, it's MicroMachines, Galoob, and John Moschitta Jr.

THEN: Nick is confused about the gender revolution and he wants your help. Is Lil B's "I'm Gay" album title enlightened or a marketing ploy? (BTW, we call him Lil E... whoops!) Are Nick and Neal losing touch with youth culture?

AND: Nick watched the b-movie musical The Apple and it was fucking weird.

PLUS: Neal and Nick bond over their hatred of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. John Waters was Nick's favorite director when he was a kid.

AFTER THE END THEME: Nick shares a secret about his childhood and tries to force Neal to do the same.

It's NOT Mah-vel, baby!!! We're talkin' bout fighting game crossovers that aren't Marvel-related. (Cause we already did that.)

Kenny describes Fighters Megamix and it sounds like the craziest game ever.

Nick didn't realize King of Fighters was a crossover. Then there's Capcom vs. SNK versus SNK vs. Capcom! Nick likes the dumb fun of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. And Kenny talks about a ton more crossovers.

Also... Pepsiman.

Guest starring writer M. Nicholas Almand!

We're talking about the fashion in comic books, manga, and more. From Rob Liefeld to Starfire's misfire, and everything in between!!!

Thx to Diello for suggesting our topic on deviantART!

NEXT: Art school memories.

We're almost to #200!!! Neal wanted to watch Footloose on Netflix but it's not there. And he thinks Qwikster is dumb.

Nick wants to know -- What's your Netflix holy grail? Nick says Steel, Justique says Tales from the Crypt, and Neal says Footloose (sigh).

ALSO: Shout out to posterous.com (Neal hates you), Nick will be kicking it at Pittsburgh's Toonseum for this weekend's 24-Hour Comics Day, and Justique saw Blitz the Ambassador rock the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater and she loved it.

LISTENER FEEDBACK: We wanna hear your Netflix holy grail!!! What movie do you wish was streaming on Netflix? Call us and let us know. We'll play your answer on the next episode. Dial our automated comment line at 412.567.7606 and leave us a message!

Your fighters: Kenny and Nick.

The main event: Mortal Kombat the movie.

"It's so real, it hurts!!!"

FINISH HER!

The podcast by indie comics creators for indie comics creators gets historical!

Writer/artist Wayne Wise joins Nick (a.k.a. me) and Shawn to discuss his history of self-publishing comics and prose fiction.

(Above: A delicious Wayne sandwich.)

From the black and white boom of the mid 80s to the direct market bust of the late 90s to the proliferation of webcomics in the early 00s to the e-publishing boom of today, we talk about the past 25 years of self-publishing.

TOPICS: Xeric Grant, minicomics, Factsheet 5, printing and distributing your own comics, PublishAmerica, King of Summer, vanity press, submitting manuscripts, Grey Legacy, Chaos Punks, Grey Legacy Tales, e-publishing, and more.

Wayne's e-books:

• Scratch
• Bevidere (Book One)
• This Creature Fair

Unrelated side note: Four years ago today, Neal and I launched the AudioShocker!!!

SPECIAL GUEST: Emily McGuiness, cartoonist and author of Ties.

Here's what we discussed:

• Comic Book Pitt
• the Ties creation process
• Latchkey Studios
• missing noses
• porn buddies
• DJ Jazzy Jeff
• hip hop superhero mashups
• 90s music
• Netflix and the state of streaming video

NEXT: Avoid the Noid.

FIRST: Nick leads off with announcements about Podcamp Pittsburgh and NYCC 2011.

BUT: Ross is dreading the fact that he has to call his insurance agent... so he talks about his driving history and past car crashes. Nick relates his (MOSTLY FALSE) car crash stories, as well as the (TRUE!) time he fought for his wallet after waking up on the streets of Miami.

THEN: Jason A asked us about collaboration. Ross discusses his failed collaboration attempts and drops some good advice about starting out slow. And Nick shares what he's learned from his previous collabos.

