Watchmen was extremely political (like most of Alan Moore’s work) with several slights and accusation against the Thatch administration in the United Kingdom (more so then this book is against the Bush administration). This actually helps enhance it even though the political message was toned down in both it and V for Vandeta were toned down in the movie they were still evident (strangely some people think they were put in to be political). Also while Watchmen was alright I think it was far from the best comic book ever or even the best comic in 1986 (similarly how Citizen Kane was not the best movie released in 1941), have you ever read a comic called Squadron Supreme it was a better story and released around the same time.
You make several other errors regarding politics and government in not only this but several other videos. It is obvious that you do not follow or study it and probably should stay away from it like you did in captain tax time which was political but you did not go over the top ranting about it just pointing out the flaws in that horrible story. However claiming one of the most political comics of all time was not political was just ridiculous.
Also this comic did not seem to be trying to make a political message just use a generic government conspiracy and having that as an obstacle. Add to that Firebrand is pretty obviously supposed to be an conspiracy theorist that that douse not trust anyone kind of like The Question in JLU. This comic is bad enough as is and douse not need you making up reasons to insult it
Capt. Atom was actually send in to the Wildstormverse (Earth-50) by the rapturing of his suit cause by mecha/asteroid explosion. THose events happen in "Capt. Atom: Armaggedon" and the Worldstorm Wildstorm crossover. He was getting back to Earth through the bleed and met Ion (Kyle Rayner) in the bleed, guestarring in an issue of Ion published around the time of "Battle for Bludhaven".
Great! This comic itself broke Godwin's Law. Now it'll makes us believe that this comic is good.
If I may make a suggestion for the next part. The next time Firebrand says something so stupid that makes you mad, just show a clip of Mr. T saying "you know you got a lot of mouth, well I got a lot of fist for your mouth!"
"Supreme executive power derives from the mandate of the masses" Now that that's out of the way...I heard about Spoony..will he still appear in your videos sometime in the future?
Yes, Go to Malechite, it would be an awesome follow-up to Suburban Knights. Also, is that going to be your excuse about why you're in the 4th year anniversary, that you went by Chicago during your journey.
While this was not a good comic it is surprisingly not the worst set in this city, that would be Devin Grayson’s run on Nightwing
Also you said you were going up north to a convention ware you are going to debut your 200th episode. Were you talking about ConBravo because I was recently visiting there sight and I noticed that the bio they wrote for you was not exactly flattering. Please tell me your friends with the guy who wrote this and it was a rib. If not what exactly did you do lat year to piss them off so much.
http://conbravo.com/guests/ The guest page summery of you :
Lewis “Linkara” Lovhaug is known on the internet for reviewing bad comic books and doing a retrospective on Power Rangers! And if you ever wanted evidence that ANYBODY can become famous on the internet for whatever stupid reason, you will find no better proof than this man! Sure, you might say that it’s because he’s funny or that you enjoy his storylines or that you think he has something insightful to say about comic books or a children’s show. But chances are that’s probably not the case and you’re only here to point and stare at the weirdo.
http://conbravo.com/guests/lewis-lovhaug/ The full Bio for you:
Lewis Lovhaug is best known in the online world as “that annoying guy in the hat who makes fun of bad comic books,” and that’s usually why he goes by Linkara, instead. On his show, Atop the Fourth Wall, he has battled against mad scientists, interdimensional conquerors, giant robots, and Lovecraftian abominations. And yet this is still a show about comic book reviews. He is featured on ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com, where his fellow reviewers have been known to say about him, “Dear God, shut up about Cry for Justice already,” as well as remarking about him, “Wait, people still read comic books?” On other occasions, however, he has been known to work on a retrospective on a children’s show about spandex-clad superheroes punching rubber-suited monsters. Yes, he is also the driving force behind the History of Power Rangers, a series that comes out once in a blue moon whenever he can be bothered to work on it. Power Rangers fans who have seen this retrospective had their own things to say about this series, with such high praise as, “What do you mean he liked Wild Force?” and “Stop questioning the logic of a show where the Rangers get baked into a giant pizza.” And, of course, the one thing everyone can always say about this series: “When’s the next History of Power Rangers coming out? It’s been like six months!” Come see this incredible talent who is only famous on the internet because he decided to make fun of a medium that few people actually take seriously and a show that even less people take seriously!
"Capt. Atom was actually send in to the Wildstormverse (Earth-50) by the rapturing of his suit cause by mecha/asteroid explosion. THose events happen in "Capt. Atom: Armaggedon" and the Worldstorm Wildstorm crossover. He was getting back to Earth through the bleed and met Ion (Kyle Rayner) in the bleed, guestarring in an issue of Ion published around the time of "Battle for Bludhaven"."
I'm well aware of that, and the Ion maxiseries takes place AFTER Battle for Bludhaven, since he's in the Monarch suit during that.
The thing is, though, they say he disappeared during a dimensional anomaly, but that's not when he disappeared - he disappeared when he flew the giant robot into the kryptonite asteroid and was supposedly killed, then reappeared after the events of Captain Atom: Armageddon.
"Also you said you were going up north to a convention ware you are going to debut your 200th episode. Were you talking about ConBravo because I was recently visiting there sight and I noticed that the bio they wrote for you was not exactly flattering. Please tell me your friends with the guy who wrote this and it was a rib. If not what exactly did you do lat year to piss them off so much."
"I'm well aware of that, and the Ion maxiseries takes place AFTER Battle for Bludhaven, since he's in the Monarch suit during that."
Oh yeah. It was one of the leads up to the countdown. must be why forgot that he was in the Monarch Armor. Trying to wipe those traumatic Countdown related memories.
“I wrote it. Because it's funnier that way” That’s good to know for a awhile I was afraid it was done by Roccobottle of Mega64 who made this last year http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZuzZIirRus
You know if it makes you feel better Firebrand died during the last Freedom Fighters ongoing. (Though with the New 52 He's possibly still alive). Is the Uncle Sam & The Freedom Fighters maxi-series any good? I was going to check it out despite the headache retcon of Father Time.
Anonymous June 25 4:04. He didn't say Watchmen was "unpolitical", he said it was subtle enough to leave any contained political messaging up to interpretation and not harm the story and that how political you think it is says more about you than it does Watchmen itself. One of the MOST political comics of ALL TIME, though? Sorry if this is harsh, but there's more blatantly political works like (keeping this argument to good comics) Transmetropolitan (and others) that would want a word with you. Let's compare the two in grading: I'd grade out of nine, with three points assignable in three categories: Subtlety of message, clarity of perspective and strength of espousing character(s). Most comics get around 2-3 points (including this one), with good reason. I'll concede Watchmen is around a five, but the fault in considering it "political" is they don't shove that aspect to the forefront nearly enough AND the perspective you're supposed to empathize with is more unclear than Alan Moore thinks. Is it Rorschach's? Doctor Manhattan's? Nite-Owl's? The Comedian's? (3 points for strength of espousing characters, 2 points for subtlety and 0 points for clarity.) Transmet doesn't force the political persepctive on you every issue, but the (very liberal) perspective is clear and it's at the forefront enough. (Score: 8. 3 points for strength of espousing characters, 3 points for clarity and 2 points for subtlety.)
"The Black Baron? All I could think of was the Black Baron from Madworld...
http://youtu.be/6ov04Ut9BNA
So I'm sure that this one survived too. If he didn't, then he's a stain on the good name of The Black Baron.
Though considering the tone you set in your show, it would be a pain to get something you can use."
Like I said earlier, I think we're all thinking about that Black Baron when we hear this guy's name. (And by "all" I mean "all of us who have played MadWorld" )
Especially now that we know their both pimps and can shoot fire.
I think the nuclear bomb was supposed to be the bombing of Hiroshima. It would fit in with the World War II references throughout this.
Is it just me, or does Firebrand's mask kind of look like Animal Man's?
So will Judas Traveller be talked about in this year's Clone Saga review? I've read that he was yet another character who was supposed to play an important role similar to Scrier, and I think one of the ideas about the Clone Saga was that the storyline was supposed to be a game between the two of them, while another story was that he was supposed to the Biblical Judas. I think you should bring that point up in order to segway some talk about a similar thing in the New 52.
Wow I can't wait for next week's episode as I've looked threw my copy of this trade and I can't wait to see what you do for some scenes. Wow I'm glad to heard the Superboy-Prime voice again and it couldn't be for a more fitting character! You gotta love it when 2 human bombs go off and there is nothing left of them at all. This comic is a good reason why i hate political comics in all shapes and forms! I hate it even more when they bring up real world politics! And, as someone that lives not far from Louisiana none of this comes close to being like the events after the hurricanes! This might sound weird but why is the Nazi scientist/doctor whatever look everything but German? Funny thing you bringing up Watchmen here and the fact most of DC's lineup formally belonging to old defunct companies as Watchmen was originally meant to be a comic based around a group of heroes DC just acquired and Alan Moore was tasked wiith writing it but when he turned in his script DC rejected it as he killed off over half the characters they just bought. So he reworked it into the Watchmen we know and love today! Also funny enough one of those characters was Captain Atom who was reworked into Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen! XD Blue Beetle became NiteOwl and the Question became Rorschach!
So does this mean this story arc is going to tie into the 4th anniversary special? I doubt it since filming for it probably ended days ago but it would still be awesome.
You know, after a while, this comic seems to go past so bad it's horrible to so bad it's funny bad. It's extremely terrible, but it's brilliantly hilarous. That dialogue with purple pimp poser Jesus had me laughing out.
The more you go on about this comic the more I feel depressed as well. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palomitti are great writers doing a fantastic job on Terra, Power Girl, Jonah Hex, The Ray, All Star Western, and now Ame-Comi Girls (ignoring the fanservice, it's a fun and upbeat comic about an Earth comprised of only female superheroes and has Deula Dent as a lead character). How could they sink so low to write this?!
This really hurts me to watch since my favorite team in DC Comics is the Freedom Fighters (though they never were as good as the members originally were in the '40s). I am a much bigger fan of the golden age comics than I am of current ones, and the Quality Heroes are some of my favorite.
