Hey Kids, Comics! Live #10 - What We Talk About When We Talk About Daredevil

JediCole here.  After a nine month run of Hey Kids, Comics! Live on Deep Ellum on Air, I must inform those who have followed this spin-off series that the following will be the final issue of the live show.  Host and show creator Andrew Farmer has returned to Ohio, making it impossible to maintain a live version of his weekly show from the studio in Dallas, Texas.  Rather than try to turn this show into a different version of the weekly pre-recorded show, with a different or rotating cast, I felt it best to cancel the series and focus on the weekly audio version that has been running for years.  In deference to the amazing run of the live show, a decision was made to give it the best possible send-off rather than abruptly announce its end.  Absent Andrew, I give you the tenth and final issue of Hey Kids,Comics! Live. 

Welcome comic book and especially Netflix Daredevil fans to the last issue of the live version of Hey Kids, Comics!  The series may be over but the fun will continue on The JediCole Universe and Deep Ellum on Air none the less!  

To conclude the series with a bang, the television epic that was the first season of Daredevil seemed the ideal topic.  Co-host Cole Houston was joined in the studio by Catherine Houston and Clay Houston to engage in a conversation so epic it could not really be contained in the one hour at their disposal.

Daredevil was such a breakaway hit and binge-watching favorite that anticipation is already running rampant for the next season!  With dynamic characters and amazing actors, this was everything the modern super-hero genre needs to be outside of the printed page.  Check out what some instant Daredevil fans had to say about the production, cast, and various nods to the Marvel Universe...

Hey Kids Comics 2015-06-20 by DeepEllumOnAir

It's always best to date a medical professional when fighting crime "two fisted"!

Hey Kids, Comics! #139 - Beyond the Big Red Cheese

Behold the power of SHAZAM!  From the innocent and playful super-hero genre flagship character of Fawcett Publications to the modern powerhouse of the New 52 era, Captain Marvel (the original one), has had a role to play in comics since the early 40s!

This week's Hey Kids, Comics! is all about "the Big Red Cheese" (per Dr. Sivana) or Captain White Bread (per Guy Gardener), the mythic-themed super-hero commonly known as SHAZAM!  With his bold chest symbol, jaunty half-cape, and magical keyword, Captain Marvel has plenty of history that the hour of this show proved far too brief to cover.  Who would have thought an orphan boy who gets lured into an elderly man's subterranean lair would turn out to be such an amazing character?

Join host Cole "JediCole" Houston in an exploration of one of the most powerful yet often underrated characters in the DC Universe.  Andrew Farmer is out this week, but Cole is joined by two great guests, reviewer Eric Shirey and his son Everett Shirey!  Get the father and son take on this classic character, as well as some other characters inspired by "the Captain".

Drs. Sivana and Gargunza

The Rantcor Pit Live #30 - Figure it Out

Welcome to the latest edition of The Rantcor Pit Live, the only Dallas-based live Star Wars podcast (and home of the Moist Side of the Force).  

One of the biggest parts of Star Wars fandom from 1977 to the present day has been the action figure.  Introduced as a licensed product by Kenner Products in one of the riskiest and most brilliant marketing schemes, the original toy line met with a success that lasted nearly a decade.  A revival ten years after the demise of the original Star Wars line has been going strong ever since.

Cole Houston and Eddie Medina, both avid action figure collectors, talk the phenomenon of Star Wars action figures from their introduction of the 3.75" scale through the more contemporary "Black Series" 6" scale figures and beyond.  Joining them in the Deep Ellum on Air studio was Greg Brown, producer of the DFW G.I. Joe and Action Figure Show coming up on Saturday, June 20, 2015!

The discussions covered the long history of the action figure lines but did veer off into G.I. Joe (natural, considering the guest) and even other favorite toy lines.  Be sure to check out this episode to discover the origin of #EwokStalker and get in on #IceCreamSoldierHunter should you be attending the convention this weekend.

Language Advisory:  There is a bit of adult language early in the episode.  Now you know.  And knowing is half the battle!


The Rantcor Pit 2015-06-14 by DeepEllumOnAir

Do It Yourself 7: Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

Yes indeed, Vegabomber and Joose are back again with another edition of Do It Yourself, the movie show that fixes up some of our favorite movies!  This time your DIY team sets their sights on a real clunker, Star Wars Episode 1:  The Phantom Menace!

