Y2cl

y2cl
Author(s)	J Horsley III
Illustrator(s)	J Horsley III
Website	http://y2cl.net
Current status/schedule	Ended
Launch date	October 31, 2003
End date	December 31, 2016
Alternate name(s)	y2christ-lite, You're Too Cool, Larry
Publisher(s)	y2cl.net, SpoilerVerse Publishing
Genre(s)	Comedy/Adult/Slice-of-life/Horror/Irreverent
Rating(s)	18+
Followed by	y2cl-Daily

y2christ-lite (y2cl) is a humor webcomic by J Horsley III. The strip debuted on October 31, 2003. From November 2003 - June 10, 2008 the strip was released on a thrice weekly schedule, but often would miss updates. June 11, 2008 on the 272nd strip writer/artist Jon Anderson joined in creating the z2c storyline that would last until February 10, 2010.

y2cl was originally produced by y2cl.net, which owns the rights to the strip. SpiolerVerse Publishing now has the rights to release the collections. The primary theme of the strip was randomness.

The strip updated sporadically during its run. Oftentimes months between strips followed by months of daily releases. Through the random jokes and one offs there was a storyline that would stretch out through the whole series. During its run 633 strips were produced.

History

Originally conceived in 2003 as an epic super hero adventure called 'y2christ Com-X' with almost the same cast. A full 24 page script was written. Production was taking longer than anticipated, so a web-comic spinoff was created called 'y2christ-lite' (y2cl).

The first strip, Introduction, pays homage to Vanilla Sky while introducing readers to the main cast. By the eighth strip, Larry, the cast was transported from their world to 'The Forest Land of Schnea', an alternate world ruled by an evil anthropomorphic rabbit with one armed named Larry The Coked Out Bunny (Larry T. Cob).

Initially the strip was black and white. In January 2004 artist Tim Vaal provided colors for the first 25 strips then stopped due to other commitments. In July 2004 with strip 90, Rejected, every strip started to release in full color. In 2008 creator J Horsley III went back and recolored all the strips Tim had colored as well as added colors to all the strips that were still black and white.

The first hiatus happened from January 16, 2006, through September 21, 2007. In late 2007 the concepts for the 'Zombie 2 Christ' (z2c) storyline started to take form and writer/artist Jon Anderson joined the creative team to co-create this storyline.

z2c launched on June 11, 2008, on the 272nd strip and ran through February 10, 2010, lasting from 279 strips.

The follow up storyline y3cl launched on September 1, 2010. This storyline moved all the characters 1,000 years into the future into a world ran by Larry T. Cob's head in jar. Only running for 14 strips ending on December 1, 2010.

The second hiatus lasted from December 1, 2010, until January 4, 2016. During this hiatus 8 strips were released; 1 for the Web-Comics What's Cooking cook book, 3 holiday themed strips, and 4 for 24-Hour Comic Day in 2015.

January 4, 2016 the series relaunched the y3cl storyline with newly formatted strips done in a standard print comic page size. Launching on the same day was a sister comic called y3cl-ish, a sub-comic series to Stolen Ideas - a comic were creator J Horsley III would take other creators pages (with permission) and write new dialog over the top.

y3cl would last for 16 strips this time and end without completion.

On January 18, 2016, a sister comic called y2cl-Rejects launched to give readers some history of the series and try and explain the 5-year gap in release. The complete 24 page original story for y2christ Com-X would release through y2cl-Rejects on November 1, 2016.

November 26, 2016 it was announced all web-comics on y2cl.net, including y2cl, would come to an end at the end of the year. December 31, 2016 would see the final y2cl strip with a two part story wrapping up the series.

In December 2017 J Horsley III removed all his web-comics, including y2cl, from the internet.

Main Characters

Throughout its run the series has had a very large cast of characters. The main group of friends always stayed mostly consistent.

Dylan

Originally seen in all black with a hoody covering his bald head. Later changing to all black with a peacoat opened up with no shirt and Batman Eyes. In the beginning of the series Dylan was seen as the main character.

JN

Loosely based on the creator J Horsley III, generally portrayed in a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and purple shoes. He is an optimistic social justice warrior that will often break the fourth wall to talk to the reader about mental health or other issues.

Nick

The short king of the group that feels like he has something to prove. He is the only member to have military experience having spent time in the Air Force. Wears a tan button up shirt with tan slacks and a tan hat. Initially he was always seen smoking and you never saw his eyes.

Kepa

Half Hawaiian, half robot, Kepa was originally seen always sitting criss cross applesauce and floating as he moved. This was never explained and is generally a solid example of his character. Seen in a grey light jacket, t-shirt, and blue jeans with brown hair.