The original Firebrand is even one of my favorite superheroes of all time! He was dedicated, intelligent, strong, genuinely enjoyed fighting bad guys, and was the most masculine hero ever to wear a transparent pink shirt. -Don't laugh!
And now he has been reimagined as a snot nosed punk... Auuggh.
Actually, Captain Atom reappeared after "Public Enemies". He returned to the DCU during " With a Vengeance!". A "Kryptonite Man" was attacking Tokyo, and after containing the kryptonite energy Superman and Batman find out that the Kryptonite Man was Captain Atom, back from the dead.
Of course, this makes no sense, seeing how Atom apparently returned to the DCU during Infinite Crisis and not With a Vengeance. So, Armageddon and With a Vengeance contradict each other, creating massive continuity issues. In theory, Armageddon is the canon one, since it fits continuity better, but I prefer the one where Superman and Batman fight the Ultimates.
I don't understand this. Gray, Palmiotti, Jurgens, why? Just... why? Do something good with your talents like Jonah Hex, Power Girl, or even Booster Gold (Dan I am looking at you). Not this half assed story that we didn't want. Also, why the hell Firebrand, a half-assed anarchist, would be part of a team that in an alternate universe fought Nazi versions of the Justice League is beyond me. Why? Why declare a former Bludhaven Pimp as the new Jesus? WHY?! Who would green light this? Oh, right, the same idiot who green lit Countdown and Cry for Justice. Sorry for the constant "Didio is an idiot" comments I write but I have to get my fill when it comes to matters on DC and the guy's handiwork does appear on this show constantly.
You know I keep getting a "No Man's Land" vibe from this comic, like the creators wanted to retell that successful story but in Bludhaven instead of Gotham and with Robin instead of Batman. And considering that in "No Man's Land", Batman "broke the law" and went into Gotham to save it, I'm surprised that Robin would use the whole "Against the law" reasoning as why not to go in and save Bludhaven. (At least at first)
So you want a hologram to finish the Battle for Bludhaven review? Sure it won't short out or we'll have something like Mechakara stealing the review from you? Missing magic or not, at least wait until this mess was done.
And as for the mess...yeesh, all that for a new Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters mini? Maybe this show needs that. Not to mention I sort of know where poor Captain Atom is going to end up...considering I remember the "worst heroes becoming villains" review, this isn't going to end well. Oh, and who is the stupider Nazi wannabe: Father Time or Black Baron? They both seem rather interchangeable.
You know I keep getting a "No Man's Land" vibe from this comic, like the creators wanted to retell that successful story but in Bludhaven instead of Gotham and with Robin instead of Batman. And considering that in "No Man's Land", Batman "broke the law" and went into Gotham to save it, I'm surprised that Robin would use the whole "Against the law" reasoning as why not to go in and save Bludhaven. (At least at first)
Well, honestly Linkara, if you need a magick user that badly, I'm your girl. In addition to my rather lengthy magickal pedigree I'm trained in the true ancient arts of hedge magick and The Craft from around the world, I know a thing or two about curse breaking, and for the knowledge I don't have stuffed in my head I have an arcane Library I can access. While I know this is intended to be fiction you intrigue me. Let me know if I can email you. *hearts*
I heard my husband shout "NO!" when he was watching this episode, though I don't know how he can only do that once. Considering how terrible and confusing these two comics are, I wanted to shout "NO!" myself just from the panels you showed. Can't imagine what the whole thing is like.
Looking forward to how this is concluded/ended... if it can be concluded. Honestly, with all the plot holes, I don't see how that's possible.
You know Lewis, SOME people will say that it was "Captain Atom's time in the Wildstorm where he experienced their style of justice mixed in with his being clearly "leaking for a year!" that drives him mad"...I personally find THAT BS...ok MAYBE he's following a Wildstorm mindset but...it's never actually implied. What do you think?
Also do you plan at least referencing, even in passing, how even when James Robinson and Greg Rucka brought him back in a backup story they just brushed ALL of this aside rather than try and give an explanation to why he went nuts
Actually in Armageddon it's explained that, With a Vengeance, it was a small quantum hiccup that, for Atom, was RIGHT AFTER he hit teh meteor but then he continued on to the wildstorm universe. It's right there in teh first few pages of CA:A #1
I have to say, I'm surprised that your really long bit of exposition and backstory at the beginning didn't set off the Continuity Alarm. I think it's cutting you too much slack.
Isn't that Doug's "MINDFUCK" song? He song he uses when he encounters a big mindfuck? He used it in the "Tom and Jerry: The Movie" review ("Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the mindfuck!"), and he used it in the "Thief and the Cobbler" review.
Because...it fits.
Think about it: isn't this comic just another big mindfuck?
We have an astronaut fetus that turns into a big grey alien (named after the clones from "Blade Runner"), a group of guys in powered armor who fashion themselves after a non-canon story from the Silver Age, a genetic supremacist pimp who fashions himself after the same non-canon story, an old guy who is really a Japanese Hit Girl, a guy who explodes everything he touches, a golem in jeans, and Dale Gribble with fire-based superpowers.
I think that, to me, is the very defintion of a mindfuck.
I think the closing song was Linkara using a Nostalgia Critic gag to point out how weird this whole thing has become.
----------------
The 200th episode is one those convention-based episodes? Count me out. I HATE those. They never turn out out good. i think the only convention-based episode I liked was Doug's review of "Baby Geniuses", if only because seeing more low-key and downplayed was refreshing.
Also, I'm amused by the fact that Doctor Linksano still exists after what happened. Given that he is based on a "Spoony Experiment" character, I figured he would retire Linksano in order to avoid controversy.
Also, still waiting for appearances by Juno the Sorceress, Santa Christ and the Makeover Fairy -------------- Capt. Atom was actually send in to the Wildstormverse (Earth-50) by the rapturing of his suit cause by mecha/asteroid explosion. THose events happen in "Capt. Atom: Armaggedon" and the Worldstorm Wildstorm crossover. He was getting back to Earth through the bleed and met Ion (Kyle Rayner) in the bleed, guestarring in an issue of Ion published around the time of "Battle for Bludhaven".
...and for those not keeping track, after the new reboot, there is NO "Wildstormverse" anymore, and ALL the Wildstorm characters have been integrated in the main DC Universe. That means the DC Universe finally has a version of Marvel's Mutants in the form of the Gen-Actives
Also, the only "Mad World" I know is the roller skating ring from "Rocket Power".
Also, kudos to Ditko Gamer for realizing that the Firebrand of this comic is using the name of a much better and less whiny superhero.
"So does this mean this story arc is going to tie into the 4th anniversary special? I doubt it since filming for it probably ended days ago but it would still be awesome."
Actually, they usually film those in April. So it probably ended a couple months ago. Which would also probably mean that Spoony will still be in it (sorry to bring that up, but I doubt they would cut his scenes out from the anniversary because of what's happening right now).
Wow, Lewis, I thought you said you did NOT hate this series? Because you sure sounded mad! :D (But then, it IS irritating to have such a wonderful fictional construct as the DC Universe ruined by the cynicism of modern writers who couldn't tell an idealistic story -or even a fairly balanced one- if their lives depended on it.)
But it doesn't really matter, because they just retconned not just the story, but the WHOLE universe, not after 50 years, but only 6. MUCH easier than writing good stories, right? RIGHT? -_-
As for your personal story: so you're going on a journey? OK, just make it sure it makes sense and is entertaining, not like Superman: Grounded (Ouch!)
This just furthers my opinion that easily-understood continuity is for the weak in American comic books. Again, not going to pretend that Japanese media are inherently better* but a form of entertainment that goes on for years or decades with many different writers means that comic books are especially prone to this.
Also I think there's a rule in comic books. Unless you're Alan Moore you don't write politics into your story. Seriously, what is American society even like? They tolerate costumed super-powered beings of dubious sanity going out to perform vigilante justice but at the same time they seem to have constant government conspiracies and intelligence/military officers planning to set up authoritarian governments. It's like they have no actual mentality beyond what the writers want them to have for that specific issu- oh wait.
Taking a cue from that, besides Alan Moore and the Judge Dredd comics, how many comic books and graphic novels (Western only, I already own Akira and Ghost in the Shell) actually do a good job at politics? I liked Black Panther back when he had to balance different powers in his country. Sure it wasn't always tasteful, but there was some complex thought. Anything like that come out over the past twenty years?
On another note, damn it Linkara. Seeing you run off with the gun made me spray whiskey on my laptop.
*Just look at the insane twists of Kingdom Hearts where each game after the first two saw a need to completely change at least one thing established in the previous games.
Marvel does this to their only Israeli hero. Apparently, the writer had to tweet she's still alive, although its never mentioned in story. Still, it's weird how this went under the radar.
This comics is just...I don't even know where to start. I mean, as you said in the first part, it's not Cry-For-Justice infuriating or anything, but it's just really bad. It's like a How Not to Write guide for anyone looking to cover serious issues or current events in their comics. And on top of that it's completely illogical, boring, and irritating.
And Replicant? Does he actually serve any purpose? Was he a pre-existing DC character, or was he just thrown in to make a random Blade Runner shout out?
Can't wait to see what happens in Linkara's travels!
This is just begging for a clip from "Team America" where a member of the Film Actors Guild explains "You see, the corporations fund Team America, and they sit there in their corporation buildings, and they're all corporationy, and they make money."
Once again, DC goes for cheap deaths. We knew nothing about these characters and have nothing invested in their continued existence. Did we know anything about those Atomic Knights who self-destructed? That one captured, what's she like? Does any of their teammates feel anything about absence?
I know you don't like character death, Linkara, but if you ever want to see it done right, check out the last issue of Vigilante (the Adrian Chase version). It reviewed everything that had happened in the first 49 issues and points out how Chase has lost friends because of his being an anti-hero, and how he has betrayed himself and what he promised he would never do. The whole issue is him reflecting him becoming a wild animal and has him killing the cop who was trying to bring him in. Chase's suicide in the end had a lot more weight to it because of it.
