Hey Kids, Comics! #245 - The Full Bronty
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Dinosaurs. Latin for "terrible lizards". Though despite the connotations of the word these long-extinct animals have fascinated the world and for centuries. Is it any surprise, then, that they are staples of the comics?
This week Andrew Farmer indulges JediCole Houston's lifelong love of all prehistoric life with an issue that concentrates on dinosaurs in comics. While a prior show did explore the bygone epochs that spawned these mighty beasts, more often than not they occur in comics not in the primeval past but in the present day, or on alien worlds, or through the machinations of science.
Join your hosts on an exploration of Dinosaur Island, the Savage Land, and the Xenozoic Age. Meet intrepid time travelers, sentient anthropomorphic dinosaurs, and the unfortunate individuals who unexpectedly come face to face with dinosaurs not in a Michael Crichton novel. There is something here for every enthusiast of the age of reptiles!
Hey Kids, Comics! #244 - Comics...the Final Frontier
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They used to say that an inker was just a tracer and that comics are just for kids. But an inker adds depth and texture, and comics are graphic fiction. Do you think that Jack Kirby hadn’t collaborated with Stan Lee the we would have ever got Watchmen? That’s like saying that you wish you just had Little Lulu and Jughead’s Double Digest like your great-great-great grandfather used to. Hey Kids, Comics! Is in command of this podcast. Andrew and Cole could fall back on this, but won’t even if such comics had not potential to expand minds or push boundaries, but instead will point out the potential for the advancement of comics as an art form. Comics! Coimcs are our business! That’s what this show is all about! That’s why you are here!
Welcome to a very Star Trek issue of HKC! in which Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston pay tribute to STar Trek on the occasion of it's 51st birthday! From Gold Key to IDW, the various incarnations of Gene Roddenberry's greatest work has enjoyed a nearly non-stop comic book presence.
Lifelong Star Trek fan Catherine Houston joins the lively discussion of the varied incarnations of Star Trek in comics as well as on screens large and small. So beam up this great episode, pour up a flagon of Saurian brandy, and join the fun in the final frontier.
Hey Kids, Comics! #243 - Cine-Files: Straight Outta Comics
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We arrive at long last at the final issue of the Cine-Files story arc. It has been quite a journey through comic books and the cinema. For a change of pace, this issue takes a different approach to the theme, focusing on movies that are like comic books but not based on any specific existing property.
Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston bring you a variety of movies that fit the topic, from the obvious to the unique. They are joined in this pursuit by Eddie Medina of The Rantcor Pit Live.
From the obvious to the truly obscure to those films that just feel like a comic story, the variety of movies covered is as diverse as the reasons they were considered for inclusion in the discussion. Enjoy this curious take on the comic book and super hero genre when there is no source material from which the plots are drawn.
Hey Kids, Comics! #242 - Cine-Files: DCisions, DCisions
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Welcome to the penultimate issue of Cine-Files, HKC!'s look at the modern comic book movie. Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston continue to explore the super-hero on film, turning their attentions this week on DC Comics and Warner Brothers.
Seemingly in spite of a goldmine of bankable character properties and potential franchises, Warner Brothers continues to limp along at the box office when it comes to feature films based on DC heroes. Eschewing the slow burn formula employed by Marvel, the studio still embraces their rush to the Justice League and a string of solo films to follow.
Puzzling through this trend, your hosts are joined by none other than the Vebabomber himself, PJ Dunn! With ample insights and a critical eye, PJ hops headlong into the fray and many a question about what is up at Warner Brothers, especially of late, is bandied about. Discover what came of this very different conversation about super-heroes and the big screen.
Hey Kids, Comics! #241 - Cine-Files: Assembly Required
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Welcome to the middle chapter of the Cine-Files story arc! Things are heating up as Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston take a long look at the nature of the modern Marvel movies. From a stumbling start to a successful run that seems intent not to slow down, Marvel Comics movies have proven themselves to be the best. Certainly there have been misfires here and there, but for the most part, the hits just keepon coming!
Certainly there have been misfires here and there, but for the most part, the hits just keep on coming! Marvel Studios films make up the bulk of the conversation, but movies from Fox and Sony sneak in as well. As technology caught up to the super-hero move, the super-hero movie must now deliver from the standpoint of excellent writing and a quality production.