Tim

Always seen behind a desk and playing video games, you only ever see his eyes and never the rest of his face behind the monitor. When the group goes to The Forest Land of Schnea Tim is seen moving around the forest sitting behind his desk, still playing games.

Garret

Considered the Green Arrow of the y2cl' cast because he joined on the third strip, he was the first new main cast member to join outside of the original six. The sarcastic red haired friend that is quick to call JN, or anyone, out on their non-sense. Always seen in a green shirt, blue jeans, and black shoes.

Calvin

The attractive sexually ambiguous friend that everyone wants to get with. Initially Calvin was always seen with an alcoholic drink in his hand. He sports a blue shirt that says Sleep with the best.

Larry T. Cob

The main antagonist to the story, Larry is a one armed anthropomorphic rabbit with a missing arm and a bad coke habit. He rules over Schnea with his army of Spring-Bots. He is not very good at being a dictator and is largely successful thanks to his first in command Bernard.

Storylines

Chapter One

The Forest Land of Schnea

Collecting strips 1 - 66 lasting from October 31, 2003 - April 30, 2004.

Dylan, JN, Nick, Kepa, and Tim are transported to the Forest land of Schnea, an alternate world ruled by an evil anthropomorphic rabbit with one arm named Larry The Coked out Bunny (Larry T. Cob). Garret stayed behind to play video games.They meet Syn, a naked fairy princess and last of her village that was destroyed by Larry and his Spring Bots. K-Bot and SMT, who female Ninja's that are the last remaining survivors of their clan. The Tiki Guy, who is a magical deus ex machine for the series. B-rated horror film fanatic Alberto joins the group when Nick leaves to join the Air Force. And Santa Clause.

Chapter Two

Book One: Randomly Random

Collecting strips 67 - 96 lasting from May 3, 2004 - November 12, 2004.

Back in their home world the gangues a bunch of random one of strips that don't tell a story. This chapter includes the first Live Action strip, poems, and style experiments. We meet new characters Klipson (Dylan's dog), Mr. Pinky Poo, Cindy, Gordy the Veal Cow, Tarzan, Demon Calvin, and Jesus (Gangsta Jesus and NJ appeared briefly in strip 4 in chapter one). This chapter debuts story elements of That Jesus Talk Show, character self awareness of being in a strip, and Dylan becoming a stick.

Book Two: Par Deux

Collecting strips 97 - 125 lasting from November 13, 2004 - January 26, 2005.

The aptly named third chapter moves the characters through more series of gags and one off strips that slowly develop the characters more. We meet new characters God, Joel, and Nick returns from the Air Force. Recurring theme Garret on TV, where Garret is a news anchor, starts in this book with a three part expose on The Jesus Triplets. The first in a series of Diary Entries, JN's Diary, starts in this book.

Book Three: Episode 6 - Part 2 - Chapter 12: The Impeccable Return of The One Called Randi

Collecting strips 126 - 159 lasting from January 31, 2005 - April 22, 2005. This includes the 5 part interlude Story Time

This chapter uses short 2-4 page stories to develop the characters more. Dylan changes his look from a hoody to a black peacoat opened to show his muscles and Batman Eyes. We get the start of the second in the Diary Entries series, Dylan's Diary. We meet new characters Jeff, Sam, Skit, Tobias, and Erica.

Chapter Three

Book One: A Change, A Crisis, and a Search

Collecting strips 160 - 198 lasting from April 25, 2005 - January 7, 2008.

Book one of chapter three takes the group on a journey in three stories. A Change in Tim: Tim get's up from his computer desk for the first time and fights Dylan as a dragon. Crisis on Infinite Larrys: Larry returns and goes on a killing spree to thin out the y2cl-verse of unused characters. The Search for Garmy Pants: Garret leaves and JN is sad, so he makes everyone go look for him.

Book Two: The Alberto Conversations

Collecting strips 213 - 227 lasting from February 18, 2008 - March 10, 2008.

Fifteen pages of JN and Alberto having an insane conversation.

Book Three: Moving Forward: Prelude to z2c

Collecting strips 199 - 212 and 228 - 271 lasting from January 14, 2008 - June 4, 2008.

Previous storylines are wrapped up in preparation for the zombie apocalypse. We get more diary entires, Garret on TV, and a new feature called Garret and JNs Ticket to Hell.

Chapter Four

z2c

Collecting strips 272 - 548 lasting from June 11, 2008 - April 28, 2010. Includes the Dreams interlude between z2c and y2cl.

The world is thrown into a zombie apocalypse at random. The group is the world's last chance at survival, for some reason. Writer/Artist Jon Anderson joins the creative team. We meet new characters Milo, Karen (Carin), Marissa, Steve, Mark, Jim, Minos the Minotaur, Zombie Wilt Chamberlain, Zombie MLK JR, Zombie Pauly Shore, and Zombie Jesus. This chapter also include a parody of Least I Could Do (LICD) that coincided with their Ultimate Final Civil War Invasion Crisis Thing event.