While not a crowning moment of awesome in the usual sense, it does show that Chase would not allow himself to become a Punisher-clone. It kinda makes a statement on such characters, as he was DC's answer to that psychopath. There is room for debate whether he died a hero or lived long enough to see himself become the villain. If he had lived to the 90's, I can picture some idiot at DC looking at him and making him go full Punisher.
Sorry about that rant. I've been holding that each time DC goes for cheap deaths in your reviews.
Hey linkara. I was thinking about reading the tim drake red robin series and i was wandering if you would reccomend it to someone who has little experience in the main dc universe?
Say Linkara, can you tell me where you first discovered "If you Should Want the Moon" and where I might find a music piece for it. I am putting together a cabaret and I want to showcase that song.
Oh my gosh. Maybe it isn't really pronounced Blüdhaven at all. Maybe it's pronounced Bluedhaved a la Tommy Wiseau's "The House that drips blood on Alex". D:
"The 200th episode is one those convention-based episodes? Count me out. I HATE those. They never turn out out good. i think the only convention-based episode I liked was Doug's review of "Baby Geniuses", if only because seeing more low-key and downplayed was refreshing."
No, no, no - it'll PREMIERE at a convention. I never have enough time to put together anything in advance enough to film at a convention other than the live show. The 200th episode is just going to be SHOWN at ConBravo before it's on the blog.
Are you ever going to use the clip from south park where Randy Marsh(stan's dad) says "I'm sorry Spider-man killed your little friend"? He goes on to say "Spider-man works in mysterious ways and whereever he is I'm sure he loves you." I always think of AT4W when i see that,and how it would be a good surprise clip therein.great review by the way.
feel free to delete my comment due to the sore subject. What the hell kind of rapist waits til a girl is single? could you maybe nicely,privately,condemningly bring that up to the person who did the firing. Just venting i guess.bargaining.whatever.
"Say Linkara, can you tell me where you first discovered "If you Should Want the Moon" and where I might find a music piece for it. I am putting together a cabaret and I want to showcase that song."
I first heard it in a public domain film called "The Beatniks." You can find it at Archive.org. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find any proper music sheets or the like for it.
So Firebrand is new Superbitch Prime, I have no idea on who to root for, and next week I'm going to witness a cluster*bleep* the likes of which will put a battle royal, and RTS skirmish to shame...goody.
Also your recap forgot to mention the Justice League riding ponies.
My God, this gets even stupider every minute. Firebrand is not Green Arrow or the Question; he's just some idiot who thinks he's right and everyone else is wrong.
And don't get me started on the Nuclear Family. Really, Nuclear Family? That's a lame pun.
Great beatdown. Good luck on your quest to fix the magic spells and arsenal of freedom. Who knows maybe you'll run into the idiot woman, Juno . . . or maybe the mystery gunslinger . . .
Wow, I really enjoyed Geoff Johns' Teen Titans run (not sure if any of the later writers of that series were any good, I know by the time Deathstroke is leading the team the series had gone completely downhill but was there any good stuff anywhere after Johns left the title?) and Rose Wilson proving that she wasn't a cold-hearted killer was a great moment for her character. So if I had read this book, I would have been extremely ticked off to see her doing something like that.
Also, why I disagree with complaints about the reboot and am personally excited in seeing the characters start from scratch and develop in (hopefully) new ways, I do admit seeing a character who had redeemed themselves from being a villain or something like that back to being one is annoying, so seeing Rose as a Nowhere goon does irritate me. It doesn't help she'll be in The Ravagers book, which has been the weakest book I've read of the reboot since I found myself completely unattached to any of the characters after finishing the first issue. Seriously, they even messed up Beast Boy, how do you mess up such a fun character?! :(
Wow, I really enjoyed Geoff Johns' Teen Titans run (not sure if any of the later writers of that series were any good, I know by the time Deathstroke is leading the team the series had gone completely downhill but was there any good stuff anywhere after Johns left the title?) and Rose Wilson proving that she wasn't a cold-hearted killer was a great moment for her character. So if I had read this book, I would have been extremely ticked off to see her doing something like that.
Also, why I disagree with complaints about the reboot and am personally excited in seeing the characters start from scratch and develop in (hopefully) new ways, I do admit seeing a character who had redeemed themselves from being a villain or something like that back to being one is annoying, so seeing Rose as a Nowhere goon does irritate me. It doesn't help she'll be in The Ravagers book, which has been the weakest book I've read of the reboot since I found myself completely unattached to any of the characters after finishing the first issue. Seriously, they even messed up Beast Boy, how do you mess up such a fun character?! :(
Wow, I really enjoyed Geoff Johns' Teen Titans run (not sure if any of the later writers of that series were any good, I know by the time Deathstroke is leading the team the series had gone completely downhill but was there any good stuff anywhere after Johns left the title?) and Rose Wilson proving that she wasn't a cold-hearted killer was a great moment for her character. So if I had read this book, I would have been extremely ticked off to see her doing something like that.
Also, why I disagree with complaints about the reboot and am personally excited in seeing the characters start from scratch and develop in (hopefully) new ways, I do admit seeing a character who had redeemed themselves from being a villain or something like that back to being one is annoying, so seeing Rose as a Nowhere goon does irritate me. It doesn't help she'll be in The Ravagers book, which has been the weakest book I've read of the reboot since I found myself completely unattached to any of the characters after finishing the first issue. Seriously, they even messed up Beast Boy, how do you mess up such a fun character?! :(
I'm slightly concerned you aren't interpreting certain character's and events correctly
As you pointed out in the previous episode, the word "firebrand" refers to someone who escalates the situation and makes it ultimately worse. Which is EXACTLY what Firebrand's been doing all this time! I really don't think we are supposed to agree with him as you seem to claim. I think this guy was fully intended to be the numb-skull he is. No sympathy on his side.
That said, some of the stuff he's telling is actually true. I do some activism my self (became involved with several groups during the whole SOPA ordeal), and there truly are strong connections between politics, corporations, and the media. I'm not talking about any major conspiracies here, but they do have the tenancy to conveniently cover each other's douche-baggery. Like how the media remain conveniently silent whenever the US government is trying to push some policy that would violate civil liberties. or how several of those laws would end-up aiding corporations to increase their profits. Who in turn give very generous donations to political parties, as well as sponsorship for the media. The United States of America everyone! An entire country, nation, and culture built on douche-baggery!
On another note, I've read the first three of the Before Watchmen issues (Minutemen, Silk Spectre, and Comedian), and at least the first two were pretty good (I have some mixed feelings on the third, later on that). Minutrmen is for the most part an expended comic adaptation of "Under the Hood" It follows "Under the Hood" pretty closely, but gives more space for development to the individual characters, and fleshes them out. Silk Specter is more of a family drama and a coming-of-age story than a superhero tale, which I like. It's built around the relationship between mother and daughter. Similar as with the previous title, it uses flashbacks and conversations form Watchmen as reference, essentially reconstructing the events. I'm a bit torn on the Comedian tho. It's a pretty good comics on it's own, but not as a prequel. The Comedian feels like a completely different character. He's too nice. I mean, he still kills people, and enjoys it, but outside of his "job" he's essentially you'r uncle, or one of you'r dad's friends who sometimes comes over to watch football. Too much "sunshine, soda-cans, and chit-chat" if you know what I mean. Not to mention that this is supposed to take place shortly after the Vietnam war, and I don't think Eddie would mellow-out this much in such a short time. Still, as I said, good in it's own right. Still, respect you'r decision not to read them for ideological reasons (was torn my self, but I believe in trying everything at least once)
Also, I do not believe in consistence between different titles. To me, each titles is a continuity on it's own, unless it explicitly insists otherwise (like the Green Lantern titles that seem to insist on me reading Geoff Johns' Green Lantern, despite A: Me only being interested in New Guardians and Red Lanterns, largely due to my huge love of Saint Walker and Atrocitus; and B: me already reading Aquaman, seeing as while reading one Geoff Johns title is fun, reading two at the same time is bad for my mental health)
And seeing how Battle for Bludhaven seems to have a thing about bringing back obscure characters, I may inform you that DC is canceling JLI (good riddance, the second arc is an embarrassment to anything Justice League), and as a replacement we'll be getting this http://media.dcentertainment.com/sites/default/files/comic-covers/2012/06/SWSOR_Cv0_PREVIEWS.jpg If you don't already, Amethyst was a DC heroine from the 80s, who was essentially a magic-girl (with transformation pendant and all), long before the genera was made popular by Sailor Moon. What intrigues me, is that her revival is supposed to be published as part of The Dark line-up. When I think about it, it kinda makes sense, seeing how over in Japan, the magic-girl genera is currently undergoing it's "grim and gritty" phase, with titles like Puella Magi Madoka Magica http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S75J91jx8BA and Black*Rock Shooter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ciomxATSRo
Oh, and speaking of magic-girls, are you ever planning to review "Wonder Woman and the Star Riders" (in case you get you'r hands on the actual comic that is)? To explain, when Sailor Moon became a huge hit in the 90s, DC and Mattel wanted to cash-in on it. And so they came-up with the concept of re-imagining Wonder Woman as a magic-girl (instead, you know, bringing back Ametyst), along with Starfire, Dolphin, Ice, and a token black-chick as her team-mates, facing against an original villain (instead, you know, using one of WW's MANY rogues) There was supposed to be a cartoon, comic series, and toy-line, but the only thing that ever came out of it was a single comic issue.