AND: Ross wants to know who's on the cover to Wolverine and the X-Men #1.

PLUS: Kya-Kyabetsu wants to know about finding a publisher and getting paid. Ross recommends showing your work to publishers at conventions. Or self-publishing. As for getting paid... uhhhh... he suggests getting paying jobs from publishers even though it's tough.

NEXT: Makeup tips and the fashion in Ross's comics!

FIRST: Nick announces his upcoming session at Podcamp Pittsburgh -- Podcasting 201 @ 2 PM on Saturday, September 17th.

ALSO: Don't forget -- we're gonna be at NYCC.

AND: Why does Neal hate freedom?

ACTUALLY: No, he doesn't hate freedom. He just hates when TV shows split their seasons in half.

NEXT: Emily McGuiness joins us to discuss her graphic novel, Ties. HOW WILL WE MANAGE TO OFFEND HER? Listen and find out!!!

This first Bonus Stage branches off of HyperComboCast 8: Character Design. In that episode, Nick and I spoke about the importance of character designs in fighting games, and other random related stuff.

For Bonus Stage 1, Nick and I are joined by my awesome feminist friend, Michelle, to discuss various aspects of the presence of women in fighting games, and the representation of women in other media as well. Nick is unsure at first if he'll have anything of interest or importance to say, but as the conversation goes on, he actually shares valid thoughts! Stop doubting yourself, Nick!

Characters of Note (in order of mention):
- Sonya Blade (Midway / NetherRealm Studios)
- Storm (Marvel comics)
- Ibuki (Capcom)
- Makoto (Capcom)
- Chun-Li (Capcom)
- Elena (Capcom)
- Urien (Capcom)
- Gill (Capcom)
- Sakura (Capcom)
- Jade (Midway / Nether Realm Studios)
- Mary Ivonskaya (SquareEnix)
- Mitsuko (Eighting / Raizing)
- Uriko (Eighting / Raizing)
- Fox (Eighting / Raizing)
- Poison (Capcom)
- Sophitia (Namco Bandai)
- She-Hulk (Marvel Comics)
- X-23 (Marvel Comics)
- Gertrude (Misnamed as Gretchen by me in the recording, because I didn't remember properly) (Marvel comics)
- Kira (Examu)
- Otane (Atlus)
- Angela (Atlus)
- Morrigan (Capcom)
- Iroha (SNK Playmore)
- Mai Shiranui (SNK Playmore) (I dunno what Nick is talking about, she isn't in KoF XII)
- Makoto Nanaya (Arc System Works)
- Sindel (Midway / NetherRealm Studios)
- Rose (Capcom)
- Tron Bonne (Capcom)
- Crimson Viper (Capcom)
- Hsien Ko (Capcom)
- Vanessa (SNK Playmore)
- Uranus (Eighting / Raizing)
- Marrow (Marvel comics)
- Tiffany (Capcom)
- Rainbow Mika (Capcom)

Games of Note (in order of mention):
- Mortal Kombat Series (Midway / NetherRealm Studios)
- Street Fighter Series (Capcom)
- My Little Pony: Fighting is Magic
- The King of Fighters Series (SNK Playmore)
- Dead or Alive Series (Tecmo)
- Soul Series (Namco Bandai)
- Arcana Heart (Examu)

The podcast by indie comics creators for indie comics creators diversifies!

First up, a few announcements -- Nick and the AudioShocker will be in the Podcast Arena at NYCC 2011! Dan's gonna be there too, using his glorious Comic Book Pitt press pass to get the latest scoops from the con floor!!!

BUT WAIT! There's more! This Friday, Sept 9th, will be the first monthly B-Movie Craft Night at Assemble in Pittsburgh. It's the brainchild of Shawn and Nina Barbuto. Also, shoutout to the upcoming PodCamp Pittsburgh event.

