AudioShocker

Palin Resigns!!!

Here I am sitting at my computer and editing my Zombie Palin webcomics into an ashcan for Pittsburgh's upcoming Small Press Festival when I heard the breaking news: Sarah Palin has announced her Modern Apizza), quick access to NYC (well, 100 min train ride), and listening to Hot 97 in my car. The signal comes in clearest on I-95 or Route 15, both of which I have been using ...

A Podcast with Ross and Nick 004 – X-Men Comics Discussed!!!

Following up on their X-Men movie debate, Ross Campbell and Nick Marino move into comics and talk about their favorite X-Men comic books. As an adult Ross loves the Grant ...

Podcast Episode 086 – The Last Transformation into an Outlaw Legacy

Neal thinks that Nick would think that Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen is racist. The Last Airbender trailer exceeds expectations but still disappoints these two Avatar fans who cannot get over the bizarre casting choices. Michael Jackson and Billy Mays have left the building. Play it to the Bone ...

Culturology 036 – Randomizing Nostalgia (+ Werewolves!)

I went to a barbeque over the weekend, during which, when we weren't busy remembering Michael Jackson, the main activity between and amongst the (veggie)burger chomping and beer swilling was the typical-for-the-new-millennium activity of a group of people sitting around and listening to someone's iPod on shuffle and having mini-conversations ...

Captain America Reborn Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Captain America gets reborn by Joe Quesada"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 The Marvel vs. Capcom ...

Beatcast 030 – As Fast As You Can by Nik Furious

As Fast As You Can, a garage rock song by Nik Furious. This is the first part of a ten part Beatcast series called Nik Furious: Then and Now. The Then and Now label is literal - the weeks will alternate between an old Nik ...

The Top 9 Celebrity Deaths of the Past Couple Months

9. Dom DeLuise. R.I.P. Pizza the Hutt. 8. Bob Bogle. I'm sure most of you aren't familiar with him, but Bob Bogle has been one of my guitar heroes for as long as I can remember. He was a founder of The Ventures, the world's greatest instrumental ...

WTF Happended to Vincent Gallo?

Just a passing thought - but am I the only person who thought Buffalo 66 was great and that Gallo would go on to do other great movies? I mean, if Lyle Lovett and Tom Waits could do it, certainly a lanky ass bearded ...

Super Haters #1 – Meet the Haters

Thanks to Seth Fronzoli for helping me give Destruct-O-Tron his name. Thanks to Neal for co-writing and performing the Super Haters theme song with me (you can listen to the theme song below!).Download Super Haters theme song

John Legend, My Sister, and His Unleased Pooch in Chronicles of the Air Yeezy

This happened on Father's Day. My brother, mom, and I all drove in to see my sister who was in NYC (from DC) for work. Pops would join us later after he handled some business back in the Elm city. Anyway, we went downtown to the Grand Tribeca, got some ...

A Podcast with Ross and Nick 003 – X-Men Movies Debated!!!

Ross Campbell loves X-Men: The Last Stand (the third one). Nick Marino loves X-Men (the first one). It's X-Men 1 vs. X-Men 3 in a movie debate battle royale (where the only REAL loser is X2: X-Men United). Will Nick be swayed by Ross' love for the top-grossing yet critically-panned ...

Podcast Episode 085 – The Death of Transporting Ballistic Fanboys

Nick is not feeling Fanboys, Neal is not feeling Transporter 3, Lil Flip raps about Kim Kardashian while Hurricane Chris raps about Halle Berry, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever sucks, Nick is listening to a lot of video game music from vgmusic.com (Contra ...

Culturology 035 – Demographic Disposition and Bland Comedy

Having received several quasi-favorable reviews--not high praise exactly, but admissions of funniness--from a couple of reliable sources, I went ahead over the weekend and went out to see The Hangover, to see what all the fuss was about. Given that the movie's already been in theaters for three weeks, there's ...

War Machine What If? Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Ye olde fist of War Machine is coming at cha, baby!"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 Obviously I have ...

Captain America Forever…

Let's be honest: we all saw it coming. However, I expected Monday's news to be a bit more sensational than the return of Steve Rogers... especially considering that it managed to peak at #3 on CNN's top 10 news stories by mid-day. But no, ...

The Top 9 Popular Video Games That Should Never Be Made Into Movies

Let's be honest - Hollywood is so fucking desperate nowadays that they'll turn anything into a movie. They love cherry picking from video games and comics because an established brand means less marketing (or, at least, easier marketing). We can all agree that there are plenty of video games that would ...

A Pain in the Bass

I have officially retired the Spider-Man & Captain America webcomics series. That's why you're now seeing the above fill-in comic. Get your (b)ass back here next Thursday when I'll debut a ...

The X-Men Reborn…

YES! YES, BABY, YES! This is what I've been missing!!! I grew up on Chris Claremont's writing. I've always loved his technique (honestly, I think the drama and the dense prose of his work ...

My So Called Awesome Road Trip and The Amazing Technicolor Upgrade

As you may recall, I have been on the grizzly for the last two weeks or so. I was in Chicago, Champaign, Pittsburgh, and now sunny ol' New Haven. The drive was boring and long, but along the way I got to see some of my favorite people and ...

A Podcast with Ross and Nick 002 – Pink Scarf with No Shirt

The saga continues! Ross Campbell and Nick Marino develop their answer to the World Superhero Registry: Nik Neptune, real-life supervillain. Actually, it's more like Nick forces Ross to help him. Meanwhile, Ross talks about some of the details ...

Podcast Episode 084 – Pittsburgh Podcast Crossover, part one

Part one of the Pittsburgh Podcast Crossover begins NOW!!! Live from Phantom of the Attic Comics in Oakland, the AudioShocker teams up with the Comic Book Pitt and Yamagato Industries Business Report to talk about Antonio Banderas, Jesse James Is ...

Culturology 035 – Chairman of the Bored
As the summer solstice approaches, these longer days seem to be luring me towards posting these columns later and later in the day on Mondays; I'll do what I can once the days begin to shorten again to have them up earlier in the work day, but for now, please ...

Orange Hulk, Green Hulk Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Red Hulk? No way! Only Capcom Hulks here!!!"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 I love special characters. I especially love unlockable characters that retain ...

The Top 9 Things That Didn’t Happen in X-Men Forever #1
Ah, yes. I remember 1991 like it was yesterday... Okay, not exactly like it was yesterday, but I still remember when those first few issues of X-Men came out. It was sweet. I also remember finding hundreds of them strewn throughout backissue bins for the ensuing 18 or so years. Did Marvel ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in DESPERATE HACKS
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="Cap is a "the glass is half-full" type of guy."][/caption]

Armor Wars II Was…
... an AMAZING read, if only for John Romita, Jr.'s artwork. He's really in top form from Iron Man #258-266. But to give JRjr all the credit would be unfair to the other great artists on the book. Bob Wiack inked everything, and from what I can tell, he's the best ...

I Saw Ron Frenz Receive an Award…
... from Tom DeFalco last weekend. I was a volunteer at the Pittsburgh ToonSeum's annual fundraiser, KA-BLAM. Amazingly, when I agreed to help out, I had no idea this Nemo Award was going to be given ...

I’m Working On A Milli…
...miles, that is! Yes, the move has begun. Yesterday I traded Peoria for Champaign IL, and in 8-9 hours I'll be arriving at AudioShocker Central (aka, Shadyside in Pittsburgh). I will then proceed to drink as much YuengLing as humanly possible before our amazing Podcast Crossover Event at Phantom of ...

A Podcast with Ross and Nick 001 – Real-Life Supervillains
Spinning directly out of AudioShocker Podcast #82, Ross Campbell and Nick Marino visit the World Superhero Registry and hilarity ensues. All the real-life superheroes are spooky, but not spooky enough to stop the guys from making ...

Podcast Episode 082 – Ross Campbell: Loves Video Games, Hates Trees
Ross Campbell, in the heat of some serious sinus pressure, talks to Nick Marino about Google Voice, swine flu and allergies, weird mutant powers, Dazzler, different versions of the Darkstalkers fighting game, Guilty Gear XX, Xbox games, odd ways to get your NES games ...

Culturology 034 – Up Late and Bored Stiff
I, like many Americans (I haven't followed this too closely, as is my promise, as always, to half-ass my interaction with anything as popular as television--though with the upcoming conversion from analogue transmission to digital, I should be losing my reception entirely in a matter of days), tuned in to ...

Venom (Shows Some Leg) Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Some sublime Venom courtesy Chris Bachalo"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 Venom is back for the second part of his Unlicensed Attorneys at Law from the album Nasty Confessional. Last week, I gave you Wakanda, the instrumental that was used ...

A Bigger & Badder Pittsburgh Podcast Crossover?

Not to be outdone by ourselves, the AudioShocker has organized a massive Pittsburgh Podcast Crossover. We're joining forces with the fantastic

A Podcast with WHO and WHO?

Here at the AudioShocker, we've got some awesome podcast developments brewing in the very near future. First up, on this Tuesday, June 9, 2009, we have the shocking return of AudioShocker Podcast #82. This podcast audio was initially lost due to a technical mistake ...

The Top 9 Guesses at What the Fuck Is Going on with Captain America

Some of you AudioShockerlings may not be familiar with the premise behind this Top 9, so I'll explain it quick: Captain America #600 is receiving an unprecedented Monday (instead of Wednesday) release on June 15th, 2009. Then, only weeks later, Marvel Comics is putting out the Reborn miniseries by the ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in LOWER LEVEL DEMON

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="Kill him, Cap. Just put him out of his misery."][/caption]

Iron Man #256 Is…

... an interesting collaboration between Bob Layton and John Romita, Jr. This 1990 issue falls at the end of Bob Layton's second lengthy run on the title (David Michelinie is, sadly, not involved with this one). And, if I'm not mistaken, this issue marks JRjr's first work on the Iron Man ...

Batman and Robin #1…

... was pretty good. It's always nice to see Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely working together. I've been reading Flex Mentallo slowly over the past few weeks, and it's great to contrast that collaboration with this new effort. Interestingly, the art in this comic feels very contained in some places. Certain panels ...

Laughing With Regina Spektor (at you)

I don't know how many times I have mentioned her before, but is any female vocalist more slept on than Regina Spektor? I mean, people know who she is, they like her music and all, but Regina has yet to attain that Tori Amos or even Fiona Apple type ...

Podcast Episode 083 – The Time Traveling Dildo Salvation Experience

Sasha Grey in The Girlfriend Experience by Steven Soderbergh, Jean-Claude Van Damme in Timecop, the Mortal Kombat movie, 27 Dresses getting worn by Katherine Heigl, Coraline and Neil Gaiman, Hip Hop is Read and Colin ...

Culturology 033 – Just Because They’re Not After Me

The wonder-beautiful month of May has swept on by, in a mere blink of the culturological eye. And no wonder, given the steady stream of blockbusters that seeped out of Hollywood’s underclothing every weekend. Watching movies is a bit like watching baseball: after the first month of the season, one ...

Venom (Gone Fishing) Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Mmm hmmm! Venom is gonna eat good tonight!!!"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 It's Venom. He's fishing. What more can I say? Nik Furious. Thanks to Neal for turning me onto Tanya Morgan's She Moved Outta Cincy, a song that features a beat almost identical to this Nik Furious production. Of course, the insane infinity genius ...

The Top 9 Reasons I Can’t Get Back to Sleep at 4 AM

9. At approximately 2 AM EST on Friday, May 29, 2009, a savagely loud banging noise emanated from my ceiling as my upstairs neighbor decided to start rearranging furniture in the middle of the night. Then, once the banging subsided... 8. An atrocious noise began to filter down as my neighbor ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in MY WHOLE LIFE

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="Cap is right. I saw the sex tape. It was hot."][/caption]

There Should Be More Mini Marvels…

... in the back of Marvel Adventures comic books. I'm not just saying that because Chris Giarrusso is a friend of the AudioShocker (or because I have a weird infatuation with Elephant ...

There Should Be Less Zombies…

... in comic books nowadays. I mean, seriously, at what point does this zombie saturation become savage oversaturation? It's not like I'm preaching anything revolutionary here. It's just that I'm getting a little bored with zombies. Frankly, I think it might be a good idea to retire them altogether. Not forever, ...

There Should Be More Mermen…

... in comic books. That's one type of mythological creature / monster that never seems to get any comic book exposure. I think I've only seen a merman in a comic once. An issue of Peter David's Aquaman, I think. Obviously it wasn't THAT memorable, a clear sign that we need ...

No AudioShocker Podcast #82 Today

Thanks to a dropped Google Voice recording, there is no AudioShocker Podcast #82 today. It was going to be a rambling encounter with Ross Campbell, but alas, now it's up in the air when you'll hear that (if at all... THANKS TO FUCKING ...

War Machine vs. Iron Man Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Rhodey vs. Tony... All Out Aerial Assault!"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 Hero versus hero is what Nik Furious production, starring Cherry DeMA as a marital affair advocate. This Nik Furious beat is also used for I Love My Freak by the Ross Campbell wants us ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in MARVEL TIME

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="Next week: Cap makes Spidey cry like a baby."][/caption]

Iron Man by Len Kaminski – Best Kept Secret in Superhero Comics?

In the 20 plus years I've actively been reading comic books, I never remember hearing anyone recommend Len Kaminski's giant-sized run on Iron Man. Granted, at the time of his work, I was still a kid. But I was a kid that read a ...

Obama Blames it on the E-E-E-Economy

Real talk, this economic situation blows. How do we get out of this rut? Where is that change we can believe in? It's in the booth spittin' hot fire! The Commander in Chief gives you the economic lowdown in a format that all you MTV kids can vibe with. Bonus: ...

Podcast Episode 081 – Dave Coulier’s Mullet vs. Bridget the Midget

Neal gets runny at Qdoba and then he watches Wrist Cutters: A Love Story, he hates baby name books, Justique marvels at the bizarre mullet worn by Dave Coulier in Full House, Mandy Moore goes all Amanda Leigh on us, Nick believes in nut shots as contemporary American art, Katy ...

Culturology 032 – Funemployment DVD Special!
So Nick? Did you wind up seeing Star Trek? Pretty good, right? Probably, like, a better movie than Wolverine was, huh? Good enough, in fact, that in the box office figures, this past weekends new should-be blockbuster release, Angels & Demons barely beat it out while Wolvie experienced his second ...

Morrigan Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Morrigan shows off her impeccably shaved armpits."][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 I know Morrigan primarily from

Beatcast 026 – Colossal by Nik Furious
Colossal, a Nik Furious beat full of swirling horns, flowing bass, and tight drums. This song was used as the beat for the hip hop track We're So Hot Your Dog Would Rather Live With Us by the ...

The Top 9 Reasons I Still Haven’t Seen the New Star Trek Movie
Pete (and Neal) would have you believe that the new Star Trek movie is SOOOO much better than X-Men Origins: Wolverine. SUCK IT, PETE! Just because I'm a stubborn bastard, here are the Top 9 reasons I'm still refusing to go see the ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in NORMAL TIME
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="Can he still get his webs up at that age?"][/caption]

How Do I Get My Letter Published in the Back of a Comic Book?
Letter pages were once found in the back of every comic book on the stands. Though lettercols have largely disappeared, publishing trends in comics are cyclical - what's out-of-fashion today could easily be the new retro trend tomorrow. In anticipation of the impending return of the classic DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 ...

Beatcast 025 – Off Duty by Nik Furious
Off Duty, a laid back hip hop beat by Nik Furious. This song was used for the rap track Dreamz feat. Ronnie B by the Unlicensed Attorneys at ...