And finally speaking of Wonder Woman, this month's issue made me respect her character on a whole new level. I always respected her for her historical significance, but I can't remember ever being as amazed by her actions as now. In that one scene, she's been more of a feminist icon in the best way possible, than she's been in decades. http://weeklycomicbookreview.com/2012/06/21/wonder-woman-10-review/ http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/21/wonder-woman-10-review
"That said, some of the stuff he's telling is actually true. I do some activism my self (became involved with several groups during the whole SOPA ordeal), and there truly are strong connections between politics, corporations, and the media. I'm not talking about any major conspiracies here, but they do have the tenancy to conveniently cover each other's douche-baggery. Like how the media remain conveniently silent whenever the US government is trying to push some policy that would violate civil liberties. or how several of those laws would end-up aiding corporations to increase their profits. Who in turn give very generous donations to political parties, as well as sponsorship for the media. The United States of America everyone! An entire country, nation, and culture built on douche-baggery!"
Oh, most assuredly it's true.
The problem is in delivery. The way Firebrand says it implies that representatives of the government, news media, and "corporations" meet in a dark room while rubbing their hands together and thinking of what nefarious things they can do today.
In reality, people know people, people contribute money to campaigns, and so other people are willing to look the other way if asked to do so. Is it wrong? Maybe, but he says it like it's a vast conspiracy when it's really a "No frickin' DUH" kind of thing.
This "Battle for Bludhaven" series is proving so well my aphorism about "mainsream" comics: They're primarily round-robin fanfiction, nothing more. Sheesh, even if I had money anymore, I still wouldn't buy anything but indie comics. As the jingle goes: "Your brain is hungry; let it feed! Indie comics are the best to read!"
In re. to Sekele. There are partnerships and the like but there certainly isn't some vast conspiracy. Conspiracy theories about newspapers only existing to give the government and/or corporate line trip up once you start to remember how quickly newspapers published articles from Wikileaks or how papers covered the real post-Katrina mess. We are not in China where a major train crash will be buried quickly and people have to rely on other nations for accurate data about air quality.
Sadly this is the world of comic books where society is completely the same as everyday real life...until the writers decide they want a horrible conspiracy to give the heroes a problem/send a message.
Revolution not having good music? What about Gil-Scott Heron.
Oh and the Black Baron reminds me of one of the Scientfic People off Alfred Bester's Tiger,Tiger!. Except even they'd kick him out for being too insane. Quant Suff.!
Finally, Linkara, have you lost weight? If so thumbs up.
Remember that thing about Marvel killing their only Israeli hero?
Well, she just appeared in X-Men today, completely fine with no mention of being shot in the back of the head. I guess some characters are death proof.
Considering the recent drama at TGWTG, I will start following you on your blog instead in support of Spoony but also out of respect for you. I don,t even read comic books and I love your commentary.
When the comic quoted something better, I don't think it'd reached a new low. For one thing, I think quoting something worse would be a new low. For another, you'd already read out Black Baron quoting Scarface. "Soon the world will know my name!"
A lot of love for Alan Moore here. Is it true he has a character shooting lightning out of his penis? Is it true that character might as well be Harry Potter? Count me out.
When Robin says they can't go against the government because they're not cops, it implies cops can go against the government. Uh-what?
There's a difference between 'genetically strong' and 'genetically pure' - given his mutant powers, he's probably stronger because of his mutancy.
Malachite *is* named after a rock; I never thought of that. Usually, it's only women who are named after rocks - Beryl, Opal, Jade, Ruby...
Longtime fan here (From waaay back when you did text reviews) finally commenting for the first time.
Wow, this story was so dumb that even your commentary barely made it bearable. It's a shame that the Atomic Knights were wasted in this story. I love their designs and the origin story you mentioned in the last video was pretty neat too. To top it all off, they have finger beams!
Also, no one seems to have pointed it out yet but I caught the City of Heroes reference you made regarding Firebrand's ability to super jump. I was definitely happy to hear a shout-out to my favorite MMO. Did you play it at some point? I thought I remember you posting a link to Atop the Fourth Wall on the forums there back when AtFW was in its infancy.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the Gunslinger storyline progresses. I wonder when the Gunslinger himself will show up again. This seems like an ideal time to strike at Linkara, after all.
Wait, if you are off on an adventure for god-knows-how-long, who will work on Pollo's new body?
Or will that have to be put on hold, and Pollo doesn't speak up about that. I know it may seem selfish of him wanting his new body over the desires of his friends, but he has no idea when your character is coming back, that's a long time to wait for a new body.
Anonymous, the response to that is simple: He'll let Linkara sit and wait, fearing for his very existance every waking hour and through the nightmares that keep him awake. He'll only strike the day when Linkara almost calls for him to appear. Also: He just might not have chosen Magic Missile as an At-Will spell (and if he were following Essentials rules, he'd be guaranteed a hit every time.)
HELLO! I finally watched this video! Anyways, awesome jokes as always and I kind of saw that you used the "Suuuccckkks!" like Spoony. Also about the History of Power Rangers thing, I told Anime Festival Orlando about it and try to have you as a host for a panel. You can check them out at www.animefestivalorlando.com, the thing is it's too late for panels but there is always next year if interested! They also get people from Power Rangers as guests as well. I still love your show, keep up the good work!
Before Watchmen is decent if you can get past the whole "Alan Moore didn't approve it" controversy. I understand though if you don't have any interest in reading. However one of my favorite writers (J Michael Straczynski) is working on two of the series, so naturally I'm going to at least give them a chance.
Linkara, I think you're forgetting that this city is Bloodhaven. Isn't it a nest of crime? No one likes Bloodhaven except for the people who live in it right? They have a decent reason for wanting to shut it down.
Yup Firebrand earned to have the Superboy Prime voice used in this issue. I really liked the new "toys" that Linksano made. I hope that the real Linkara makes it to the 200th episode . I'm still amused that there is a Black Baron that share some similarities to Madworld's Black Baron. If I had this comic than I would totally read this comics version of Black Baron in Madworld's BlackBaron's voice for the lols
Linkara, firstly, thank you for doing all these entertaining reviews. I know how important appreciation is to content creators, being one myself, and I always run marathons of your work when I'm programming or creating artwork for commission clients.
I understand that this is comment is severely belated and ultimately and irrelevant, but after watching your Battle for Bludhaven reviews and your comments on Monolith disposing of Black Baron, I thought a few factoids and a little math may give you some amusement, especially considering the mental images that will accompany them.
As I understand it, and I am almost certainly not 100% accurate here, Bludhaven's location in the DC universe very roughly lines up with the geography of Brigantine, New Jersey. Ravager suspects Black Baron landed in Hoboken, which is roughly 95 miles distant in a straight line.
Assuming Monolith threw Black Baron to a height of roughly 4000 feet in an arc, he would have had to travel at nearly 22800 miles per hour to land in Hoboken in the roughly 15 seconds we get between him being launched and Wonder Girl wondering where he went, assuming he'd landed by the time Ravager spoke.
This means that Black Baron was sent flying at about 30 times the speed of sound on average, and could theoretically have announced his entry into Hoboken with multiple sonic booms. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy.
I finally realized what's off about the cover art: The artist doesn't shade right. At all.
For example: We humans tend to identify a tomato as red, right? Therefore many beginners(And appearently professionals for some bizarre reason) tend to only use red for a tomato, the shadows just being a dark shade of red.
And while it's correct that we percieve tomatoes like that, it is impossible to create the illusion of a realistic tomato without using blue in it's shaded part.
That is the mistake Mr Acuña keeps making. A beginning colourists mistake.
Polka Power by Werid Al! NICE! Lots of good songs with that one. Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger, Walking on the Sun – Smash Mouth. Fav ones from that.
ReplyDeleteOH PLEASE LET MALACHITE HELP! He’s got nothing better to do than get hit by his Boss.
Watchmen was extremely political (like most of Alan Moore’s work) with several slights and accusation against the Thatch administration in the United Kingdom (more so then this book is against the Bush administration). This actually helps enhance it even though the political message was toned down in both it and V for Vandeta were toned down in the movie they were still evident (strangely some people think they were put in to be political). Also while Watchmen was alright I think it was far from the best comic book ever or even the best comic in 1986 (similarly how Citizen Kane was not the best movie released in 1941), have you ever read a comic called Squadron Supreme it was a better story and released around the same time.
ReplyDeleteYou make several other errors regarding politics and government in not only this but several other videos. It is obvious that you do not follow or study it and probably should stay away from it like you did in captain tax time which was political but you did not go over the top ranting about it just pointing out the flaws in that horrible story. However claiming one of the most political comics of all time was not political was just ridiculous.
Also this comic did not seem to be trying to make a political message just use a generic government conspiracy and having that as an obstacle. Add to that Firebrand is pretty obviously supposed to be an conspiracy theorist that that douse not trust anyone kind of like The Question in JLU. This comic is bad enough as is and douse not need you making up reasons to insult it
Capt. Atom was actually send in to the Wildstormverse (Earth-50) by the rapturing of his suit cause by mecha/asteroid explosion. THose events happen in "Capt. Atom: Armaggedon" and the Worldstorm Wildstorm crossover. He was getting back to Earth through the bleed and met Ion (Kyle Rayner) in the bleed, guestarring in an issue of Ion published around the time of "Battle for Bludhaven".
ReplyDeleteGreat! This comic itself broke Godwin's Law. Now it'll makes us believe that this comic is good.
ReplyDeleteIf I may make a suggestion for the next part. The next time Firebrand says something so stupid that makes you mad, just show a clip of Mr. T saying "you know you got a lot of mouth, well I got a lot of fist for your mouth!"
I would've thought that you'd make a Sly Cooper joke since the Black Baron is one of the villains of Sly 3.
ReplyDelete"Supreme executive power derives from the mandate of the masses"
ReplyDeleteNow that that's out of the way...I heard about Spoony..will he still appear in your videos sometime in the future?
Yes, Go to Malechite, it would be an awesome follow-up to Suburban Knights. Also, is that going to be your excuse about why you're in the 4th year anniversary, that you went by Chicago during your journey.
ReplyDeleteWhat is Nightwing doing during all of this and does he mension the event at all?
ReplyDeleteAlso, is Bludhaven okay by now in the DC Universe, or was it retconned with the New 52 relaunch?