Almost universally Star Wars fans found fault after fault in the return to that galaxy far, far away.  From ponderous politics to characters more at home in a cartoon than an epic feature film franchise to a lackluster origin of a major cinematic villain, there are more things wrong than right with this film.  Especially if you ask the hosts of this show!

But this intrepid team again comes to your rescue with a the good, the bad, and the really bad on screen and what they would have done differently were they in the director's chair.  So if you have ever lamented Episode 1 (and frankly who has not to some degree), you should give this latest episode a listen.

Hey Kids, Comics! #138 - I'm Waiting to Be Impressed: The 2015 SDCC Exclusives Rant

Has it been a year since Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston had their last rant about San Diego Comic Con and the exclusivity of collectibles?  Yes, yes it has!

It is time again to talk up the myriad exclusives that many a license holder are bringing to bear at SDCC.  As a catharsis of being unable to attend comics' biggest show, your hosts vent their rage about exclusive collectibles, the magnitude of the convention, and a little something about Marvel Comics.  

This year's spate of goodies has some gems, but mostly seems to be stones - something that begs question after question in its own right.  None the less there was plenty to talk about in this annual traditional issue of the show.

This just in!  The day after this issue of Hey Kids, Comics! was recorded, Hasbro announced their Marvel Comics exclusive (in the Marvel Legends scale), something seemingly lacking in this years corral of exclusives.  We present the Doctor Strange boxed set with the astral form of Strange, the Norse death goddess Hela, Brother Voodoo, Magik, and Dormommu!  Plus it is designed to mimic a magical tome and features a wearable Eye of Agamotto!

The Rantcor Pit Live #29 - Conventions, Comics, and Toys! Oh My!

Welcome to the latest edition of The Rantcor Pit Live!  If you missed the original broadcast on Deep Ellum on Air (Sunday, May 31, 2015), consider this your second chance to check it out!

Eddie Medina was busily selling his art at the Fan Expo in Dallas the day of the show, so Cole Houston took on solo hosting duties again.  For this episode he was joined by the promoters of two upcoming fan-themed Texas conventions.  Allen of Texas Comic Fest (where the JCU will have a booth) and  Ben from Brazos Valley Comic Con join the fun in the studio to talk up theirs and other conventions. 

Conversations moved from conventions to comics to action figures and toys, so there was a lot of ground covered.  In Eddie's absence some big fans of Star Wars kept things lively with a look at the Marvel variant action figure-themed covers, classic vintage toys, and pretty much anything about that galaxy far, far away!



The Rantcor Pit LIVE 2015-05-31 by DeepEllumOnAir

The Disappearing Shows of The JediCole Universe

If you have tried to listen to Hey Kids, Comics!, The Rantcor Pit, Whadjathink?, Do It Yourself, Figments, BS With SB, or other shows lately, most have been decidedly unavailable.  This has been brought to my attention and I am in the process of correcting that problem.

It seems that while all of the shows are still available on PodBean, the links to said shows via Blogger, have degraded.  As a result I am going individual post to individual post to determine the status and reestablish links where necessary.  So far I have all of 2015 to date caught up, but there is far to go as there multiple shows per month that have been affected.  

Please bear with me as I get the entire JCU catalog up and running anew.  This will take about a week.

Thank you,
Cole "JediCole" Houston

Hey Kids, Comics! #137 - More on Moore: When You Gaze Into the Abyss

Welcome to the final, and darkest, chapter of More on Moore.  This week Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston brave the unflinching look that Alan Moore often takes at the human, and super-human, condition.  Not only does the author expose readers to the dark underbelly of society, but that upon which the basest form of our nature rests upon, something equally terrible - if not worse. 

With special guest Diane Tran joining in, this issue will delve into the gritty back streets, the shadowed corners, and the dizzying depths of depravity which are all too often associated with Moore’s work.  Has he lost faith in humanity or simply bucks tradition and tells it like it is at all costs.  There was certainly plenty to explore, both amazing and shocking, when these three attempted to illuminate the Stygian catacombs within the mind of Alan Moore.

So prepare yourself, o listener!  You are about to embark on a meandering path of gloom, shadows, evil, and despair, and that is just Mr. Moore’s beard!  