The Top 9 Moments in X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Everyone is all like, "WAHHHH! The Wolverine movie wasn't good enough! Boo-hoo!" I say FUCK 'EM! X-Men Origins: Wolverine was balls-to-the-wall fun both times I saw it. Here are the Top 9 the silliest and most wonderful moments from this blockbuster popcorn epic. 9. For some odd reason, a Hugh Jackman ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in BACK WHEN I WAS A HERO
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="The Spectacular Spider-Jerk does it again."][/caption]

My Comic Book Fanifesto
I'm no saint. I've done some really stupid fan-related things in my past, especially on the Internet. But I strive to be better. That's why I've created My Comic Book Fanifesto (get it??? It's like a manifesto but I switched the "m" for an "f"!!!). These are rules to help me ...

Chuck Season Finale, Cool Kids Mixtape, House Detox, Eminem 3 AM Music Video
I apologize for the totally lame absence of a column last week. I was in New Haven and had a lot going on. In fact, I am still getting caught up. So, rather than tackling a single topic, I'm shotgunning the past week for you. Try to keep up. (And, ...

Podcast Episode 079 – Podcast Crossover! Wolverine! Free Comics!
Our first ever podcast crossover event! AudioShocker vs. Comic Book Pitt! Nick vs. Duke, DanG, and Link! Titans collide and then unite against a common enemy: the villainous Ed Piskor! Live from Phantom of the Attic Comics on Free Comic Book Day 2009... can ...

Culturology 030 – Vertically Panning the Camera over Screaming Heroes
I, like so many humans in America, over the weekend, ran out to see the new X-Men: Wolverine movie. As usual, though I certainly have an opinion about the thing (it was about as bad as I imagined it could possibly be), I am hoping to avoid anything of a ...

Kicking Ken Masters Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Ken Masters has a gift for your face... it's his foot."][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 You may have thought ...

Beatcast 024 – Fuck Yeah! by Frank Sanchez
Frank Sanchez says "Fuck Yeah!"Download Fuck Yeah! by Frank Sanchez

Check Out The Merch, Our First T-Shirt
I have this theory that most people start bands, webcomics, festivals, and other things for two reasons: sex and t-shirts. The AudioShocker is not doing much for the former, but I'll be damned if I let a good t-shirt opportunity slip through my fingers! Behold, the first AudioShocker t-shirt known ...

TXT Message Review, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
It was raining in New Haven today, which meant the movie theater was going to get mobbed by 4pm. So, in order to avoid the hoard of marauding teenagers, my brother and I decided on the 1:15 viewing of Marvel's newest masterpiece, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. As usual, our reactions ...

The Top 9 Iconic Characters with an Extra and/or Extended Body Part
X-men Origins: Wolverine hits theaters today and, originally, I had planned to make this list The Top 9 Common Household Items That Remind Me of Wolverine. I decided against that when I realized that every entry on the list would be a variation on the table fork. Therefore, in place of ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in STILL HUNGOVER
[caption id="attachment_1731" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="Peter Puker, The Spectacular Spider-Vomit"][/caption]

After Wolverine… What’s Next?
There's no doubt in my mind that X-Men Origins: Wolverine will be the biggest thing going in movie theaters this weekend, if not this entire spring (hell, let's go for the whole summer while we're at it). Even though your brain is steeped in six claws and mutton chops right now, ...

Ball Dropper
Sorry for the late update folks. I really have nothing right now. Look for my thoughts on the Chuck Finale later this afternoon.

Podcast Episode 078 – Disco Stick, Potato Hole, Free Comic Book Day
Lady Gaga and her disco stick summer jam Love Game get us started as we spiral into conversation about the new album Potato Hole by Booker T Jones (not to mention our beatbox acapella performance of Green Onions), El Michaels and instrumental Wu-Tang Clan songs, The Knife and their music ...

Culturology 029 – Too Awesome to be Popular!
Only two weeks ago, I played the cry-like-a-baby-it's-the-last-week-of-my-semester card in order to put a band-aid on the hemorrhaging wound of the content-less culturology post for that week, so I must come clean now and state, for the record, that I am done with my semester (of Graduate school). In fact, ...

Swinging Spider-Man Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="How does Spidey get web fluid off his costume? It sticks to everything!"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 In the

Beatcast 023 – Bust On Your Face by Frank Sanchez
Frank Sanchez wants to bust on your face while you let his acoustic song, Bust On Your Face, bust in your ears.Download Bust On Your Face by Frank Sanchez

The Top 9 Biggest Superhero Movie Mistakes of the Past Ten Years
Well, well, well! Looks like last week's Top 9 list made the rounds over on IMDB and Superhero ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in WHAT IF I STARTED EATING YOUR BRAINS
[caption id="attachment_1673" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="Silly Spidey, brains are for tricks!"][/caption]

I Want to Read Digital Comics. But Do Digital Comics Want Me to Read Them?
Let's get this straight: I'm talking about comic books. The sort of stories I'm looking for should be at least the length of a single issue, if not the length of an entire graphic novel. In terms of strips, one-pagers, and archives of the previous two formats, the Internet's already ...

Looking Forward to Summer Jams
I got an email the other day from one of my friends about our annual Memorial Day vacation in Folly Beach, SC. While most of the message dealt with logistics, it highlighted a very important point: it is time to start scoping out summer jams. Summer jams are responsible ...

Podcast Episode 077 – Paul Tobin. Da Stanky Legg. Lady Gaga. M.I.A.
Paul Tobin braves his third week in a row on the AudioShocker as he wraps up his chat with Nick about writing comics book for money. This clear-cut capitalist exchange leads to discussion on the topics of: scripting, ideas, Colleen Coover, Jack Kirby, Jeff Parker, Marvel Adventures, and tons more. ...

Culturology 028 – Meta-tele-vision-ality
Well, dear readers, I must admit that I am still in the death throes of my current semester, wrestling the alligator that is the novels of George Eliot (not a dude), hoping to pry its jaws open and pull out a twenty page paper which, more or less, affects a ...

Gambit Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Pick a card... any card! Actually, just take that King of Spades, okay?"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 "C'mon!" That's ...

Beatcast 022 – Superior Tech by Nik Furious
Superior Tech, an excellent instrumental electro-funk beat by Nik Furious. Marvel vs. Capcom lovers will recognize the title of this track... at least, I hope they do!!! If you don't, well, there aren't THAT many characters in the Marvel vs. Capcom series that ...

The Top 9 DC Comics Movies Warner Bros. Should Be Making Right Now
For some reason, Neal was under the impression that this Top 9 list would be about Texas. He was wrong! This is a WAKE UP CALL for Warner Bros. and some REEL TALK (get it? "reel"???) for the film producers ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in MY NEW COSTUME
[caption id="attachment_1670" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="The Amazing Spider-Bigot strikes again."][/caption]

Asher Roth – Fallin’ Asleep In The Bread Aisle While Having A Bad Day
[caption id="attachment_1835" align="alignright" width="200" caption="The album drops 4/21 (4:20 FAIL)"][/caption] Ha - what a clever title! Anyway, let's get to it. We've all seen the I Love College video. We've all heard the requisite Eminem ...

Podcast Episode 076 – Hi, Paul Tobin… Get Diablo Cody Away from Me!
Exactly 40 minutes of podcast fun are coming your way as we let Paul Tobin know that his Marvel Adventures Super Heroes comic books are in Target. Then Paul talks about who he writes for (hint: himself), the honor of writing for different audiences, the wide reach of books like ...

Culturology 027 – This Week in Non-Starters
Wow, you know, I gotta admit, I've really got nothing for this week. I'm sorely tempted to post the sort of apologetic non-starter here, with the usual grad school oriented excuses: it's the last week of the semester, I've got two term papers to write, and haven't been to the ...

Doctor Doom Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Doom commands you to download his wallpaper!!!"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 Ahhhh YES! The good Doctor makes his Hyper Combo Wallpaper debut ...

Beatcast 021 – Spider-Man Vs. Xandu by Nik Furious
Spider-Man Vs. Xandu feat. Scott, an original rock song by Nik Furious. Three weeks ago, I brought you the instrumental version of this song in Beatcast #18 - Wallcrawler. This vocal version was recorded ...

The Top 9 Things I Love About Passover
I grew up in Squirrel Hill, the most awesome (and Jewish) neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And despite some recent events in the area, it remains a truly great place. One of my favorite things about the hill of squirrels was Passover. It is my favorite Jewish holiday and here ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in ALWAYS LYING TO ME
[caption id="attachment_1666" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="I always had a feeling he was a bigot..."][/caption]

Podcast Pointers: Taking the Noise Out
Noise Removal. This is the most troublesome task I encouter every week while editing the audio for our podcasts. Obviously, the easiest and most efficient way to decrease noise (static, hissing, movements, and shuffling sounds) is to record your audio with as little noise as possible in the background. Regular podcast ...

Consequence is Buggin’ Out and Other Lo-Fi Video Classics
I harsh a lot on music videos for their shameless name/label dropping b.s. and general stuntin. I get all heated over poorly cast video chicks, bad dance routines, even worse treatments, and white backgrounds. In the end though, I thoroughly enjoy the multimillion dollar music video. It is more than ...

Podcast Episode 075 – Paul Tobin and the Golden Chamber Pot
Note: Paul Tobin has never endorsed, nor does he intend to endorse, nor has he... to the best of our knowledge... ever even used a golden chamber pot. With that said, comic book creator Paul Tobin talks about his scriptwriting method, working with artists including Matteo Lolli and Jacopo Camagni and ...

Ron Browz – You Suck And The Internet Agrees With Me
This video pretty much sums up my feelings on Ron Browz. Yes, I would prefer the pain of childbirth or the Jackassery of snorting salt over listening to another minute of Browz' horrible vocoder-riddled attempts at music.

Culturology 026 – Identity and Audience
After the last couple of weeks of attacking the notion of “audience” in critical writing, I’ve finally gotten around to reading those sample passages of the “Philosophy of…” books about X-Men and The Terminator that Nick linked to a couple of weeks ago, and I immediate find myself wondering ...

War Machine Has a Tank for a Body Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="Wallpaper of War Machine on a Tank... Wait, He is the Tank!"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 ::

Beatcast 020 – Silver Centurion by Nik Furious
Silver Centurion, an instrumental song by Nik Furious. I had a (mild) musician breakthrough while making this track. I realized how Daft Punk gets their hip-hop-meets-electronica sound: they put the kick drum on the one and the three. For those of you out there who ...

Spring Break Bishop
Before he was a bloodthirsty baby killer, apparently Lucas Bishop enjoyed sunbathing and long walks on the beach. And while I just can't get enough of this hilarious image of Bishop wearing a pair of ...

BREAKING NEWS: Rocket Fuel in Baby Formula
According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discovered that:
traces of a chemical used in rocket ...

The Top 9 Currently Dead Superheroes and Supervillains
I won't be surprised if this list is completely obsolete in two weeks. Honorable mention to the original Aquaman (Arthur Curry). I'm not sure what the ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in THERE ARE LADIES PRESENT
[caption id="attachment_1660" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="I think his "Tranny Sense" is tingling."][/caption]

No Wonder People Think Comics Are for Kids When Articles Look Like THIS!
And by THIS, I mean "Comic Titans Are in the Grips of the Dreaded Inflationist" by George Gene Gustines in Sunday's New York Times. YoThurz.com via Bandcamp. Actually, you can go ahead and download the sucker too, for free, in a ...

Vote for Doctor Doom!!! AND DO IT FAST!!!
[caption id="attachment_1689" align="alignright" width="180" caption="I command you heathens to VOTE FOR DOOM!"][/caption] Vote for Doom! He's in a heated battle against Batman in the DC/Marvel March ...

Podcast Episode 074 – Britney Spears vs. Crimson Viper… GO!
We kick it off with a concert review of the Britney Spears Circus show in Pittsburgh featuring a special surprise interview with Britney herself... okay NOT really, but the Pussycat Dolls were there too, then we dig into the history of the Pussycat Dolls and Nicole Scherzinger, Fierce Diva Tranny ...

Culturology 025 – More Metaculturology
Culturology isn't used to posting retractions; really, I'm still not going to, but I will admit to learning several things with last week's post about Elitism and Idiocy: 1) Just because it's really easy to make fun of Neal, doesn't mean that you should. My approach sensed that a true ...

War Machine Avengers: The Initiative Armor Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="War Machine Wallpaper - Avengers: The Initiative Armor"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 Welcome illustrator Stefano ...

Beatcast 019 – Remix the Phoenix by Nik Furious
Remix the Phoenix, an original instrumental song by Nik Furious. Sound familiar? It should. Way back in Beatcast #5, I debuted a track called Phoenix Bay. After a few months of listening to Phoenix ...

The Top 9 Episodes of ALF (a.k.a. the greatest TV show ever!)
[caption id="attachment_1679" align="alignright" width="150" caption="ALF is worried we're not gonna pick his favorites."][/caption]9. ALF Episode #06 - For Your Eyes Only (Season 1). The first truly funny episode in the TV series. ALF is lonely and ...

Spider-Man & Captain America in DIRTY SANCHEZ? DONKEY PUNCH.
[caption id="attachment_1654" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="Looking classy today, gentlemen. Very classy."][/caption]

Excessive Collateral Damage in The Spectacular Spider-Man Animated Series
I have a serious love / hate thing going on with The Spectacular Spider-Man animated series. I think the characters look great and the show has occasional moments of brilliance. At the same time, certain episodes tend to grate on me and I find the quality of storytelling to be ...

A Quick Look at the New MF DOOM, Decemberists, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs Albums
Nope. No music video review today. I am 4 types of worn out from that Culturology thing and waiting for grad school decisions to come back. So what can I write about that is timely, perhaps SXSW? Neh. I wasn't there and I am just not that hip. (I didn't know ...

Podcast Episode 073 – High Fructose Barry Rabkin: CypherStyles.com & Pittsburgh
Barry Rabkin a.k.a. BBoy Griz of CypherStyles.com joins us for a conversation on his hip hop culture influences, The Freshest Kids, IAmHipHop.com, how he started a leading international website for street dance DVDs, raving with ...

Nominate Phantom of the Attic Comics for the Spirit of Retail Eisner Award!
San Diego Comic-Con International is only a few months away and I have a special request for comic book fans everywhere: nominate Phantom of the Attic Comics in ...

Culturology 024 – Elitists versus Idiots
"Seriously Pete, don't you ever have anything nice to say?" I'm not sure what exactly compels me to respond to Neal's renewed accusations (see the comment line of Culturology 23)--it's certainly not out of respect for his ideas, so I would suppose that, basically, I've got nothing more pressing to ...

War Machine Original Armor Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
[caption align="aligncenter" width="440" caption="War Machine Wallpaper - Original Armor"][/caption] DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200 Whoa boy! A few firsts going on this week with ...

Beatcast 018 – Wallcrawler by Nik Furious
Wallcrawler, an original instrumental rock song by Nik Furious. This title is so obvious... I mean, we're talking "Friendly Neighborhood" obvious!!! Also, this song will be back, with vocals (and a mildly interesting story), in three weeks.Download Wallcrawler by Nik Furious

What Went Wrong with Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li?
OHHHHHHHHH BOY!!! I'm proud to say I just saw this movie last night... IN THE DOLLAR THEATER. That's right, less than three weeks in national release and this ...

The Top 9 Social Networks (How to Choose the Right One for You)
Here's how this post is going to work: instead of rambling on about how to choose the right social network for you and then failing to deliver an actual answer (much like this editorial from CNN last week), I will GIVE IT ...

BREAKING NEWS: Stephen Colbert Has Twatted
Stephen Colbert & Twitter, courtesy of Meredith Vieira and The Today Show.

Profile in Comics Reading: Jeremy Canceko
I'm gonna try something new today: a comic book reader bio, spotlighting reading tastes and habits. If you like it, let me know and we can make this a regular thing. First up is my former classmate ...