While this was not a good comic it is surprisingly not the worst set in this city, that would be Devin Grayson’s run on Nightwing
ReplyDeleteAlso you said you were going up north to a convention ware you are going to debut your 200th episode. Were you talking about ConBravo because I was recently visiting there sight and I noticed that the bio they wrote for you was not exactly flattering. Please tell me your friends with the guy who wrote this and it was a rib. If not what exactly did you do lat year to piss them off so much.
http://conbravo.com/guests/
The guest page summery of you :
Lewis “Linkara” Lovhaug is known on the internet for reviewing bad comic books and doing a retrospective on Power Rangers! And if you ever wanted evidence that ANYBODY can become famous on the internet for whatever stupid reason, you will find no better proof than this man! Sure, you might say that it’s because he’s funny or that you enjoy his storylines or that you think he has something insightful to say about comic books or a children’s show. But chances are that’s probably not the case and you’re only here to point and stare at the weirdo.
http://conbravo.com/guests/lewis-lovhaug/
The full Bio for you:
Lewis Lovhaug is best known in the online world as “that annoying guy in the hat who makes fun of bad comic books,” and that’s usually why he goes by Linkara, instead. On his show, Atop the Fourth Wall, he has battled against mad scientists, interdimensional conquerors, giant robots, and Lovecraftian abominations. And yet this is still a show about comic book reviews. He is featured on ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com, where his fellow reviewers have been known to say about him, “Dear God, shut up about Cry for Justice already,” as well as remarking about him, “Wait, people still read comic books?”
On other occasions, however, he has been known to work on a retrospective on a children’s show about spandex-clad superheroes punching rubber-suited monsters. Yes, he is also the driving force behind the History of Power Rangers, a series that comes out once in a blue moon whenever he can be bothered to work on it. Power Rangers fans who have seen this retrospective had their own things to say about this series, with such high praise as, “What do you mean he liked Wild Force?” and “Stop questioning the logic of a show where the Rangers get baked into a giant pizza.” And, of course, the one thing everyone can always say about this series: “When’s the next History of Power Rangers coming out? It’s been like six months!”
Come see this incredible talent who is only famous on the internet because he decided to make fun of a medium that few people actually take seriously and a show that even less people take seriously!
"Capt. Atom was actually send in to the Wildstormverse (Earth-50) by the rapturing of his suit cause by mecha/asteroid explosion. THose events happen in "Capt. Atom: Armaggedon" and the Worldstorm Wildstorm crossover. He was getting back to Earth through the bleed and met Ion (Kyle Rayner) in the bleed, guestarring in an issue of Ion published around the time of "Battle for Bludhaven"."
ReplyDeleteI'm well aware of that, and the Ion maxiseries takes place AFTER Battle for Bludhaven, since he's in the Monarch suit during that.
The thing is, though, they say he disappeared during a dimensional anomaly, but that's not when he disappeared - he disappeared when he flew the giant robot into the kryptonite asteroid and was supposedly killed, then reappeared after the events of Captain Atom: Armageddon.
"Also you said you were going up north to a convention ware you are going to debut your 200th episode. Were you talking about ConBravo because I was recently visiting there sight and I noticed that the bio they wrote for you was not exactly flattering. Please tell me your friends with the guy who wrote this and it was a rib. If not what exactly did you do lat year to piss them off so much."
ReplyDeleteI wrote it. Because it's funnier that way.
"I'm well aware of that, and the Ion maxiseries takes place AFTER Battle for Bludhaven, since he's in the Monarch suit during that."
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. It was one of the leads up to the countdown. must be why forgot that he was in the Monarch Armor. Trying to wipe those traumatic Countdown related memories.
The Black Baron? All I could think of was the Black Baron from Madworld...
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/6ov04Ut9BNA
So I'm sure that this one survived too. If he didn't, then he's a stain on the good name of The Black Baron.
Though considering the tone you set in your show, it would be a pain to get something you can use.
“I wrote it. Because it's funnier that way”
ReplyDeleteThat’s good to know for a awhile I was afraid it was done by Roccobottle of Mega64 who made this last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZuzZIirRus
You know if it makes you feel better Firebrand died during the last Freedom Fighters ongoing. (Though with the New 52 He's possibly still alive). Is the Uncle Sam & The Freedom Fighters maxi-series any good? I was going to check it out despite the headache retcon of Father Time.
ReplyDeleteYour mention of "sinister use of aglets" reminded me how much better a conspiracy nut the Question is over Firebrand.
ReplyDeleteAlso...you have a five-o'clock shadow there. Let me guess, you normally shave with a magic razor, enchanted to never nick you? *joke*
Anonymous June 25 4:04. He didn't say Watchmen was "unpolitical", he said it was subtle enough to leave any contained political messaging up to interpretation and not harm the story and that how political you think it is says more about you than it does Watchmen itself. One of the MOST political comics of ALL TIME, though? Sorry if this is harsh, but there's more blatantly political works like (keeping this argument to good comics) Transmetropolitan (and others) that would want a word with you. Let's compare the two in grading: I'd grade out of nine, with three points assignable in three categories: Subtlety of message, clarity of perspective and strength of espousing character(s). Most comics get around 2-3 points (including this one), with good reason. I'll concede Watchmen is around a five, but the fault in considering it "political" is they don't shove that aspect to the forefront nearly enough AND the perspective you're supposed to empathize with is more unclear than Alan Moore thinks. Is it Rorschach's? Doctor Manhattan's? Nite-Owl's? The Comedian's? (3 points for strength of espousing characters, 2 points for subtlety and 0 points for clarity.) Transmet doesn't force the political persepctive on you every issue, but the (very liberal) perspective is clear and it's at the forefront enough. (Score: 8. 3 points for strength of espousing characters, 3 points for clarity and 2 points for subtlety.)
ReplyDeleteSo wait, not only does this mini-series have a guy named the Black Baron, but he has two scantily clad women at his side, as if he were a pimp.
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced he's related to this guy now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ov04Ut9BNA
"The Black Baron? All I could think of was the Black Baron from Madworld...
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/6ov04Ut9BNA
So I'm sure that this one survived too. If he didn't, then he's a stain on the good name of The Black Baron.
Though considering the tone you set in your show, it would be a pain to get something you can use."
Like I said earlier, I think we're all thinking about that Black Baron when we hear this guy's name. (And by "all" I mean "all of us who have played MadWorld" )
Especially now that we know their both pimps and can shoot fire.
I think the nuclear bomb was supposed to be the bombing of Hiroshima. It would fit in with the World War II references throughout this.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me, or does Firebrand's mask kind of look like Animal Man's?
So will Judas Traveller be talked about in this year's Clone Saga review? I've read that he was yet another character who was supposed to play an important role similar to Scrier, and I think one of the ideas about the Clone Saga was that the storyline was supposed to be a game between the two of them, while another story was that he was supposed to the Biblical Judas. I think you should bring that point up in order to segway some talk about a similar thing in the New 52.
Wow I can't wait for next week's episode as I've looked threw my copy of this trade and I can't wait to see what you do for some scenes.
ReplyDeleteWow I'm glad to heard the Superboy-Prime voice again and it couldn't be for a more fitting character!
You gotta love it when 2 human bombs go off and there is nothing left of them at all.
This comic is a good reason why i hate political comics in all shapes and forms! I hate it even more when they bring up real world politics! And, as someone that lives not far from Louisiana none of this comes close to being like the events after the hurricanes!
This might sound weird but why is the Nazi scientist/doctor whatever look everything but German?
Funny thing you bringing up Watchmen here and the fact most of DC's lineup formally belonging to old defunct companies as Watchmen was originally meant to be a comic based around a group of heroes DC just acquired and Alan Moore was tasked wiith writing it but when he turned in his script DC rejected it as he killed off over half the characters they just bought. So he reworked it into the Watchmen we know and love today! Also funny enough one of those characters was Captain Atom who was reworked into Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen! XD Blue Beetle became NiteOwl and the Question became Rorschach!
I love me some Weird Al music!
Story Arc wise I like Linksano more and more! XD
I got the Justice League Unlimited reference XD
ReplyDeleteSo does this mean this story arc is going to tie into the 4th anniversary special? I doubt it since filming for it probably ended days ago but it would still be awesome.
You know, after a while, this comic seems to go past so bad it's horrible to so bad it's funny bad. It's extremely terrible, but it's brilliantly hilarous. That dialogue with purple pimp poser Jesus had me laughing out.
ReplyDeleteThe more you go on about this comic the more I feel depressed as well. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palomitti are great writers doing a fantastic job on Terra, Power Girl, Jonah Hex, The Ray, All Star Western, and now Ame-Comi Girls (ignoring the fanservice, it's a fun and upbeat comic about an Earth comprised of only female superheroes and has Deula Dent as a lead character). How could they sink so low to write this?!
This really hurts me to watch since my favorite team in DC Comics is the Freedom Fighters (though they never were as good as the members originally were in the '40s). I am a much bigger fan of the golden age comics than I am of current ones, and the Quality Heroes are some of my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThe original Firebrand is even one of my favorite superheroes of all time! He was dedicated, intelligent, strong, genuinely enjoyed fighting bad guys, and was the most masculine hero ever to wear a transparent pink shirt. -Don't laugh!
And now he has been reimagined as a snot nosed punk... Auuggh.
Actually, Captain Atom reappeared after "Public Enemies". He returned to the DCU during " With a Vengeance!". A "Kryptonite Man" was attacking Tokyo, and after containing the kryptonite energy Superman and Batman find out that the Kryptonite Man was Captain Atom, back from the dead.
ReplyDeleteOf course, this makes no sense, seeing how Atom apparently returned to the DCU during Infinite Crisis and not With a Vengeance. So, Armageddon and With a Vengeance contradict each other, creating massive continuity issues. In theory, Armageddon is the canon one, since it fits continuity better, but I prefer the one where Superman and Batman fight the Ultimates.
Dammit! Here was me trying to figure out the ending music link/joke right up until that final comment in the credits as well.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to believe Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti were responsible for this piece of crap. The concept is too depressing to contemplate.
