Atop the Fourth Wall

The New Guardians #1

2012-01-30T16:00:00.001-06:00

The comic that dares to talk about things that no other comic does! Mostly because other comics aren't stupid.

Normals and Beginnings

2012-01-27T09:07:00.013-06:00

We've got another Odds and Ends post for you! Click below to see updates on various things, the schedule of upcoming episodes, me trying out Dr. Pepper, and Ebay auctions!

Schedule of Upcoming Episodes
Here are the upcoming episodes for the next two months! As always, they're subject to change if it turns out they're not so bad or just so painfully dull that I can't make anything about them funny.

1/30 - New Guardians #1
2/6 - Gameboy #2
2/13 - Secret Double Feature (Plus: The End of the "His Blue Soul" arc)
2/20 - Mr. T #1 (AP Comics)
2/27 - Mr. T #2
3/5 - The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom's Revenge!
3/12 - The Invincible Four of Kung-Fu & Ninja #3
3/19 - Kamandi at Earth's End #2
3/26 - Blackweb #1

I should also note that after the end of the "His Blue Soul" storyline, we're probably going to take a break from storylines for the following two months or so. It's been kind of non-stop for me since the end of the Entity storyline with only a reprieve in January... which was still occupied by MAGFest. So yeah, I think we could all use a little break (at least that I could), especially with what's going to be coming with the end of this one.

Linkara Tries Dr. Pepper
Yeah, this is probably a post that could be on its own, but I figure what the hell - watch me jump on the "reviewer tries food" bandwagon as I try Dr. Pepper for the very first time ever.

Dracula: Sovreign of the Damned Bloopers
Behold the bloopers for the crossover Bennett and I did! Plus: bloopers for his crossover with Spoony where they reviewed Diatron-5!

NOTE: If you're wondering why my swearing is bleeped here and not in the stinger for the Wonder Woman crossover, it's because I didn't realize Nash was going to put that in at the end. Had I known, I would have asked him to bleep it. While it should be common knowledge that I use that kind of language outside the videos by now, I always prefer to not have that available for people except on something like, say, a DVD extra, where you can see me use certain choice words in the Alone in the Dark review bloopers on the That Guy With the Glasses volume 1 DVD.

Upcoming Crossover Review
As I've stated elsewhere, I recorded three crossover reviews for MAGFest. Two of them you have already seen - the Wonder Woman 2011 TV pilot and the Dracula: Sovreign of the Damned review. However, the third one is a little more complicated. I'm the one who's actually editing that one... and writing it. Yeah, in the anticipation for MAGFest, I had to write four scripts and I ended up prioritizing them: getting two regular episodes and the live show took priority.

The fourth script, the actual crossover, took last and as a result, I ended up only taking notes on the movie, then writing up the live action scenes I knew I wanted to do, and filming those there. As a result, I need to actually write the voiceover sections for the review. It shouldn't be TOO difficult a process, since voiceover tends to be a summary... but this movie is painful and confusing and I'm writing for a loooot of people and as such I need to get all their voices down. I'm going to try to finish this script in the next 2-3 weeks, but I just wanted to let you guys know that there's one more crossover from MAGFest featuring me, and yes, it involves that picture of me with the DeLorean.

Smallville Review by Vincent E.L.
Vincent E.L., the guy responsible for the Atop the Fourth Wall theme song, recently started his own review series! Check out the pilot episode, a review of an episode of Smallville!

Media Meltdown Interviews Linkara
And here's another interview from MAGFest!

That's All I'm Saying Update
A lot of people have been asking about the status of That's All I'm Saying and if I'll be continuing it. Unfortunately, due to the lack of time I've had, I haven't had a chance to really think about working on it. While it's a relatively simple thing to put together, it still requires time to write and edit.

On top of that, with everything else I'm working on for AT4W, I'm actually BEHIND on my comics reading and have a stack of at least twenty comics I haven't had a chance to read yet from the past month or two. And even then, there isn't much to say about the stuff I'm reading beyond what I've already said before.

Is the series dead? Eh, I don't like to say that, but I want to focus my efforts on stuff like History of Power Rangers or other shows than taking a day to look at my pull list. I may still do an episode if I have something I'd like to say on a subject, but otherwise it's unlikely you'll be seeing anything any time soon, sorry to say.

Ebay Auctions
I have some items up for sale!

You can see the ebay list of items available HERE!
NOTE: Some items I will not be doing international shipping on, I'm sorry to say, due to their size.