MIMS Moves When, If, and How He Wants Too
I am obviously a few weeks late on MIMS' new track Move. I've been holding out on this one, and for good reason: I wasn't sure how I felt about it. Well, after a few weeks of reflection, I think I am ready to give it a full AudioShocker rundown. The ...

Culturology 023.5 – Philosophical Pop
No, I didn't mean to say "Philosophical Poop," though that would go great with a piping hot side of "Cult Urology." I meant pop. Why? This: The Blackwell Philosophy ...

Podcast Episode 072 – Mississippi Trannies and Full Body Curling
Paul Rudd is a dud but Seann William Scott is hot in Role Models, Tracy Morgan phones it in on Saturday Night Live, the guys who make Meet the Spartans love to kill Dr. Phil, they might be the Girls Next Door but they are not Playboy Playmates, the L ...

The AudioShocker Publishing Schedule
In this upside down world of upsidedownness, it is easy to forget what's happening on a particular day. Well, we here at the AudioShocker believe that ignorance is no excuse! Behold the AudioShocker Publishing Schedule: a graphical rundown of our most frequent and popular features. So now you know. And ...

Culturology 023 – Griping About Watchmen
One of the best things about Culturology's credo to always be at least one week behind the times, at all times, is that I never have to worry about writing "reviews." Which isn't to say that I wouldn't mind writing reviews now and then, getting in on advanced screenings or ...

Kanye and Louis Vuitton Say “What Recession?”
So, Kanye West has two new sneaker collections coming this year. Really, how on earth could you miss it? First up is the Air Yeezy and then his collaboration with Louis Vuitton. After a couple months of waiting and blurry pictures, the Louis Vuitton price list has been revealed ...

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 013
It's Nashville, Rebel Without a Cause, Fantasia, The Third Man, and M*A*S*H in this installment of our American Film Institute 100 Years... 100 Movies list countdown. Conrad and Nick also talk about the Griffith Observatory and Yes Man, Joker PEZ dispensers, Suicide Is Painless by Mike Altman, centaurs, and more.Download ...

The Top 9 WORST Actors in Live-Action Superhero Films
[caption id="attachment_1419" align="alignright" width="155" caption="Even that can't make up for what you did to us, Halle."][/caption] This post is a response to last week's [caption align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Youngblood #8 variant cover - click to see Obama get bigger!"][/caption] Oh man! Rob Liefeld, you have done it again!!! Just when I thought you were ...

The Eternal Comics Question, My Mystery, and My Discovery
"When did you start reading comics and what got you into them?" This has been an ever-present question on comic book message boards and blogs since the dawn of the Internet. I've answered it so many times in countless iterations. So many, in ...

Slang of the Week – Diafatties
[caption id="attachment_1323" align="alignright" width="175" caption="Fat Joe claims to have overcome diafatties with hiphop. Umm REALITY CHECK?!"][/caption] I haven't done a Slang of the Week ...

The Dream Remixes That Thang With Luda, Ross, Fab, and Juelz – No Homo!
I don't exactly follow the fast paced hiphop sector of the blogosphere, but I do consider myself an informed hiphop head. I also listen to a lot of Top 40 in my car. So, after being bombarded with The Dream's Rockin' That Thang for the last month, I was ...

Own Malin Akerman’s iPod… Or Not.
You're totally gonna get a kick out of this. I just got an email from Tonic.com and they're running a promo where:
"Every week now through August, Tonic will launch [auction] between 1 and 5 autographed iPods loaded with the celebrity's personal playlist."
The ...

Podcast Episode 071 – Chris G on G-Man. Big Stan, Watchmen, Wonder Woman Up Next
Cartoonist Chris Giarrusso talks about G-Man from Image Comics. He also talks about Peanuts, Art Baltazar, Mini Marvels, Team Cannon Fodder, and Star Wars. Then Justique, Neal, and Nick talk ...

Culturology 022 – On Metaculturology: A Critique
Primed once again to not run out to the movies (this time to Watchmen--I'll see it eventually, probably sometime this week, but I'm in no hurry, really) over the weekend, I find myself at a bit of a loss as to what to tackle this week. A while back I ...

E. Honda Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
Poor E. Honda. You just don't get the respect that you deserve! That's why you're the first solo desktop wallpaper in this series. What with your Hundred Hand Slap, we know it should have been the Street Fighter: The Legend of E. Honda movie instead. But it's all good.

3 Panel Reviews – War Machine (Vol 1) #15-17
Transcript :: War Machine #15-17 (Vol 1, 1995) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: This story is by far the most ambitious thing attempted in War ...

The Watchmen – TXT Message Review
A few hours ago, I emerged from a dark theater into an equally dark parking lot and briefly mistook it for spring. My car was covered in dew and all around me kids were lighting cigarettes and chatting excitedly about what they had just seen. Cellphones flipped open, engines cranked, ...

The Top 9 Actors in Live-Action Superhero Films
[caption id="attachment_1296" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Ian McKellen as Magneto"][/caption] You could say that the premise of this post is shamelessly stolen from ComicBook.com's Top 10 ...

Black Panther BET Animated Series Preview Video
I haven't seen this Black Panther TV show animation preview posted anywhere, so I thought I'd share it:

Killa Cam Hates His Job, Jim Jones Says Na Na Nana Na Na
So after several weeks of bellyaching about DipSet, Nick emails me the other day to put me up on Camron's new joint I Hate My Job. I'm not even going to wait for the bottomline today: I dig it. Killa Cam re-achieves relevance with his best single since Down ...

Podcast Episode 070 – Chris G on Mini Marvels, Secret Invasion and Chun-Li Eat Our Brains
Chris Giarrusso talks about Mini Marvels: Secret Invasion and his work with Marvel Comics. We discuss writing one-page gags vs. continuous stories, working solo vs. working with collaborators, Hawkeye, Skrulls, Thor, and tons more. And be back next week when Chris talks about his creator owned work with Image Comics, ...

Culturology 021 – Comic Book Disloyalty and the Future of Cinema
Figuring that the rest of Audioshocker would have Street Fighter covered, rather than running out to see it over the weekend, I finally got around to seeing Push, which really wasn't too bad. In fact, it was just about as good as it needed to be in order ...

Neal Is Still Waiting For The D.E.Y To Come
I don't know what is going on here. I still can not get my hands on The D.E.Y.'s debut LP The DEY Has Come. I mean, I could buy the import EP - but $35-45? Seriously Amazon? So fuck, what is a guy to do? Troll YouTube and MTV.com of ...

Kanye West Sticks Foot in Mouth, Forgets to Pull It Back Out
Maybe I'm too hard on Kanye nowadays... or maybe the once-prolific producer is just out of his fucking mind. High on fame and the opportunity to control a captive ...

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li – TXT Message Review
As we enter the last painstaking week before the Watchmen movie, it is important that we don't develop tunnel vision. Nick and I have been talking up the Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li movie for a hot minute, and it came out today. As you may remember ...

The Top 9 New Marvel Films Starring Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury
[caption id="attachment_1216" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Jackson as Nick Fury"][/caption]Superhero movie fans breathed a collective sigh of relief this week as Marvel Studios

The Last Airbender Casting Continues to Confound
OMG. OMG OMG OMG. Everyone! you have to read this article about The Last Airbender extras casting director, DeeDee Ricketts (who is probably casting the whole damn Avatar movie, from the looks of it). Here's ...

I Did Not Enjoy The Oscars
Shit! I totally forgot it was Wednesday, I didn't write anything, and now I am sitting at the airport. I feel like Pete! Total Munson, right? In my defense, I've been at home since Friday doing grad school stuff. But I did watch the Oscars. Did anyone else think the show ...

Podcast Episode 069 – Jay Faerber on Dynamo 5 #0, Justique and Neal Argue Anime
Dynamo 5 #0 SPOILERS! Jay Faerber is here and we talk about Strong-Suit, Father Gideon, Tower City, War Chest, Maddie, how Scrap and Myriad get a new apartment together, and the future of the Dynamo 5 superheroes. And, as an added bonus, Dynamo 5 #20 hits stores tomorrow! Then Justique returns ...

Culturology 020 – Still Talking About That Thing From Last Week
One of the things about writing a column on Mondays is that if something catches your eye on Tuesday or Wednesday, and you decide to write about it, then you're already a week late by the time that you've gotten your opinion out there. And give the fickle and shallow ...

Chun-Li, Dhalsim, and Captain Commando Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
You're looking at three of Capcom's most excellent fighters. Captain Commando is straight out of Marvel vs. Capcom (as a fighting game character, that is), while Dhalsim and Chun-Li can be found in just about every

Beatcast 017 – Shadow Lady by Nik Furious
Shadow Lady, an original instrumental song by Nik Furious. Capcom fans and Street Fighter lovers will know what the title means.Download Shadow Lady by Nik Furious

Video of a Girl Fight in the Ladies Room Makes the Chun-Li Movie Look Weird
I've been waiting for this. Not footage of women beating on each other in the bathroom, mind you -- I can find that pretty easily on my own anytime that I want. No, I'm referring to preview clips of Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. ...

The Top 9 Superheroes Who Don’t Have a Solo Series Right Now (But Should Have One!)
9. Luke Cage. New Avengers may feature Carl Lucas in the lead, but the big name heroes in the book limit his face time. I want a Cage solo series wherein our invulnerable heavy hitter from Harlem handles business on his downtime. 8. Nick: Do you need me to do a ...

This Week’s Music Videos Suck – So How About A Quickie?
Oh sorry - were you expecting a long drawn out music video review? Here is the thing. I am so unimpressed with the recent crop of videos that I just cannot bring myself to dedicate more than a sentence or two to each of them. Please enjoy these (hopefully) ...

Podcast Episode 068 – Jay Faerber on Dynamo 5 #19, Nick and Neal on Raunchy Comedy
Jay Faerber talks about Dynamo 5 #19. Spoilers abound as we discuss Myriad, Scrap, Alexander Serra, Bill Rosemann, War of Kings, Mahmud A Asrar, Ron Riley, and how everything leads up to Dynamo 5 #0. Then Nick and Neal chat about Balls Out and the future of raunchy comedy, superhero movies ...

Culturology 019 – 3-D Recession-Era Special!
Eager to hop on the recession-era 3-D movie craze, I ran out over the weekend to see the recently-released stop motion feature Coraline. The movie had enough cred going for it in the first place, being stop-motion in the first place, and based on a book by Neil Gaiman (killer ...

War Machine, Captain America, and Gray Hulk Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
This Hyper Combo Wallpaper features my three favorite playable Marvel characters from Marvel vs. Capcom. Capcom switched from Iron Man to War Machine in this fighting game, and I love the change. Captain America is a perennial favorite of mine, always holding up ...

Beatcast 016 – Lightning Storm by Nik Furious
Lightning Storm, an instrumental hip hop beat by Nik Furious. This classic is from the summer of 2005. It has also been used as the beat for Dirty Clergy by the Unlicensed Attorneys at Law, off their album Transcript :: X-Men: The Times and Life of Lucas Bishop #1 :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: Most of all, this tale begs ...

Chris Brown Vs. Rihanna – FIGHT!
Ed Note: The Database went down last night and only recently came back up. As a result, I have not had much time to edit this post. I'll be correcting and fixing things throughout the day. I didn't watch the Grammy's, because I don't give a damn. But when I ...

Podcast Episode 067 – Debbie Does Jersey City
Coraline in 3D is awesome, Neal was not taken with Liam Neeson in Taken, Michael Phelps should be allowed to smoke as much weed as he wants, Hulk Vs. Wolverine is just okay, Eulogy is quirky but funny, Rob Schneider in The Hot Chick gets funnier with time, Neal enjoyed ...

Culturology 018 – WALL-E: Creepy Stalker or Lonely Atavist?
For this week, we have a special guest culturologist analyzing culture along with me: none other than Audioshocker's own Nick Marino. We've decided to structure this as a debate, so hopefully you all will be able to chime in in the comments section as well (and I don't feel like ...

Psylocke, Cyclops, Iceman, and Rogue Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
This wallpaper is a tribute to four of the finest "special heroes" available in Marvel vs. Capcom. Granted, these characters are all playable in other Capcom fighters, but I find them to be more memorable for their "helper" abilities. Psylocke has that awesome ...

Beatcast 015 – R.A.W. by Nik Furious
Listen to R.A.W. by Nik Furious and get comfy because this song is loooong! R.A.W. stands for Really Awesome Woman and it's dedicated to the AudioShocker's very own Justique! (I know, I know, you thought we were going to say Neal... alas, he hasn't gone ...

A Day in the Life of a Comic Book Junkie

Wednesday, February 4

12:00 PM

I emailed Jay Faerber and Chris ...

The Top 9 Van Halen Songs (A Somewhat Sacrilegious Countdown)
If you follow our weekly podcasts or listen to our Beatcast, you know about my hip hop work with the Unlicensed Attorneys at Law and my original ...

OH CRAP! My Netflix Queue Is Empty!
Shit. Shit. Shit. I have reached the end of my Netflix queue. I have Sneakers and Wall-E at home, but that's about it. And while my Roku player is queued up with Van Damme movies, you really have to be in the mood for The Muscles From Brussels.

Eminem Cracks a Bottle, Needs Rubbers and a Better Hook
Yea yea, Crack A Bottle has been getting airplay for a couple weeks now - but Peoria radio JUST started spinning it. I can't find a video yet, so you'll have to settle for a few quick notes on the track.

Podcast Episode 066 – Rioting for Dummies
British humor vs. rap music, Nick loves Balls Out and JCVD, Neal reminisces about Edgewood Town Center, Gabriel Bros vs. American Apparel, Nick watched people light fires in the streets of Pittsburgh after the Steelers won the Super Bowl, Neal watched Super Bowl Commercials and hated them, Nick watched Chaos;HEAd ...

Neal is Spinning… Mick Boogie Presents: Before There Was Love
Yup, I'm late on the uptake as usual - but I just heard this mixtape and I'm diggin it. Will you like it? I think so. If nothing else, you'll love the sweet beats.
And while I'm a ...

Culturology 017 – Sports! Sports! Sports!
Well, it's a good thing I don't live on the West Coast, since otherwise I would never get things up on time on Mondays. But I had, once again, a busy weekend, the highlight of which was, as you might guess, given the conversation a couple of weeks ago ...

Juggernaut, Blackheart, and Shuma-Gorath Hyper Combo Wallpaper!
My obsession with Marvel vs. Capcom led me to make my latest series of desktop wallpapers. The first one I'm sharing with you features the unstoppable Juggernaut, the demonic Blackheart, and the mysterious Shuma-Gorath - three of my favorite baddies from Marvel Super ...

Beatcast 014 – 1234 by Nik Furious
Nik Furious is back with his least inventive song title yet, 1234. While the title is lame, this song got game!!!Download 1234 by Nik Furious

3 Panel Reviews – War Machine (Vol 1) #12-14
Transcript :: War Machine #12-14 (Vol 1, 1995) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: Oh man! Where should I start? Rhodey takes a trip ...

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 011
The Manchurian Candidate, Network, Silence of the Lambs, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Cabaret are next up as Conrad and Nick countdown the American Film Institutes' 100 Years... 100 Movies list and hit on related topics like My Bloody Valentine in 3D, IMAX movies, The Dark Knight, Pauly ...

3 Panel Reviews – New Avengers #49
Transcript :: New Avengers #49 :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: Enchanted crowbar!! It's back! Gotta love Wrecker's weapon of choice!!! In this tale, the crowbar gets manhandled by ...

Beyonce May Be A Diva – But She Ain’t No Hustler
Look Out! Neal Shyam is bringing the ruckus with a fresh music video review. Beyonce dropped new videos for Halo and Diva last week, and after viewing both, I decided to train my sights on the greater of two evils. My assessment covers both track and video, natch. The Track: This ...

