LL Cool J, Brad Paisley :: Jerod Harris, Getty Images

There are some interesting conversations in this episode. Possibly to the detriment of our chosen podcast topic, none of these have anything to do with webcomics. However, they are so far into left field and humorous in nature that they inspire me to write a webcomic about them. Not yet, but they inspire such an action. Anyhoo, check the Rambletron section below for some of those discussions.

I took a look at a comic that, at the time, had not been recommended to us. At least, not to my knowledge. Hinges (6:51) is a pretty comic. That’s about all I know about it, after having read roughly twenty pages, but it seems like a good story and a late recommendation from a listener/creator (what up, Walter Ostlie from Shiver Bureau?) mean it must be pretty good, right? Steve’s has been testing his patience with Hobo Lobo of Hamelin (8:33), a side-scrolling comic that uses elements of HTML5 to create a comic that can only be fully enjoyed on the web. We don’t galvanize the crowd of comic creators who work on utilizing the unique creative aspects of the web enough, so here here for Steve finding this gem.

Reading comics on the web is an experience that should not be hindered based on how it is viewed (and yes, this should come off as a bit hypocritical after Hobo Lobo requires a certain browser to properly view it). Table Titans (10:40) by Scott Kurtz is such a thoroughly enjoyable experience, both with the included Tales and without, but this can be marred when trying to read the comic at certain resolutions. The site does its best to respond to the differing viewing sizes, but on an iPad 2, the comic is unreadable due to a bottom portion being cut off. Considering the pedigree, both of the creator and the fiction from which the work is derived (that being accept-no-substitutes D&D), this is unacceptable and should be fixed ASAP.

Knowing ahead of time the downer turn that our review is about to take, I figured something light and fluffy in the midshow break would suffice nicely. What’s lighter and fluffier than Kirby, the powerful pink vaccum? Nothing I say. Nothing. Enjoy halc’s remix of “Blowing Bubbles in Space” from Kirby Super Star (13:56).

Steve likes cop stories. I’m not opposed to them, so long as they’re good. Double Cross (17:52) creates a clear divide between us in this regard. Sure, we ramble in our discussion, but we hone in on what it is that we disagree upon and ultimately end up in a place where we can both appreciate the work that this comic does.

The Rambletron consists of the following topics: Jason’s high school yin-yang phase, how a little Ice-T makes everything better, why the secret to a happy life is apparently consistent pooping, and we introduce you to Steve Shinney: the original accidental racist. Also, help me convince that a “Nazi phase” is not normal for any child, even in Idaho.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I’m posting this on Sunday (still technically where I live), because we’re reviewing The Sundays! What more do you people want form me?

We start things off this week with a whole lot of love for a whole lot of puppets. After the usual Muppets jokes, we get deep into various kids’ shows. It’s a bit shame how much we know about these things, but then again we to talk about comics for 30 minutes every week so we’re a bit kooky from the get go.

After than we get into the dangers that are the Eisner award and all the ant genitals they bring. We have read (most) of them until just now so it’s a new, more fluid Digital Strips experience than we’ve had normally. We talk about Jason’s newly discovered sexual inadequacies, Steve’s abhorrence of Capitalism, how sci-fi and fantasy sometimes get freaky with each other, dead geese and finally skirt around the question of what makes a real web comic (answer: anything Steve doesn’t think he can beat up)

The middle section was brought to life by the phrase I most wished to have gotten recorded. “The last time I dropped a fat beat my buddy wet his pants.”

When we get into the review of the comic itself things get a bit more normal for us. We talk about art and writing and about how we disagree about pretty much everything were this is concerned we disagree about just about all of it. I don’t want to spoil too much for you guys, but we may need podcaster couples counselling after this one.

Ant Comic – 6:15
Bandette – 7:45
It will All Hurt – 9:15
Our Blood Stained Roof – 10:15
Oyster War – 11:15
Middle music

Podcast: Play in new window | Download