This episode Patrick is joined by the amazingly talented JENNY FRISION. They talk about Jenny’s beginnings as a comic fan up to her present as a comic creator. They also drink a few bottles of some great, fruity Berliner beer from Chicago’s own Pipeworks Brewing. 

Who wants to talk about the Lucasfilm sale when there’s Assassain’s Creed III? Trick question. This episode is all over the map as Patrick, once again, has a list of topics to get thru before he passes out.

Fight injustice! Unorthodox economic revenge. Also, Dal is super-sleepy.  

No method in our madness, just pride about our manner. This was recorded a week ago and I no longer remember what we talk about! Although I’m pretty sure there’s a bunch of NYCC stuff to go over… And a Batgirl web-series. And vodka.

There is no nerd rage here as Patrick is joined by the lovely and talented Stella Cheeks! Cartoons, comics and burlesque all come together in one infectious laughter-filled episode. 

I’m a rocket of love; take me! This episode is all about variant covers. You think we’ve said it all before, but we haven’t. All new information abounds. And MorrisonCon. And Parker’s Pick. RIDE! Episode art by Luke Smarto.

He’s been a Challengers supporter since the beginning and he has more than put in his time behind the registers in comics retail; this week Patrick talks with Tony Valdez about life on both sides of the counter.

This episode is Apple heavy as our guest is Mac specialist and long-time friend, Tony Marengo. Tony, Patrick and Dal used to work together in the 90’s and this is an extended trip down comic book retail memory lane with 3 current small business owners.

If you can only listen to ONE podcast this week, this is NOT that podcast. So non-integral is this episode, it doesn’t even get its own number. It’s a point five, for sure. This is everything we cut out of Episode 100, yet here it is, daring you to listen. You’ve been warned.

Century Guild’s THOMAS NEGOVAN turns the tables and interviews Dal and Patrick for this, the recorded live in the store 100th episode. Featuring Tom Kelly, Jose Capetillo, Melissa Chapel and not Jimmy PS Hayes. It’s our secret origin episode.

A little bit of everything is on deck this time. Patrick’s episode of “Creative Has Nothing For You”; Ryan Browne talks Blast Furnace all sorts of Hawkeye goodness!

Oh yes its Ladies Night and the feeling’s right; oh, what a night. That’s right; we spend an awful lot of time discussing a potential Women-Only night, as well as LeakyCon, Wizard World, Square, and Dal’s fake role in “Twilight.”

Dal relives his Wimbledon days as fictitious tennis takes center (clay) court… but only as a lead-in to a much greater Marvel Now discussion. And more from Colt Cabana. 

Ten years in the making! One half of Serpent Crown reunites as Patrick talks with long-time comics fan Chris Carlson. In another life (the 90’s) they were in a band together, and as an added bonus, the end of this episode features the unreleased Serpent Crown live track, “The Final Stand.”

This week’s topics include a Writing component for Challengers Assemble!, a few new event announcements, the Mike Norton Surprise Party, and an annoying eBay story. And almost NO Transformers toy talk. Almost. 

A 2-hour San Diego wrap up! What are the stories that impact Challengers the most? Also, cameos by James VanOsdol (thanks to his show on the Steve Dahl Network) and Tim Seeley (at the very, very end).

This week Patrick and W. Dal talk about successful events, very delinquesnt subscribers, an alteration to Challengers' consignment policy and gallery exhibits that won't be happening.

In an episode filled with animal crackers, Patrick and Dal talk about Brave, Rebekah Isaacs, KickStarter and more, and there’s even a (pre-recorded) cameo by WWE Champion, CM Punk (from someone else’s podcast).

Busy summer! So many books! So many issues of so many books! And... Patton Oswalt! Not, you know, ON the episode, but we talk about him, as he talked about us. Bonus! MORE Transformers toy talks!

We didn’t go to Book Expo America, but that doesn’t stop us from talking about it. Or the new DC #0 issues. Or Patrick’s childhood visit to the DC offices. And, yes, the secret history of Team America. 

It starts with a discouraging weekend and ends with a bunch of future excitement. With 1992 Chicago radio in-between. And Will Eisner “Spirit of Comics” nominations. And then, Belly. And Miss Ion’s Mall Business.

How best to show off the store in a 5-minute video? Presenting… Challengers To You. And we’re bringing some old product lines back to the shelves.

Lots of catching up to do, courtesy of Free Comic Book Day, The Avengers, the Robot Print Art Show and more. Guest-starring Colt Cabana, Kevin Nash and Sammy Hagar. 

86! The year Patrick graduated high school! Ha! He's old. And this week it shows, as he takes the reins solo while trying to tackle the question of morality in today's comic market.

It’s time for a post-C2E2 rundown here at Challengers Central, and NO convention wrap-up is complete without a thorough discussion of the beanie shark throwing game known as OFFICER DOWN!