Pollo Contest Update
I am happy to report that I have now gone through all 298 entries! Now the process has to be narrowing down those entries into finalists and to pick one from those. Fortunately, I marked which ones I liked along the way, so that process shouldn't take too long. Then I have to confer with the Prop Lady and see what's actually viable to create, especially given some of the imaginative and awesome ideas proposed by people. Do I have an actual date in mind when the winner will be announced? Unfortunately not, especially with the end of the storyline coming up, but still, you should at least be happy to know that progress is being made.

History of Power Rangers Update
SEE: The last Odds and Ends post.

Well, I lie. Unfortunately, there are still delays to be had with the aforementioned storyline finale.

However, there is now an actual reason why there is a delay beyond that. For Christmas, I got a brand-spankin' new editing computer. It is supremely awesome. In the process of transferring data and doing a major cleanup of my old computer, there's a lot of items that have not been transferred over yet... and on the list of stuff to be transferred back just happens to be all my Power Rangers episodes. As a result, I do not have access to them since they're sitting on a hard drive at my parents' place and thus I cannot watch anything right now. Don't worry - I know HOPR is taking a while, but I will make it worth the wait for people, and we're in the home stretch of seasons now.

The Road to 200
I am VERY proud to report that this summer will feature the 200TH EPISODE OF ATOP THE FOURTH WALL! What will I be reviewing? I'm not saying. What I will say is that it's heavily requested and that it's multiple issues. As a result, I may split the 200th episode into two parts of the same episode, but I will give this one the utter destruction that it deserves.

I'm not sure yet how I want to start the buildup and celebrations for 200 episodes, but I want to find some way of doing something exciting for fans as we go down the road to 200. If you have any ideas, please post them below!

15 Things That Are Wrong With Identity Crisis

2012-01-23T16:00:00.000-06:00

15 Things that Linkara objects to over the DC miniseries "Identity Crisis."

NOTE: Due to the length of this episode, I'm also including it in split form.

Made of Fail at MAGFest!

2012-01-22T14:31:00.001-06:00

Many should recall that I've appeared on a few episodes of the podcast Made of Fail and guess what? They were at MAGFest this year!

So go on over and listen to their 50th episode where they interviewed me and a few others there!

Click here! I demand it!

Critic TV MAGFest Special

2012-01-18T19:58:00.003-06:00

The MAGFest Bandwagon keeps on turning!

Check out this three-part series where Critic TV interviews several individuals, myself, included!

NOTE: All answers are completely true and fo serious, yo.

Brute Force #3

2012-01-16T16:00:00.001-06:00

Cyborg animals, swamp monsters, and the Airzone Solution. It must be Brute Force!

Wonder Woman (2011)

2012-01-15T23:07:00.002-06:00

Nash, Film Brain, and Linkara look at the unaired Wonder Woman pilot from 2011. Is it as bad as people said?

YES.

Dracula: Sovreign of the Damned

2012-01-14T12:06:00.002-06:00

In this episode of Bennett the Sage's Anime Abandon, Linkara joins in to review a made-for-TV movie based on Marvel's Tomb of Dracula series!

NOTE: Yeah, I know, I should probably wait for the next MAGFest Mega-Post to put this up, but I fear with how scattered the remaining MAGFest content is going to be that that would take a while.

MAGFest Mega Post #1 (2012)

2012-01-10T18:22:00.002-06:00

Like last year, here's a Mega Post of videos from MAGFest! First up is, of course, THE LIVE SHOW! What have I uncovered from the depths of gaming for my third live show?

Next up is an interview I did after the live show!

Let's continue into the next day with THE GREAT NERF GUN WAR! Mind you, the thing lasted for an hour but these are just the first several minutes. My NERF knock-off shotgun was a big hit amongst my peers thanks to ejectable shells.

And in the evening... THAT GUY WITH THE GLASSES PANEL!

And like last year, I was throwing marshmallows. Some fans actually gave me a marshmallow gun, but I did not have time to assemble it before the panel.

There will probably be more to come after this, in particular several crossovers that I participated in, but just as a preview for the one that *I* am putting together, I leave you with this picture courtesy of the Critical Marine.

Robocop vs. the Terminator #1

2012-01-09T16:00:00.002-06:00

More like "a naked woman without a name" versus ED-209, but hey, it IS only the first issue.

Marville #1

2012-01-02T16:00:00.002-06:00

Ted Turner, AOL, and a kid who thinks time travel gives him superpowers. I only wish this was a joke, because then something actually FUNNY would happen in this comic.

Top 15 Personal Favorite Jokes of AT4W

2011-12-26T16:00:00.001-06:00

Take a look back at Linkara's favorite gags from the last few years!

