The Rantcor Pit #62 - Decades: 40 Years of Star Wars Episode 1: A More Civilized Age

Note:  When originally recorded, this episode was mistakenly referred to as #61.

The audio podcast of The Rantcor Pit is back in time for the 40th anniversary month of Star Wars!  And what a month it is going to be, as your hosts have big plans for May

Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina proudly present the first of four episodes in May discussing four decades of Star Wars, one decade at a time!  This series launches with the period from late May 1977 to late May 1987.  Effectively delving into the years from the premiere of the movie that would come to be called "A New Hope" straight through to "Return of the Jedi" and beyond. 

Step back in time with a combination of year-by-year research and personal remembrances from Cole and Eddie.  From the moment that Star Wars leapt at light speed from obscure sci-fi film with little studio support to a cultural phenomenon that spans the globe to this day through the year that changed everything for this iconic franchise for years to follow, a lot of history is covered in this nearly 90 minute opening chapter.

Hey Kids, Comics! #226 - Expanding a Universe

Yesterday, at the time of this writing, the "Fourth" was with us in the form of Star Wars Day.  Now, in honor of Revenge of the Fifth, hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston have chosen to take a look at the early days of Star Wars comics from Marvel.

From unlikely beginnings in 1977, Star Wars made its mark at "The House of Ideas".  Despite early misgivings on science fiction comics in general and movie tie-ins specifically, what started off as just an adaptation of a summer film became, for the publisher, something of the blockbuster that the movie became for LucasFilm and 20th Century Fox.

No exploration of Star Wars comics would be complete at the JCU without none other than The Rantcor Pit's own Eddie Medina.  Lending his own experiences with this successful title, that enjoyed 107 regular issues, Eddie also brings along the excitement and enthusiasm of a hardcore fan.

If you like "The Star Wars" and the comics, this is the issue of the show you have been waiting for, and in the midst of two big days of Star Wars celebration in the midst of "May the Foruth Be With You" and "Revenge of the Fifth"!

The Force on the Fourth: The Rantcor Pit Road Show Summer Invasion Begins!

There is a brand new annual tradition for the JCU that begins...nowish!

On Star Wars Day (May the Fourth Be With You), The Rantcor Pit Road Show Summer Invasion begins at the City of Burleson Recreation Center's event.  The first stop of seven on a journey around the Dallas Fort Worth area. 

Between May 4 and August 13, "Your Favorite Star Wars Guys" will be bringing their special brand of simple tricks and nonsense to one event, two comic shops, and four conventions!  Each stop on the tour is a little different with everything from emceeing to recordings of future shows, to panel discussions, to the official game show of the Rantcor Pit, The Galactic Games!

Check out the links below to follow Cole Houston and Eddie Medina as they celebrate three years of The Rantcor Pit Live and forty years of Star Wars over one (not Corvette) summer!

May the Fourth Be With You  May 4; Burleson, TX

Famous Monsters Convention  May 26-28; Dallas, TX

DFW G.I. Joe & Action Figure Show  June 10; Grapevine, TX

Geek Out  June 24; 102 S. Main Street, Burleson, TX

A Galaxy Called Dallas  July 8; 1238 Beltline Road #365, Garland, TX

ArlingCon  July 15;  Arlington, TX

Infinicon 2017 August 11-13; Addison, TX

Come to any or all of these events and join the Rantcorps!

Hey Kids, Comics! #225 - Cat Tail

NOTE:  This issue contains adult themes and some minimal language that my not be appropriate for all listeners.  You have been warned!

Welcome to a special issue of Hey Kids, Comics! in which Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston explore a rare gem in the history of modern comics, "Omaha the Cat Dancer"!

Originally published in 1984, what could have been just another hardcore "dirty comic" would prove to be a compelling drama replete with intrigues, love, death, betrayals, and the inherent hypocrisy of people in power. 

Join your hosts as they bring two unique perspectives on this groundbreaking, often controversial title - that of a fan from the beginning and a newcomer to Omaha.  Discover how a talented team can create an adult-oriented book that rises above its origins and becomes perhaps the most approachable and worthwhile examples of its genre.

Hey Kids, Comics! #224 - Recommended Reading IV

Welcome to the latest incarnation of Recommended Reading from Hey Kids, Comics!

Feeling it had been too long since last they delved into personal recommendations for comics you may never have read, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are pleased to, for the fourth time, devote an issue of the show to some more top picks.

In the interest of not revealing too much about the comics discussed, introductions are brief this week.  Suffice it to say that there's more to this edition than just a couple of beetles!

Hey Kids, Comics! #223 - Sole Survivors

"Hey Kids, Comics! is back in the saddle with the return of the Friday release!

"Last Sons and Last Daughters of" are remarkably commonplace in comics.  So much so that hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston just had to follow up last issue's pairings with an exploration of universal orphans. It's not easy to live 

It's not easy to live as the only remaining individual from your planet or the last of your species.  Many a super-hero (and indeed villain) carry that burden...and some will remind you every chance they get.  Whether by accident or design, force of nature or force of man, there is always somebody who manages to escape the fate of their kind only to enjoy (or suffer) a different kind of fate entirely.

