Comical Start

Mark asserts that Grant should work at a menswear store. A larger conversation around retail and customer service evolves. Grant brings The Knight Life . A convoluted description later, Mark is venting about some training he’s been stuck doing at work. Some things are just chores. Mark brings a Foolish Mortals comic. Vitriol is spewed about seagulls, and that’s about all there is time for. Send fe...

The pizza challenge was met. Tune in to see the results. Mark brings a Life on Earth comic to establish Grant’s role in a rock band. After a bit of dithering, a position is agreed upon. The formation of said band is punted to a later conversation. Grant brings a Little Fried Chicken and Sushi comic. He wants to know how adventurous Mark is in the kitchen. Send feedback to comicalstart@gmail.com .

Mark provides a tent update and opines on sleeping bags. Grant’s pizza challenge returns with a vengeance, so stay tuned. Mark and Grant each tell a story. Grant brings a Cul de Sac comic. Mark isn’t always a go-getter, and agrees that Grant’s friend has some things to work through. Mark brings a comic by Jeff Stahler to discuss Hamilton . Send feedback to comicalstart@gmail.com .

Mark and Grant recount their weekend events, and Mark explains kayak instability. Camping is also discussed with vigor, and an excellent week in Mark’s life. Mark brings a Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal comic, hoping to talk about hotels. Grant is cheap, while Mark enjoys convenience. Both agree that camping in D.C. wouldn’t be ideal. Grant brings a Big Nate comic to briefly mention some simple...

Mark issues a daring challenge for Grant, and is a little sleepy. Your hosts finally find a point of agreement. Mark makes a new account, and your hosts have strong feelings about a user interface. Grant brings a Frazz comic. First order of business is the comment section. What’s character building? Is it just a scam by adults? It’s not about being tough, no matter what people in from the ‘50s say...

Mark has a technical problem and victory, trusting his faith in that which he cannot see. Grant is doing fine, but may not be a good son. Your hosts are not on the same page about lawn games, but talk numbers. Mark brings Hot Comics for Cool People . Mark wants to know about what distracts Grant. Grant proposes the converse may take less time. An intriguing discussion of study spaces is had. Grant...

To make up for all that was just reported, Mark and Grant recorded a romantic episode of their native utopia. Grant brings an Arlo and Janis comic, wishing to talk about oysters. Mark claims oysters are dangerous, and particularly impractical when editing a podcast. Mark brings a Get Fuzzy comic to talk about wall comics. Curiously, your hosts haven’t discussed conclusions of a long-running podcas...

Grant didn’t have a good weekend. Or, well, maybe he did. Frozen pizzas are briefly discussed, and a revelation about food temperature is had. Mark brought a Spot the Frog comic. Grant doesn’t spot the toad, but does solve the logic problem. He has a pretty lukewarm relationship with those amphibians anyway. Grant brought a Lola comic. Once again ignoring his place in the podcast, he tries to have...

Mark has yawning problems and has a real hankering for cheese curds. Some fast food stories are swapped, and your hosts try to adequately address national tensions. They care. Finally, the intro wraps up with meat substitutes. Grant brings a Reality Check comic. In an effort to remain positive, your hosts discuss green flags of restaurant experiences, and how Mark was a brown-noser to old ladies a...

Mark is back in Minnesota, and Grant has two unrelated tangents to discuss. Note: Due to travel, this episode was not as painstakingly pored over while editing like usual, so apologies for any issues. Mark brings a Rabbits Against Magic comic. What inventions are useful? Do we need a sarcasm font? How about transparent toasters? How much would they cost? Grant brings a Speed Bump comic. Your hosts...

Mark has some soda. After a bit of dithering about ginger, Mark explains his tiredness in connection to Star Wars. Grant brings a Baldo comic. After a Firefly recommendation, Mark waxes nostalgic about Spongebob and other shows of his youth. Grant is emotionally attached to Chuck , and Mark was a nerd as a kid. Mark brings The Gentleman’s Armchair . Personification of characters and indictments of...

It’s a wild one, folks. Your hosts are feeling a bit goth (or emo?) and potpourri of topics follows. Mark brings The Other End , and eventually gets to talk about juice. Grant doesn’t drink much of it, and it’s bad for his dental hygiene. Your hosts consider funding opportunities. Grant brings a Cornered comic to talk fake words. Mark and Grant disagree on what good fake words are, and Grant recei...