ReplyDeleteA pocket of magic? In the north? Your magic is going to be powered by Santa Christ, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI don't understand this. Gray, Palmiotti, Jurgens, why? Just... why? Do something good with your talents like Jonah Hex, Power Girl, or even Booster Gold (Dan I am looking at you). Not this half assed story that we didn't want. Also, why the hell Firebrand, a half-assed anarchist, would be part of a team that in an alternate universe fought Nazi versions of the Justice League is beyond me. Why? Why declare a former Bludhaven Pimp as the new Jesus? WHY?! Who would green light this? Oh, right, the same idiot who green lit Countdown and Cry for Justice.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the constant "Didio is an idiot" comments I write but I have to get my fill when it comes to matters on DC and the guy's handiwork does appear on this show constantly.
I don't know Linkara, walking across the country didn't pan to well for Superman.
ReplyDeleteYou know I keep getting a "No Man's Land" vibe from this comic, like the creators wanted to retell that successful story but in Bludhaven instead of Gotham and with Robin instead of Batman. And considering that in "No Man's Land", Batman "broke the law" and went into Gotham to save it, I'm surprised that Robin would use the whole "Against the law" reasoning as why not to go in and save Bludhaven. (At least at first)
ReplyDeleteSo you want a hologram to finish the Battle for Bludhaven review? Sure it won't short out or we'll have something like Mechakara stealing the review from you? Missing magic or not, at least wait until this mess was done.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the mess...yeesh, all that for a new Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters mini? Maybe this show needs that. Not to mention I sort of know where poor Captain Atom is going to end up...considering I remember the "worst heroes becoming villains" review, this isn't going to end well. Oh, and who is the stupider Nazi wannabe: Father Time or Black Baron? They both seem rather interchangeable.
You know I keep getting a "No Man's Land" vibe from this comic, like the creators wanted to retell that successful story but in Bludhaven instead of Gotham and with Robin instead of Batman. And considering that in "No Man's Land", Batman "broke the law" and went into Gotham to save it, I'm surprised that Robin would use the whole "Against the law" reasoning as why not to go in and save Bludhaven. (At least at first)
ReplyDeleteWell, honestly Linkara, if you need a magick user that badly, I'm your girl. In addition to my rather lengthy magickal pedigree I'm trained in the true ancient arts of hedge magick and The Craft from around the world, I know a thing or two about curse breaking, and for the knowledge I don't have stuffed in my head I have an arcane Library I can access. While I know this is intended to be fiction you intrigue me. Let me know if I can email you. *hearts*
ReplyDeleteI heard my husband shout "NO!" when he was watching this episode, though I don't know how he can only do that once. Considering how terrible and confusing these two comics are, I wanted to shout "NO!" myself just from the panels you showed. Can't imagine what the whole thing is like.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to how this is concluded/ended... if it can be concluded. Honestly, with all the plot holes, I don't see how that's possible.
You know Lewis, SOME people will say that it was "Captain Atom's time in the Wildstorm where he experienced their style of justice mixed in with his being clearly "leaking for a year!" that drives him mad"...I personally find THAT BS...ok MAYBE he's following a Wildstorm mindset but...it's never actually implied. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteAlso do you plan at least referencing, even in passing, how even when James Robinson and Greg Rucka brought him back in a backup story they just brushed ALL of this aside rather than try and give an explanation to why he went nuts
A man named The Black Baron dying in a messed up and amusing fashion with a purple haired Ho guess he went from looking pimpin to so cold.
ReplyDelete@ BatFlashLantern
ReplyDeleteActually in Armageddon it's explained that, With a Vengeance, it was a small quantum hiccup that, for Atom, was RIGHT AFTER he hit teh meteor but then he continued on to the wildstorm universe. It's right there in teh first few pages of CA:A #1
I have to say, I'm surprised that your really long bit of exposition and backstory at the beginning didn't set off the Continuity Alarm. I think it's cutting you too much slack.
ReplyDelete@Robert Willing
ReplyDeleteYou're right! I completely forgot about that! Well, I guess that explains everything
In the closing song:
ReplyDelete"I'M NOT SICK BUT I'M NOT WELL
AND IT'S SO HOT, CAUSE I'M IN HELL
I'M NOT SICK BUT I'M NOT WELL
AND IT'S A SIN, BUT IT FELLS SO WELL"
Isn't that Doug's "MINDFUCK" song? He song he uses when he encounters a big mindfuck? He used it in the "Tom and Jerry: The Movie" review ("Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the mindfuck!"), and he used it in the "Thief and the Cobbler" review.
Because...it fits.
Think about it: isn't this comic just another big mindfuck?
We have an astronaut fetus that turns into a big grey alien (named after the clones from "Blade Runner"), a group of guys in powered armor who fashion themselves after a non-canon story from the Silver Age, a genetic supremacist pimp who fashions himself after the same non-canon story, an old guy who is really a Japanese Hit Girl, a guy who explodes everything he touches, a golem in jeans, and Dale Gribble with fire-based superpowers.
I think that, to me, is the very defintion of a mindfuck.
I think the closing song was Linkara using a Nostalgia Critic gag to point out how weird this whole thing has become.
----------------
The 200th episode is one those convention-based episodes? Count me out. I HATE those. They never turn out out good. i think the only convention-based episode I liked was Doug's review of "Baby Geniuses", if only because seeing more low-key and downplayed was refreshing.
Also, I'm amused by the fact that Doctor Linksano still exists after what happened. Given that he is based on a "Spoony Experiment" character, I figured he would retire Linksano in order to avoid controversy.
Also, still waiting for appearances by Juno the Sorceress, Santa Christ and the Makeover Fairy
--------------
Capt. Atom was actually send in to the Wildstormverse (Earth-50) by the rapturing of his suit cause by mecha/asteroid explosion. THose events happen in "Capt. Atom: Armaggedon" and the Worldstorm Wildstorm crossover. He was getting back to Earth through the bleed and met Ion (Kyle Rayner) in the bleed, guestarring in an issue of Ion published around the time of "Battle for Bludhaven".
...and for those not keeping track, after the new reboot, there is NO "Wildstormverse" anymore, and ALL the Wildstorm characters have been integrated in the main DC Universe. That means the DC Universe finally has a version of Marvel's Mutants in the form of the Gen-Actives
Also, the only "Mad World" I know is the roller skating ring from "Rocket Power".
Also, kudos to Ditko Gamer for realizing that the Firebrand of this comic is using the name of a much better and less whiny superhero.
"So does this mean this story arc is going to tie into the 4th anniversary special? I doubt it since filming for it probably ended days ago but it would still be awesome."
ReplyDeleteActually, they usually film those in April. So it probably ended a couple months ago. Which would also probably mean that Spoony will still be in it (sorry to bring that up, but I doubt they would cut his scenes out from the anniversary because of what's happening right now).
Wow, Lewis, I thought you said you did NOT hate this series? Because you sure sounded mad! :D (But then, it IS irritating to have such a wonderful fictional construct as the DC Universe ruined by the cynicism of modern writers who couldn't tell an idealistic story -or even a fairly balanced one- if their lives depended on it.)
ReplyDeleteBut it doesn't really matter, because they just retconned not just the story, but the WHOLE universe, not after 50 years, but only 6. MUCH easier than writing good stories, right? RIGHT? -_-
As for your personal story: so you're going on a journey? OK, just make it sure it makes sense and is entertaining, not like Superman: Grounded (Ouch!)
This just furthers my opinion that easily-understood continuity is for the weak in American comic books. Again, not going to pretend that Japanese media are inherently better* but a form of entertainment that goes on for years or decades with many different writers means that comic books are especially prone to this.
ReplyDeleteAlso I think there's a rule in comic books. Unless you're Alan Moore you don't write politics into your story. Seriously, what is American society even like? They tolerate costumed super-powered beings of dubious sanity going out to perform vigilante justice but at the same time they seem to have constant government conspiracies and intelligence/military officers planning to set up authoritarian governments. It's like they have no actual mentality beyond what the writers want them to have for that specific issu- oh wait.
Taking a cue from that, besides Alan Moore and the Judge Dredd comics, how many comic books and graphic novels (Western only, I already own Akira and Ghost in the Shell) actually do a good job at politics? I liked Black Panther back when he had to balance different powers in his country. Sure it wasn't always tasteful, but there was some complex thought. Anything like that come out over the past twenty years?
On another note, damn it Linkara. Seeing you run off with the gun made me spray whiskey on my laptop.
*Just look at the insane twists of Kingdom Hearts where each game after the first two saw a need to completely change at least one thing established in the previous games.
Hey Linkara, you remember how DC got a ton of flak after killing that Muslim hero? Well check this out:
ReplyDeletehttp://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m650n5jzen1qlmremo1_1280.jpg
Marvel does this to their only Israeli hero.
Apparently, the writer had to tweet she's still alive, although its never mentioned in story. Still, it's weird how this went under the radar.
All hail the return of the Superboy Prime voice!
ReplyDeleteThis comics is just...I don't even know where to start. I mean, as you said in the first part, it's not Cry-For-Justice infuriating or anything, but it's just really bad. It's like a How Not to Write guide for anyone looking to cover serious issues or current events in their comics. And on top of that it's completely illogical, boring, and irritating.
And Replicant? Does he actually serve any purpose? Was he a pre-existing DC character, or was he just thrown in to make a random Blade Runner shout out?
Can't wait to see what happens in Linkara's travels!
Now "the corporations" are in on it too?
ReplyDeleteThis is just begging for a clip from "Team America" where a member of the Film Actors Guild explains "You see, the corporations fund Team America, and they sit there in their corporation buildings, and they're all corporationy, and they make money."
Once again, DC goes for cheap deaths. We knew nothing about these characters and have nothing invested in their continued existence. Did we know anything about those Atomic Knights who self-destructed? That one captured, what's she like? Does any of their teammates feel anything about absence?