FOX News claims there are “only a few black superheroes”
WTF!?! FOX News, are you drunk??? Read this article wherein Fox News claims there are only a few black superheroes and then goes on to support its claim in the worst way possible by showing tons of ...

Podcast Episode 065 – Cowboys and Lesbians
My Bloody Valentine in 3D was fun for Nick, Neal thinks Elizabeth Banks was miscast in The Uninvited, both Neal and Nick think The Last Airbender movie has been miscast too, arguing about Colin Hanks leads to arguing about Jack Black, Nick liked Sean William Scott in Balls Out but ...

Culturology 016 – Things That Go ‘Punk’ in the Night
For as long as the Bad Brains' song "Fearless Vampire Killers" has been one of my favorite songs, I've always been proud of the fact that the title of one of my favorite songs is "Fearless Vampire Killers." It strikes me as pretty much the perfect hardcore song: just ...

Your Two Favorite Avatar Characters Reveal Your True Inner Self
[caption id="attachment_930" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Nick loves Uncle Iroh and Appa"][/caption]Whew! It has been one hell of a week for me and my passionate relationship with Avatar: ...

The Top 9 Fighting Games
This is an ambitious Top 9 list mostly because I'm not a huge gamer. However, I am a rabid fan of fighting games (all fighters, of course... but this list is specifically composed of versus fighters... that's why you won't see ...

Lost Kisses #6 mini comic review
Brian John Mitchell continues to confuse and surprise me in equal parts with Lost Kisses #6. While I am utterly perplexed by some of his musings, I am in awe ...

Musical Ennui – I Hate Everything On My iPod
Yesterday, 5:50PM, Peoria, Illinois, The Gym. As I round my way into the second straightaway of my third lap, I start to wonder: is this really necessary? I'm not 'orca fat'. I don't need to lose 15 pounds, and jogging around the indoor track with all the short-timers isn't doing ...

Podcast Episode 064 – High-definition Blu-ray Balls
The Wrestler and The Foot Fist Way were watched by Neal. Nick and Neal disagree about the quality of News Radio but they do agree that French Stewart is lame, Ludacris is best as a guest, and Big Stan finally comes out in March. Neal is scared of yellow food ...

Culturology 015 – Non-Starter
So most of you probably have to work today, or have been working already. Of course, as you probably recall from your own school days, MLK Jr. Day is often a full holiday for Universities. So when I slept in today, once again having not yet written a post for ...

The Top 9 Playable Marvel Characters in Capcom Fighting Games
Okay, first, let's set the ground rules. X-Men: Children of the Atom can't be considered in the running. It's too hard to find, and in all my years of love for Capcom fighting games I've never had the chance to play it. Also stricken from the record is Marvel vs. ...

Yolk It Up
Remember that time back in Podcast 24 when I talked about the rotten eggs that had been in my fridge for two years? No? Well check out our MySpace for a ...

3 Panel Reviews – It’s a Bird… (graphic novel)
Transcript :: It's a Bird... (graphic novel) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: I heard this book was good, but I was afraid to like it, which ...

I Call Shenanigans On the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards
Ok people, the internet and I do not have a new music video review for you. Instead, please consider the following list of MTV Music Video Awards winners from 1999 and tell me it isn't suspect.

Video Of The Year Lauryn Hill, “Doo Wop (That ...

Podcast Episode 063 – McConahoochie Man-Crush
Racial slurs in Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood and his Eastwoody, Black Snake Moan and its Son House soundtrack, A Time to Kill reveals Neal and his Matthew McConaughey man-crush, Nick just heard 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake's "Ayo Technology," Neal just saw Yes Man with Jim Carrey and Zoey Deschanel, ...

Culturology 014 – Football and Beer
Welcome to the latest "Oh shit! It's Monday already!" edition of Culturology. I'm feeling more and more like I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I told Nick I'd write a weekly post for him. So here goes nothing; lets see if I can't get a few ...

Obama and Bush Are Tag-Teaming WHO Now?
Thank you, Yahoo, for this great headline. I'd be uneasy too if George W and Barack were trying to tag-team me for money. Man, those guys will do ANYTHING to bail us ...

The Joker Wins the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor
[caption id="attachment_814" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Heath Ledger wins one for the Joker"][/caption] Er, um, I mean Heath Ledger wins. But the Joker won too. As so did DC Comics. Which is awesome. And so did The Dark Knight. Which ...

Gran Torino – TXT Message Review
Saturday afternoon, Peoria Illinois, 1:35pm, a jam packed movie theater. I'm there to see Eastwood's new flick Gran Torino and apparently so is everyone else in town. The $5 matinee is hard to pass up. Post-flick I tried to send ...

The Top 9 Greatest X-Men Pencilers of All Time
9. Rick Leonardi 8. Chris Bachalo 7. John Romita, Jr. 6.

New Signage
Hey, hope you noticed our awesome new header, logo, and favicon. Pretty great right? Yeah, I totally made that shit. I even updated the Twitter and Facebook pages. MySpace makeover coming soon.

3 Panel Reviews – War Machine (Vol 1) #7-11
Transcript :: War Machine #7-11 (Vol 1, 1994-1995) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: These few issues round out the rest of the original creative team's ...

T-Pain Wants You To Freeze (on the dance floor)
New year, new music videos. That's what I say. Well, maybe not - but in this case it's true. T-Pain just dropped his new video for Freeze featuring Chris Brown on MTV2, and I've already run it through my mindgrapes just for you. As a refresher, we will examine ...

Podcast Episode 062 – No More Teabags
Neal wants to see Black Snake Moan because he loves Christina Ricci, Teen Wolf is surprisingly subversive, The Spirit is filmed in Millervision, Peyton Reed and Craig Alpert make Yes Man a great movie, Neal thinks "Just Like Me" by Jamie Foxx and T.I. is just okay, War Machine #1 ...

Culturology 013 – Back for the New Year and as Half-assed as ever!
Well, I meant to come storming back into this new year of culturological musings with all guns blazing, but here I am, already well into the work day, the doldrums of which this post is intended to ameliorate already well set in, I imagine. And I am not at all ...

3 Panel Reviews – War Machine (Vol 1) #5-6
Transcript :: War Machine #5-6 (Vol 1, 1994) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: Deathtoll is the epitome of a cheesy 90s comic book bad ...

2008 YOU DON’T SUCK Awards for Music, Movies, Comics, and TV
Welcome to the 1st Annual AudioShocker YOU DON'T SUCK Awards for 2008, where we celebrate the few pieces of mass media that didn't completely blow last year. In keeping with our "Music. Movies. Comic Books. Pop Culture. Media is kind of our thing." credo, we've carefully evaluated offerings in the ...

Neal’s New Year’s Eve Playlist
Well fellow shockers, (and that is how I will address you guys from now on), we made it through 2008 and it's time to party like a worn-out Prince cliche. In case you didn't catch it on yesterday's ...

Podcast Episode 061 – Full Frontal Macy
National Treasure 2 is ironic, the script selection of Jet Li and Jean-Claude Van Damme, SportsCenter gets meta, the great Eddie Murphy debate, Arnold Schwarzenegger vs. the Hulk, Danny DeVito makes almost everything better, the creators of South Park are just Libertarian Hollywood punks, motivational skeet, Walt Whitman is not ...

3 Panel Reviews – War Machine (Vol 1) #2-4
Transcript :: War Machine #2-4 (Vol 1, 1994) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: These three issues wrap up the initial storyline in War Machine's 1st ongoing book. ...

3 Panel Reviews – Avengers: The Initiative #19
Transcript :: Avengers: The Initiative #19 :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: The Secret Invasion story in Avengers: The Initiative has been MY big crossover blockbuster event of ...

Zombie Palin #11 – It’s a Zombie Hat
Previously in Zombie Palin: Yeah, in the Zombiepalinverse it's 2009, but in the real world today is Christmas. That's why we made this comic about President Sarah Palin and the undead decapitated floating zombie head of John McCain wearing santa hats zombie hats. Archie Moore's (the local neighborhood bar) with my sister and her husband for beers and dessert. During the course of our round table, we found ourselves with a lot of conflicting views: who looks better ...

Podcast Episode 060 – Stick a Hundo in There
Video game documentaries The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters and Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade show two different versions of Billy Mitchell, Bigger Faster Stronger makes Neal want to take steroids, Kinamand makes Nick hungry for Chinese food, the Death Note live action films have sweet computer graphics, ...

3 Panel Reviews – War Machine (Vol 1) #1
Transcript :: War Machine #1 (Vol 1, 1994) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: I'm catching up on the past exploits of War ...

Zombie Palin #10 – Tastes Like a Lame Duck
Previously in Zombie Palin: You know what it is - 2009, Sarah Palin is President of the USA (and a zombie), John McCain is an undead head, and Palin's aide is always uptight. Join them as they tackle their latest obstacle... Transcript :: Vixen: Return of the Lion #3 :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: At first, I wasn't going to write ...

Culturology 012 – Happy Solstice!
Well, the winter solstice is still a few days away, but this is really just a placeholder post anyway. If you don't know this already, or couldn't tell from my cultural elitism, I'm in Graduate school, and as such, am still operating on a semesterly schedule. Which means, of course, ...

WP 2.7 upgrade!
Notice anything different on the AS today? Well you shouldn't! All the changes are behind the scenes as I updated the AudioShocker to WP 2.7 Coltrane today. We have a new dashboard and some other goodies. This is probably more exciting for me than it is you, but hey upgrades ...

3 Panel Reviews – Terra #3
Transcript :: Terra #3 :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: Here's what you need to know: this comic is so awesome that it inspired me to start these 3 Panel Reviews. ...

Whoa, Wait… Where’s the Top 9 and the AFI Podcast?
It's pretty simple, really. I got busy with other stuff. I have to travel this weekend for family matters (cue the Family Matters theme song playing in you head in 3... 2... 1...), and I also got lazy. Yeah, I could have ...

Zombie Palin #9 – Brains! Kissinger!
Previously in Zombie Palin: By this point, you know the drill. It's 2009. Sarah Palin is a zombie president. John McCain is a floating, decapitated zombie head. Palin's aide is the straight man / comic foil. Blah blah blah yada yada. Hilarity ensues.

Throwback Video – Eagle-Eye Cherry – Save Tonight
Last week I took you back to Monterrey, Mexico circa 2006 and told you all about Julietta Venegas. I enjoyed that so much that this week I'm throwing it back even further, back to 1998 and one of my shitty weather favorites: Eagle-Eye Cherry's Save Tonight. This is ...

Podcast Episode 059 – Chocolate Rain Body Doubles
Dark Reign is at Marvel Comics as Secret Invasion ends, Nick wonders if Bucky is the emo Captain America, Neal is creeped out by the cover to Wolverine: First Class #12, Punisher: War Zone is a great date movie, Elisha Cuthbert uses a body double in He Was a Quiet ...

Culturology 011 – The Problem With Sincerity
It appears to be the case that I'm not quite done talking about this whole ironic enjoyment issue just yet, as much as it's something of a digression from what I'd rather be doing with this column (though, as mentioned last week, I've been rather heavily steeped in high art ...

Punisher: WarZone – TXT Message Review
I had my good annual review today and I worked past 3pm on a Friday (I rarely make it past 3:01). Rare form indeed. I also have nothing to do this weekend except grad school applications. So, I figured I deserved a small treat and went to see Marvel ...

Marvel Comics Declassifies Avengers and More as Dark Reign Arrives
So Secret Invasion ended Thursday and introduced some big changes to Marvel's heroes over the next few months. Something of note is that Marvel Comics "declassified" their preview covers and solicitation copy for a bunch of Avengers books thru February. On our next show - Podcast Episode 059 on Tuesday, December ...

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 009
We tackle the American Film Institutes' 100 Years... 100 Movies list and give Ben Hur, Wuthering Heights, Shawshank Redemption, The Gold Rush, and Saving Private Ryan a healthy pounding. You like that, movies? Huh?! I can't hear you! I said... DO YOU LIKE THAT!?!Download AFI 100 Movies #9

The Top 9 Questions That I Need Answers to ASAP… Seriously!
9. Can I read New Avengers again already!?! I'm sick of this Secret Invasion flashback shit. Bendis, I am thoroughly impressed by your ability to tell a nearly seamless crossover event. But I want my NA's back. You know, the ones that kicked a lot ...

Hilarious Comic Strips Sum Up Superhero Movies in Five Panels
I rarely ever link blog, but for these superhero movie re-cut comics it must be done:

Zombie Palin #8 – Great Minds
Previously in Zombie Palin: It's 2009. President Sarah Palin is a zombie and former President John McCain is an undead head. Palin's aide is trying to get his boss to select the members of her new Cabinet, but the President is a bit distracted.

Culturology 010.5 – Ironic Enjoyment Redux
Rather than writing this up as a comment to my most recent Culturology post, I think it’ll be easier if I just put this up as an addendum to the first. First of all, I have to admit that I wrote out the prior post in one fell swoop Monday ...

Julietta Venegas Reminds Me of a Richer Time
Let me take you back a few months - 24 to be exact. Back to a time when the Tequila flowed down my gullet and coming in to work on Saturday was de rigeur. My five months in Monterrey, Mexico were the most gluttonous period in my life. I ...

Podcast Episode 058 – Ross Campbell Talks Wet Moon 4
Ross Campbell is afraid that his comics career might be drowned in evil just like Wet Moon 4, while Nick thinks that Ross should reinvigorate the franchise with Ultimate Wet Moon (though Ross would prefer a more classic Wet Moon 2099 revamp instead). Then, after the end theme, Ross shares ...

Culturology 010 – On Ironic Enjoyment
If I determined anything over my Thanksgiving holiday, it's that, if I'm going to keep up with writing these posts on a weekly basis, I'm going to have to do a better job of keeping up with and generating opinions about pop culture. My activities of the last week, culturally ...

The Top 9 Supervillains I DO Want to Hang Out With
NOTE: Please see last week's The Top 9 Superheroes I DON'T Want to Hang Out With. 9. Thunderball. You know, from the Wrecking Crew. He's got that awesome wrecking ball on a chain that he swings around. ...

Zombie Palin #7 – The Mac is Back!
Previously in Zombie Palin: It's 2009. President Sarah Palin is a zombie. Recently, she's survived an intense rush of White House attacks, zombie detection kits, beauty queens, and inaugurations. Now it's time for a visit from an old friend... Zombie Palin ...

Culturology 009 – At the Movies with Culturology!
So I went and saw the James Bond moving picture Thursday night, still within the first week of its release, as intended. I'll of course be dedicating some space/time here to my take on the movie, but I'd like, first to reflect a bit on several of the previews that ...

Kanye West 808s & Heartbreak Album Review – I’ll See You in My Nightmares, Kanye!
Don't get it twisted - 808s & Heartbreak is NOT a hip hop album. It's a VnB album (that stands for "vocoder ...

Zombies and Zucchini – Or The World’s Worst Joke
I hate dumb jokes.
Me: what's for dinner? Matt: tonight? Mushroom and Spinach Galette Me: chicken? Matt: no chicken, it's vegetarian Me: hunh, weird. maybe I'll do up some brown rice and chickpeas - and zucchini Matt: what does a vegan zombie eat? GRAAAAAAAAAINS sorry Ross Campbell's Wet Moon 4: Drowned in Evil graphic novel last week in preparation for our podcast interview airing on December 2, 2008. Here's the text message I sent to Ross when I was done:
Finished wet moon ...

The Top 9 Superheroes I DON’T Want to Hang Out With
9. Man-Thing. Aside from the obvious ridicule I'd endure from my friends for chilling with someone named Man-Thing, I don't feel like "burning at the touch" of a weird swamp monster who can't hold a conversation. 8.