Hey Kids, Comics! #136 - More on Moore: A Vast Wasteland

Newton N. Minow’s 1961 description of American commercial television certainly seems applicable to Alan Moore’s appraisal of Hollywood and the adaptation of his work to the big screen.  Moore’s work that has been thusly translated into another medium has reportedly done nothing but disappoint the temperamental author, most notably Zach Snyder’s Watchmen.  Moore went so far in this case as to have his name removed from the credits of the feature film!  And so it is natural that a chapter of the latest Hey Kids, Comics! story arc be devoted to the saga of “Alan Moore vs. Hollywood”!

Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are joined this week by Hunter Duesing of Midnight Movie Cowboys in a lively discussion of the successes and failures encountered when Moore’s work has been adapted to film.  From critical and fan opinions to the disdain that the famed comic creator has for other’s vision of his vision, many are the tales of Moore on film. 

Big screen renditions abound as your hosts and their guest discuss From Hell, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Watchmen, and V for Vendetta.  You can expect that in some cases the opinions expressed may well be in keeping with those of Alan Moore himself, though there are aspects of these films that proved praise-worthy as well.  As with any transition from one medium to another, changes are required, both good and bad, and these will be explored in depth as the fate of Moore’s work when taken elsewhere is scrutinized by three film fanatics!

The Rantcor Pit Live #28 - Galactic Film Festival II

Your favorite Star Wars guys are back again and they've brought back the Galactic Film Festival!  Last September the first such collecting of fan films was produced and a follow up promised.  It took a bit longer than six months, but it has happened at last!

After a two month hiatus, Eddie Medina returns to the live show and he and Cole Houston share a new slate of favorite fan films.  With literally hundreds to choose from, it was difficult at best to narrow the field.  None the less, a select number of films were selected to be screened in part or in full.

Leading with Troops, the famous parody of the reality series Cops, this selection of titles takes a humorous turn with some of the funniest original and parody Star Wars fan films to be found.  So grab your popcorn (the hosts did, after all) and enjoy the show.  

Please silence your cell phones.  And Ewoks.


The Rantcor Pit LIVE Twin Sundance Film Fest II by DeepEllumOnAir

Find all of the films by clicking the following links:

Troops
Luke's Change
Star Wars: Retold
Troopers: Coffee Run
Ewok in an Elevator
Power of the Force Girls

Hey Kids, Comics! #135 - More on Moore: I am Legend

Alan Moore casts a long shadow on the comic world.  It is little wonder that he has become more than a legendary figure within the genre.  Your hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston will brave that legend as they seek to separate the facts and the fiction surrounding the creator of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Tom Strong, V for Vendetta, and more!

With such a task at hand, critic and comic book scholar Matt "Starman" Morrison was the ideal choice as companion on the road ahead.  Untangling the legend of Alan Moore is a task akin to straightening the myriad tangles of his beard.  And yet these three have set themselves to this Herculean task for the benefit of Hey Kids, Comics! listeners.  

Prepare yourself for a journey into the mind and myth of one of the single most influential and creative talents of our time (in comics anyway).  This middle chapter of More on Moore will prove to be a fascinating and unusual exploration indeed!

The Rantcor Pit #35 - Celebrating Celebration Part 2

Two weeks ago Scott Horne from Yak's Pub joined hosts Cole Houston and Eddie Medina to share some of the antics from Star Wars Celebration VII in Anaheim, California.  Much of that discussion included recurring JCU personality Bobby Blakey.  It seemed only fitting that we have our favorite cartoonist/film critic on the show to tell his side of the story.

So it was that Bobby shared more tales from the official Star Wars convention, Cole tried to inject some aspects of Mother's Day into the mix (as that was to have been the original air date of this episode), and Eddie discovered that there are depths to which this show can plunge when Bobby is in the mix!  

Get ready for more celebrating Celebration VII, some strange turns down the path of Star Wars character name pronunciations and Star Wars-themed porn, and even delicious Nutty Bars snack cakes!  You truly never know where things will take us on this show sometimes!

Hey Kids, Comics! Live #9 - Super Geek-Out! Special

Variant "Blank Cover" - Download and Add Your Own Art!

Welcome to the latest edition of Hey Kids, Comics! Live, a very special issue that draws together The JediCole Universe, Midnight Movie Cowboys, and The United States of Geekdom in a way that has not been seen in ages!