NOTE: I'm aware of the audio de-synching hiccup during one bit. Fortunately, it's only that one part. This last month has been rough on making episodes - I've had to save episodes in chunks in order to get them out and completed and this one was no different. This week is going to be tough because of all the prep I need to do for Magfest, sooo I'm not prioritizing fixing it. However, I did get a shiny new computer for Christmas DESIGNED for editing, so needless to say we shouldn't have any issues like this in the foreseeable future.

Channel Awesome 2011 Holiday Video

2011-12-24T03:38:00.001-06:00

Over 20 producers for Channel Awesome send you their holiday greetings!

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan #3

2011-12-19T16:00:00.002-06:00

For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at this comic.

Cybermat Sound Effects courtesy of Sam Timmins!

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan #2

2011-12-12T16:00:00.000-06:00

This comic has done far worse than kill us. It hurt us... and it wishes to go on hurting us.

Cybermats and Favorite Jokes

2011-12-08T23:30:00.002-06:00

Just two things to get out of the way real quick. A fan made her own cybermat based on the tutorial I provided a bit ago back (Which you can see here if you haven't already) and I frankly thought that was so cool that I had to share it with all of you. In case you're wondering, this is also the fan who was present at the Live Show at Youmacon who had the ocarina and could play my theme song on it.

Quick anecdote about this woman (her name is Ashley, if I recall correctly) - during Little Kuriboh's panel (not the Roast, the panel the next day), I stepped out briefly to get some Burger King since I hadn't eaten all day. She was actually nearby in line and she started playing my theme song again. She then turned around, stunned as she realized I was standing there, to which I simply said, "You summoned me?"

And here's another quick thing. If you look at my schedule, you'll see that in a few weeks I'm going to be doing the "Top 15 Personal Favorite Jokes of Atop the Fourth Wall." It's always my thing at the end of the year just to do a list episode about stuff on the show and this one's no exception.

The reason I'm doing this instead of another mistakes or missed opportunities list is because the end of the year is going to be tough for me, partially because I'm going out of town in a few days (long story), plus special effects stuff for the episodes PLUS writing some scripts for MagFest, and on top of all of that: Christmas the day before the episode is supposed to go out. It's also been suggested that it's a bit lazy for an episode and I can see why that is. As such, I want to include some more people in the process, get your input on what you think are some of my funniest jokes.

As such, while the episode is not going to be just clips (I will explain WHY I like certain jokes or stories behind those jokes), I also unfortunately do not have enough time to look through all 160+ episodes to find all of my favorites. Some I knew already I wanted on this list and some I've rediscovered while rewatching a few. However, I also would like to hear your input on what are some of YOUR favorite jokes on the show.

However, to make this list less predictable, I'm also setting down some ground rules, the same ones I'm applying to myself for it, and I'm passing that on to you:

-No running gags. That means no "I am a Man," no "Bees, My God," no "There is logic in what he says," and no "You magnificent bastard, I read your book!" or similar things.
-For that matter, try not to use jokes that are clips from other shows. As much as I love using Dr. Cox's rants from Scrubs, it's not so much MY joke as someone else's joke that happens to fit perfectly in a given situation, especially when describing how moronic someone is.
-Only one joke per episode. You can suggest multiple from certain episodes, but only expect one to show up from any particular episode.
-I AM allowing anything from Kickassia or Suburban Knights or crossovers included, because I count them all as canon with Atop the Fourth Wall, but try to keep it as close to the main show as possible.

Hope that helps and let's see some suggestions from people!

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan #1

2011-12-05T16:00:00.001-06:00

Beyond the darkness, beyond the human evolution... is Khan. And a pointless adaptation of a great movie.

NOTE: Yes, I know I accidentally said the nephew's name is Pressman when it's Preston. My mistake.

TAIS: 12-1-11 (Plus Bonus!)

2011-12-02T02:23:00.001-06:00

In this short week, Linkara looks at Blackhawks #3, Angel and Faith #4, and Ghostbusters #1!

Plus, as a bonus, here's the Q&A from the end of the Live Show at Youmacon!

Oddities and Endities

2011-11-29T14:03:00.003-06:00

There's A LOT in this one, so check it out behind the cut!

Upcoming Episodes of AT4W

First up, here's the list of upcoming episodes of the show for the next two months!

12/5 – Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan #1
12/12 – Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan #2
12/19 – Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan #3
12/26 – Top 15 Personal Favorite Jokes of AT4W
1/02 – Marville #1
1/09 – Miller Time: Robocop vs. the Terminator #1
1/16 –New Guardians #1/#3 (haven't decided which of the two I'll look at)
1/23 – 15 Things That are Wrong With Identity Crisis
1/30 – Brute Force #3

And yes, before you ask, I know about Frank Miller's latest little epic "Holy Terror" and the idiotic garbage he's been spewing forth from his blog. Holy Terror will get an AT4W eventually, but bear in mind that my cutoff date is a year after release - so it'll be a while before we get to his racist nonsense starring not-Batman.