From the Last Son of Krypton to many a Herald of Galactus and everywhere in between, HKC! brings you those who are, or thought they were until survivor inflation set in) the last of their kind...

Hey Kids, Comics! #222 - Two of a Kind

Still running a touch behind here, folks, but #223 is already in the can so look for things to return to normal on Friday.

In the meantime, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston look into the comic hero team-ups that endure.  Not the "Marvel-Two-in-One" single story pairings, but rather those of the "World's Finest" variety.

For decades, a prevailing theme in comics has been the team-up.  From full scale teams like the Avengers to those "hard traveling heroes, Green Lantern and Green Arrow, pooling resources is always the best approach.  One of the most compelling teams has long been the pairing of two existing heroes in a "buddy picture" dynamic.

Join your hosts on a special journey through some of the top team-ups-of-two in the history of comics.  Some playful, some deadly serious, all amazing as part of one of the enduring concepts in super-hero narratives.

Hey Kids, Comics #221 - That Moment When

The "Hey Kids, Comics!" posts on the JCU are nearly caught up!

There are times when a comic book becomes more than just another monthly chapter of illustrated narrative.  At their best, comics can be thought-provoking, alter our mood, or speak to us on a deeply personal level.  

These and other such personal experiences are on the collective mind of your hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston this week.  In a special and most reflective issue of the show, they talk about those moments when a comic book story gave them pause.

Be warned!  This issue can be rather spoiler-rich as your hosts take a serious look at a handful of instances where a comic gave them chills or caused them to stop reading to take in the "wow" all that a few panels contained beyond the obvious.  "Saga of the Swamp Thing", "Countdown to Infinite Crisis", "Watchmen", "Saga" "Identity Crisis", and even some of the Wolfman/Perez run on "The New Teen Titans" are among the titles and stories discussed.  Beware of spoilers!

Hey Kids, Comics #220 - Marsh Madness

The joke would have been more effective had this published on time back in late March...

Welcome to the ultimate in sloppy slap-downs, Hey Kids, Comics! Marsh Madness!

The "swamp supreme" gather yet again to duke it out for the coveted win that will determine the Atlas of Algae, the Sultan of Sludge, the Master of Moss, and/or the Liege of Lichen!  

Your hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston bring you all of the action swampside as this brackish bracket whittles down the field to until a new Bayou Badass is crowned!

A Would-Be Contender

Hey Kids, Comics! #219 - ....And Where Are All the Gods?

Catching up on backlog of unpublished (here) Hey Kids, Comics! issues continues.

Andrew Farmer is off the leash this outing as JediCole was off running Games and Theory at All-Con XIII in Texas and somebody had to keep things going.  By the time this has finally found its way up on the JCU site, All-Con has long since passed, but the fun is still there.  Special guest Jason "Old Hollywood" Adams returns to the fold as substitute Cole and a look at comics and Hollwood (no surprise)!

Your hosts talk "Logan", the future of super-hero films and appeal to Wesley Snipes (among other greatness).  With "Logan" having been the topic of the last episode, the conversation does turn in other directions entirely.

As is so often the case when fanboy minds connect, things go off and on the rails on a constant.  From " to "Powerless" and beyond, this issue may not always be about comic books, but it does deliver on unexpected levels.

The Rantcor Pit #61 - The Wonderful World of Wookiees

It's time to embark for Kashyyyk!  Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina are on a quest to explore the life and times of one of the most iconic alien races from "the Star Wars" - Wookiees!  But they won't be going it alone.

Joining them this outing are Chris and Caleb of the Holy Nerdy Podcast!  These seasoned podcasters become immersed in The Pit as well as the thick manes of Wookiees.  Chewbacca is naturally center stage in the conversation, but his brethren who appeared in Episode III are also part of the mix.

Grab your Life Day robes and your bowcasters, its time to delve deep into all things Wookiee.  Discover what you never knew and what you don't want to know as Your Favorite Star Wars Guys wind up in the hairy middle of a Wookiee world!

Plus, find out why THIS is a major sticking point from Return of the Jedi.

Hey Kids, Comics! #218 - Wolverines!

We're running late, bub.  Very late.  

For nearly 20 years, Hugh Jackman has defined the character of Logan, aka Wolverine, aka James Howlett.  In "Logan", we bid a fond farewell to the feral of the X-Men.  This week Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston take a look at the life and times of Wolverine on the big screen.

Some wounds never heal, but "Logan" goes a long way toward patching things up with fans still smarting from "X-Men Origins:  Wolverine".  This is just one of the many topics discussed as your hosts explore the man who's the best there is at what he does!

So pop open a beer, pop your <shudder> adamantium laced bone claws, and pop in on HKC! as they discuss...wait for it...WOLVERINE!

The Rantcor Pit #60 - Jedi Answers

Welcome to the latest (and just over a week late) episode of "The Rantcor Pit"!

This outing finds hosts Cole Houston and Eddie Medina delve into some territory twice explored by "Hey Kids, Comics!", Yahoo Answers!

