Hey Kids, Comics! #337 - Declaration of Independents: Tekno Union

Herein begins a new story arc that explores a facet of the 90s “Indy Boom”. Shining the spotlight on five publishers that rode the wave and either crashed and failed, fell from their pre-boom height, or simply faded into obscurity. Hearken back to a time when comics were king and everybody wanted a piece of the kingdom!

Not that Techno Union!

Hey Kids, Comics! #336 - Jingle All the Way (to the Comic Shop)

Welcome to Hey Kids, Comics! annual holiday gift guide!

Just in time for Christmas…indeed for Black Friday…your hosts proudly present some compelling gift suggestions for the comic fan in your life. What do they recommend this year? Well you will just have to give a listen to this Santa’s sackfull of gift choices issue of the show!

Hey Kids, Comics! #335 - Shtick and Carrot

Prepare to be carrot-topped! As promised in issue 327, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston have invited Weldon Adams back to the show for a look at DC Comics’ most popular modern anthropomorphic analogue, Captain Carrot!

Puns abound this week as everyone gets into the spirit of one of the more overlooked DC titles. Running short of two years, “Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew” would spin-off a three-issue mini series then fade largely into obscurity, until more recent years. And this week’s guest brings a personal familiarity to all of this to the table as the funny animal genre gets significant coverage at last!

Join the fun (and the puns) as orange becomes the new black and white and four color goodness with Rodney Rabbit and his “super” alter-ego at the forefront of the conversation.

Hey Kids, Comics! #334 - No Laughing Matter

Little is required by way of introduction for this issue of the show. “Joker” is really all that needs to be said as Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston examine the unique take on the most famous Batman villain ever in the most unique approach ever taken outside of comic books. However, it is important to point out that this issue is chock full of SPOILERS, so if you have not seen “Joker” and do not want salient plot points to be imparted beforehand, it is recommended that you wait this issue of the show for another day. No joke!

Joining your hosts in this exploration of one man’s decent into madness is none other than film critic extraordinaire, PJ Dunn (aka The Vega Bomber)!

The rest…speaks for itself.

Hey Kids, Comics! #333 - Halfway to Hell

HELL-o from HKC! land! The devilish Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are all fired up this week with a special issue all about devils and demons in comics!

For almost as long as there have been comics there have been depictions of and characters from “The Other Place”. Talking up the denizens of the Devil’s own realm proved to be a hot topic indeed!

Your hosts explore all things infernal this week from DC’s resident Hell of a rhymer to some of the more obscure demons and devils of the Indy comic boom.

So why the heck don’t you give this issue a listen and discover an infernally good time!

Turns out it wasn’t Hell after all!

Hey Kids, Comics! #332 - Fawkes and Hound

Do you remember the Fifth of November? If you are British, perhaps you do, if not…well it is a date that does not have as much historical impact. However, comic fans may well recall this date, and well!

November 5, of course, being a vital aspect of the plot of Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s epic “V for Vendetta”. In order to get the timing down a bit more precisely, if more for the American time zones than the English, this issue was deliberately delayed to publish on 11/5/2019, 22 years after the events in this comic masterpiece! And 31 years after DC Comics published the title under their Vertigo imprint. Oh, and 25 years after it first began its serialized publication in Warrior Magazine…

Favorite guest (there are many, of course) Kelly Long joins Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston as they discuss Guy Fawkes who’s likeness defines V in the public eye, the comic that took seven years to reach its conclusion, and the cinematic adaptation. As well as a little pet project of Andy’s!

Hey Kids, Comics! Halloween Special #5 - BAM! (Big Ass Monsters)

Much more treat than trick, Hey Kids, Comics! is proud to present the fourth annual Halloween Special! And this one is HUGE!

Gigantic monsters of every description have long been a part of the comic book vernacular. So naturally Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston felt that this was a worthwhile topic to explore on All Hallows Eve! Jack Kirby and Stan Lee ruled the 60s when it came to such creations, but there are plenty of towering terrors out there as well.

Joined by Eddie Medina (of Figments), your hosts tackle the wacky, the wild, and the bizarre colossi of comics. Will one of your personal favorites be in the mix? There is one way to find out…if you dare!

Hey Kids, Comics! #331 - They're Gonna Put Me in the Movies

Do you recall Wizard Magazine’s “Casting Call” feature from the 90s? If so, and even if not, this is the issue of HKC! you have been waiting to hear!

In the spirit of that recurring feature (which will likely become such here, too), Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston determined to assemble their dream cast of actors for cinematic renditions of some of their favorite comic books! Who will they cast in the roles of various heroes and villains?