Also, for those wondering how the storyline ties in to certain things occurring for the fourth anniversary of That Guy With the Glasses or any extra scenes that may or may not exist on the Suburban Knights DVD, all I will say on the subject is that it will all make sense come February when the storyline concludes. That is all.

Lightbringer Returns!

Well, it's been a long time coming, but my webcomic is resuming! Yes, my webcomic that started with poor writing and poor art and now just has poor writing will be returning on December 7th! I have a buffer for a few months along with the new artist Sergio J. A. Ragno III (whose artwork you can find HERE! if you want to take a gander at his awesome work!

History of Power Rangers

Yep, it's that time again - time again to remind you the same thing I remind people every single time I do one of these, that History of Power Rangers has no set schedule and will be updated when I damn well feel like it and that I have a busy life and blah, blah, blah.

Look, I want to get these videos done with as much as the rest of you want to see them. Among the shows I do, History of Power Rangers is actually AS popular as Atop the Fourth Wall, but these things take time. People are trying to get around the "When's the Next History of Power Rangers?" question by asking what episode I'm on on a particular series. You want to know what episode I'm on? Follow my twitter. When I marathon some episodes, I talk all about it. Otherwise continue to be patient. They take time, they take effort. As of this post, I'm on episode 4 of Mystic Force. I have been on episode 4 of Mystic Force for a few months now because of all the other stuff I do. I do want to get these out of the way, if only to finally put History of Power Rangers behind me for a while. I honestly didn't think it would take as long as the project has, but that's life for you. Answers to common questions:

-No, I have not watched the Samurai/RPM team-up. I'm saving it for after I watch RPM.
-Yes I know about the Korean Power Rangers MMO. I don't care; I'm not a gamer. I play ONE MMO and that's Star Trek Online, and even then it's infrequent because I play it more for story then for playing with other people or the like or when I feel the need to unwind, same as when I play Team Fortress 2 and to answer your next question I don't have a favorite class. I play what I feel like playing.
-I currently do not have plans to go to Power Morphicon 2012. Then again, I didn't have plans to go to Power Morphicon in 2010, either, around this time, so we'll see if they invite me again.

And please don't feel I'm directing these remarks at EVERYBODY. People who are asking know who they are and people who aren't should feel smug that they're not bugging me about it.

MSTieCast Episode 5!

I recently appeared on MSTieCast, an MST3K-themed podcast!

You can check it out HERE! We discuss various geeky things, including of course Mystery Science Theater 3000 as well as my early days before I started reviewing comic books, like the fan-MST3K I made in 2005 that I originally built Pollo for!

Just a note, though - I hadn't listened to the theme song I had made for that in so many years that I forgot that I actually used a MIDI for that theme song as opposed to using the ending theme of MST3K like I say in the interview. My mistake. Still, enjoy!

Electric Tale of Pikachu #1 Revised!

Yes, with the help of the awesome Phelous, I have posted the updated Electric tale of Pikachu #1 episode with the effect, proper credits, and a new stinger! I do want to get a commentary for it out soon, but no guarantees about when that'll be. Life is difficult and all that fun stuff. Still, to make it easier on you so you don't have to hunt down the post again, here's the video! The updated effect is in the second story segment and the new stinger is, well, at the end.

I will try to get a split version made ASAP. It's just other stuff takes priority, including the Q&As recorded at Youmacon, which have taken me a bit longer to make because, well, all the other aforementioned busy stuff. Have I mentioned I'm busy? XD

Pollo Contest!

Yeah, that busy part of it ties into this, too. I received roughly 300 entries to the contest and I'm in the process of sifting through all of them and finding the ones that will make it to the next step in evaluation. There are a lot of good entries and it's difficult to choose for some of them.

However, when I have finally picked the winner, I will be posting a video announcing it, as well as it ending with images from every single entry (some easier to do than others due to some very creative ways people made their entries, like making it in comic form or detailed blueprints or multiple entries on the same image). Will it make the video about 10 minutes long? Most likely, but hey, people put work into this and it'll be one way I can thank you all for your hard work and patience.