Discover how Marvel rose to the top after many a dreadful film, created a slow path to universe building that Warner seems to eschew, and have fun in the Marvel Universe on the big screen in this special issue!
Hey Kids, Comics! #240 - Cine-Files: Movie Knights
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The Dark Knight Detective has been a part of Hollywood since the days of the weekly serials. Batman is by far one of the most popular and recognizable comic book characters out there, so this is little wonder.
As Cine-Files continues, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston explore the rich history of the cinematic Caped Crusader, most especially from Tim Burton forward.
The title of the last issue seems applicable when it comes to good (often great), the bad, and the (really) confusing in the history of Batman on film. Sometimes gritty, sometimes silly, Gotham's greatest hero provides plenty of fodder for this issue of the show.
We want to issue a special thanks to Batman-Online.com ,for their exhaustive research, and panel by still comic/movie comparisons!
The Rantcor Pit Live is on the Move! - Important News on the Show
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In case you missed it (and have subsequently been wondering what became of The Rantcor Pit Live), JediCole Houston and Eddie-Wan Medina took "The Pit" to Dallas on Air about two months back. Still airing on the first and third Sundays of every month, just with a brand new network.
And now at a brand new time! The live show has a new, earlier start time (10:30 AM Central), so you need to dial up the show a lot earlier to get in on all of the simple tricks and nonsense you have come to love in the last three years.
Click Here for The Rantcor Pit Live on Dallas on Air
Click Here for the Dallas on Air Live Stream
Look for your favorite Star Wars Guys August 6 and August 20 - and every first and third Sunday thereafter - and get in on the fun from a galaxy far, far away!
Click Here for The Rantcor Pit Live Show Archive
Hey Kids, Comics! #239 - Cine-Files: The Good, the Bad, and the Confusing
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Hey Kids, Movies!
Something good. Some thing bad. A little of both. That sums up this opening of a new story arc on HKC! Your hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston bid farewell to the summer movie season in the best way they can, by exploring the super-hero and comic genre in American cinema.
We've come a long way bringing the super-hero to the big screen. As technology and materials caught up to the often impossible world of the comic book character, the bigger hurdle would become exactly what, from the movie studio standpoint, to do with these properties. More often than not the answer would be just to waste good characters on bad screenplays and lackluster actors.
Times did change and the genre came of its own, hence the arc to come. In this initial issue, the rise of the comic movie is explored in advance of the next few issues concentrating on specific franchises that shaped the modern comic book movie.
Hey Kids, Comics! #238 - This is NOT a Comic Book Show!
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Well of course it's a comic book show, but not this week. This week it becomes more of a toy show (toys have been a big part of the JCU lately). There was just too much in the realm of Hasbro's amazing Marvel Legends line announced at SDCC to not devote an issue to some upcoming action figure gold!
From exclusives at Walgreens, Amazon, and Wal-Mart to general releases, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston can't wait for a great many of the figures that are slated to appear in the coming months, a great many on August 1, 2017!
"Thor: Ragnarok", Spider-Man, and Deadpool lines are just some of the goodies teased at San Diego Comic Con. Find out which ones are the most exciting to your hosts. Discover what is going to make Marvel Legends based on movies and television so much better going forward. Listen to the unmitigated glee of two grown men who just want more toys!
Hey Kids, Comics! Summer Fun Supplemental - Exclusively Yours SDCC 2017
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Every year San Diego Comic Con rolls around. Every year (of late) there are exclusive collectibles that can often be had nowhere else. Every year Hey Kids, Comics! hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston bitch about this fact.
Why should this year be any different? So in spite of themselves, and left off of the Summer Fun issue due to timing, your hosts bring you this year's rant about SDCC and its many tantalizing exclusives!
Hey Kids, Comics! #237 - Summer Fun 2017
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Welcome to an issue that has been long awaited by your hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston, the annual Summer Fun edition!
This year the fun takes on a whole new twist as special guest Nathan Cochenour brings his unique brand of wit to the proceedings. This young mental athlete takes on a Herculean set of tasks as challenged by the minds behind HKC!
How will he fare against such conundrums as Yahoo! Answers, sorting real and fake comic book characters, and an "Old Hollywood" favorite known as Pitch Man?
Well half the fun - more than half, actually - is finding out for yourself by listening to this hilarious, off-the-rails episode of the JCU's weekly comic book extravaganza. Next week things return to normal, after all.