Culturology 008.5 – Signs of Evil
An addendum to Culturology 008 - Hours Late and Surrounded by Evil, here's the sign hanging up in Pete's condo building:

Sneaking Into Comics 010: I Almost Worked for Bill Jemas, Ex-President of Marvel Comics
Bill Jemas helped to rebuild Marvel Comics at a time when the company was in the shitter (a.k.a. the late 90s into the early 00s). He developed the Ultimate line, he helped Joe Quesada revamp the entire publishing side of the business, and he ...

Lil Wayne – Mrs. Officer – “I Said Lady What’s Your Number, She Said 911″
I give Lil Wayne a hard time here at the AudioShocker, I really do. I've also said that 2008 has been the year of Weezy, T-Pain, and their joint reign of vocoder terror. That said, sometimes you hear a new song on the radio by an artist ...

Podcast Episode 056 – Beer Goggles Are Dangerous
Quantum of Solace would be better on valium, James Bond seriously needs some gadgets, the Bond girls are boring, All I Want is pathetic but it has typewriters, even T-Pain's top hat can't ruin the Ludacris video "One More Drink," the new Star Trek trailer makes Neal excited, and he ...

Culturology 008 – Hours Late and Surrounded by Evil
Those of you that are already adamant readers of my still young weekly post here at Audioshocker may have checked in this morning, or on your lunch at the office, only to find that this post was not yet there for your reading enjoyment. I apologize. As you may or ...

No End In Sight For Comic Inspired Movies
Watchmen, Red Sonja, Avengers, X-men Origins, blah blah blah I hope you aren't sick of comic book movies yet - because the hits just keep on coming. Martin Anderson over at Den of Geek just served up a list of 75 comic inspired movies that are in the ...

Zombie Palin #5 – Miss Alaska
Previously in Zombie Palin: Zombies have attacked the White House, devouring John McCain and officially turning Sarah Palin into a member of the undead. Now, on the eve of her inauguration as President of the United States of America, Sarah shares her feelings with her loyal aide. earlier this week that Bond movies are uniquely formulated to appeal to a wide audience. James Bond is popular because his moves are predictable and consistently entertaining. Despite a battery of negative press, I braved the cold and the cynics to form my own opinion. My ...

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 008
All the President's Men, American Graffiti, City Lights, In the Heat of the Night, and Dances with Wolves give us all their love as we keep on counting down the American Film Institutes's 100 Years... 100 Movies list.Download AFI 100 Movies #8

The Top 9 Marvel Universe Characters That Have Stepped Up Since Civil War
9. Nighthawk - There's a reason this list starts with Kyle Richmond: he's stepped up (during and) since Civil War, but not enough to be a rising star. Simply put, Nighthawk is more important in the Marvel Universe now than he was previous to Civil War. ...

Sneaking Into Comics 009: My Interview with DC Comics for a Pre-Press Production Job
Ahh, yes. The time has arrived. I've foreshadowed this particular column since the beginning of this series, and now the story is here: my second interview with DC Comics a.k.a. the one that got away. As you may already know, I first tried out for the part of The Hollywood Reporter announced Joe Johnson as the director of 2011's The First Avenger: Captain America. On the good side, this movie looks like it's actually going to happen. On the bad side -- as it is with any superhero adaptation announcement ...

Zombie Palin #4 – Zombie Detection Kit
Previously in Zombie Palin: Zombies have eaten President John McCain and seemingly turned Sarah Palin into one of their own. Now President Palin meets with the White House physician to undergo an examination and find out if she truly is a member of the undead.

Culturology 007 – Nugent Way Update!
With Tuesday's historic election, the country seems to be on the way to change. I personally have my fingers crossed for some serious infrastructure (if you're not as anxious for me to see a new High Voltage Direct Current National Power Grid in place, then you really should be ...

Beatcast 013 – To the MAX by Nik Furious
The Beatcast is back! Nik Furious comes roaring out the gate with To the MAX, a story about infidelity with his nanny, love for his wife, and a special connection with his mother-in-law. All this is told over a smooth, funk-infused hip hop beat.Download To the MAX by Nik Furious

The Top 9 Whatever I Want, Bitch! You Got a Problem With That?
9. Nachos. I want some fucking nachos. Some crappy, 7-Eleven nachos. 8. Root Beer. I want some goddamn root beer with my fucking nachos. 7. Porn. Possibly ebony or asian, but most importantly lesbian. 6. An Action Movie. After the nachos, ...

Obama and McCain Steal Diamonds, Not Votes (South Park is Awesome)
Last night's South Park was PURE FUCKING GENIUS. I can't explain enough how much I loved this. Barack and John team up to steal the Hope Diamond. Palin and Michelle get in on the fun too. Watch the following clip to hear their foolproof plan. Unfortunately, South Park Studios won't ...

Future Predictions: DC Comics Is Going to Cancel Detective Comics and Batman
[We postpone our regular installment of Sneaking Into Comics to bring you this special vision of the future courtesy of our incredible AudioShocker time machine. Okay, okay, we don't actually have a time machine. I'm pretty much just pulling this out of my ...

MTV Puts Entire Catalog Online – YouTube says WHAA?
When you hear about something on Acquire and Uncrate you know you are behind the times. Anyway, it looks like MTV finally pulled its head out of its ass and put their entire video catalog online. Even more exciting is that they have some developer friendly ...

Podcast Episode 054 – Scientology vs. Indiana Jones
Twas the morn of Election Day when all thru the interwebs not a creature was talking about movies, music, and comics quite like the AudioShocker. We finally make our official presidential candidate endorsement and follow it up with Susan Sarandon, Scientology vs. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal ...

Zombie Palin #3 – Me… President?!?
Previously in Zombie Palin: Zombies have attacked the White House, eating President John McCain and biting Vice President Sarah Palin in the arm (ruining her $13,000 jacket).

Culturology 006 – Films versus Movies, Fact or Fiction?
A friend of mine recently asked me if I was interested in going and seeing the new Kevin Smith movie, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. I had to politely decline; I've never been a fan of Kevin Smith. I never could even make it through the entirety of Clerks. ...

The Top 9 Star Wars Characters to Dress Up as for Halloween
In honor of Halloween, I've decided to name the nine most excellent characters from the six Star Wars movies. And holy shit was it hard to find out the names of some of these characters. Forever referred to as "fish head guy" and "fat blue elephant," it was a royal ...

Sneaking Into Comics 008: I Showed Up Late to My Interview at Marvel Comics and Forgot to Wear Pants
Having a blog is a lot like misplacing your diary at the train station or a bus stop. And by "misplacing" I mean leaving your diary there on purpose and waiting around the corner behind a pole as you watch people sit down and read it. Some people leaf through ...

Candy Should Not Require Pageantry
Sometime in middle school I stopped caring for Halloween. I got fed up with going to so many houses and get so much shitty candy, when all I really wanted was Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats, and ...

Kardinal Offishall – Numba 1 (Tide Is High)
Kardinal Offishall has been getting a savage amount of airplay around these parts. At first I wondered how a new artist could have so many music videos out already. A quick Wiki revealed that Offishall has been around for a while and that I really don't know anything about music. ...

Podcast Episode 053 – The Prophylaxis of Evil
Eraser, Total Recall, Sharon Stone, western Pennsylvania, You Kill Me, Zach Braff, 10 Items or Less, Escape from New York soundtrack, Bobby Byrd, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Original Soul, Beyonce, Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), If I Were a Boy, Umbrella Academy, Paul Tobin, Marvel Adventures Super ...

Seriously People, You Must Vote Next Week
With one week left till the big day, I implore all of your who are registered to go vote. It's your civic duty. Not enough motivation for you? How about this?
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Is this ...

Found! – Men’s back waxing special in Pittsburgh

Zombie Palin #2 – Your Outfit… Ruined!
Previously in Zombie Palin: Recently inducted Vice President Sarah Palin and her aide discuss her first order of business as zombies break into the White House and attack President John McCain.

Culturology 005 – Here’s to Future Nostalgia!
I’d like to start once again this week with something from several months ago, Portishead’s most recent album, Third. It is not my intention to write an album review here; rather, I’d like to point out something, which is obvious about it, that I find to be interesting, namely, its ...

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 007
Spartacus, Modern Times, The Wild Bunch, The Deer Hunter, and Rocky (and Son of Rambow!) are our latest victims in our vicious countdown of the American Film Institutes's 100 Years... 100 Movies list.Download AFI 100 Movies #7

The Top 9 Things That May Have Gone Wrong with Last Defenders – Part Two
Last week, I was a big jerk and I only gave you reasons nine thru five of why Marvel Comics' Last Defenders miniseries didn't get the proper comic book love. Now, here are ...

Sneaking Into Comics 007 – A Failed Intern Gives Advice on How to Score an Internship
If you know me, this might be hard to believe: I am currently on an advisory board for a student internship center. That's ironic because I've only been an intern once (with Man Made Music, a small music production company) and it was long ...

Slang of the Week – Jimmies
Depending on your geography, jimmies is either old-hat or it makes no sense. As a young'n growing up on the (not so) mean streets of Pittsburgh, I was exposed to a lot of Pittsburgeese including slippy and ...

Ne-Yo – She Got Her Own (So What?)
Remixes are a gift and a curse. On one hand, they can introduce a track to a new audience and increase the artist's visibility astronomically. On the other hand, a remix can overexpose and detract from the quality of the original track. Of course, these days a remix is little ...

Podcast Episode 052 – Live from Phantom of the Attic Comics
Tom Scioli, Pat Lewis, Ed Piskor, Jason Lex, Jim Rugg, and Chris Moeller talk about their published comics and upcoming projects. Phantom of the Attic customers weigh in what's hot in comic books while they reveal shocking personal moments. Technical difficulties (a.k.a. I forgot to hit record) meant we missed ...

Zombie Palin #1 – The Undead Attack!
The is the first installment of our new weekly webcomic, Zombie Palin. This strip will run every Monday at 10AM EST. It's plotted by Pete and myself, scripted by Pete, and arted by me. That's right, I just said "arted." Now enjoy the adventures of (soon to be) undead Sarah ...

Culturology 004 – Dick Cheney, We Forgive You
So this week I’d finally look ahead to the future, and talk about something that I’m sure no one else, anywhere, ever, has yet talked about: the title of the new James Bond picture, Quantum of Solace. Or, it’s one of those things that it seems like everyone, just everyone ...

The Top 9 Things That May Have Gone Wrong with Last Defenders – Part One
Reflecting back on this recent miniseries from Marvel Comics, I'm fascinated by its underwhelming promotion and reception. Last Defenders was a smart, fun, and kinetic story that followed Nighthawk thru an introspective journey into modern superheroics. Kyle Richmond asked a lot of existential questions ...

Sneaking Into Comics 006 – Next Time I Interview for MAD Magazine Front Desk Receptionist, I’m Bringing a Funny Hat
Recently, I told you how a bunch of inappropriate emails and a voicemail from Tom DeFalco led me to an

Ludacris – What Them Girls Like? (Our Podcast!)
Ludacris is a great lyricist and Chris Brown is a hot commodity. So obviously putting them together gaurantees a hit. That is the theory behind Luda's new joint What Them Girls Like. I once speculated that I could tell what girls what were thinking. I was right - but unfortunately ...

Podcast Episode 051 – Cod Pieces Wanted
Chucky, Katherine Heigl, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Russell Brand, Unbreakable, live sampling, cod pieces, chartreuse, iPod nanos, Nintendo, sequels, Watchmen, Batman TV show, Wanted, Mark Millar, and more.Download AudioShocker #51

Found! – Drain on the ground in Peoria, IL

Culturology 003 – Rallying ‘Round the Rally
So I know in my first few columns here that I haven’t been quite as topical as I might be—more or less current, but not as current as I can be—I do aspire to one day being so on the pulse of American Popular Culture as to blog these things ...

The Top 9 Reasons Why Comics Don’t Need to Be Saved – Part Two
Yeah, so last week I ran The Top 9 Reasons Why Comics Don't Need to Be Saved - Part One, which consisted solely of reasons nine thru six. Why? Because I'm a dick. And now, for your consideration, are the decidedly more irreverent ...

Sneaking Into Comics 005 – Tom DeFalco + Inappropriate Emails = Cracked.com
I was on the phone with the human resources department at DC Comics when I missed a call from Tom DeFalco. It was early 2005. I had been emailing humormag@yahoo.com for a couple weeks after finding a vague posting on Monster.com calling for humor submissions. I suggest you

I Am Listening To: Skillz – Million Dollar Backpack
I'm not really familiar with Skillz. According to Wikipedia he's been active for a while as an artist and ghostwriter. I first found out about him via NothingButEverything. I watched the video for Be ...

Culturology 002 – Shoot Brad Pitt in the Head After Reading
I realize that this post is, maybe, three weeks late to be as topical as it could be, but let’s look all the way back, for a moment, to the month of September and the Coen brother’s most recent film, Burn After Reading. ...

Beatcast 012 – Frisky (ringtone) by Nik Furious
Frisky, a text message ringtone (that means it's a super short song!) that I (a.k.a. Nik Furious) made for Justique a few months ago.Download Frisky by Nik Furious

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 006
Fargo, Titanic, Platoon, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, and Giant make the cut as Conrad and Nick continue to podcast their epic conversation on the American Film Institutes's 100 Years... 100 Movies list.Download AFI 100 Movies #6

The Top 9 Reasons Why Comics Don’t Need to Be Saved – Part One
A bunch of comic book people are like, "OH NO! Comic books are going to die in five years because we're not kissing the general public in the ass enough! Our business plan is all wrong! Creators are mismanaging their careers! And ...

Sneaking Into Comics 004 – A String of Inappropriate Emails I Sent to Tom DeFalco in 2005
The real meat of this story -- which consists of comic book legend Tom DeFalco, Cracked.com, MAD Magazine, and poor judgment -- will be the feature of next week's Sneaking Into Comics. As a ...

Ryan Leslie – Addiction Would Be an Overstatement
Ryan Leslie. What can I say that hasn't been said already? You gave us Cassie and Diamond Girl, and for that I am grateful but conflicted. Cassie is hot, but she's a mess as a performer. Diamond Girl was a hot track ...

AIMcast 04 – Chuck Season Premiere Postmortem
As I noted yesterday, the season premiere of Chuck was last night and Kirsten and I were pretty amped about it. I actually saw a leaked copy last week, but Kirsten threatened to defenestrate me if I let slip any details. So, without any further delays, please enjoy ...

Podcast Episode 049 – Roasted Rambow
It's all about eMusic, TV themes, Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget, Pandora, downloading and streaming, beatcast and maw, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Be Kind Rewind, Son of Rambow, Zombie Strippers, Detroit Metro Airport, Garbage Pail Kids Movie, Black Panther #41, Marvel Adventures Super Heroes #3, and a whole lot more.Download ...

Culturology 001 – The Nugent Way
I must admit, I'm a bit nervous about my first post on the Audioshocker. Not that I should be (I did, after all, once upon a time, participate in one of the podcasts), but I am concerned that I am simply neither hip enough ...

Chuck Returns Tonight, AIMcast to Follow
The season premiere of Chuck is tonight (8pm EST) and I'm pretty excited. I got into the show during winter break last year and I enjoyed it a lot. As with Entourage, the main character is irrelevant. Chuck's peers provide a steady stream of comedy and entertainment. Considering how ...

Meet Our Contributors, The Super Six
As regular readers of the AudioShocker, you have no doubt learned a lot about Nick and me. Nick's forays into the comics industry, my proclivities, and our collective feelings on vocoders are ...