On a related note, I have not been answering e-mails lately and again, sorry for that. 300 entries to the Pollo Contest and 280 unanswered e-mails from the last three months. Some e-mails may not get a response, partially because I have nothing to say in response (other than my deepfelt thanks for watching and enjoying) or because of previously-stated problems regarding AOL and Comcast e-mail addresses (or lesser-known companies that apparently also had me on their blacklists).

Which brings me to a new point I need to make:

Donation Info

I have a lot of comics. Far too many, in fact. All of my closets have plastic bins containing comics, a lot of which were donated by fans.

And they are, unfortunately, unusable. There's the occasional one where the comic is just in bad shape (I've never run into a single copy of the Power Rangers Movie Comic that was in good shape), but most of the time it's that people want to send me donations of comics that they THINK will be good for the show, but once I actually look over them for one reason or another they're no good.

Sometimes the books just require too much backstory explanation as to why they're bad. And occasionally that works, where character problems are just one of many issues related to why a comic is bad, but most of the time it's useless for a review. As I've said on the show before, the reason why I do so many comics that are the first issue is because it's easier to see why a first issue is bad just jumping into it than issue number 43 or 289. There are exceptions to this, of course. In 2012 we're going to be looking at Superman #701 - and believe me, it's bad without needing to know what happened all 700 issues before it.

Anyway, the point is that I'm getting far, FAR too many donations for me to deal with. I just don't have enough room for all of them and sometimes they end up in the trash if I need to make space (not often, but sometimes). As such, I'm going to finally lay down some ground rules before you e-mail me about donations:

-No more than three comics at a time. Of course there may be exceptions depending on what it is you want to send, but if it's unrelated comics please no more than three that you want to send. On that same note, do not send me an entire series. A miniseries MAYBE depending on what it is, but twenty issues of some random crappy comic is not going to do me any good if I decide I don't want to review it.

-Don't just list the comics. A lot of the time people have just sent me a list of twenty comics they want to donate and just give the names of them. I am not an encyclopedia of comic book knowledge and instantly know what the hell you're talking about if you want to send me X-Men #332 or something. Give me a description, give me an idea of why you think this would make a good episode. I might still turn you down, and for that I'm sorry, but it happens.

-If you want your name in the credits as the person who donated it, please include a post-it note attached the cover of the comic with what name you'd like to be credited as. I really have no qualms with giving credit for a donation, but when I get so many donations, I often won't actually get to reviewing a comic or even taking a look at if it'll make for a good review until half a year later and I've long forgotten who sent it to me. If you want the credit, include some way of identifying that it was you who sent it.

-No good comics. People, I have money. Reviewing comics is my job and I get paid for it. I can buy good comics without your assistance. I appreciate the thought, but a lot of the time they just take up space.

-For the love of God, stop sending me copies of Bloodstrike #1. I have like four or five copies of it now. I'll get to it eventually, I promise.

-If you want to donate something unrelated to comics, I'm not against it, but like everything else, I'd like to know what it is first. The reason I don't post my PO Box is so I don't become the internet's garbage bin.

Oh, and on that note: these rules aren't really applying for all the e-mails I still need to answer, since of course they had no way of knowing I'd be implementing these.

Just a reminder because apparently people don't know, but my e-mail is over on the right there, above the Twitter feed. You can tweet me or e-mail me a question, but please do not leave a question or the like on a video post that has nothing to do with that video. Yeah, I'll see the question, but it makes me a little grumbly when the comments go off on something unrelated to the video when there are easier options to get in touch with me.

Conventions!

Nothing much new to report - you already know I'm coming to MagFest and will be doing another Live Show. I'm in the process of MAYBE going to ConBravo come July, but there is nothing guaranteed just yet. I'll try to keep people up-to-date as things develop in that regard.

That's it for now! I will update with anything else I forgot if I can think of it!

Captain America Comics #1

2011-11-28T16:00:00.000-06:00

The star spangled man with a plan! That plan? Punch every nazi in the face. Twice.

Time Travel and Cybermats

2011-11-22T12:17:00.002-06:00

Hey, people!

November 23rd marks the 48th anniversary of the science fiction series Doctor Who, a show I've loved since I was a little kid. As such, in honor of this occasion, I have two special videos for your enjoyment.

Why am I posting it on the 22nd, then? Well, because of Thanksgiving, I may not be able to get to "That's All I'm Saying" for this week, but I wanted to give you something. Plus I figured the videos are done, so I might as well release them, anyway. Besides, it's probably the 23rd on the other side of the planet. Or something. I don't know, just enjoy.

The first is something I've had on the backburner for a while - my theory of time travel and how I think it can work without paradox.

NOTE: This also is not the same as an alternate timeline, since the individual person's timeline itself is still continuing and happening as the individual remembers it, since that has become a part of the individual's causal past.