On Saturday, May 9, 2015 an opportunity presented itself that Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston could not resist.  Their great friend and co-host of Midnight Movie Cowboys, Stuart Baulk, was visiting Texas all the way from Melbourne, Australia!  To sweeten the pot, his original co-host Hunter Duesing lives in Dallas and was able to join the fun on the show.  Catherine "Mrs. JediCole" Houston naturally joined them in the studios of Deep Ellum on Air as a long-overdue Super Geek-Out was inevitable!  Even Rick Gutierrez managed to join the fun via phone from his vacation in California!

While not strictly a comic book-themed show, this issue of the live edition brought together many a seasoned podcaster along with multiple call-ins geeking out about all kinds of amazing things, mostly comic related.  And of course some great freebies from the Short Box!


Hey Kids, Comics! 2015-05-09 by DeepEllumOnAir

Hey Kids, Comics! #134 - More on Moore: Ego Ipse Custodes Custodio

Having cemented a reputation as a ground-breaking author of graphic fiction, Alan Moore’s star begins to shine “across the pond”.  Coming to America, Moore makes quite the splash with his take on the super-hero genre at precisely the moment that the comic medium was about to take a major turn.  Taking the wheel, this powerhouse creator brought forth the single most influential work of the first century of comics.

"Swamp Thing" goes dark under Moore.

But there was so much more than just Watchmen going on in print and in the fertile imagination of this creator.  Prior to his seminal work, a revival of the macabre title Swamp Thing redefined the character for all time and helped create what would become a new imprint for DC Comics.  With a penchant for the mysteries of the arcane, Alan Moore helped chart the mystical realms within the DC Universe through the masterful use of both existing, if retooled, characters as well as new creations, one of which would become his best known.  This even if many don’t realize that he was the creator of the man known as the “Hellblazer”!

Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston continue their exploration of the career and legend of Alan Moore, this time with Catherine “Mrs. JediCole” Houston joining the discussion.

The Rantcor Pit Live #27 - Toying Around

On Star Wars Day Eve, Sunday, May 3, 2015, Cole "JediCole" Houston was joined in the studio by three representatives of exactly the kind of retail store he'd always dreamed of but never thought possible.  A store devoted entirely to Star Wars!

Yes, it is true!  Order 66 Toys in McKinney, Texas is that very store, that impossible store!  Co-owners Jeff and Chuck and podcaster Joey made their way to Dallas to appear live in the studio to talk about how such a shop happened and share some of their stories and products.

From the rare Tri-Logo Yak Face action figure to a strand of Chewbacca's hair, there are some unique pieces to be found at Order 66.  Now they have so much more than just the ultra rarities, but the stories behind them made for fascinating discussions.  One standout was the Vlix figure from Kenner's "Droids" line.  

Check out the rest of these tales from the toy store here...

The Rantcor Pit LIVE 2015-05-03 by DeepEllumOnAir

The guys even signed the ad for Order 66 Toys in "Star Wars" #1 for Cole!

Skip eBay, Some Star Wars Celebration VII Exclusives Are Still Available!

Friend of the show (and my personal resource for many goodies from Celebration VII) Warren Jacobsen gave me the heads up on a limited number of Celebration VII Store exclusives that have become available at the original price paid at the convention!  And all of them qualify for FREE domestic shipping!  If you have not already, don't pay outrageous eBay asking prices (plus shiping) because if you wanted any of these and missed out, there is a "new hope"!

Reed Pop Supply Company is offering six popular Celebration VII exclusive items which are all available as of the posting of this announcement.  Here's what they have to offer, so be sure and check out their Star Wars Celebration Page as soon as possible so you don't miss out a second time!

Death Star Soccer Ball - $30.00 

Space Slug Jack-In-the-Box - $25.00

Admiral Ackbar Sushi Set - $35.00

Chewbacca the Sock Wookie - $25.00

Death Star Automobile Fuzzy Dice - $10.00

Talking Max Rebo Plush - $35.00

Hey Kids, Comics! #133 - More on Moore: The Works and Days

And so it begins!

As promised on Hey Kids, Comics! #130, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are going to take you on a journey into the life and history, the career and achievements, and the just plain oddities that define one of the greatest comic book creators of our day.  This would be none other than the legendary Alan Moore! 

Since this is no journey to be taken lightly, each issue of this story arc will feature one to two special guests.  This week your hosts are joined by local Dallas-area artist (and comic book scholar in his own right) Jefferson Harris.  Bringing his brainy game, Jefferson provides insight, humor, and even JediCole-style pop culture references to the discussion.  And what a discussion!