Beatcast 011 – Muffdive by Dirty Weekend
Muffdive, a rude rock masterpiece by Dirty Weekend. This song rounds out our Dirty Weekend beatcast triple-play for September (see Scallions and Oh Wait for more). You can also check ...

The Top 9 Horror / Psychological Anime – Part Two
It was way back last week when I wrote about The Top #9-5 Horror / Psychological Anime... but it feels like only nanoseconds ago! Oh well, time flies when you're watching anime. Here's the rest: 4.

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 005
12 Angry Men, Frankenstein, Mutiny on the Bounty, A Night at the Opera, and Duck Soup are on the menu as Conrad and Nick continue to plow thru their countdown of the American Film Institutes's 100 Years... 100 Movies list. After the end theme, the guys talk about the pros ...

Sneaking Into Comics 003 – My DC Comics Interview for Assistant Editor to Joey Cavalieri and Joan Hilty
It was the summer of 2004. I was a recent college grad constantly searching for work. I found a job listing for "Assistant Editor at DC Comics" on the Warner Bros employment website and I somehow managed to get my resume over to the right human resources people at Time ...

Slang of the Week – Pitching Wedge
I was totally convinced that I had something original for you today. I was so proud of myself that I decided to add it to Urban Dictionary. Of course, it turns out that pitching wedge has been around since at least 2004. *Sigh* Regardless, it is pretty obscure ...

Fringe: Alias For a Lost Cause
This post was supposed to go up yesterday, so sorry about the lateness. Actually, it was supposed to go up a week before yesterday, before the second episode of Fringe aired, but that clearly didn't happen. I told myself that I didn't feel like writing was because I was sick. ...

Podcast Episode 048 – Phantom of the Awesomecast
It's the AudioShocker's first birthday! To celebrate, the podcast hit the road and recorded live at Phantom of the Attic Comics on Craig Street in Pittsburgh, PA during New Comics Day on Wednesday, September 17. 2008. Joining ...

Girls I Want To Stick It To – Girl With Glasses
Ed. Note: This will be my last planned 'Girls I Want To Stick It To' post. The inspiration comes too infrequently and all my in-progress drafts are crap. Therefore, I think it is time to end this feature and find something ...

Beatcast 010 – Oh Wait by Dirty Weekend
Oh Wait, another raw rock tune by Dirty Weekend. This lurid DW tale is also known as "I Dreamt That I Slept With Your Mom Last Night (Oh Wait, That Was Real)."Download Oh Wait by Dirty Weekend

Holy Crap, It’s Our Birthday!
Nick and I published the first AudioShocker.com post on September 21st 2007. Since we started all those weeks back we've brought you regular podcasts, entertainment news, reviews, and some great editorials. We hope you have had as much fun reading and listening as we have had writing and recording. Here ...

The Top 9 Horror / Psychological Anime – Part One
9. Wicked City. This only made the list because I enjoy movies that have spider-women with fanged vaginas. In all seriousness though, this movie is a great find though definitely for adults. I want to talk about the characters because that's where the amusement begins. There's ...

Sneaking Into Comics 002 – How I Got Fired from a High Profile NYC Comic Shop
It was the end of 2004. While shopping at my New York City comic shop of choice (which shall go nameless), the idea came to me that I should work there and save a few bucks on my weekly haul. Everything about my interview went smooth like butter until I was ...

Last Night I Dreamed About Black Panther Action Figures Sold at Blockbuster
[Note: This dream was not actually last night. Blog posts have to be planned a few days in advance. I actually had this dream sometime last week. But let's pretend it happened last night, okay? Oh, and check out Ross talks about his upcoming Wet Moon 4 graphic novel as well as a secret Vertigo project from DC Comics. Also make ...

Next Avengers Movie Review
Awesome. Totally awesome. Go watch it. Nuff said for right now. But as I think of anything else worth saying about the movie, I'll edit my thoughts into this post. EDIT 1: Next Avengers is my favorite of the Marvel direct-to-DVD animated films so far. EDIT 2: Okay, after ...

Beatcast 009 – Scallions by Dirty Weekend
Scallions, an instrumental rock song by Dirty Weekend. This jam was recorded as a demo in 2002 and remastered about 15 minutes ago for your listening pleasure.Download Scallions by Dirty Weekend

The Top 9 UK Oddities
Traveling is not new to me. I've been plenty of places - but usually I don't stay long enough to recognize persistent trends. Here are some things I've noticed while working in the UK this week that totally drove me up the wall: 9. Older women (30ish) are really into dying ...

Sneaking Into Comics 001 – Heroes, NYCCBM, Gene Colan, and Bill Jemas
I've been doing a shitty job of breaking into the comic book industry for nearly ten years now. I've probably botched better career building opportunities in the past decade than some professionals have had in a lifetime. This column is the first installment of a new series wherein I will ...

A Week in the Life of a Comic Book Junkie
Wednesday, September 3
An IT guy at my day job saw the Fantastic Four posters hanging in my office and that got him to thinking. It turns out that he used to be best buds with comic book writer Fabian Nicieza ...

Podcast Episode 046 – Chris Giarrusso Interview
An interview with cartoonist Chris Giarrusso, the creator behind Mini Marvels a.k.a. Bullpen Bits a.k.a. those awesome comic strips in the back of Marvel Adventures comic books. Chris talks about his new Mini Marvels: Rock, Paper, Scissors digest, his creative process, and his history with Marvel Comics.Download AudioShocker #46

9021-Oh Grow Up
Here’s a little quiz for you. I’ll describe a plot and you’ll tell me whether it comes from eighties children’s book series The Babysitter’s Club or a shiny, sexy primetime soap on the CW. Should be easy, right?
a) S.’s friend L. comes to visit from New York. L. is supersophisticated ...

Beatcast 008 – Trafficlight by Nik Furious
Trafficlight by Nik Furious, an instrumental cover of Jimi Hendrix's Crosstown Traffic.Download Trafficlight by Nik Furious

Leaving On a Jetplane
It's 9pm CST. I have to drive to the airport in 7 hours. I will then puddlejump to Chicago in order to sit coach for 8 hours. Upon deplaning I will stretch my arms, pull the wedgie out of my ass, and suck in a deep breathe of poorly recirculated ...

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 004
Swing Time, The Jazz Singer, The Sixth Sense, Patton, and Easy Rider get the podcast treatment as Conrad and Nick continue their countdown of the American Film Institutes's 100 Years... 100 Movies list. And stick around after the end theme to hear the guys talk about Harold & Kumar Escape ...

The Top 9 Comic Book Superpowers
9. Flight. Who doesn't want to be able to fly? It's sweet. But not so sweet that it would top this list. In fact, most superheroes that can fly are given some other sort of ability as well (Superman, Storm, Ms. Marvel, etc). Off the top of my head, the ...

Comic Books 09.04.2008 – What I Expect to Get
Last week I tried out a little experiment. While preparing my weekly "what to get" list for the comic shop, I decided to take it public and see how accurately I could predict my comic book haul on a ...

Slang of the Week – Thomas
thom·as [tom-uhs] -adjective, thom·as nast -adjective 1. ugly or unattractive; unpleasant to look ...

Podcast Episode 045 – Ross Campbell on Water Baby
The first half of a lengthy conversation with comic book creator Ross Campbell, writer and artist of the Wet Moon series, The Abandoned, Mountain Girl, and more. In this episode, Ross talks about his recent Minx (DC Comics) graphic novel, Water Baby. For more ...

Happy Labor Day from The AudioShocker!
Bored? No BBQ planned? Your wife left you and took all the potato salad? Perhaps you should spend the day catching up on all the great stuff that's been happening here at the AudioShocker. We have podcasts, interviews, aimcasts, music videos reviews, ...

Beatcast 007 – Perfect by Cherry DeMA
Perfect, a hip hop track by Cherry DeMA featuring Nik Furious. This is an unreleased song dug straight out of Furious vaults for your enjoyment.Download Perfect feat. Nik Furious by Cherry DeMA

The Top 9 Superhero Vehicles
9. Fantomex's E.V.A.

8. Captain America's Motorcycle

7. Teenage Mutant ...

Comic Books 08.27.2008 – What I Actually Got
Here's my actual comic book haul from Wednesday. AVENGERS INITIATIVE #16 $2.99 BLACK PANTHER #40 $2.99 MVL ADV AVENGERS #27 $2.99 MVL ADV SUPER HEROES #2 $2.99 X-MEN LEGACY #215 ...

Cassie – Official Girl Is Officially Wack
Now that the GMAT is over, I finally have time to rant about analyze music videos again. It takes a lot of time to properly put a video in its place, believe me. Today I'll discuss Cassie's new joint Official Girl, featuring Lil Wayne, which premiered last week ...

Comic Books 08.27.2008 – What I Expect to Get
Here's a little experiment I want to try. Every week I go to my local comic shop, and beforehand I prepare a list of what I plan to get. This list is, of course, never what I end up going home with. I want to try and track how accurate ...

Slang of the Week – Real Talk
The week's slang is real talk. No, its not new. Fabolous did an album called Real Talk, with that awesome track Breathe, 4 years ago. And I know the term has been around longer than that. (btw Fab, the streets is hurting for another single) The point is, it's underutilized ...

Podcast Episode 044 – Cashback Coogan
The House Bunny, Hamlet 2, Tropic Thunder, Steve Coogan, Never Back Down, Cashback, Smart People, Amazing Spider-Man #568, Special Forces #3, GeNext #4, True Believers, GMAT, Colin Hanks, the Watchmen movie lawsuit, Philip K Dick, Netflix, and more.Download AudioShocker #44

Girls I Don’t Want To Stick It To – Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston is a victim of overexposure. I'm force-fed her image from the Internet, magazines, ads, television, movies, and other media constantly. I wouldn't really care about her either way, but I'm constantly being told by popular ...

Beatcast 006 – Station’s Creation by Nik Furious
Station's Creation, an instrumental jam by Nik Furious. This track was unearthed in a recent ProTools recovery, but chopped up real nasty by Nik on this very day and transformed into what you hear now.Download Station's Creation by Nik Furious

FNMTV – Ne-Yo, Pink, Cassie, John Legend
Sorry if I throw a million posts your way this week. I feel like I have to blog my ass off now since I'll be on the road starting Thursday. I caught today's ep of FNMTV during the afternoon and well, I think it speaks for itself. No wait, I ...

Tropic Thunder – TXT Message Review
When I first saw the trailer for Tropic Thunder, I was less than impressed. 'Oh great, another Ben Stiller movie with umpteen quotes that I'll be hearing for the next three years.' Well, the quotability doesn't compare to Zoolander, but ...

The House Bunny – TXT Message Review
I decided to take the day off. I needed some Neal time and hit the movies. Two things you may not know about me: I enjoy seeing movies alone and Anna Farris is one of my favorite actresses. She and Regina Hall were the best parts of the Scary Movie ...

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 003
Goodfellas, The Apartment, A Place in the Sun, Sophie's Choice, and My Fair Lady are on the table as Conrad and Nick continue their countdown of the American Film Institutes's 100 Years... 100 Movies.Download AFI 100 Movies #3

The Top 9 Ways to Piss Me Off in the Movie Theater
9. Asking stupid questions out loud. Surprisingly, I don't mind if you talk during the movie. Sometimes a well-placed joke can make a boring film better. But I do mind if you start asking dumb questions about the characters or the plot that will be clearly answered in time if ...

Great, You Took a Comic Book and Adapted it Panel by Panel into a Film. Who Gives a Shit?!
The blogosphere is buzzing about Zack Snyder's "faithful" adaptation of the Watchmen mini series into a film. When I say mini series, I mean it. Watchmen is, in fact, a collection of single issues as opposed to an original novel-length work. But "The Most Celebrated Comic Book Mini Series of ...

Slang of the Week – Salty
In case you didn't catch it last week, we started a new feature called Slang of the Week. Nick and I believe that the vernacular should be celebrated. This week’s slang is salty. I've never heard anyone use it outside western PA, ...

Podcast Episode 043 – Nutsack Ultramaximizer
Chop Shop, Step Brothers, Will Ferrell's nutsack, True Romance, over-hyped Judd Apatow movies, Seth Rogen as the new Lil Jon, Alanis Morissette and Dave Coulie, ProTools and the L1 Ultramaximizer, Dave Cockrum (not Cockring), Superpowers: A Novel by David J Schwartz, Final Crisis #2, She-Hulk #30 and #31, GG Studio, ...

FNMTV – Gym Class Heroes, The Game, We The Kings, Solange
It's hard in these streets. That's the only real excuse I have for not writing this post on Saturday. You know the deal: MTV debuts new videos during FNMTV and I tell you what I think. Easy peasy Gym Class Heroes -

Impromptu Letter Writing Campaign: Make Mini Marvels Monthly
You know those cartoon strips by Chris Giarrusso that sit in the back of Marvel Adventures comics? They're awesome. And it's not fair that we only get one strip a month. Mini Marvels should be ...

Beatcast 005 – Phoenix Bay by Nik Furious
Phoenix Bay, another new hip hop beat by Nik Furious. This electronic instrumental was unearthed when Nik (a.k.a. me) got ProTools back after a few years without his L1 Ultramaximizer.Download Phoenix Bay by Nik Furious

The Top 9 Things That Suck About Modern Movies
I don't like to complain about somebody else's work, especially when I'm not already a creator of the thing I'm trashing. But I'll make an exception for modern movies. I'm talking about stuff like The Dark Knight and

Slang of the Week – Squirrel
Welcome to our new feature, Slang of the Week. Every week we'd like to share with you a phrase from our shared vocabulary. Some of these phrases and terms are available in the Urban Dictionary, some are not. This week's term is squirrel. Nick and I have ...

Podcast Episode 042 – Jay Faerber on Dynamo 5 & Urban Myths
An interview with Jay Faerber, the comic book writer and creator of Noble Causes, Dynamo 5, Gemini, Urban Myths, and more. We talk about the creation of his Top Cow Pilot Season offering, Urban Myths, as well as the fate of the characters in his ongoing Dynamo 5 series. Jay ...

Beatcast 004 – Legal Green by Nik Furious
Legal Green, a new hip hop beat by Nik Furious. Bonus points if you can guess who it's named after.Download Legal Green by Nik Furious

FNMTV – Donnie Klang, Morningwood, The Cab, Santogold
Another Saturday, another recap of FNMTV. I'm a bit out of my element this week as I haven't heard of any of these artists. Frankly, they don't really coincide with my sphere of musical tastes. So, please excuse my ignorance as I break it down. ...

The Top 9 Best Moments from Avatar: The Last Airbender
In honor of the completion of Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender animated TV series, here are nine moments from the epic saga that shine brighter than the rest: 9. "It's important that you be prepared for anything!" (Book 1 Chapter 5) 8. The Firebending Masters shoot ...

The M&M Cru vs. ACDC Battle Is Over
Yes. I'm two days late with this - but I don't have cable and DVDs are a hell of a drug. Monday night at the Teen Choice Awards (hosted by Miley Cyrus natch), the M&M Cru had their live onstage battle with the

ComicShocker – Racist Imagery in Comics
[Note: If you've come here looking for the Comic Book Shipping List feature, it's been discontinued. In its place, we'll debut a new ongoing feature next Wednesday called Slang of the Week. In the meantime, enjoy this preachy ComicShocker.] Late last week, I was bothered by this

AIMcast 03 – 90210, Skinny Jeans, Twilight, Harry Potter, and Sasha Grey
So, what's a blogger to do when his partner in crime goes home for the weekend? Does he go on an all-out bender? Get all emo? Repress the emotional turmoil? Or, does he call up two fine young ladies and start an AIMcast? Yeah, that's it. Join us as ...