Also find out what the Hell THIS is all about!
The Rantcor Pit #68 - Hey Hasbro! (Part 2: Back in Black)
/Note: When originally recorded, this episode was mistakenly referred to as #67.
The Rantcor toy wish list just keeps on coming! For one more episode anyway.
Both of your hosts are not only steeped in "The Star Wars", they also love them some Star Wars toys. As avid collectors since childhood, they both have a dog in the fight when it comes to action figures from Hasbro that have yet to see the light of day. Given the rich variety of the source material, it is little wonder that they had to expand this topic into two episodes! This one, ideally, delving into the Black Series 6" figure line. Mostly.
The entire Saga is open season when it comes to the choices of characters and creatures Cole Houston and Eddie Medina would snatch up in action figure form. With even more movies on the horizon excitement is high for them both, but there is also some cautious optimism. Find out what ELSE they would love to see Hasbro produce in the coming years beyond just "The Last Jedi" and the upcoming solo "Han Solo" film characters.
Hey Hasbro! The Rantcor Pit has spoken! Now it's time to get these toys on the fast track!
Honorable Mention (since it did not get mentioned on the show): A great accessory piece to an action figure would be a figurine of a steelpecker from Jakku.
Hey Kids, Comics! #236 - The Writing on the Wall
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Watchmen.
JediCole's love of Watchmen is legendary. After all, the man has easily logged over 30 hours speaking on the this title alone on various podcasts over the last decade! So it is little wonder that it took nearly 250 issues of this show for he and Andrew farmer to devote another hour to the topic.
With the groundbreaking mini-series nearing its 30th anniversary, the phenomenon that the Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons opus has spawned, likely much to Moore's disdain. So this issue is devoted to the overall Watchmen experience. Beyond the comic book (and its myriad reprints in various formats) lies a history as the "unfilmable comic book story", a successful feature film, sporadic merchandising, prequel comics, and a future works that would never have been imagined back in the 80s.
Catherine "Mrs. JediCole" joins your hosts as they explore comics, movies, toys, more comics, and animation in the context of the overarching success of Watchmen. Discover why this title has particular significance to the Houstons, learn the curious history of the long road to the cinema, and find out about plans for the property at DC Comics and Warner Brothers.
Who watches the watchmen? "Hey Kids, Comics!" does!
Hey Kids, Comics! #235 - Independents Day
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Independent. A word that invokes a great many definitions, even when applied to comic books. What qualifies a comic book, or more specifically a publisher of said comic, as an “independent”?
This is a question that Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston seek to answer as they explore the various booms and busts of independent comic book publishing. Hundreds of publishers have come and gone in the last 30 years alone, and with them thousands of titles. Some remain household names, some are all but forgotten. From the enduring classics to the “Quarter Bin” fodder, many are the Indy comics that have been a part of the publishing landscape for decades.
Special guest Weldon Adams joins your hosts on this journey into this important – if often struggling – facet of comics. Lending his unique expertise and long history in the field, Weldon again enhances the scope of the discussion at hand. Join in on this fascinating look at third tier publishers and all those that carved out a niche in publishing. And those that were just a flash in the pan or failed miserably in their bid to attract readers. Declare you “Independents” with this amazing new issue of the JCU’s longest running podcast.
Hey Kids, Comics! #234 - Period Pieces: The Wild, Wild Best
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Howdy, pardner! Welcome to the final chapter of this here "Period Pieces" story arc. Fast Draw Farmer and Sith-Gun Kid Houston are a ridin' into town to talk up the Western genre of comic books.
Tales of the untamed West are popular in every medium, and comics are no exception. Your hosts embark on this favorite aspect of Americana with the duly deputized help of Shawn Padilla, a member of the All-Con Games and Theory show host team.
Delving into the rich history of Western history in comics like so many prospectors during the Gold Rush, a different kind of gold is discovered in this issue. While synonymous with super-heroes, Marvel and DC Comics both have a sizable corral of wild west heroes that become the focus of the show.
So grab your six guns and your rifle, saddle up your best horse, and hit the trail as the Western period becomes the final stop on this long journey through time...in comics.
The Rantcor Pit #67 - Hey Hasbro! (Part 1: Small Scale, Big Ideas)
/Note: When originally recorded, this episode was mistakenly referred to as #66.
The Force of July 2017 Begins Here!
