The Rantcor Pit #33 - Mark of Distinction

A day later than expected there is at last a new episode of The Rantcor Pit!  

A lost recording and a second try later Cole Houston and Eddie Medina are proud to bring you a look at Mark Hamill and his impact on Star Wars and so much more!  

Not only did this actor bring so much life to the character of Luke Skywalker, he also embraced the ever-developing nature of the farm boy turned Jedi.  From A New Hope to Return of the Jedi, Luke grew mentally and spiritually and Hamill captured every subtle nuance.  The whiny, ever-put upon Lars nephew gave way to the only-whiny-when-confronted-with-a-dark-lineage Jedi-in-training who would one day be a Jedi, like his father before him.

Beyond Star Wars, Mark Hamill seems to have been everywhere over the years, ultimately returning to his voice acting roots.  His characterization of Batman's most villainous foe has become for many the definitive incarnation of the Joker.  This and more is explored as your two favorite Star Wars guys talk about the career and pop-culture contributions of Mark Hamill! 

What Became of JCU Sunday Funnies?

As you may have seen, I've fallen a bit behind on things for the JCU in the last few days.  So naturally it might not have seemed alarming that there was not a new You Are Here yesterday morning.

The reality in this case is that the series is going on a hiatus to allow Bobby Blakey a break from this project and time to catch up on his other pursuits.  While the series is not officially ending, we are not yet certain when it will return.  After two years of turning my concepts into amazing cartoons I think it is high time that Bobby took a little time away.

I have recently stumbled on an old file that contained the original concept notes, sketches, and a few completed and nearly completed cartoons for the original, unrealized You Are Here cartoon.  I have long said that the series began 20 years ago, however unearthing the file I discovered that it is actually 25 years old!  At the insistence of Eddie Medina (of The Rantcor Pit and Figments) I am going to publish a few of these cartoons here during the hiatus period in their original black and white format - mainly because I lack the technical skill to reproduce them in color.  But then had the series gone forward in 1990 they would have been published in black and white regardless!

The first two years of You Are Here cartoons have been published in two volumes of the collected works.  Look for Bobby or myself at conventions in Texas to get your copies!

Hey Kids, Comics! Live #8 - Home Screen Advantage

Getting things caught up still, the JCU is proud to present the archive of Hey Kids, Comics! Live that aired on Saturday, April 11, 2015.

In what will become a two-part story (crossing over into the pre-recorded Hey Kids, Comics! this Friday), Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are joined in the studio at Deep Ellum on Air by none other than Eddie Medina of The Rantcor Pit in his first guest appearance on this show!  This issue of the live show is all about the presence of comic book related television shows over the years.  With the critically acclaimed arrival of Daredevil on Netflix, it seems that a Golden Age of cooperation between comics and television has emerged!  Joining the ranks of such current programs as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Gotham, this new arrival is just the first of many on the way from the streaming services production arm.  

Join these three hardcore comic fans as they, and viewers calling in, go all over the map in discussing favorite shows, the possibility of over-saturation of the airwaves, and much more.  One hour was just not enough to cover such a big topic, so expect to hear more in just a few days!


Hey Kids Comics 2015-04-11 by DeepEllumOnAir

Hey Kids, Comics #130 - Creator Spotlight #4: Alan Moore

Welcome to the return of the the Creator Spotlight on Hey Kid,s Comics!  It has been far too long!  But to make amends your hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston have set their sight on one of the big guns!

Alan Moore!

What began as just another Creator Spotlight will spawn so much more (pun intended), but for now the tip of the iceberg that is this talented writer/creator's body of work is mapped out.  From early work for Warrior Magazine to some rare titles from obscure imprints, there was plenty to talk about.

Naturally Watchmen is discussed, but there was oh so much more!  Far more than could adequately be explored in one show in fact, but this is just the beginning of that promised longer journey ahead.  So if you were a fan of Time Twisters or Lost Girls, Promethia or Supreme, Top Ten or Swamp Thing then you need to hear what Hey Kids, Comics! has to say about the mysterious Alan Moore!

The Rantcor Pit Live #25 - Hunting Easter Eggs

It's catching up time at the JCU!  Almost a week after it aired live on Deep Ellum on Air we finally have the latest edition of The Rantcor Pit Live available here for your enjoyment. 

This episode went out live on Easter Sunday morning so it seemed only appropriate that we talk about the Easter eggs that became a thing in Star Wars films beginning with the Special Editions.  

Seriously?!

Certainly the worst offender was The Phantom Menace, but that is a story to be shared on the show.  Many are the little hidden gems and hidden lackluster jokes that can be spotted by the eagle-eyed.  With Eddie Medina taking the day off, Hey Kids, Comics! Live host Andrew Farmer joined Cole Houston for this popular episode that drew nearly 400 live viewers!

Joining your JCU favorites in the studio was DeNae Griffith, producer of 2016's upcoming Lubbock-Con.  Like Cole and Andrew, she likes the Star Wars and had a wonderful time discovering the Easter eggs in the Saga as well as a couple that cropped up in the Indiana Jones franchise!  So grab your Yoda-head Easter basket and keep your eyes peeled not for brightly colored chicken eggs, but for little visuals tossed here and there for the big screen.


The Rantcor Pit 2015-04-05 by DeepEllumOnAir

JCU Sunday Funnies #104

With this cartoon, The JediCole Universe's weekly comic has officially turned two years old!  Find out how to get the the compiled editions below!  These full color books reproduce every You Are Here cartoon published on this site in the first two years plus bonus cartoons!

Want to see Bobby Blakey's art and his own humor including the newly relaunched Last Stop?  Check out six years of the strip plus new material right here!

Own the first two years of You Are Here in collected editions (Your First Year Here: You Are Here Volume 1 and You're Still Here: You Are Here Volume 2) only $11.00 each postpaid.  More details here.

Hey Kids, Comics! #129 - Reckless Endangerment

This week Hey Kids, Comics! takes a good look at the phenomenon of  sidekicks, specifically super-hero sidekicks that are minors.  

How does Batman get away with constantly inviting kids to join the most dangerous game in Gotham City?  Why was no one bothered that children like Toro and Bucky were brought into the dead center of a combat theater during World War II?  Where is the line drawn, assuming there is a line?

Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston actively explore these and other weighty issues 

Now on the subject of the fundraiser for Red Pegasus games and comics, click here to join in on helping this great shop make the move to their permanent home and get your cool stuff from the shop in the process!