TODAY'S TOPIC: Representing different kinds of characters in your comics. Our discussion is inspired by Pierce Johnson, who asked us to tackle this topic.

It's an in depth discussion about displaying diversity on the page without resorting to stereotypes or character cliches. We discuss character development, dialogue, depiction, features, coloring, and taking inspiration from real life.

NEXT: Our friend Wayne Wise joins us to discuss his new novels and his body of comics work!

LISTEN TO A SUPER SPECIAL TEASER FOR TODAY'S EPISODE ON THE NAKED JEWS AND NEO-HIPPIES PODCAST!

We're talking about Wolverine chest tattoos, Ronco spray-on hair, and how Iowa made Sarah Palin boring. And... is there breast discrimination in politics?

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The AudioShocker will in the Podcast Arena at the 2011 New York Comic Con!

UNOFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Neal's two moms will not be attending.

AUDIOSHOCKER BRAIN STUMPER OF THE WEEK: Would you date your former girlfriend or boyfriend's identical twin?

THEN: Solomon discloses his dream of running an interdisciplinary commune. Wait, no... it's not a commune. He just wants to switch jobs every couple of days.

JUNIOR BRAIN STUMPER OF THE WEEK: Could you hire a prostitute to help you make a porno and all of a sudden it becomes a legal transaction?

NEXT: Nick goes on vacation! Is there a solo Neal episode in the cards?

Last week we said this was gonna be Changing the Game pt 2. Unfortunately, it's not. Instead, we're talking about some upcoming games for 2011 and 2012.

Street Fighter X Tekken -- Kirby krackles, Kuma's cartoony face and his fart hyper combo, plus a return of some MvC1 flavor.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 -- Kenny is PUMPED!

King of Fighters XIII -- gotta be better than XII.

Skull Girls -- a long time comin'!

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 -- The timing makes Capcom look bad... but the game looks good.

ALSO: Squirrel Girl history and Kenny drops the best Falcon quote of all time.

THEN: After the end theme we talk about Vitura Fighter 5: Final Showdown, and how Kenny wants a Rival Schools sequel. Plus, a little Silver Centurion conversation.

NEXT: Changing the Game pt 2 will have to will have to wait for one more week because next time we have a super-special super-long BONUS STAGE all about the fierce females of fighting games!!!

FARTS! It's the podcast that only Bo demanded!!! We discuss our dream farts, beats, Nick's nightmare fart, the diarrhea song, shower farts, and farts in comics. WE'RE TALKIN' 30 MINUTES OF FARTS!!!

THEN: After the end theme, we talk about comics for 20 mins. Ross tells his story about how he got into the comics industry (thx to Crowforge).

NOTE: Today's main topics come from Ross's deviantART podcast suggestions post.

ALSO: Ross loves the Paper Wings podcast.

DOUBLE ALSO: Nick's got pie!!!

AND: Ending story arcs.

NEXT: Finding a publisher and getting paid.

Horrible Bosses, Mr. Tumnus, and Nick NEEDS you to go to the Pittsburgh Zine Fair on September 1st from 5-10 PM.

Neal recaps the hype of MTV's VMAs and Nick talks about guesting on the Naked Jews and Neo-Hippies podcast last week.

Then Nick reviews the Hollywood horror art film SCUMBABIES, and Neal talks about the upcoming Powers TV show.

NEXT: New and improved?!?!?

Here comes a new challenger: Alex!

This week, we're showcasing fighting games that broke the mold.

We talk about tons of games, including Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Darkstalkers, Pocket Fighter, Mortal Kombat, World Heroes, Virtua Fighter, Real Bout Fatal Fury, Savage Reign, Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer, Samurai Shodown, Bushido Blade, and MORE!!!

NEXT: Changing the Game pt 2 OR How the Competitive Scene Ruined Creativity in Fighting Games.

UPDATE: Three months later, here's Changing the Game pt 2!

The podcast by indie comics creators for indie comics creators gets unconventional!