We just can’t get enough of our toys! We talk about lots of stuff this week, but really, all we wanna talk about are our toys. And then we wonder if this actually adds value to your lives? Also, toys. And Colt Cabana drops by.

Interviews w/ Michael Moreci & Steve Seeley and Ryan Browne, conducted during our HOAX HUNTERS/SMOKE AND MIRRORS launch party! But before that Patrick and Dal talk about what they can't, or SHOULDN'T, talk about, and stories of pranking other stores.

Us? Where have YOU been? I realize the title of this episode may make you think we interview Jim Shooter. We do not. But we DO talk about video games more than we should. And about Mark Waid. And once again, Dal does not support Patrick’s (self) righteous indignation on ANY topic.

This is the hardest Patrick has laughed while editing an episode, but he’s a child. Can you survive the Ultimate Drawing Challenge! And if you skip Comic Book Men, try The Variants instead.

Topics include Marvel Publisher Dan Buckley’s recent media comments and, briefly, Before Watchmen.  

Yes, we discuss our upcoming C2E2 layout. Sure, we discuss upcoming art shows and new show subjects. Absolutely we converse a LOT about hand selling. But most importantly, we talk about, and eat, s’mores. 

Kyle Baker looks towards the future as Patrick and Dal look to the immediate past. Featuring Weekly Email Newsletters, Sketch Blogs and the Chicago departure of Tony Akins.

Okay, look, this is not our best episode, but it’s real. We talk about 2nd Printings, Art Baltazar, C2E2 and New Events. I deleted most of the s’mores argument and our Happy Endings analysis, but I know I missed editing out an inappropriate joke in there.

Featuring more listener questions; the collapse of Tundra; Captain America’s fake brother; and, the detailed answer to one of the most asked questions in the store… why do we dress like we do at Challengers?

It’s the longest CoC episode, by far! It’s a huge look back to a full year’s worth of comic and graphic novel sales. And gushing over Eliza Frye, Sarah Becan and Jess Godwin. Happy New Year!

A 'lost' episode from April 2011, featuring Tom Kelly & John Siuntres. Recorded in a very noisy Challengers while a sick patron was coughing loudly throughout the night. The coughing was all edited out but the remains are a bit choppy. It’s a good talk, but you have to work for it this week.

The countdown to Christmas sees the recap of recent events, a questioning of Marvel’s Astonishing line, the desire for custom t-shirts and a brief update on Achewood. Also, Stan Lee!

New Year’s Eve party @ Challengers! Hosted by singer Jess Godwin and writer Elliott Serrano. Food, drink, nerd burlesque, a ‘nerder’ mystery, and more. Details within. Also, 12 Rules for the Comics Industry (not ours) and we love Defenders #1.

Dal has completely redesigned the Challengers website, and he tells you why/how. We also talk recent #1 sales numbers and tell you all about why Patrick is annoyed with the local news media, as it relates to last week’s Lance Briggs event. Jerks.

It feels like New Year’s already as it’s out with the old and in with the new. 2012 promises several new, ongoing events at Challengers, including Challengers Assemble/d, Comic Klatch, and the new Visual Field! And never be afraid of change or of revamping your website when it’s purpose changes. This week’s music by Joe Jackson and E’Nuff Z’Nuff.

Two distinct hales of one episode, complete with a musical intermission. In half one, Patrick and Dal go over their January orders and lament the sheer magnitude (Pop! Pop!) of February. And in part 2, a special guest joins them both AND ComiXology.

If money was no object, what would Challengers look like? We also discuss Holiday Sales, a possible New Year’s Eve party, actual sales numbers for Avenging Spider-Man #1 and the New DC 52 collection announcements. Bonus song: Animetal USA sings “Space Battleship Yamato”

This episode Patrick and Dal talk about their hiring practices and what they expect from their employees. And who better to help out with this discussion than Samantha Challenger! That’s right, you get 3, count ‘em THREE, Challengers in one episode! Total bargain deluxe.

Lights; music; commerce! The boys talk about WHY they do events and how much thought goes into their execution. That leads into a discussion of Halloween events and then Dal explains the new Challengers Touch Screen Interface. Also, Tumblr!

128 tracks of recording quality and 127 of them are Dal!  We’re back and in a brand new studio!  We talk about what we expect from The Rogues Gallery, we introduce Ex Libris Challengers, and we go over the first month of Challengers Unlimited.  And then we discuss Newsarama’s Top Ten stories from the New York Comic Con (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/10-new-york-comic-con-news-items-111017.html) and end the episode looking at Month 2 of the New DCU.

Say, did you ever wonder if comic retailers overreact to things? And, we love you SO much... we recoded this episode twice!

This episode goes from the current 24 Hour Comics Day all the way back to the lost 3rd episode of CoC. With a bonus lost snippet added in. 

What are publishers currently doing right? What should you NOT do when opening a comic shop? And SHOULD Challengers carry more toys?