The Rantcor Pit Live’s own Eddie Medina is cast as a third casting director, adding his list of stars to some comics he, too, would like to see on the big screen.

In the interest of keeping the introductions here “spoiler free”, you are invited to listen in and discover for yourself who plays who in more than six different cinematic adaptations of comic books that have yet to be greenlit by Hollywood…

Hey Kids, Comics! #330 - Toby to Tom: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Men - Going Dutch

Not run as late as issue #329, the 330th HKC! regular show has arrived on the JCU at last! This week your hosts are joined by DeNae Cortez from a whole other world of Spider-Man. This really will make (some kind of) sense, honestly.

Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston bring Toby to Tom to its inevitable conclusion with a universe (literally) of Tom Holland Spider-Man goodness. Expect thing to be downright surreal as the path from Captain America: Civil War to Spider-Man: Far From Home is traced via the vehicle of “The Holland”.

Though this issue ran late, it will be worth the wait. Just like the wait to get a Peter Parker on the big screen who looks like he is actually a high school age kid!

Hey Kids, Comics! #329 - Toby to Tom: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Men - Neither President Nor Cat

With sincere apologies to those who follow Hey Kids, Comics! solely through this website, keeping the show schedule had been challenging of late, more so with the additions to the JCU itself. That said, welcome to the middle chapter of Toby to Tom! Spoiler Alert! This issue if chock-a-block full of technical difficulties, but the show had to go on!

For this issue, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston brought in their colleague from the Amazing Comicast days (and later the USG days as well) to talk about Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Spider-Man and the two films of his tenure under the webbed hood. Despite tech issues, Rick Gutierrez joins the fun!

Discover some insights and opinions on the handling of Spidey’s rogues gallery, Garfield’s portrayal of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and how Cole feels about the eels!

Hey Kids, Comics! #328 - Toby to Tom: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Men - You Had Me at McGuire

Who likes some Spider-Man? Especially on the big screen! Welcome to a mini-arc all about Spidey on the big screen. Starting, naturally with Toby McGuire and the films of Sam Rami!

Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are joined by fellow podcaster Aaron Prado. This trio of Web-heads share their thoughts and memories on the first three films featuring your Friendly Neighborhood…well, you get it.

Enjoy this journey into the early years of Spider-Man on the big screen. Discover three takes on three films that brought Spidey and his rouges gallery to life for fans everywhere.

Hey Kids, Comics! #327 - I'm Gonna Git You Blood Sucka!

From almost unnoticed beginnings to super-stardom in comics, Marvel’s human/vampire hybrid Blade has been kicking the ass of the undead for nearly a half century! And 326 regular issues later, “Hey Kids, Comics!” is finally giving him an issue of his own!

This week your hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are joined by comic scholar Weldon Adams as they discuss, rather pointedly, the life and times of Blade. The origins and fluctuating status of the character at Marvel, Andy’s big question about vampire wealth, and the evolution of Blade from wooden stake aficionado to wielder of his namesake weaponry are all explored.

The living and the undead alike are in for a great time with the latest issue of JediCole’s longest running podcast!

Hey Kids, Comics! #326 - Let's Hear it for 'The Boys'!

In 2008, Garth Ennis’ “The Boys” was optioned for a feature film. That never happened. In 2010 it was again optioned by a film studio. Nothing further transpired. Now nearly a decade later, comic fans have been treated to an original Netflix series based on the unique, violent, and thought-provoking take on the super-hero genre that began back in 2006.

This week the JCU’s “Boys”, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are joined by Mrs. JediCole herself, Catherine Houston for a lively discussion of the television series. Discover what a couple of long-time comic fanboys have to say about the adaptation of a comic that only one of them has read! Plus the great insights of someone who literally married into comics and has embraced so much of what they have to offer in and out of the medium.

SPOILER ALERT! This week’s issue of the show does not hold back, so if you are keen to watch “The Boys” and do not want to know anything, just about everything gets talked about, hinted at, implied, or expressed. You have been warned, you will hear all about “The Boys” this week.

Hey Kids, Comics! #325 - Hey Adults, Comix!

To commemorate 325 regular issues of the show, ‘Hey Kids, Comics!’ is honored to see hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston joined by comic creator and historian (as well as musician, author, and playwright) Michael H. Price!

This week a topic that is long overdue is explored, the Underground Comix movement in America. Speaking directly from personal experience and vast knowledge, Mr. Price broadens the scope of this issue tremendously. From the obvious subjects like the infamous R. Crumb to more obscure creations from the 60s like “God Nose” (which has its own unique history presented on the show), prepare yourself to be immersed in an important aspect of comic book history that has fallen into obscurity.