Today we're talking unusual influences, from magazines to music to misreadings and more. And we're joined a special surprise guest: Nils-Petter Norlin a.k.a. Colonel Panic, artist of the Yamagato webcomic and the YIBR podcast title cards... and an upcoming Super Haters Guest Week in September:

Shawn was influenced by a billboard for one of his upcoming stories. Nils is often influenced by science magazines. Nick tends to be inspired by music -- he once plotted an entire mini series to Weezer's Pinkerton. Shawn is influenced by astronomy. Nils likes to listen to soundtracks -- Tron Legacy, for example -- while drawing action and podcasts (like the AudioShocker!) while drawing comedy.

Then Dan joins in on the call and he discusses an interesting influence -- family. His dad introduced him to the tools of the trade at a young age. Nils says that alternate history has been a big influence on him and Nick agrees. Nick was also inspired by Siegfried & Roy to come up with a concept for an unreleased comic called Abracadabra. Dan was inspired by a Rolling Stone article to write his upcoming secret story. And Nick has been recently influenced by Louis Johnson.

After the end theme, Nils mentions how misreading stuff has influenced him... and everyone agrees! Misreading stuff leads to awesome new ideas.

WHY DO YOU THINK WE CARE ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL BULLSHIT THAT YOU POST ON FACEBOOK? Maybe because we post our own bullshit, too.

Conrad, Neal, Justique, and Nick talk about social network sharing, elaborating on our own sharing habits and our criticisms of other people... because we're jerks.

PLUS: Spider-Man strokes all criminal activates!

AND: We read Kaylie and Ross's comments about AudioShocker Podcast #191.

ALSO: Like the AudioShocker on Facebook!!!

Our shortest episode yet!!! Kenny and Nick get KO'd by the crappiness of Star Wars fighting games, starting with...

Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi! This sub-par PS1 game from 1997 is laggy, choppy, ugly, and boring.

Nick is devastated by revisiting Teras Kasi and realizing that his fond memories are totally bogus. Meanwhile, Kenny does a good job recapping the best (not much) and worst (a lot) of the game.

Then there's Soulcalibur IV, which features Darth Vader, Yoda, and Starkiller among its cast. Yeaaaaahhhh... uuhhh... not too much to say about it.

NEXT: Changing the game!

Nick shares the voice acting for his upcoming Super Haters video comic while Ross can't remember the movies he watched in the past two weeks.

Then it's time for Ross's deviantART podcast suggestions post and this week we're talking about backstory (thx to kin-no-namazu). Ross got burned out on backstory with The Abandoned, and he had a really fantastical backstory for Water Baby that ended up getting edited out. He wishes he had more backstory for Wet Moon. As for Super Haters, Nick just makes up the backstory as he goes.

Both guys agree that a lot of story that gets cut often turns into backstory and informs the characters even if it's not shown on the pages. Then Ross digs deep into Audrey's backstory and talks about how she's changed over the course of Wet Moon. That spins into a conversation about Wolverine's backstory.

After the end theme, Ross and Nick talk about their own backstories... and old Fairport High School yearbooks!!!

NEXT: Farts, getting into the comics industry, and resolving story arcs.

Nick espouses his theory about the modern democratization of porn and Neal drops knowledge on the topic as the guys discuss smut on Tumblr, the merits of high production values vs. gonzo, and the MySpace photo phenomenon. Is modern porn breaking down the social barriers of what American culture perceives as attractive? Nick says yes and Neal says probably not.

It spins off into a brief conversation about viral marketing and what it really means. That transitions into Donald Glover and Miles Morales, the new black Spider-Man. Was Marvel's marketing push exploitational?

PLUS: Hobo with a Shotgun is Death Wish meets The Machine Girl

THEN: Conde Elevator

NEXT: A introspective Facebook conversation (PARADOX!!!)

Was Avengers in Galactic Storm the first Marvel fighting game! NO! It's a wonky digitized sprite affair with eight main characters and eight assist characters (one of the first with assist characters).