FNMTV – Miley Cyrus, David Banner, Hawthorne Heights, and All Time Low
So, after a dismal showing last week, FNMTV returns with 2 live performances by Miley Cyrus and some other less important stuff. How do this week's videos stack up? Perhaps you should just keep on reading: Miley Cyrus - 7 Things ...

Beatcast 003 – From the Ashes by Nik Furious
From the Ashes, an instrumental song by Nik Furious. This is a bit of a cheat because it's really just the beat from last week's Unlicensed Attorneys at Law hip hop track, Pork-N-Beanz. Still, the instrumental is significantly different enough to ...

The Mummy 3 – TXT Message Review
So, my friend Ryan is moving to England till the end of the year. It's great for his career, but terrible for my social life. Since he flies out tomorrow, I met up with Ryan for brews and The ...

Top 9 Reasons Why The My Sassy Girl Remake Will Suck
Nick isn't the only one who can do one of these Top 9 Lists. While he takes the week off, let's take a minute to chat about My Sassy Girl. The original 2001 film is ...

I’m on the Front Page of Knol!
For podcasting, nonetheless. Go check it now because who knows how long it's going to be up! (Just incase, I took a screen shot of the Knol front page as proof that I'm actually on it.) I was going to save an explanation of this for a more ...

ComicShocker – Quantity and Motion in Comics
Just some random thoughts to throw at you today. First off, I’ve been holding onto this idea for awhile now: in my opinion, there is a huge misconception about what constitutes for quantity when reading comic books. Simply put, page count does not equal quantity. I say this in reference to ...

Bow Wow – Marco Polo Is Not Peekaboo
In Sunday's FNMTV post I promised a full length review of Bow Wow's new video Marco Polo ft. Soulja Boy and I aim to please. My only regret is that I can not write a positive review. Unlike Bow Wow's last collaboration, stirfry' restaurant. A supplier was in town and wanted to pitch ...

Beatcast 002 – Pork-N-Beanz by Unlicensed Attorneys at Law
Pork-N-Beanz, a hilarious hip hop track by the Unlicensed Attorneys at Law feat. Ronnie B (produced by Nik Furious).Download Pork-N-Beanz by Unlicensed Attorneys at Law

FNMTV – Danity Kane, Bow Wow, Chromeo, and Toyko Police Club
Only 4 videos this week? FNMTV is really dropping the ball. Well, I don't have a ton of time this weekend anyway, so our quickies will have to be even quicker. Danity Kane - Bad Girl Diddy's girls make a mockery and tries to cash in ...

The Top 9 Least Intimidating Supervillains (Just in Time for SDCC 2008)
Let's get right to it: 9. Circus of Crime - It's not that that clowns aren't scary because they are. But a whole crew of baddies based on the entertainment you'd find under a big top? It just seems so innocent and goofy. They're not ...

Avatar: The Last Airbender – Some Thoughts on the End of Book 3: Fire
Thanks to my (at the time) 5-year-old nephew, I became hooked on Avatar: The Last Airbender. I showed it to Justique. She loved it. She showed it to her friends. They loved it. Then I showed it to Neal. He loved it. Now there are at least eight of us ...

Down With The Delay Double! I Heard You the First Time
I'd like to discuss a trend that has become an increasing annoyance: the 'delay double' (yes, I just coined that term). We've talked about doubles on the podcast before. Basically, a double is when you record a line a second time, slightly different and layer it back over the original. ...

Last Night I Dreamed I Became an Image Comics Partner and a Marvel Comics Assistant Editor
[Note: It must have been Tuesday's news story about Robert Kirkman that inspired this dream. I was reading through the piece in the New York Times when I came upon the fact that Kirkman is 29 years old. Having just turned 26 myself, I ...

Comic Book Shipping List July 23 2008: Octopi, Silent Farts, Energy Drinks & Pirates
Shipping This Week: JULY 23, 2008 DARK HORSE COMICS BERSERK TP VOL 24 LANKHMAR BOOK 06 SWORDS & ICE MAGIC Nick: This would be a far more exciting title if it was "LANKHMAR BOOK 06 SWORDS & MAGIC ON ICE" -- don't you agree that a comic book about an ice show is far ...

Podcast Episode 040 – Strange Dark Avatar
In no particular order we talk about The Dark Knight, Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 3 Chapters 16-21 including Sozin's Comet, The Strangers, Black Milk, Beatcast 001 Windrider by Nik Furious, Jay Faerber's Urban Myths, Afua Richardson, Marvel Adventures the Avengers #26, Watchmen movie, Warner Premiere's Motion Comics Watchmen #1, ...

Am I the Only Person That Didn’t Like The Dark Knight?
In defense of The Dark Knight, I was predisposed to disliking it. I've been salty with Christian Bale ever since he said that Batman Begins wasn't a just a comic book movie -- it was better. Well guess what Bale? I thought it sucked. Superhero movie franchises have been lucky in ...

FNMTV – Jonas Brothers, Shwayze, Nelly, and Slipknot
It's another installment of FNMTV, 5 super quick music video reviews from the master of vitriol (me). This week's videos were 'easy listening' for the most part. Don't believe me? Check them out for yourself. Jonas Brothers - Burnin Up (Live) OMFG ...

Beatcast 001 – Windrider by Nik Furious
Windrider, an instrumental hip hop track by producer Nik Furious.Download Windrider by Nik Furious

The Top 9 Most Intimidating Supervillains (Comic Book Villains, Of Course)
This is the list that almost wasn't. I was ready to make this yet another "the Top 9 reasons the list I said would happen isn't going to happen," but I stuck it out and here it is. 9. Blob - Would you ...

The Dark Knight – TXT Message Review
As I came out of the 4pm show today, I received a text message asking me if I wanted to see Batman at 9:15, with a 7:15 dinner/ticket pickup. I curtly informed the gentleman that I had just screened the very same film. When he inquired as to how I ...

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 002
Continuing the countdown of the American Film Institute’s 100 Years... 100 Movies. Conrad explains the criteria for getting on the list, followed by conversation about Bringing Up Baby, Do the Right Thing, The Searchers, The Last Picture Show, and Pulp Fiction.Download AFI 100 Movies #2

The Watchmen Trailer Is Here!
Trailer Addict just posted the new Watchmen trailer that will premier before Batman tomorrow. We finally get to see Dr. Manhattan. and can you believe that Malin Akerman, of The Heartbreak Kid and Harold & Kumar fame, is playing Laurie Juspeczyk? The trailer is heavy on CG - ...

Keri Hilson – Flashdancing Takes a Lot of Energy
Keri Hilson just released the video for the lead single Energy off her new album. I don't know much about Keri, but it turns out she actually has been active for some time. I do know that Timbaland has been promoting her quite a bit these last few months though. ...

New Contributors and Remastered Podcast Interviews
Over the weekend, Neal updated our version of WordPress for the AudioShocker blog, and everything went to hell. Neal got it fixed within a few hours. The only thing we lost was 1 gig worth of

Girls I Want to Stick It to – Cute Female Vocalist

me: I think I found my next Girl I Want To Stick It To ro: Oh yeah? ro: Who me: Cute Female Vocalist aka Sara Bareilles / Aimee Mann / Fiona Apple / Regina Spektor me: well ok, Aimee Mann isn't really "cute" ro: CFV...where do you come up with this stuff?
Sara Bareilles may have ...

FNMTV – Zooey Deschanel and Doppelganger Fail to Impress
FNMTV is back like cooked crack. Unfortunately for the 2 of you that got that reference, Juelz Santana is nowhere to be found. Once again scraping the bottom of the barrel, I bring you MTV's newest video premieres in "quickie" review style. LL Cool J - Baby Mr. Smith brings ...

Wordpress Update!
So, after a hiccup where I lost the entire blog, we are now running Wordpress 2.5.1. I also updated K2 and that seems to have caused some ongoing problems as well. Old podcasts should be available again sometime tomorrow. Basically, I lost deleted them... I am never updating wordpress ever ...

Seriously Ladies, Stop Wearing Gladiator Sandals
I think I am a somewhat well dressed fellow considering that I live in a Midwest sinkhole. I don't rock sweatpants outside the house, my belt matches my shoes, I don't have a mullet, and I am aware of trends before they appear at Old Navy. I am definitely no ...

Hellboy 2 – TXT Message Review
After seeing the trailers for the past couple months, I had to see the new Hellboy movie. Guillermo Del Toro's first attempt was kind of lackluster - but once I saw that the effects mirrored Pan's Labyrinth ...

The Top 9 Reasons This Week’s List Isn’t The Top 9 Best Synthesizer Solos
At the end of last week's Top 9 list, I thought I'd throw readers for a curve and announce this week's list as "The Top 9 Best Synthesizer Solos." I should have planned more carefully before I wrote that. Here's the ...

Tweet Tweet Twitter Feet
In case you haven't noticed - The AudioShocker is on Twitter! Start following us today and get access to exclusive Twitter-only content like midday links and breaking news.

The Driving Forces Behind Three of the Biggest Media Franchises of the Past 25 Years
I was reading about how Larry Hama is joining up with IDW to reboot the G.I. Joe franchise in time for the new movie, and I had a realization -- three of the biggest entertainment and merchandising franchises of the past 25 years have have each had a single person ...

Comic Book Shipping List July 10 2008: Peep Show Janitors, College Fart Parties, Porn
Don't forget -- books on Thursday this week due to the July 4th holiday. Shipping This Week: JULY 10, 2008 DARK HORSE COMICS BLOOD PLUS NOVEL VOL 02 CHEVALIER Neal: So.... will there be variant blood? Type A, B, O, AB+, etc? BPRD THE WARNING #1 (OF 5) GOON #26 Neal: This book is about the rapper ...

Podcast Episode 038 – Kung Fu Bateman
Arguing about Hancock, Jason Bateman, Gotham Chopra, Love Guru, Darrell Hammond, Kung Fu Panda, Teeth the movie, The Cool Kids, Twitter Feet, Avatar: The Last Airbender returns next week, perky positive girl, Mandy Moore, Weeds, Spider-Man, multidimensional superheroes, Kill All Parents, Vix #1, Secret Invasion and Final Crisis shirts at ...

Girls I Want To Stick It To – Perky Positive Girl
her: Happy 7th of July! me: What? her: Isn't today an excellent day? me: It's Monday, overcast, and storming. her: Perfect time to get a jump on the week! That is the fictional conversation I had earlier with today's subject: the perky positive girl (PPG). PPGs wear permanent ...

Avatar: The Last Airbender Returns Starting July 14, 2008 with the Rest of Book 3: Fire
File this in the "it might not be new, but it's news to me" category. I just learned that Avatar: The Last Airbender, a favorite here at the AudioShocker, will finally return to close out Book 3: Fire on July 14-19, 2008. Thanks to Avatar Spirit, check out this ...

The Top 9 Best Bad Comedy Movies (So Bad They’re Good!)
Okay, seriously, if these nine comedy movies were actually bad, I wouldn't like them. By "bad," I mean "in bad taste" or not received well by the movie going public. 9. Houseguest (1995) 8. Take a Bow (Live) I can handle the song and the lackluster performance, but the ...

Comic Book Shipping List July 2 2008: Beards, Summer Vacation, She-Cable
Sorry, super fans. Thanks to my lateness, I didn't get Neal's comments this week. He'll back next week with some real zingers. Shipping This Week: JULY 2, 2008 DARK HORSE COMICS BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #16 COMPLETE K CHRONICLES TP Nick: Not to be confused with this week's "SPECIAL K CHRONICLES TP" from Kellogg's Comics. HELLBOY ...

Hancock – TXT Message Review
The best thing about the Fourth of July is that Will Smith movies come out on Tuesday instead of Friday. As such, I was able to catch the first showing of Hancock today at 7:05. Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman are ...

Podcast Episode 037 – A Face to Match
Back to business talking about the Wanted movie, NaS, Lil Wayne, too many white background music videos, Mark Millar's Wanted, Kung Fu Panda, Mama's Boy, Anna Farris, Barb Wire, cooties, 30 Days of Night, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Immortal Iron Fist #16, Avengers: Under Seige and Civil War, cuban ...

Public Reading vs. Private Reading
Now that I ride the bus to work, it has become necessary for me to read two books at one time. I need "public" reading for the bus and "private" reading for at home. I doubt that anyone actually notices what I'm reading on the bus, but I know that ...

Candy or Medicine Volume Three mini comic review
I've had the pleasure of reviewing both volume one and volume two of

The Top 9 Best B-Movies (It’s the Best of the Worst)
Wikipedia defines a B-Movie as: "any low-budget, commercial motion picture meant neither as an arthouse film nor as pornography." It's safe to say that none of these films are fine art, nor are they sexy enough to be porn. 9. Plan 9 from Outer ...

Wanted – TXT Message Review
Angelina Jolie, Common, Morgan Freeman, Terrence Stamp, and ... Mr. Tumnas? That's the cast of Wanted, the latest comic book movie to hit the box office. Longtime Podcast listeners might recall that I have reviled this film for the past six months or so, in large ...

AFI 100 Years 100 Movies Podcast 001
Conrad joins Nick to do a conversational backwards countdown of the American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Movies, using a hybrid of the 1998 and 2007 lists. In this episode, the guys talk about: Yankee Doodle Dandy, Toy Story, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Blade Runner, and Unforgiven.Download AFI 100 ...

Nelly – Stepped on My J’z
Personally, I have never understood the cultish fascination people have with Nike Air Jordans. To me they are just expensive basketball shoes - but what do I know. Immensely popular, Jordans have been coming out steadily since about the time I was born. Of course, with great fashion ...

FNMTV – Rope Chains, Capri Pants, Duffy, and More
It's time for another round of FNMTV bashing - courtesy of yours truly. In case you missed last week's post, MTV recently added a new segment called Friday Night MTV as a venue for video premiers and live performances. This salvo of music television begs to be discussed ...

Comic Book Shipping List June 25 2008: Hellfowl, Erotic Camelot, DC Comics in Crisis
Shipping This Week: JUNE 25, 2008 DARK HORSE COMICS BPRD ECTOPLASMIC MAN ONE SHOT Nick: If the name "Ectoplasmic Man" isn't sweet enough for you, then you must have an inner fan made out of jagged spikes of poison ice. Neal: So... Slimer stars in Pinnochio? CHRONICLES OF CONAN TP VOL 15 CORRIDOR OF MULLAH ...

Podcast Episode 036 – Waxing Batman
Musing on The Happening, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Caramel, waxing, Captain America II: Death Too Soon, Mama's Boy, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, The Onion Movie, Suck.com, Spectacular Spider-Man, Weeds, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, The L Word, Queer as Folk, Pittsburgh, no new Ex Machina TPBs, ...

Girls I Want To Stick It To – Élan Luz Rivera
The D.E.Y. - you've heard of them right? Two bilingual rappers anchored by female vocalist and today's subject: Élan Luz Rivera? No? How about the tracks they did with Paula DeAnda or Sean Kingston and Juelz Santana? Well, it's not too ...

The Happening – TXT Message Review
I dipped out of work early today in order to grab a Honkers Ale at Old Chicago before screening M. Night Shyamalan's newest attempt at cinema. Here is the text I sent Nick on my way out of the theater. (160 characters or less)
The Happening wasn't ...

The Top 9 Best Live-Action Superhero Movies (Note: You Will Disagree With This)
Here, in painstakingly particular (and genius) order, are the Top 9 Best Live-Action Superhero Movies of all-time: 9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) 8. Blade (1998) 7. Batman: The Movie (1966) 6.

MTV’s FNMTV, I Hate To Love You
I don't have cable. I consume media via Netflix, torrent, and various streaming sources. That said, I noticed that MTV started a new feature on Friday nights called FNMTV. Basically, Pete Wentz (the D-bag that knocked up Ashlee Simpson, hosted ...