And next, people said they wanted to know how I built the cybermat featured in the All-Star Comics #16 review, so here's the tutorial!

In other news, in the next week or so, I'll be making an Odds and Ends post about the schedule of upcoming episodes, the Pollo Redesign Contest, and the return of Lightbringer. ^_^

All-American Comics #16

2011-11-21T16:00:00.003-06:00

A story of talking rocks, magic green train lanterns, and the man who could only be stopped by a stick!

VLOG: 11-19-11 - Cybermat Test

2011-11-19T02:17:00.001-06:00

On twitter, I've been posting pictures of my progress in building a cybermat from Doctor Who since the toy version keeps getting pushed back. Here's the test of it!

That's All I'm Saying: 11-17-11

2011-11-17T23:55:00.001-06:00

This week, Linkara looks at Green Lantern Corps #3, Justice League #3, Batman #3, Nightwing #3, Blue Beetle #3, Deadpool #46, and Wonder Woman #3.

SECRET ORIGINS DOUBLE FEATURE!

2011-11-14T16:00:00.001-06:00

Atop the Fourth Wall returns with a double feature starting off Secret Origins Month!

Secret Origins Month 2011 begins with the origin story of Wonder Woman, wherein she wears ridiculous clothes, doesn't know her own history, and falls in love with the first guy she's ever met.

All-Star Comics #8

Secret Origins Month continues with the Fantastic Four! Marvel at how they use their powers to cause as much damage to people and property around them!

The Fantastic Four #1

That's All I'm Saying: 11-10-11

2011-11-10T23:58:00.001-06:00

This week, Linkara looks at Green Lantern #3, Batgirl #3, Batwoman #3, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9 #3, Batman and Robin #3, Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE #3, Batman: The Brave and the Bold #13, Mister Terrific #3, Ducktales #6, and Darkwing Duck #18.

NOTE: My shop didn't get Demon Knights #3, so I hadn't realized that it came out. Will be reading it digitally when I have more time.

Return of Atop the Fourth Wall LIVE!

2011-11-07T16:00:00.000-06:00

What did Linkara review for his second live show?

Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu #1

2011-10-31T21:26:00.005-05:00

It's Linkara vs. the Entity! But what are the origins of this creature and what does it have to do with Pokémon?

NOTE: I've been working on this episode all day and it's STILL got bits that need to be redone, so check back in another day or two for an alteration here and there (including proper credits).

Blip also did the HD conversion for this episode, so let me know if it works for you!

Spider-Man: Planet of the Symbiotes

2011-10-24T16:00:00.001-05:00

A terrifying story of bodily possession, invasion, and alien menaces! It's a pity THAT story couldn't be the plot for this one.

NOTE: This episode, due to its length and because it's in HD, is also available in standard definition and a version split into two parts.

HD Version:

SD:

SPLIT PART ONE:

SPLIT PART TWO:

That's All I'm Saying: 10-19-11

2011-10-19T22:44:00.002-05:00

This week, Linkara takes a look at Justice League #2, Green Lantern Corps #2, Batman #2, Nightwing #2, Wonder Woman #2, Blue Beetle #2, Birds of Prey #2, Darkwing Duck #17, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9 #2.

NOTE: Okay, I think it's well established by now that I read EVERY comment you guys post in order to approve them. I've also asked before to please at least glance over the comments to make sure no one else has commented on the same thing you have. However, this is starting to reach the Schroedinger's Cat Incident level of posting the same thing over and over and over. As such, any other comments on the actual myths about Hera and Greek society without responding directly to another person's comments on it will be deleted. The point has been made and the information is appreciated. Thanks to all who wished to inform me.

Silent Hill: The Grinning Man

2011-10-17T16:00:00.004-05:00

A world of nightmarish delusions come to life... written by someone delusional.

NOTE: Because this is the longest episode of Atop the Fourth Wall to date, I have included the episode split into two parts for the comfort and convenience of those with slower connections.

NOTE 2: I have also added another version in SD, since many said that the HD version of the video was lagging for them.

FULL SD:

Part 1

Part 2

Warrior #4

2011-10-16T13:01:00.003-05:00

Juice up with jetjack and let's asphault this asshole - it's the final Warrior comic!

VLOG: 10-15-11 - The Thing

2011-10-15T21:49:00.003-05:00

Got back from The Thing Prequel and, well, here are my brief thoughts.

And here's Liz's longer take, with a lot more details on the film (most of which I agree with)! I overslept (and subsequently missed FallCon, too) so she went without me and I went a little while later on my own to see it.

Convention Appearances!