ReplyDeleteI know you don't like character death, Linkara, but if you ever want to see it done right, check out the last issue of Vigilante (the Adrian Chase version). It reviewed everything that had happened in the first 49 issues and points out how Chase has lost friends because of his being an anti-hero, and how he has betrayed himself and what he promised he would never do. The whole issue is him reflecting him becoming a wild animal and has him killing the cop who was trying to bring him in. Chase's suicide in the end had a lot more weight to it because of it.
While not a crowning moment of awesome in the usual sense, it does show that Chase would not allow himself to become a Punisher-clone. It kinda makes a statement on such characters, as he was DC's answer to that psychopath. There is room for debate whether he died a hero or lived long enough to see himself become the villain. If he had lived to the 90's, I can picture some idiot at DC looking at him and making him go full Punisher.
Sorry about that rant. I've been holding that each time DC goes for cheap deaths in your reviews.
All I can think is both The Simpsons Movie and No Man's Land told this story better.
ReplyDeleteI'm really liking the way the storyline is progressing, some very interesting story hooks here can't wait to see how they pan out.
Hey linkara. I was thinking about reading the tim drake red robin series and i was wandering if you would reccomend it to someone who has little experience in the main dc universe?
ReplyDeleteAlso, what were your thoughts on the series?
Awesome review by the way :)
Say Linkara, can you tell me where you first discovered "If you Should Want the Moon" and where I might find a music piece for it. I am putting together a cabaret and I want to showcase that song.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh. Maybe it isn't really pronounced Blüdhaven at all. Maybe it's pronounced Bluedhaved a la Tommy Wiseau's "The House that drips blood on Alex". D:
ReplyDelete"The 200th episode is one those convention-based episodes? Count me out. I HATE those. They never turn out out good. i think the only convention-based episode I liked was Doug's review of "Baby Geniuses", if only because seeing more low-key and downplayed was refreshing."
ReplyDeleteNo, no, no - it'll PREMIERE at a convention. I never have enough time to put together anything in advance enough to film at a convention other than the live show. The 200th episode is just going to be SHOWN at ConBravo before it's on the blog.
I like Superboy-Prime.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your journey Linkara. Hope Cloak 1 comes by and helps out.
Baron had no choice but to send the others as bombers.
ReplyDeleteAs we all know, pimps don't commit suicide.
Are you ever going to use the clip from south park where Randy Marsh(stan's dad) says "I'm sorry Spider-man killed your little friend"? He goes on to say "Spider-man works in mysterious ways and whereever he is I'm sure he loves you." I always think of AT4W when i see that,and how it would be a good surprise clip therein.great review by the way.
ReplyDeletefeel free to delete my comment due to the sore subject. What the hell kind of rapist waits til a girl is single? could you maybe nicely,privately,condemningly bring that up to the person who did the firing. Just venting i guess.bargaining.whatever.
thanks for the videos,theyre like frosted flakes.
Okay, admit it - THAT's why you put off this review. You had to wait until after the Southland Tales review because of the similarities, right?
ReplyDeleteOooh! Oooh! I know who else Father Time looks like: Travis Morgan. On coke.
ReplyDeleteSNOWFLAME!!!
"Say Linkara, can you tell me where you first discovered "If you Should Want the Moon" and where I might find a music piece for it. I am putting together a cabaret and I want to showcase that song."
ReplyDeleteI first heard it in a public domain film called "The Beatniks." You can find it at Archive.org. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find any proper music sheets or the like for it.
Dude, what do you have against mutants? That's very racist!
ReplyDeleteFor reasons I can't be sure of, I liked this episode better than Part 1. This felt more focused/sharper.
ReplyDeleteSo Firebrand is new Superbitch Prime, I have no idea on who to root for, and next week I'm going to witness a cluster*bleep* the likes of which will put a battle royal, and RTS skirmish to shame...goody.
ReplyDeleteAlso your recap forgot to mention the Justice League riding ponies.
Good luck on your magic quest!
The Comic:
ReplyDeleteReaaaaaaaaal subtle on the political message. (rolls eyes)
Your Arc:
Malachite's more likely either stop you or just flat out not bother helping you, so I don't think he'd be someone to see about this.
Fiery Little One
My God, this gets even stupider every minute. Firebrand is not Green Arrow or the Question; he's just some idiot who thinks he's right and everyone else is wrong.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't get me started on the Nuclear Family. Really, Nuclear Family? That's a lame pun.
Great beatdown. Good luck on your quest to fix the magic spells and arsenal of freedom. Who knows maybe you'll run into the idiot woman, Juno . . . or maybe the mystery gunslinger . . .
Wow, I really enjoyed Geoff Johns' Teen Titans run (not sure if any of the later writers of that series were any good, I know by the time Deathstroke is leading the team the series had gone completely downhill but was there any good stuff anywhere after Johns left the title?) and Rose Wilson proving that she wasn't a cold-hearted killer was a great moment for her character. So if I had read this book, I would have been extremely ticked off to see her doing something like that.
ReplyDeleteAlso, why I disagree with complaints about the reboot and am personally excited in seeing the characters start from scratch and develop in (hopefully) new ways, I do admit seeing a character who had redeemed themselves from being a villain or something like that back to being one is annoying, so seeing Rose as a Nowhere goon does irritate me. It doesn't help she'll be in The Ravagers book, which has been the weakest book I've read of the reboot since I found myself completely unattached to any of the characters after finishing the first issue. Seriously, they even messed up Beast Boy, how do you mess up such a fun character?! :(
Wow, I really enjoyed Geoff Johns' Teen Titans run (not sure if any of the later writers of that series were any good, I know by the time Deathstroke is leading the team the series had gone completely downhill but was there any good stuff anywhere after Johns left the title?) and Rose Wilson proving that she wasn't a cold-hearted killer was a great moment for her character. So if I had read this book, I would have been extremely ticked off to see her doing something like that.
ReplyDeleteAlso, why I disagree with complaints about the reboot and am personally excited in seeing the characters start from scratch and develop in (hopefully) new ways, I do admit seeing a character who had redeemed themselves from being a villain or something like that back to being one is annoying, so seeing Rose as a Nowhere goon does irritate me. It doesn't help she'll be in The Ravagers book, which has been the weakest book I've read of the reboot since I found myself completely unattached to any of the characters after finishing the first issue. Seriously, they even messed up Beast Boy, how do you mess up such a fun character?! :(
Wow, I really enjoyed Geoff Johns' Teen Titans run (not sure if any of the later writers of that series were any good, I know by the time Deathstroke is leading the team the series had gone completely downhill but was there any good stuff anywhere after Johns left the title?) and Rose Wilson proving that she wasn't a cold-hearted killer was a great moment for her character. So if I had read this book, I would have been extremely ticked off to see her doing something like that.
ReplyDeleteAlso, why I disagree with complaints about the reboot and am personally excited in seeing the characters start from scratch and develop in (hopefully) new ways, I do admit seeing a character who had redeemed themselves from being a villain or something like that back to being one is annoying, so seeing Rose as a Nowhere goon does irritate me. It doesn't help she'll be in The Ravagers book, which has been the weakest book I've read of the reboot since I found myself completely unattached to any of the characters after finishing the first issue. Seriously, they even messed up Beast Boy, how do you mess up such a fun character?! :(
I'm slightly concerned you aren't interpreting certain character's and events correctly
ReplyDeleteAs you pointed out in the previous episode, the word "firebrand" refers to someone who escalates the situation and makes it ultimately worse.
Which is EXACTLY what Firebrand's been doing all this time!
I really don't think we are supposed to agree with him as you seem to claim.
I think this guy was fully intended to be the numb-skull he is. No sympathy on his side.
That said, some of the stuff he's telling is actually true.
I do some activism my self (became involved with several groups during the whole SOPA ordeal), and there truly are strong connections between politics, corporations, and the media.
I'm not talking about any major conspiracies here, but they do have the tenancy to conveniently cover each other's douche-baggery.
Like how the media remain conveniently silent whenever the US government is trying to push some policy that would violate civil liberties.
or how several of those laws would end-up aiding corporations to increase their profits. Who in turn give very generous donations to political parties, as well as sponsorship for the media.
The United States of America everyone! An entire country, nation, and culture built on douche-baggery!
On another note, I've read the first three of the Before Watchmen issues (Minutemen, Silk Spectre, and Comedian), and at least the first two were pretty good (I have some mixed feelings on the third, later on that).
ReplyDeleteMinutrmen is for the most part an expended comic adaptation of "Under the Hood"
It follows "Under the Hood" pretty closely, but gives more space for development to the individual characters, and fleshes them out.
Silk Specter is more of a family drama and a coming-of-age story than a superhero tale, which I like. It's built around the relationship between mother and daughter. Similar as with the previous title, it uses flashbacks and conversations form Watchmen as reference, essentially reconstructing the events.
I'm a bit torn on the Comedian tho.
It's a pretty good comics on it's own, but not as a prequel. The Comedian feels like a completely different character.
He's too nice.
I mean, he still kills people, and enjoys it, but outside of his "job" he's essentially you'r uncle, or one of you'r dad's friends who sometimes comes over to watch football. Too much "sunshine, soda-cans, and chit-chat" if you know what I mean. Not to mention that this is supposed to take place shortly after the Vietnam war, and I don't think Eddie would mellow-out this much in such a short time.
Still, as I said, good in it's own right.
Still, respect you'r decision not to read them for ideological reasons (was torn my self, but I believe in trying everything at least once)
Also, I do not believe in consistence between different titles.
ReplyDeleteTo me, each titles is a continuity on it's own, unless it explicitly insists otherwise (like the Green Lantern titles that seem to insist on me reading Geoff Johns' Green Lantern, despite A: Me only being interested in New Guardians and Red Lanterns, largely due to my huge love of Saint Walker and Atrocitus; and B: me already reading Aquaman, seeing as while reading one Geoff Johns title is fun, reading two at the same time is bad for my mental health)
And seeing how Battle for Bludhaven seems to have a thing about bringing back obscure characters, I may inform you that DC is canceling JLI (good riddance, the second arc is an embarrassment to anything Justice League), and as a replacement we'll be getting this http://media.dcentertainment.com/sites/default/files/comic-covers/2012/06/SWSOR_Cv0_PREVIEWS.jpg
If you don't already, Amethyst was a DC heroine from the 80s, who was essentially a magic-girl (with transformation pendant and all), long before the genera was made popular by Sailor Moon.