Your intrepid hosts are not going it alone, though!  They are joined by Jeff McGee of Marvin Dog Media and a myriad of podcasts.  Jeff comes out swinging as he is introduced to the curious world of Yahoo Answers for the first time. 

From taun tauns to Obi-Wan Kenobi to Ewoks to the plot of The Empire Strikes Back (and even a former Alaskan Governor), this episode covers some serious ground.  Join in the fun and discover what The Rantcor Pit discovered amid the questions on Yahoo!

Hey Kids, Comics! #217 - Relatively Speaking

It's "family time" for HKC! this week as Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston look into the dynamics of super-powered siblings as well as parent-child relationships in comics.

In a seemingly Marvel-centric issue, your hosts are joined by none other than JediCole's own brother, Clay Houston.  Over a year after his appearance on the final episode of Hey Kids, Comics! Live, he makes his debut on the main show!

Join the fun as two brothers and Cole's "other brother" discuss family matters in comics and the odd dynamic of "the Batman Family".

Hey Kids, Comics! #216 - Maybe They're Just Looking For Answers

Questions.  Questions, questions, questions.  So many questions are out there, especially for comic book fans.  But where to seek answers to the questions posed?

Yes!  Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston have returned to Yahoo Answers to seek out both answers and the questions that inspired them.  From Batman to Spider-Man and beyond, be prepared for things to get particularly odd in this special issue where your hosts take time out for a little fun.

It gets even more fun as they are joined by Eddie (The Rantcor Pit, Figments) Medina!  There are questions and the answers can be found right here!

The Rantcor Pit #59 - Star Wares Department

Welcome to the Galactic Gourmet, home of Star Wars kitchenware galore.  

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, etc.  There is nothing you can't prepare without some kind of Star Wars kitchen item at hand to help.  From prep to serving, spatulas, timers, small appliances, tableware, salt and pepper shakers, dry goods containers, measuring cups, glasses, napkins, and more are at every fan's disposal.

Join Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina as they look around the kitchen, literally, and discover everything that has a Star Wars theme.  Baking, cooking, seasoning, serving, and dining...all bases can be covered in a Star Wars fashion these day.

So grab the blue milk and the Jawa juice and the bantha loin for Wookiee Floor Soup and bring your appetite as the kitchen goes intergalactic!

Hey Kids, Comics! #215 - Psi-Fi: Godlike

Welcome to the conclusion of Psi-Fi, HKC!'s exploration of all things psionic.  This arc has been building toward a dynamic conclusion that arrives now!

Great responsibility comes with great power, unless the power is so great that responsibility becomes something alien to the one in possession of such power.  That is where psionics enter the realm of godlike.

Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are your guides into the realm of the gods themselves (in comics) this week.  Join in on the discussion of powers so far beyond those of mortal men that even the Universe itself is bedeviled.  This is the ultimate power...

Hey Kids, Comics! #214 - Psi-Fi: Countermeasures

As Psi-Fi draws closer to its conclusion, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston seek to reconcile the incredible power of the mind (in comics) with some means to counteract such power.  Is "fighting fire with fire the only option?

For every action there should be an equal and opposite reaction.  But when the very laws of nature can be defied at will, that becomes a different story.  Your hosts explore the ways that different writers have approached the problem of keeping psionics in check or eliminating the power all together. 

No easy task to be sure.  From technologies to utilization of other psionics to the old "writer's shoulder shrug" that makes anything possible, the ways in which super powers are counteracted have been myriad.  Sometimes brilliant, sometimes laughable, the penultimate issue of this arc explores as many your hosts could conjure.  This includes determining what hope the non-powered have against a psi-attack!

Hey Kids, Comics! #213 - Psi-Fi: Heavy Hitters

The power of the mind is the thing again this week (even if JediCole's old-man-brain managed to forget to post the show on Friday) as Psi-Fi continues.  This time exploring the biggest mental power players in comics.

When it comes to psionics, some just have it better than others.  A LOT better.  Powers that not only boggle, but control the minds of others.  Or powers that tap into telekinesis to manipulate matter on scales large, small, and even colossal!  Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston try to get their minds around the uber-powerful minds of some of the mightiest psionics.  

Discover the power players of psionics and delve deeper into the definitions and "species" of such powers with a pair who are discovering the nature of this topic right along with you!

The Rantcor Pit #58 - Character Witness: Rogue One

The "Star Wars Guys" are back at last!  Welcome to a long-awaited new episode of The Rantcor Pit!  

Still celebrating Rogue One, Cole Houston and Eddie Medina embark on an exploration of the new and returning characters that people the first Star Wars anthology film.

With a rich ensemble of characters good, bad, and crazy, Rogue One proved the perfect jumping off point for a new recurring series, "Character Witness".  Your hosts will discuss the diverse and often unique characters of the latest arrival to the Star Wars pantheon with an in-depth look at some of the most compelling new faces.

So listen to a fascinating journey through the characters that made Rogue One such an ideal Star Wars film as seen through the eyes of two lifelong fans!