From Moore’s working class upbringing to his certainty that he has met one of his most iconic characters in person, there was much to talk about in the first chapter of what will prove to be a most satisfying exploration of a genius writer.  Cutting his creative teeth on the British anthology comic scene, usually under a sobriquet.  From there he would expand his talents remarkably with the introduction of two series in Warrior Magazine that would become world-famous.

So just who is this Alan Moore person, anyway?  That is what Andy, Cole, and Jefferson attempt to determine as they talk about this influential writer and (at times) seeming madman.  His works, his moods, his triumphs, and more…on Moore.

Also...

Click here to check out the art of guest Jefferson Harris.

The Rantcor Pit #34 - Celebrating Celebration

Your Rantcor Pit hosts Cole Houston and Eddie Medina invite you to join them in celebrating the official convention of the Star Wars known as Celebration. 

The seventh such event was held recently in Anaheim, California and welcomed thousands upon thousands of fans of the Saga from around the world.  Among them was the creator of the photographic web comic Yak’sPub and the guest for this episode, Scott Horne.  As the author of a popular fan series and a member of the 501st Legion, Scott has enjoyed his first experience with the phenomenon that is Star Wars Celebration and was happy to share it with you and your hosts on this show.  JCU contributor Bobby Blakey plays a sizeable role in these memoirs!

JediCole had attended Celebration VI three years earlier and mingles his experiences at that event with those of the Rantcor Pit’s guest.  From panels and costumes to collectibles and fans, there is a lot to cover when talking up this amazing event.  Many are the tales shared as anticipation builds for the future and Celebration VIII, when and wherever that may occur!  In the mean time, get a taste of what it is like to attend the Holy Grail of Star Wars conventions on this special episode!

And now a special photo gallery featuring Celebration VI photos from JediCole and Celebration VII photos from Scott Horne.

Finally, as promised, Scott's poster of the Heimlich Maneuver published as a Yak's Pub promo!  (This is a copy of the poster in the collection of JediCole.)

Hey Kids, Comics! #132 - Robots Not in Disguise

It's time once again for Hey Kids, Comics!, the JCU podcast that takes an in-depth look at comics in unique new ways.  This time your hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are going to get all robotic on you with a look at the massive population of robots and robotic characters that can be found all over the comic book realm!

Not a Transformer, nor Shogun Warrior, nor Go-Bot, Joe Pi stands alone.

With Avengers: Age of Ultron soon to be unleashed in theaters, it seemed only logical to talk up all things robotic.  DC and Marvel certainly have a long history of fielding characters that were man-made, often with unexpected results.  Who would have thought an automaton, robot, android, or mechanical man could walk through walls or catch fire?  But then that is how you get some memorable characters that are inorganic in nature.

 From robots with unexpected origins to a team made up of their ilk, you can always count on some new robotic hero or villain cropping up.  Some seem to have adopted the Tyrell Corporation slogan and seem more human than human, others begin their virtual life awkwardly imitating their creator's nature.  Still others are just the mobile sum of their programming, nothing more or less.  But when it comes to creating robots, people in comics should always expect the unexpected!

Dr. Magnus gets more than he bargained for with his precursor to Galaxina!

The Rantcor Pit Live #26 - The Magnificent Sevens

The Rantcor Pit Live (archive) is here at last!  If you missed the show on Sunday, April 19, 2015 then here is your second chance to see Cole "JediCole" Houston and special guest co-host Rick Gutierrez (of The United States of Geekdom) talking up Star Wars "sevens".  

Joining them in the studio was Christy Jedigoddess of Jedigoddess Presents, the show that follows this one on Deep Ellum on Air!  As for the sevens in question, there were two that weekend, the recently released new trailer for Star Wars Episode VII:  The Force Awakens and Star Wars Celebration VII in Anaheim, California!

Join in on the fun as Cole surprises Rick, delicious fictional breakfast cereal is enjoyed, thoughts on the new trilogy are discussed, and pining for Celebration VII is shared.  You will even find out what Cole noticed about the maybe-or-maybe-not new Stormtrooper, Finn!  

Hot on the heels of the first anniversary of this very show comes a seven-filled special episode that is the perfect way to start a Star Wars day (a couple of weeks before "Star Wars Day")!


The Rantcor Pit 2015-04-19 by