Chapter Five

y3cl

The group, JN, Dylan, Calvin, Nick, Garret, and Alberto, are transported 1,000 years into the future. Here Larry rules the galaxy from a spacestation where he is a head in a jar. This chapter was never finished.

Take One - Collecting strips 553 - 562 lasting from September 29, 2010 - December 1, 2010.

Take Two - Collecting strips 568 - 593 lasting from January 4, 2016 - April 18, 2016.

Recurring Features

Holiday Strips

Starting with Thanksgiving 2004 the strip would regularly feature special strips on holidays. Celebrating holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, MLK Day, Earth Day, Easter, New Years Day, Saint Patrick's Day, Cinco De Mayo, Halloween, 4th of July, and Presidents Day.

Live Action

Several times through the strips run there would be live action strips with all of the people the characters are loosely based on playing their characters in the strip.

Diary Entries

A recurring series for the characters of Dylan and JN would be them going over personal issues in the form of entires into a diary. Often based on events from J Horsley III's real life.

Self Aware/Behind the Scenes

A recurring theme in the series is that the characters know they are in a story, often breaking the fourth wall to reveal a television set or a writers room. Often used as a way for a character to call out another character for something stupid and/or offensive they did.

Print Collections

Larry The Coked Out Bunny Presents #1

In late 2004 an ashcan was produced with a limited print run and distributed at local comic shops and conventions in the Seattle, Washington area. This book is the first time any y2cl material saw print. The cover and first 5 pages of y2christ-ComX appear in this book. Also included are Paige chapter one (written by J Horsley III, art by Kristene Onyskow), A Man's View of PMS (written by Joe Onyskow, art by J Horsley III), Tao Boa (written by Jeremy Scully, art by J Horsley III), Frailty: And all that will come to be (art and story by J Horsley III), and Love Not Lost in Her Eyes (story by J Horsley III).

The Best of y2christ-Lite

Released in 2005 and debuting at Emerald City Comic Con, this ashcan sized comic features a selection of 34 strips selected by J Horsley III, Sarah Conner, Kim Gordon, and Mike Avello of the hand The Lifestream.

Y2Christ Lite Book One: Vol 1&2: The First 52 1/2 Strips

June 2008 the first official collection would be released through Create Space and made available worldwide on Amazon. This collected the first 52 1/2 strips as well as making of material, a history of the strip, and the first 12 pages of y2christ-ComX.

y2cl #1: The Forest Land of Schnea

Released January 2016, this issue prints strips 1–52 with commentary in saddle stitch comic format. Includes and introduction page from the case of Jonly Nonly. Released in print and digital formats and available and local comic shops in the Seattle area.

y2cl #2: Randomly Random

Released February 2016, this issue prints strips 67–96 with commentary in saddle stitch comic format. Includes and introduction page from the case of Jonly Nonly. Released in print and digital formats and available and local comic shops in the Seattle area.

y2cl #3: Par Deux

Released March 2016, this issue prints strips 97–125 with commentary in saddle stitch comic format. Includes and introduction page from the case of Jonly Nonly. Released in print and digital formats and available and local comic shops in the Seattle area.

Related Projects

y2christ-Weekly

A once a week feature for now defunct lifestyle website Divine Nation. Launched on January 2, 2004, and running for two months until the website went under. The strips from this series were later re-ran under the main y2cl line.

y2cl-Rejects

A retroactive series launched in 2016 used to move any strips that were not part of the storyline into its own series. This included some holiday strips and one offs that did not fit. This series was later used as a way to give history of the storylines and characters in 2016 after a 5-year hiatus.

y2cl-Daily

A daily strip launched on Instagram on January 1, 2016. Hand drawn, lettered, and colored this series ran daily for the duration of 2016 and still releases new strips from time to time.

Jonly Nonly

A spin off series launched in 2008 featuring three characters from y2cl drawn by J Horsley III's wife, Kaylie and renamed. JN became Jonly Nonly. Jeff became Jeffers. Calvin became Calvereena. Nick became Earf. This series focused on one off jokes outside of a story line and was used as a connective piece between other web-comics created by J Horsley III. Released on Kickstarter in 2023.

Inanimate

Launched in 2008, this series featured inanimate objects that would talk. Characters from this series would show up as background characters in y2cl. Released on Kickstarter in 2015.

Stolen Ideas

Officially launched in 2016 based off an idea from 2010 with Jonathan Burley (creator of Alternative Conversations) this series would take pages from other comics (with permission) and re-write the words. During the run of y3cl Stolen Ideas released an alternate comic the same day it released.