What intrigues me, is that her revival is supposed to be published as part of The Dark line-up.
When I think about it, it kinda makes sense, seeing how over in Japan, the magic-girl genera is currently undergoing it's "grim and gritty" phase, with titles like Puella Magi Madoka Magica http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S75J91jx8BA and Black*Rock Shooter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ciomxATSRo
Oh, and speaking of magic-girls, are you ever planning to review "Wonder Woman and the Star Riders" (in case you get you'r hands on the actual comic that is)?
To explain, when Sailor Moon became a huge hit in the 90s, DC and Mattel wanted to cash-in on it.
And so they came-up with the concept of re-imagining Wonder Woman as a magic-girl (instead, you know, bringing back Ametyst), along with Starfire, Dolphin, Ice, and a token black-chick as her team-mates, facing against an original villain (instead, you know, using one of WW's MANY rogues)
There was supposed to be a cartoon, comic series, and toy-line, but the only thing that ever came out of it was a single comic issue.
And finally speaking of Wonder Woman, this month's issue made me respect her character on a whole new level.
I always respected her for her historical significance, but I can't remember ever being as amazed by her actions as now.
In that one scene, she's been more of a feminist icon in the best way possible, than she's been in decades.
http://weeklycomicbookreview.com/2012/06/21/wonder-woman-10-review/
http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/21/wonder-woman-10-review
ok, this went on longer than intended
"That said, some of the stuff he's telling is actually true.
ReplyDeleteI do some activism my self (became involved with several groups during the whole SOPA ordeal), and there truly are strong connections between politics, corporations, and the media.
I'm not talking about any major conspiracies here, but they do have the tenancy to conveniently cover each other's douche-baggery.
Like how the media remain conveniently silent whenever the US government is trying to push some policy that would violate civil liberties.
or how several of those laws would end-up aiding corporations to increase their profits. Who in turn give very generous donations to political parties, as well as sponsorship for the media.
The United States of America everyone! An entire country, nation, and culture built on douche-baggery!"
Oh, most assuredly it's true.
The problem is in delivery. The way Firebrand says it implies that representatives of the government, news media, and "corporations" meet in a dark room while rubbing their hands together and thinking of what nefarious things they can do today.
In reality, people know people, people contribute money to campaigns, and so other people are willing to look the other way if asked to do so. Is it wrong? Maybe, but he says it like it's a vast conspiracy when it's really a "No frickin' DUH" kind of thing.
Story Arc: Whoa! did Linkara happen to read City of Glass recently? ;)
ReplyDeleteWow, first clips, then a comic review, now the gun and wristband. Someone's been on a Blake's 7 kick lately.
ReplyDeleteThis "Battle for Bludhaven" series is proving so well my aphorism about "mainsream" comics: They're primarily round-robin fanfiction, nothing more.
ReplyDeleteSheesh, even if I had money anymore, I still wouldn't buy anything but indie comics.
As the jingle goes:
"Your brain is hungry; let it feed!
Indie comics are the best to read!"
In re. to Sekele. There are partnerships and the like but there certainly isn't some vast conspiracy. Conspiracy theories about newspapers only existing to give the government and/or corporate line trip up once you start to remember how quickly newspapers published articles from Wikileaks or how papers covered the real post-Katrina mess. We are not in China where a major train crash will be buried quickly and people have to rely on other nations for accurate data about air quality.
ReplyDeleteSadly this is the world of comic books where society is completely the same as everyday real life...until the writers decide they want a horrible conspiracy to give the heroes a problem/send a message.
Revolution not having good music? What about Gil-Scott Heron.
ReplyDeleteOh and the Black Baron reminds me of one of the Scientfic People off Alfred Bester's Tiger,Tiger!. Except even they'd kick him out for being too insane.
Quant Suff.!
Finally, Linkara, have you lost weight? If so thumbs up.
Remember that thing about Marvel killing their only Israeli hero?
ReplyDeleteWell, she just appeared in X-Men today, completely fine with no mention of being shot in the back of the head. I guess some characters are death proof.
Considering the recent drama at TGWTG, I will start following you on your blog instead in support of Spoony but also out of respect for you. I don,t even read comic books and I love your commentary.
ReplyDeleteWhen the comic quoted something better, I don't think it'd reached a new low. For one thing, I think quoting something worse would be a new low. For another, you'd already read out Black Baron quoting Scarface. "Soon the world will know my name!"
ReplyDeleteA lot of love for Alan Moore here. Is it true he has a character shooting lightning out of his penis?
Is it true that character might as well be Harry Potter?
Count me out.
When Robin says they can't go against the government because they're not cops, it implies cops can go against the government. Uh-what?
There's a difference between 'genetically strong' and 'genetically pure' - given his mutant powers, he's probably stronger because of his mutancy.
Malachite *is* named after a rock; I never thought of that. Usually, it's only women who are named after rocks - Beryl, Opal, Jade, Ruby...
Um, forgive this, but what happened with Spoony?
Longtime fan here (From waaay back when you did text reviews) finally commenting for the first time.
ReplyDeleteWow, this story was so dumb that even your commentary barely made it bearable. It's a shame that the Atomic Knights were wasted in this story. I love their designs and the origin story you mentioned in the last video was pretty neat too. To top it all off, they have finger beams!
Also, no one seems to have pointed it out yet but I caught the City of Heroes reference you made regarding Firebrand's ability to super jump. I was definitely happy to hear a shout-out to my favorite MMO. Did you play it at some point? I thought I remember you posting a link to Atop the Fourth Wall on the forums there back when AtFW was in its infancy.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the Gunslinger storyline progresses. I wonder when the Gunslinger himself will show up again. This seems like an ideal time to strike at Linkara, after all.
Wait, if you are off on an adventure for god-knows-how-long, who will work on Pollo's new body?
ReplyDeleteOr will that have to be put on hold, and Pollo doesn't speak up about that. I know it may seem selfish of him wanting his new body over the desires of his friends, but he has no idea when your character is coming back, that's a long time to wait for a new body.
Not even a mention by him.
If Linkara's gun doesn't work anymore, why doesn't the Gunslinger come to kill Linkara?
ReplyDeleteJust saying.
Anonymous, the response to that is simple: He'll let Linkara sit and wait, fearing for his very existance every waking hour and through the nightmares that keep him awake. He'll only strike the day when Linkara almost calls for him to appear.
ReplyDeleteAlso: He just might not have chosen Magic Missile as an At-Will spell (and if he were following Essentials rules, he'd be guaranteed a hit every time.)
DerKork, we have already seen a character like that with the Entity, I don't think Linkara would repeat himself.
ReplyDeleteI was trying to point out that there might be a reason why the Gunslinger can't attack right away.
HELLO! I finally watched this video! Anyways, awesome jokes as always and I kind of saw that you used the "Suuuccckkks!" like Spoony. Also about the History of Power Rangers thing, I told Anime Festival Orlando about it and try to have you as a host for a panel. You can check them out at www.animefestivalorlando.com, the thing is it's too late for panels but there is always next year if interested! They also get people from Power Rangers as guests as well. I still love your show, keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteBefore Watchmen is decent if you can get past the whole "Alan Moore didn't approve it" controversy. I understand though if you don't have any interest in reading. However one of my favorite writers (J Michael Straczynski) is working on two of the series, so naturally I'm going to at least give them a chance.
ReplyDeleteLinkara, I think you're forgetting that this city is Bloodhaven. Isn't it a nest of crime? No one likes Bloodhaven except for the people who live in it right? They have a decent reason for wanting to shut it down.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else notice that the Black Baron's genetic purity line sounds suspiciously like the Darwinian philosophy of Apocalypse.
ReplyDeleteIs the Black Baron's goal to set up another AOA?
Yup Firebrand earned to have the Superboy Prime voice used in this issue. I really liked the new "toys" that Linksano made. I hope that the real Linkara makes it to the 200th episode . I'm still amused that there is a Black Baron that share some similarities to Madworld's Black Baron. If I had this comic than I would totally read this comics version of Black Baron in Madworld's BlackBaron's voice for the lols
ReplyDeleteLinkara, firstly, thank you for doing all these entertaining reviews. I know how important appreciation is to content creators, being one myself, and I always run marathons of your work when I'm programming or creating artwork for commission clients.
ReplyDeleteI understand that this is comment is severely belated and ultimately and irrelevant, but after watching your Battle for Bludhaven reviews and your comments on Monolith disposing of Black Baron, I thought a few factoids and a little math may give you some amusement, especially considering the mental images that will accompany them.
As I understand it, and I am almost certainly not 100% accurate here, Bludhaven's location in the DC universe very roughly lines up with the geography of Brigantine, New Jersey. Ravager suspects Black Baron landed in Hoboken, which is roughly 95 miles distant in a straight line.
Assuming Monolith threw Black Baron to a height of roughly 4000 feet in an arc, he would have had to travel at nearly 22800 miles per hour to land in Hoboken in the roughly 15 seconds we get between him being launched and Wonder Girl wondering where he went, assuming he'd landed by the time Ravager spoke.
This means that Black Baron was sent flying at about 30 times the speed of sound on average, and could theoretically have announced his entry into Hoboken with multiple sonic booms. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy.
I finally realized what's off about the cover art: The artist doesn't shade right. At all.
ReplyDeleteFor example: We humans tend to identify a tomato as red, right? Therefore many beginners(And appearently professionals for some bizarre reason) tend to only use red for a tomato, the shadows just being a dark shade of red.
And while it's correct that we percieve tomatoes like that, it is impossible to create the illusion of a realistic tomato without using blue in it's shaded part.
That is the mistake Mr Acuña keeps making. A beginning colourists mistake.