Comic Book Shipping List June 18 2008: Grundles, Peanut Butter, Swimsuits
Shipping This Week: JUNE 18, 2008 DARK HORSE COMICS ALIENS OMNIBUS TP VOL 04 CLASSIC COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS #12 ROCKETEER CONAN BORN ON THE BATTLEFIELD SC Neal: Next week: Krull C-Section on the Battlefield. GRENDEL BEHOLD THE DEVIL #8 (OF 8) Nick: I always thought that this series would be way more enticing if the title was ...

Weeds Season Premiere – Few Laughs, Many Concerns
I caught the season premiere of Weeds yesterday on Showtime, and I hope to God they bring back the laughs this season. Since last season Nancy has been in another world. She is totally out of touch - I think she's getting high on ...

Podcast Episode 035 – Spectacular Tropic Trick
Chatting on The Incredible Hulk, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick look-alikes, Firefox spell check now works in Google Docs, Mel Gibson's downward slide, Woodie Guthrie, Don't Mess with the Zohan, Wicked City, Requiem from the Darkness a.k.a. Hundred Stories, Tropic Thunder, Cheap Trick, Gwar, auto-tune and vocoders, semicolons, Battlestar Galactica, ...

Girls I Want To Stick It To – Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway is tops in my book. I know she looks like Maria Menounos if she's wears a lot of makeup - but I'll let it sliiiide. She's stunning - a real beauty. Seriously, if there were a secret club ...

The AudioShocker Loves Being Social
Hey, did you know that the AudioShocker is on Twitter now? You can click right here, or on the Twitter icon in the sidebar to access our twitter feed! We are also on The Facebook and MySpace.

The Incredible Hulk – TXT Review 2 and Cameo Spoilers
Here's what I sent to Neal on the ride home from the movie theater:
Movie was real mediocre. And i stayed all the way thru the credits for nothing! I thought liv tyler was the best actor in it. Roth was good too.
That about sums up how I feel about the ...

The Incredible Hulk – TXT Message Review
I was discussing with Nick the other day about how writing movie reviews isn't worth the effort since we record the podcast during the weekend. With that in mind, here is the 'txt message review' (less than 160 characters) that I just sent to a friend:
saw hulk - better than ...

Ray J – Gifts Is The Least Creative Slang Ever
Hey remember Moesha? Perhaps you have forgotten Ray J's first grasps at fame. Granted, being the younger brother of a Grammy award winning R&B singer creates pressure to be successful - that doesn't excuse Ray J's discography. Wait a Minute was a mess of a track; I don't even think ...

Comic Book Shipping List June 11 2008: PVC Pipes, Variant Covers, Small Business Loans
This is a new AudioShocker weekly feature (or whenever the @#$% we feel like doing it) that is a complete ripoff of this hilarious blog post from last week. (Note: We have emoticons enabled, which turns any mini series with 8 total issues into ...

AIMCast 02 – Crocs, Scrubs, and Hummus
As Nick noted earlier, there is no podcast this week. But all is not lost! I rounded up our two favorite readers Ro and Kirsten (Sorry Gotham and Tom), for another super duper AIMcast! So join us as we discuss old comics, ...

Sadly, the Podcast Takes a Week Off
But not without something special by way of Neal, of course (last I checked, there should be an AIMcast coming your way in place of the podcast). I know all 10 to 20 (HA!) of our regular listeners will be devastated to know that the AudioShocker needs to take a ...

Girls I Want to Stick It To – Kelly Ripa
While Kelly Ripa may not be a girl, she is definitely a cougar/milf worth our attention. She makes Regis' talk show bearable and looks effin' amazing for a 38 year old mother of three. I mean jeez, whatever she's doing - it's working! Kelly is ...

Busta Rhymes – Don’t Touch Me Now (Spliff Is Still Alive?!)
Busta Rhymes is one of my favorite artists. Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check brought him into the public (way more than any of his previous work did), while Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See showcased his appreciation for the visual medium. I can't think of a ...

ComicShocker – Bendis, Next Men, and Hair
So my friend and comic book mentor Wayne Wise recommended I try Next Men a couple months back. This 1990s John Byrne series from Dark Horse Comics is solid. I bought the first 12 issues at my LCD for a few dollars (seriously, something like $8.00). The stories are ...

Girls I Want to Stick It To – Not Sarah Jessica Parker
Yes you read that headline correctly, I do not want to stick it to SJP. Obviously, there is her resemblance to Dee Snyder. It is well documented so I won't waste ink on it, but it really is uncanny. Also, in Flight of the Navigator ...

Podcast Episode 034 – Kingdom of the Crystal Sarandon
Speed Racer, Susan Sarandon, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tim Curry, Jennifer Beals, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Holes, Tremors, Roger Dodger, Batman comic books, Andre the Giant, Ron Paul, Street Fighter, Coolio, Jezebel Jet, superhero strength, VitaminWater Formula 50, Fat Joe, Avengers: The Initiative, The Gauntlet, ...

Wizard World Philly Cup O Joe, AudioShocker Style
So I went to Wizard World Philadelphia today. It was my second convention experience in my 21 plus years of being a fanatic comic book fan. It was my first time going to a comic book convention panel, and I chose Cup O Joe to pop my panel cherry. It was a ...

Vacation in South Carolina – Sweet Like Tea
So, I got back a couple days ago from my Memorial Day vacation in Folly Beach, SC. FB is about 25 minutes from Charleston (owing in large part to the 30mph speed limit on the island). This was my 2nd annual trip with 13 other kids from this ...

ComicShocker Week 22 2008
I've been pretty busy lately so the ComicShocker actually (GASP!) missed its first week ever last week. Instead, the AudioShocker got an SEO update. I think that's a fair trade. Keeping it short and sweet this week, I'm going to pass along a link to more free comics online. ...

Podcast Episode 033 – Hollywood Table Dancing
An interview with Conrad Knapp, our Hollywood AudioShocker insider. We chat about Paris Hilton table dancing, Vice Magazine, Colt 45, Chromeo, Rage Against the Machine, Beyonce stealing iPod speakers, filming music videos, Sonic Impact, smashing brand new Gibson guitars and drums, fried chicken, throwing away garbage in Los Angeles, and ...

A Little AudioShocker SEO Update
For those of you that frequent the AudioShocker website, you'll notice a subtle but definite difference. I gave the site a quick update via some Search Engine Optimization. To be specific, I gave the title tags an SEO update. Thanks to the WordPress SEO Title Tag plugin, ...

Podcast Episode 032 – Extra Filthy Dhalsim
Convo goes extra filthy about Feist, our listeners, our comment line 412.567.7606, Street Fighter, Zangief, video game backstory, DOA, Dhalsim, Michael Biehn, YouTube, frat girls, Dilly Bars, Charlie Wilson's War, Edward Albee, Sam Shepard, Sam Waterston, Beckett, Becker, Ted Danson, House, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, David Lynch, darning socks, ...

Girls I Want to Stick It to – Lisa Edelstein
Sorry folks - I was in the UK all last week. It kinda sucked. I missed a whole week of TV including BSG. However, more importantly - I missed this: Yeah, that. Now, say what ...

ComicShocker Week 20 2008
Wonder Woman #20. I've been waiting for this. Aaron Lopresti on THE superheroine. It's pretty good. Not mind blowing. But decent. My biggest praises? The art and the character of Etta Candy. My most egregious criticisms? The dialogue that doesn't flow well (most everything except for Etta) and the seeming disconnect ...

Podcast Episode 031 – Cartoon Comics Canasta
Neal takes the week off as we talk about The Simpsons season 12, Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon, firing squads, ramen, canasta, Leona Lewis, Last Defenders #2, Thunderbolts #120, Secret Invasion Fantastic Four #1, Guardians of the Galaxy #1, X-Men Legacy #211, T'Challa, Black Panther movie, Avatar, and some more stuff.Download AudioShocker ...

Free Comic Book Day 2008 – A Humble Marvel Adventures Confession
A little over one week ago, I came to this forum -- known among savvy readers as the awesome AudioShocker -- and talked smack on the Marvel Adventures Free Comic Book Day offering from Marvel Comics. Truth ...

Damn It! I Got Burned By DC Comics Again!
Do you have one of those friends or relatives that YOU KNOW is the last person you should be letting borrow money? You keep your distance for a few months and then you get a familiar phone call: "Hey what's up, man?! You wanna hang out this weekend?" With no recent ...

A Few Good Pints
I will be taking a brief transatlantic starting tomorrow to the UK for about a week. I apologize in advance. Video reviews and "Girls I'd Like to Stick it to" will return upon my repatriation. In the mean time, ...

Secret Invasion – Needs More Bang for the Buck
Don't get me wrong -- I love Brian Michael Bendis' concept here. There's a Skrull infiltration of planet Earth and now we have no idea who is a genuine superhero and who isn't (though it seems pretty obvious that Tony Stark is legit right now). But I'll be damned if I ...

ComicShocker Week 19 2008
Iron Man. Can you believe it did so well? I can barely believe it. The most interesting thing I'm experiencing right now is the stunningly favorable popular sentiment about the quality of the film. People who have never picked up a comic book and never will are ...

Podcast Episode 030 – Hooker Etymology
Talking about Sifu Kisu, rosin vs. resin, Michael Turner art, Iron Man, Tony Stark, Obadiah Stane, School Daze, Horton Hears a Who, Captain America as a Communist, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Dummy, One Missed Call, Free Comic Book Day 2008, Cyclops in The Castro with no shirt on, ...

Free Comic Book Day 2008 – And the Winner Is?
So after all this Free Comic Book Day hype, who put out the best book? Let's start with a few things that didn't shine quite as bright as I'd hoped.

TwoMorrows Publishing easily claimed the prize for Best Free Comic Book ...

Free Comic Book Day 2008 – My National, Religious, and Cultural Holiday
Free Comic Book Day 2008 has arrived. Below you will find a list of the books I'm hoping to snag this May 3rd at my local comics shop (Phantom of the Attic Comics in Oakland, Pittsburgh, PA, USA). This FCBD reading list is in order of ...

ComicShocker Week 18 2008
DC Universe #0. All I can say is… wow. It makes next to no sense. Is it possible to feel like I wasted $0.50? Because I think that I did. All I got was a collection of six teasers for upcoming story events. I feel like I paid $0.50 to have DC ...

Alicia Keys – I Wish You Had Been My Teenage Love Affair
I like Alicia Keys. A lot. You can't hold that against me. You might recall my review of AK's last single, Like You'll Never See Me Again. Well, she has done it again with Teenage Love Affair. Alicia needs to write more songs like this. It's light and breezy, ...

ComicShocker Week 17 2008
I went to my first comic book convention this past weekend. I've been reading comic books regularly since the age of four (well, you know, as regularly as you can read comics at four…) yet I've never really been a part of communal fandom. I got into the online comic ...

Podcast Episode 029 – Asian Remade American
We converse about Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, EuroTrip, Baby Mama, The Love Guru, Romany Malco, Juno, Dane Cook, Hellboy II The Golden Army, The Dark Knight, Joker, your first supervillain, Madame Masque, Magneto, Penguin, Harley Quinn, Stockholm syndrome, Poison Ivy, Lex Luthor, Arkham Asylum, Batman, Shutter, American ...

Girls I Want to Stick It To – Volleyball Girl
Women's volleyball is one of the sexiest team sports around - and I am not talking about the beach 'n bikini variety. For years, I associated volleyball with high-fiving watch-check-flexing Naval Aviators and overtanned dudes in sandlots surrounded by ESPN cameras. Nay, it wasn't until my chi-chi ...

Bizarre New World: Population Explosion comic book review
This graphic novel hits today and I've been fortunate to catch an advanced peak at the book. With that said, here's what I like most about this story: its realistic treatment of a fantastic topic, fun art that's bright and expressive, and the story's unique length. The concept is simple. Paul ...

Podcast Episode 028 – Cinematic Private Parts
We chitchat about the Unlicensed Attorneys at Law, UnlicensedAttorneys.com, Sweeney Todd, Tim Burton, 3:10 to Yuma, 27 Dresses, Katherine Heigl's boobs, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Jason Segel's penis, Mila Kunis, Meet the Spartans, Irina Palm, Mariah Carey, E=MC2, Jermaine Dupri, New Jack Swing, Teddy Riley, Midas Touch, 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, ...

Girls I Want to Stick It to – Mila Kunis
If Michelle Rodriguez and Angelina Jolie made babies together - and one of them had a sense of humor, the product might resemble this week's celeb crush: Mila Kunis. You obviously know her as Jackie Burkhart from That 70s Show and the voice of Meg ...

ComicShocker Week 16
Let's get things started with Reads You Need. This week, you need to read X-Men: Divided We Stand #1. From the outset, this book seems like a rather unspectacular exploration of several side characters in the X-Men Universe. And all of that is true… except for the part about it ...

Wiz Khalifa – I Refuse to Say Yea
I was raised in Pittsburgh; specifically Squirrel Hill. My sister and I both attended Taylor Allderdice High School and did normal Pittsburgh things like eat at Primanti's and the 'O'. So, it was both surprising and exciting when Nick told me about Wiz Khalifa - a rapper from Pittsburgh. According ...

Podcast Episode 027 – In Living Slap Fight
We talk noodles, slap fights, Street Fighter, Vega, Dhalsim, Blanka, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter movie soundtrack, NaS, Craig Mack, Mariah Carey, E=MC2, Alice Smith, synesthesia, House, Ray Parker Jr and Raydio, TV is back but it's not, NPR and PBS pledge drives, USA Today, Saturday Night Live, In Living Color, ...

ComicShocker Week 15
Here's an odd ComicShocker – I'm going to be talking about something old and something that hasn't even come out yet. As for something that came out this past Wednesday, I'll give the top prize to Last Defenders #2. The book was excellent. Here's an interesting piece by co-writer Joe ...

Usher – There Is No Love In This Club
Sorry ladies and gents, it has been a long month and I apologize for not posting anything recently. I have this "day job" and it would be unkind to blog while on the clock. But, I am back like cooked crack. Usher just dropped a new video: Love In This Club, ...

Podcast Episode 026 – Sriracha Unauthorized
We schmeer on about recipes, Sriracha sauce, Walk Hard The Dewey Cox Story, Spy Kids, Clerks 2, Soul Plane, Leatherheads, Renee Zellweger, George Clooney, Mr. Brooks, Dane Cook, Dan in Real Life, Enter the Dragon, Bruce Lee, Chris Farley, David Spade, Joe Dirt, Dave Chappelle's Block Party, Southland Tales, Battlestar ...

AudioShocker on MySpace – Let’s Be Friends
Hey, I tuned up our MySpace page last night. Let's be friends. Check out the AudioShocker Podcast MySpace profile and send us an invite. We have a few snips of the show up - a greatest hits if you will. Let us know if you agree (and send ...

ComicShocker Week 14 2008
I guess I expected Secret Invasion #1 to be a bit more shocking. Not that it wasn't good - Lenil Yu's pencils look strong with Mark Morales on inks and Laura Martin on colors; Brian Michael Bendis delivers a strong script. But the overall story felt much like your typical ...

Podcast Episode 025 – Pizza Party Pilk
We celebrate six months and an anniversary episode with an AudioShocker pizza party as we talk about Superhero Movie, Samuel L Jackson, Indiana Jones vs. Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Edward Norton, Speed Racer, Chris Meloni, The Mist, and philosophical concepts of time and dreams and connectivity. Then, just when ...

ComicShocker Week 13 2008
Keeping it real quick this week. Reads You Need is proud to introduce WWH Aftersmash: Damage Control #3 to the club. It's sad to see this series end now that the last issue is the most stupendous issue. With only three short installments, this series has quickly become the best ...