Thankfully, X-Men: Children of the Atom was the first Marvel fighting game! This classic Capcom fighter has gorgeous character design, a good selection of fighters, and tight animation.

Marvel Super Heroes (our favorite!) was next, and it took things to the next level. Fantastic obscure characters (Shuma-Gorath, Blackheart), killer art direction, awesome gameplay... EVERYTHING RULES!

X-Men vs. Street Fighter used the Marvel Super Heroes approach and runs wild with it in the very first Marvel/Capcom crossover game!

Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter is where things slip a little bit... and the secret characters are totally lazy re-colorations!

Then it's the first Marvel vs. Capcom!!! (Nick loves the gameplay). We get Venom and War Machine, and some color-themed secret characters.

As for non-Capcom releases... There's the very average X-Men: Mutant Academy 1 and 2. Plus, there's X-Men: Next Dimension, a slightly freshened up Mutant Academy... and Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects is sort of a fighting game.

But then we're onto Marvel vs. Capcom 2!!! Cable and Marrow join the fight... plus two Wolverines? And, ahhh...c'mon, you know the rest. Classic, yadda yadda, etc.

Fast-forward to now... Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Oodles of new characters! MODOK, Phoenix, Taskmaster, and tons more. Plus, some Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 conversation.

And after the end theme, we briefly discuss the rare adaptions of Marvel Comics story lines in fighting games -- Operation: Galactic Storm and Infinity Gauntlet.

NEXT: Star Wars fighting games! (Masters of Tesar Kasi and Soulcalibur IV)

The podcast by indie comics creators for indie comics creators scraps it out!

We kick off the festivities with a call in from Ben Beesly a.k.a. Beeslo. Then we dive into tales of our scrapped projects! Shawn has a dead project that was a combination of Three Stooges and Reservoir Dogs, and Seth discusses his Lost in Space meets the Odd Couple project -- Small Man in Big World -- that was a stillborn story.

Nick talks about the long evolution of his scrapped projects -- Jared Cohen: Supervillain, Evil Andy, and Evil Dick -- and how they turned into his realized project, Zombie Palin. Shawn discusses how his scrapped college project led to his ongoing comic, Explorers of the Unknown.

Then Nick gives advice by relating his experience about two scrapped projects that led to the creation of Super Haters -- don't get discouraged if something gets scrapped! Be patent and wait for the right time. You never know when the time will be right. Shawn agrees -- don't scrap your ideas. Can them so they can ferment and get more delicious.

NEXT: Unconventional influences! (Listen to this episode for a special preview of our upcoming topic, as Seth relates his incredible Laser Wolf creation story.)

What are our friends doing on Facebook? WE FIND OUT! For example, Conrad Knapp has some new one-line movie reviews. Then Neal and Nick discuss their current hot social networks: Neal likes LinkedIn, and Nick likes Tumblr.

A shout out to Nick's new favorite podcast, Naked Jews and Neo-Hippies. Neal likes LMFAO. One person can make a difference. Project Basement is back!!! Neal saw Cowboys & Aliens. And, yes, Nick produced Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers.

NEXT WEEK'S CALL IN TOPIC: Tell us about the best movie you've seen in the past month. Just call 412-567-7606 and leave us a message on our automated AudioShocker Comment Line. The message limit is three minutes, but you can call back as many times as you want.

Listen along with us using this Street Fighter OST YouTube playlist as we discuss this unexpectedly strong Priority Records soundtrack!

Ice Cube loves the "BOING!" sound. Come Widdit comes with a lot of good flows. Nas lays down some introspective rhymes. The Pharcyde causes pandemonium on a little kid's TV as he plays Super Street Fighter II. Nick loves the song from the Brothers Under Madness. And Craig Mack may be forgotten but he kills it on his track!

