 Melvin did not read comics as a kid, but enjoyed Larson's "The Far Side" and Matt Groening's "Life in Hell"; he preferred live-action sketch comedy shows such as "The Kids in the Hall", "Monty Python", "Upright Citizens Brigade", and "Mr. Show".The cartoonists regularly make jokes on controversial topics including abortion, madness, suicide, and AIDS.Their characters rarely have names and are usually only distinguishable by the colors of their shirts.