Even if you know (or have read) “Zap Comix”, “Devil Girl”, or “Fat Freddy’s Cat”, you will still find this one of the most compelling episodes of the show in its long and storied history.

Don’t forget to check Amazon for more Michael H. Price goodness!

Hey Kids, Comics! #324 - Comics Co-Opted or: (How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Comic Book Characters as Ideologues

To one degree or another, comic book fans have always made their favorite characters their own. But what happens when comic book characters are appropriated by non-fans for purposes that have more to do with activism than with collecting, reading, and enjoying comics?

This week Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston are joined by former crime reporter Danny Gallagher in an exploration of how characters like the Punisher and V (of “V for Vendetta”) have been co-opted for purposes far beyond the intentions of their creators.

In spite of the rather weighty nature of the topic, this issue brings some humor into the mix and is often derailed to the point of being one of the longer episodes produced. All of that and some frozen yogurt on the side!

Find more of Danny Gallagher’s work here!

www.mockyhorror.com

www.facebook.com/writerdannygallagher

www.twitter.com/thisisdannyg

https://www.dallasobserver.com/authors/danny-gallagher-6372514

Hey Kids, Comics! #323 - Hit the Streets: Brawling for Dollars

It is our pleasure to save you, your invoice is in the mail.

Given the volume of super heroes in comics, both super powered or laden with mega-science and those street level vigilantes that comprise this story arc, it is amazing that any of them have the audacity to demand payment for what the bulk of their ilk give away for free - assuming they are on the scene at that moment. So was “Hit the Streets” concludes, your hosts Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston tackle the weighty issue of the for-hire, mercenary type super-hero.

What compels a hero to have to have a paycheck for their good deeds? What prevents this from being everyone’s approach? These and other on the clock questions will be explored this week on HKC!

Human Target…How Did We Forget Thee?

Hey Kids, Comics! #322 - Hit the Streets: Seduction of the Gun

In the real world, law enforcement officers of every variety have a trusty sidearm and, at times, rifles or machine guns at their disposal.  It is simply a necessity.  In comics most street level heroes tend to eschew firearms in favor of powers or high tech devices that are less likely to be lethal.  Yet there are exceptions to every rule.

This week’s installment of “Hit the Streets” finds Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston under the gun as it were as they explore pistol-packing and heavily armed super heroes.  Not simply firearms, either, but your hosts include any kind of ballistic weapon in the catalog when it comes to “gunning for crime”.

Get ready for an arsenal of comic characters who have chosen the gun as part of their field equipment when they go out on the mean streets to stamp out, or shoot out, crime!

Oh Ghost, how did we forget thee?

Hey Kids, Comics! #321 - Hit the Streets: Two-Fisted

Put ‘em up! Put ‘em up! There is a unique breed of comic book hero who takes on crime like a man. With their fists! So as “Hit the Streets” continues, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston discuss the masters of fisticuffs.

Being a street-level hero is tough enough. When you don’t have a lot of gadgets or super powers it can be tougher still. This weeks issue profiles those who ball up their hand into a fist and smack crime down the old-fashioned way. Granted, some can boast a powers along with a good right hook!

Fist-fighting isn’t just for wild west saloons as your hosts will illustrate as they take on the heroes who punch criminals with the might fist of justice time and time again!

Sprit…How did we forget thee?

Hey Kids, Comics! #320 - Hit the Streets: We Are the Night

So much more crime tends to occur under cover of darkness that it is little wonder so many street-level heroes devote the hours from twilight to dawn to the elimination of said crime.

As “Hit the Streets” continues, Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston walk the night streets to patrol with the heroes who elect to carry the night shift. From the obvious Batmans and Moon Knights to the more obscure and fanciful “creatures of the night” who devote their lives to combating the criminal element after dark.

Join your hosts on a special after dark discussion of what heroes do in the night.

Nightman…how did we forget thee?

Hey Kids, Comics! #319 - Hit the Streets: Streetwise

The boys fell a little behind schedule, so this will be the first of two issues released this week. And it is the start of a brand new arc!

“Hit the Streets” finds Andrew Farmer and Cole Houston initially struggling to define the nature of this story arc. Concentrating on the so-called street-level heroes, your hosts discovered that they must first determine which characters qualify for such a designation before they could possibly move forward into the remaining issues of this arc.

So this week the conversation centers around working out what characters will have a shot at being profiled as the arc moves forward and which are simply in another league, if not a league of their own. Enjoy this HKC! examination of the super-heroes, powered and normal, who take their brand of justice to the city streets rather than the global or intergalactic theater.