Then it's time for Neon Deion Sanders and Hammer to bring the corny!! Straight to My Feet is a MUST watch music video for fans of the Street Fighter movie and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Next up is Rumbo in da Jungo, which is wrecked by the Wreck League. And then Anotha Level drops another good rap track, but it's the last one...

...because the last two tracks are world music songs. The Angelique Kidjo song is fantastic, but daaaaaamn the Chage and Aska song SUCKS!

NEXT: Marvel, from comics to games!!!

FIRST: Listener feedback! Brett called in with a detailed a description of his grooming habits, Ross stopped getting earwax, and Dan Greenwald gives an EXTREME Challenge post-mortem.

THEN: We answer some listener questions from Ross's deviantART podcast suggestions post! First up is Hell-is-a-56 (again), who wants to know who Ross would like to have voice his characters if they were animated. He doesn't know, so Nick steals the question and talks about voice overs for Super Haters video comics AND... he promises to have the first Super Haters video comic ready for the next podcast!!!

AND: EarthmanPrime wants Ross to talk about the do's and don'ts of the comics industry. Ross sayz: Keep your mouth shut! Don't blow a deadline! Don't give a bad BJ!

PLUS: Nick gives a flawed Wonder Man history rundown and Ross thinks mullets get a bad rap.

NEXT EPISODE'S CALL IN THEME: You get two options -- you can tell us your feelings about backstory (do you have a backstory to share from your comic or do you think backstory is even worth it?) OR you can tell us if your feet smell and what you do about it! Call our automated AudioShocker Comment Line at 412-567-7606 -- messages record for up to three minutes.

What does Nick think of sliders? Shout out to Kristen from The Quest for the Best Underground Geek Podcast. Shout out to SlapDash Radio. Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is sweet. Neal's been building a drum machine Android app.

Neal likes Nick's new "realistic" Super Haters character art. Nick likes corn/flour hybrid tortillas. The new Total Recall will have three boobs. Shout out to the newest pop culture podcast on the block, Distro1 (NOTE: Ooops! Nick called it Random Distribution by mistake). Nick enjoyed Adventures of Power. Neal watched Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo and liked it more than Mars Attacks.

Stories in fighting games! Are they good, are they bad... do they even matter???

Nick thinks DOA 2 exemplifies the best and worst of fighting game storylines, Keny notes how Tekken saves the storyline experience for the home version, and both dudes discuss Street Fighter's sprawling storyline.

Does the tournament concept inherently work against an overarching storyline? Or are fighting games more like "Choose Your Own Adventure" books?

Mortal Kombat has story balls for killing off its main character, and Tekken's plot is deceptively (and/or mind-numbingly) simple. And fighting games movies have an uphill battle trying to tell coherent stories.

Marvel Super Heroes (our favorite!) is the rare video game adaptation of something from other media (the Infinity Gauntlet miniseries). Is there a story in X-Men: Children of the Atom? Is Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter canon?

[NOTE: There's no bonus Hyper Combo fun today... BECAUSE I COULDN'T BEAT X-MEN: CHILDREN OF THE ATOM!!! Goddamn, Magneto is a tough boss.]

NEXT: Street Fighter... the movie... the soundtrack!!! Get prepped for next week's episode by listening to the entire soundtrack using this handy YouTube playlist.

The podcast by indie comics creators for indie comics creators writes it out!

Shawn likes to start with bits of dialogue or random plot ideas in his sketchbook. Seth makes lists and outlines with pen and paper before he hits the computer to type his script. Dan doesn't really script at all -- he dives right and works from brain to page. And Nick relies on Google Docs to help him maintain a mild organized chaos of ideas for his stories.

Ideally, Dan would like to do more traditional scripting. Seth is a big proponent of full script, while Shawn is a big proponent of working Marvel-style. Nick likes to work in a prose/script hybrid style (inspired by the Avengers: The Initiative scripts of Dan Slott).

NEXT: Scrapped projects! Call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and leave us a message about your experiences with scrapped comics projects.