Comic-Con: ‘The Awesomes’ Cast Talk Heroes & Hulu  

There’s no bigger superhero mecca than Comic-Con, and no one knows that more than the stars of Hulu’s animated comedy “The Awesomes.”

Access Hollywood caught up with voice actors Ike Barinholtz, Taran Killam and co-creator Seth Meyers at San Diego’s annual pop culture bonanza on Saturday, and the guys were happy to chat about what it’s like to represent their show among the big-screen bigwigs.

Turns out, they’re more than up for the task.

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Ike was quick to champion the quirky cartoon crew, currently preparing for a third season.

“Biggest superheroes in the world,” the “MADtv” alum said, even taking a playful swipe at the “competition.”

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“‘The Avengers’ – who? ‘Suicide Squad’ – what? No, it’s this group. It’s these people right here. They’re the real heroes,” he said, gesturing to his “Awesomes” family.

The “Eastbound and Down” actor went on to explain why Hulu is the perfect outlet for the kind of offbeat humor shows like “The Awesomes” are known – and loved – for. He should know. The streaming outlet rescued fan favorite “The Mindy Project” after Fox gave it the axe in May. As a writer and co-star of the Mindy Kaling-led series, the pickup gave Ike a whole new level of respect and understanding for TV’s evolving landscape.

“They are just so cool and supportive, and excited to create comedy,” he said of Hulu. “It’s kind of inspiring, it really is. Big fans of those guys.”

In addition, Ike discussed the freedom he’s discovered in working for a modern platform.

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“It takes away some of the silly, antiquated constraints of a network show,” he told Access. “No offense to a network, but they have a different type of viewer and I think a little bit more inherent fear. … Just to not have that worry and just to kind of be able to open it up a little bit and not be afraid, I feel like, is something we’re really excited about.”

Taran agreed, saying he believes Hulu continues to embrace “The Awesomes” because it was one of their first original shows. Even as their roster continues expanding, the “SNL” comedian believes loyalty and appreciation are major components of the successful relationship. Plus, he added, the creative team isn’t one to sneeze at.

“I feel like the first cut is the deepest a little bit,” he said, “and I think if you get a show written by Seth Meyers and Mike Shoemaker, you’re going to want it around as long as possible.”

What may seem like such a close-knit working environment is actually not the case, at least technically speaking, as the cast often performs their work independently of one another. The staggered production structure is common for animated series, but Seth explained how the reward of seeing the finished product come together brings the whole process full circle.

“The great thing about watching the show and edits of it is that it makes me feel like we were all together in one room, which is not the case,” the “Late Night” host told Access. “It makes you feel like you got to hang out with your friends.”

Hulu renewed the “The Awesomes” for a third season in August.

— Erin Biglow

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