Randal Graves

History of the Character

Randal Graves was created by writer Kevin Smith for his first film that was simply called Clerks.  Kevin Smith created a wold in New Jersey known as the Jersey Chronicles that involve movies, cartoons, and comic books.  Randal first appeared in movies before comics and so his page will list the movies first followed by his cartoons and then comics.

Films

Watching Dirty Films
Watching Dirty Films

Clerks
As stated above Randal first appeared in the movie Clerks and was played by Jeff Anderson.    In the film Randal the quintessential slacker.  He does and says what he wants and is happy about his station in life.  His friend Dante Hicks is the opposite but must look up to Randal on some level because of their friendship.  Randal loves tormenting Dante but he also looks out for him.  He even threatens Dante’s new girlfriend not to break his heart again.  He also talks with Dante’s girlfriend in a misguided attempt to help Dante break up with her.
 

Outside Quick Stop
Outside Quick Stop

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
There were two films in the Jersey Chronicles made between Clerks and Randal’s appearance in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back called Mallrats and Chasing Amy.  Randal’s character is not the star of the film but he is involved in a crucial plot point at the begging of the film when he gets Jay and Silent Bob arrested for dealing drugs outside the stores. 
 
Clerks II
Clerks II is the last film Randal appeared in as a character and so far in the last Jersey Chronicle Movie.  This movie picks up the characters several years later having not made much of their lives and working in a fast food Mooby restaurant.  It is at the end of the film when the realize how cool things were when they were younger.  

Cartoons

I want my eight buck back
I want my eight buck back

There were six cartoons made for television before they were canceled.  The cartoons also called clerk featured Randal, Dante, Jay and Silent Bob.  In the Cartoon Randal really delights in messing with Dante and is a lot less self aware.  The show has a lot more silly humor that would be missing from a live action television show.  in one of the films he actually put Geroge Lucas on the witness stand to get his money back for the poor result from the Phantom Menace film.  He then makes him hive him his money back and then he does the same to several other directors for their less than greatest films.

Comics

Bellybutton Lint?
Bellybutton Lint?

Randal has been in a few comics over the years and has had a few more adventures.  One issue in particular dealt with a missing scene from the clerks movie.  It takes place at the funeral of Julie Dwyer.  In the film Dante and Randal go in the funeral home and you see the words five minutes later and they run out again.  The comic deals with what happened.   At the funeral it is made clear that Dante and Randal know Alyssa Jones who is at the funeral and Alyssa doesn’t like Randal at all.  This comics was made into a small cartoon done in the same style as the original Clerks cartoon.
 

Flannel
Flannel

Randal also tried a get rich scam with Dante when they tried to sell Star Wars action figures.  This pit them against the major comic fans Steve-Dave and Walt Grover.  Randal become more excited about destroying the two fanboys than making money.  the whole thing gets out of hand until Jay and Silent Bob get upset about the selling of action figures cutting into their drug selling so they steal a truck of action figures and flood the market with the toys bringing everything to a full circle.