Like many of his fellow Pittsburgher cartoonists, Jim Rugg’s work lives at a fascinating cross section of mainstream and indie comics culture. It’s a phenomenon Rugg and cohost Ed Piskor happily explore in their YouTube series, Cartoonist Kayfabe, which breaks down the earlier days of Wizard Magazine, issue by issue. His work, too, is the product of a confluence of distinct influences, from the skateboarding and martial arts of Street Angel, to the blacksplotation films and pulp comics of Afrodisiac. On a recent visit to his hometown, Rugg joined us to discuss teaching comics, choosing projects and why Rob Liefeld is important.