Welcome to an great new episode of The Rantcor Pit that, during the course of its production, has expanded into a two-parter! As a companion piece to the last show, Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina decided to make their impassioned pleas to Hasbro for some of the characters, vehicles, and environments of the Star Wars universe they would like to see get the toy treatment.
Since Hasbro's acquisition of Tonka in 2000, which included Kenner Products, Star Wars figures have enjoyed a unique status in the toy manufacturer's line. From periods where it was insisted that this is a toy line and toys are for kids to periodic illustrations of a recognition of the thriving adult collector market, the nature and focus of Star Wars action figures has been rather fluid in nature. Your hosts, in common with most collectors, naturally have their own wish list, much of which is shared on this episode.
Join your hosts as they delve into every facet of the Saga, from the from feature films to comics to animated series to share their top picks for (as yet) unproduced toys in both current scales, with a focus on the 3.75" line.
Hey Kids, Comics! #233 - Period Pieces: Get Medieval
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"Period Pieces" continues to move forward in time as Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston make the jump to Medieval Europe. Harken back to days of old when nights were bold and the like...
Steve McCauley of the the infamous year of Camelot 3000 joins the discussion as Hey Kids, Comics! explores characters and stories of the period, the appeal of "Medieval times", and the influence of knights and chivalry on modern characters.
Sally forth then, stout yeoman on a journey to the past and the heroes and villains of those valiant days. This lively exploration is certain to please Lords and Ladies and common folk alike!
Hey Kids, Comics! #232 - Period Pieces: When in Greco-Rome
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A funny thing happened on the way to the Hey Kids, Comics! Okay, not so much a funny thing as Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston open up a personal "forum" on Ancient Greece and Rome in comics. This issue continues the time-hopping journey through Antiquity with a look at the influence of the Classics on comic book heroes and storylines.
It would not be a look at this fascinating period of world history without the addition of scholarly guest Kelly Long who joins in to add her wealth of knowledge. This "Roman holiday" issue of the show brings "Period Pieces" to its middle point and draws illustrates how popular the gods and goddesses of Olympus are to comic book creators.
From Frank Miller's well-known swords and sandals epic to the European import "Asterix the Gaul" there's a whole lot a' Roman goin' on!
The Rantcor Pit #66 - The New Black
/Note: When originally recorded, this episode was mistakenly referred to as #65.
Since 1978 toys have been a huge part of the Star Wars experience for fans and collectors. From the beginnings at the once obscure Kenner Products to the seemingly endless waves of action figures, accessories, and toys coming from Hasbro, there is no shortage of toys based on the Saga. This episode sees Cole Houston and Eddie Medina turning their attention specifically to the Black Series line of 6" action figures.
Beginning in 2013, the Black Series has continued to bring forth dozens of new figures, including an ever-increasing number of store and convention exclusives, which are increasingly sought after by collectors. The larger scale lends greater detail and articulation as well as tremendous adult collector appeal.
Discover the world of Black Series Star Wars figures as Cole and Eddie talk about their own collecting experiences as well as the history of the line.
As promised, click here to see the Entertainment Earth coverage of the creation of the Black Series Greedo figure!
Though it is now two months old, nearly three, it is time to introduce fans of the JCU to JediCole's latest endeavor, "Aisle of Toys".
Launched on Sunday, August 20, 2017 as part of the Dallas OnAir lineup, this new live-streaming podcast explores one of Cole's passions. With the intention of delving into all varieties of toys, this new monthly program will focus on a different toy or toy line, genre of toy, or toy collector.
Discover a universe of popular toys with in-studio guests and prerecorded segments, among other features, each and every month right before the second monthly episode of "The Rantcor Pit Live" (with Cole and Eddie Medina). The next live episode will stream from 9:30 - 10:30 AM Central on Sunday, October 20, 2017 on Dallas OnAirThose Robots in Disguise - the Transformers - will be the topic of discussion.
Click here to see the "Aisle of Toys" show page and archive of past episodes.
Click here to link to Dallas OnAir to catch "Aisle of Toys" (third Sunday each month, 9:30-10:30 AM Central), "The Rantcor Pit Live" (first and third Sunday each month, 10:30-11:30 AM Central), and Eddie's new show "Figments" (first Sunday each month, 9:30-10:30 AM Central).
Stay tuned for news of upcoming interactive features with Aisle of Toys including "What's in Your Detolf?", or just watch the show each month!