2011-10-13T22:32:00.001-05:00

Check out Youmacon's website HERE!

Check out MAGFest's website HERE!

That's All I'm Saying: 10-12-11

2011-10-13T03:23:00.001-05:00

This week, Linkara looks at Superboy #2, Green Lantern #2, The Shade #1, Mr. Terrific #2, Frakenstein: Agent of SHADE #2, Batwoman #2, Batman and Robin #2, Demon Knights #2, and Batgirl #2

Silent Hill: Among the Damned

2011-10-10T16:00:00.001-05:00

Have you seen a better comic? Just turned seven?

Justice League of America TV Pilot Review Commentary

2011-10-08T19:19:00.001-05:00

Behold the commentary about this horrible pilot!

That's All I'm Saying: 10-5-11

2011-10-05T23:23:00.001-05:00

This week, Linkara looks at Action Comics #2, Deadpool #44, Batwing #2, Static Shock #2, Hawk and Dove #2, Animal Man #2, Detective Comics #2, Green Arrow #2, Stormwatch #2, and Justice League International #2.

NOTE: Because of the broken scanner, if people want me to add in panels and whatnot later, feel free to let me know and I'll try to release an improved version of this episode. I decided to not wait until tomorrow because I need extra time for Atop the Fourth Wall this month.

Silent Hill: Paint it Black

2011-10-03T16:00:00.001-05:00

Silence will fall... but not today, since this is another Silent Hill comic where nobody shuts up.

And don't forget to check out the Pollo Redesign Contest!

Podcast and Contest!

2011-10-03T03:26:00.003-05:00

First up, it's LRWS' 50th episode and I come back to do an interview about Atop the Fourth Wall and Suburban Knights!

Next, it's CONTEST TIME! You can send in a fanart image redesigning Pollo!

Entries due October 16th and you can send them to CAContest@hotmail.com

That's All I'm Saying: 9-28-11

2011-09-28T22:54:00.002-05:00

This week, Linkara looks at Green Lantern: New Guardians #1, Teen Titans #1, Batman: The Dark Knight #1, Blackhawks #1, Aquaman #1, Angel & Faith #1, All-Star Western #1, The Flash #1, The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man #1, Voodoo #1, Superman #1, Justice League Dark #1, The Savage Hawkman #1, Avengers Academy #1-6, and a brief first thoughts on New Teen Titans: Games.

Brief Review of I, Vampire #1

I completely overlooked this one in the shop, but since I promised reviews of every one of the relaunch titles, I bought this one up from DC's digital store (which was nice and easy to use, thankfully). This book seems to want to be both Angel and Twilight, with young-looking people talking about dramatic crap and being rather lovey-dovey about it, but at the same time reminding people of the Buffyverse in how vampires, once sired, are, well, EVIL. It's not particularly interesting, rather dreary, and I just don't get the point (other than attempting to catch the Twilight crowd). I will say I liked the various transformation aspects of the vampires, calling to mind the not-often-used powers of vampire folklore. Maybe the thing's just not for me, but I found it completely underwhelming. So, yeah, not recommended. And that's why I didn't end up recording it and adding it to the video later.

Street Fighter #1

2011-09-26T16:00:00.001-05:00

Anyone who opposes Bison shall be destroyed! Quick, everybody oppose him so we don't have to read this junk.

NOTE: I have been informed about my mispronounciation of Ryu's name. As I said in the review, not a follower of the games and I've heard it pronounced both ways, so if I did it wrong, sorry.

That's All I'm Saying: 9-22-11

2011-09-22T06:08:00.000-05:00

Linkara finds some truly dreadful material this time, but the full list he reviews is Green Lantern Corps. #1, Captain Atom #1, Legion of Super-Heroes #1, Supergirl #1, Catwoman #1, Darkwing Duck #16, Blue Beetle #1, DC Universe Presents: Deadman #1, Birds of Prey #1, Batman #1, Nightwing #1, Wonder Woman #1, and Red Hood and the Outlaws #1.

October 2011 Trailer (Plus Odds and Ends)

2011-09-20T06:57:00.005-05:00

Because this week's "That's All I'm Saying" may be delayed due to stuff occurring in my personal life, I decided to give you all a treat and release this trailer early. Enjoy!

And look behind the cut for the full schedule!

Schedule of Upcoming Episodes
First up, of course, is the schedule, partly revealed in the trailer.