Mark has a few observations to make, although Grant does not find them as universally accepted. Energy bills and adjectives are also discussed. Grant brings a Questionable Quotebook comic. After a brief aside on erasers and a classroom story from Mark, an argument is formed about how your hosts communicate with each other. Analogies and metaphors are stretched to their limits, and nothing is ever...

It’s hotter than blazes, so Mark might be in all sorts of moods. Grant has some personal technology problems, and everyone learned. Mark brings The Gentleman’s Armchair . A brief critique about art spirals into middle school flashbacks, and nobody finds out why the comic was chosen in the first place. Grant brings a Brewster Rockit comic. Mark explains the plot of the Piña Colada song, then divulg...

The intro is a beautiful conglomeration of all your hosts’ interests, fears, and desires. Grant brings a Drabble comic to talk about experience and qualifications. What are they even? What’s the point of the education system? Mark makes an argument for structured learning, and Grant doesn’t disagree. Regretfully, your hosts move on to Mark’s comic: Robbie and Bobby . After some linguistic pedantry...

Mark has two things, but the second one is chosen to go first. New tires, new snacks; it’s an exciting time. Further commentary on quarantine is made, although it’s slightly more positive this week. Mark brings Dark Side of the Horse . He just wants to talk about mini-golf, but it quickly turns into a broader conversation about social interaction. Bowling, anyone? Grant brings a Red and Rover comi...

Our first ever second time guest back for the first time. After a brief discussion about dreams, the boys get into it. Grant brings The Duplex to dive straight into relationship talk. Do you make real friends when you have a significant other? Or does it all fall apart like a flimsy house of cards? Grant’s reactions to Matt and Mark sound like there’s been trouble in paradise before. Matt brings a...

Mark comes in hot with YouTube recommendations for these lonely times, while your hosts both describe why weird schedules are weird. Mark brings a Real Life Adventures comic. Mark likes model planes, while Grant made a kite. Boomerangs are a significant accomplishment. Grant brings Moderately Confused and refuses to do any work on his own for the first few minutes. Eventually he brings up camping,...

Mark measures things positively and went to the store. Work has gotten crazier for both hosts. Grant brings an AJ and Magnus comic, and Grant wonders how cavalier Mark is at work with implementing his own ideas. It turns out both hosts think they’re reasonable, but Grant has to be more careful. Mark brings a Frazz comic, and Grant is confident in his ability to tell a story. Who cares about kids a...

All of Mark’s activities are canceled, and it’s not getting better. Grant and Mark both give updates on their local pandemic status. Mark tries to share a few good-natured stories, and Grant also had Chipotle. We all fight our own battles. Mark brings a Loose Parts comic. What’s a shared space? As someone not working from home, Grant has some decent suggestions to do the opposite. Grant brings a 9...

Mark is busy and had quite the day at work. Some viral discussion occurs with no real resolution. Grant fails to execute on a funny anecdote of his own, and Mark made it to the DMV. Grant brings a JumpStart comic to talk about plane talk. Mark isn’t a fan of it himself, though he doesn’t begrudge other people who start a conversation. Grant had a lovely experience, causing reevaluation of life cho...

Mark had to be an adult after a period of procrastination, and he wasn’t too thrilled. The DMV is fun, and Grant gives Mark some hope. Grant got some texts, and your hosts determined texts should go the way of email. Mark brings The Adventures of Business Cat . Mark updates Grant on the state of his job. Grant does a PSA for liberal arts colleges, and carefully dances around specifics as he discus...

Grant went to the store, and Mark has been busy. A story of food experimentation is told. In an attempt to cause more ruckus, Grant goes first with a Speed Bump comic. Your hosts talk about whether they enjoy being busy, and Mark is skeptical about Grant’s supposed productivity boost under time constraint. Mark brings a Rabbits Against Magic comic. What drinks do your hosts enjoy during meals, and...

Mark got Girl Scout cookies, and Grant has an opinion. A few minutes later, Grant is having none of this . Some people aren’t fans of trivia. Grant brings a Big Top comic, and Mark has a few things to say about it. What is a lion anyway? Mark eventually addresses Grant’s question, just not in a useful way. Mark wants more jokes. Mark brings an Oh, Brother! comic and manages to fit a few minutes of...

Mark has a story of thievery and intrigue. Grant has a story about lights and PPE. Mark brings an F Minus comic. He and Grant have a nostalgic geek-out session over the Magic Tree House series. What a time to grow up, huh? Grant brings a Big Nate comic because he’s unprepared. Mark has a hard time remembering the last time he was, and offers unhelpful advice for those struggling with preparation....