10/3 – Silent Hill: Paint it Black
10/10 – Silent Hill: Among the Damned
10/17 – Silent Hill: The Grinning Man
10/24 – Planet of the Symbiotes
10/31 – SECRET REVIEW (End of the Entity Arc)
Secret Origins Month
11/7 – All-Star Comics #8
11/14 – The Fantastic Four #1
11/21 – All-American Comics #16
11/28 – Captain America Comics #1

Conventions
While I have nothing concrete as of yet due to some communication problems I'm having, I AM trying to be a guest at Youmacon this November in Michigan. Again, once I actually manage to work through the communication difficulties, I will announce, but otherwise nothing solid.

However, it's pretty clear that I WILL be going to MAGFest this January. Again, I haven't heard back from them yet, but I submitted my panel (Atop the Fourth Wall Live) and considering last year's Live Show was completely filled up, I'm thinking it'll probably go over well again. And even if I don't get to do the panel again, I'm still planning on going if only because it's a great chance to meet fans and hang out with my fellow TGWTG producers (and I'm planning a crossover here and there, so it's definitely going to be fun).

History of Power Rangers Update
Well, wouldn't you know it - once again we have people asking again about when the next History of Power Rangers will be. Don't worry, I have no intention of doing another six minute rant about it, but I will remind people YET AGAIN that there is no set schedule for it and October through February is indeed my biggest time for doing Atop the Fourth Wall due to storyline stuff and just because it's the holiday season and it's busy. Fortunately, I don't have to worry about moving this time, so that should help.

I have finished SPD and have started on Mystic Force. No, don't bother asking what my feelings are on them - that's what the videos are for, plus my snarky comments on twitter. SPD is probably going to end up being three videos because I have a lot to say and the answer of "When will it be released?" is and always has been: "When it's done." In addition, doing "That's All I'm Saying" on a weekly basis also takes a lot of time and effort, basically sacrificing the entirety of a Wednesday evening writing, recording, and editing it all together and that's not made any easier these days with the DC relaunch and me picking up around 13 comics per week during it.

As of this writing I'm four episodes into Mystic Force, and fortunately from here on the seasons get shorter, so that should help, but it really comes down to HAVING the time to watch the episodes. Still, I have not abandoned this project nor shall I abandon it - I still enjoy watching the episodes and I enjoy hearing your own thoughts about seasons.

Speaking of, ALL of Power Rangers is available on Netflix streaming, so for the bajillions of people who want to know where to find it, there you go.

Superman and the TRS-80 Whiz Kids: The Computers that Saved Metropolis

2011-09-19T18:50:00.001-05:00

Once again watch as the Man of Steel wastes his time shilling outdated computers!

That's All I'm Saying 9-14-11

2011-09-15T03:34:00.001-05:00

Today, Linkara looks at Green Lantern #1, Red Lanterns #1, Frankenstein - Agent of SHADE #1, Batwoman #1, Legion Lost #1, Batman and Robin #1, Deathstroke #1, Demon Knights #1, Mister Terrific #1, Suicide Squad #1, Superboy #1, Grifter #1, Resurrection Man #1, Deadpool #43, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9 #1.

The Twilight Zone #9

2011-09-12T16:00:00.000-05:00

A dimension not of sight or sound but of mind. A really stupid mind.

That's All I'm Saying 9-8-11

2011-09-08T02:13:00.001-05:00

This week, Linkara looks at Action Comics #1, Detective Comics #1, Men at War #1, Hawk and Dove #1, Green Arrow #1, Batwing #1, Justice League International #1, Animal Man #1, Swamp Thing #1, Stormwatch #1, Static Shock #1, OMAC #1, and Batgirl #1.

US-1 #2

2011-09-05T16:00:00.001-05:00

The continuation of a hard-hitting, realistic expose on the lives of truckers!

Apollo 18, Mystery Date, and a Podcast

2011-09-05T01:06:00.003-05:00

I just have a few things I'm going to put out here very quickly since they all came out at once! First up, Liz and I went to see Apollo 18 and here are our thoughts on the movie!

Next up, Liz and I play another board game - Mystery Date Game!

And her final verdict:

And then I reappear on Podcast Sentai Power Rangers, which you can listen to HERE!

Let's Interview Mike Nelson

2011-09-02T17:48:00.002-05:00

Nash hosts a call with Lindsay Ellis, myself, and some guy from some puppet show that I hear was popular, Mystery Science something or other.

That's All I'm Saying: 8-31-11

2011-08-31T20:22:00.004-05:00

A new series! I take a quick look at my weekly pulls and give my immediate thoughts on them. Agree? Disagree? Suggestions on the format? Feel free to post below and discuss. This week I look at Flashpoint #5 and Justice League #1.

NOTE: This series, as I say in the video, is quick and dirty. I haven't read the books multiple times to spot any mistakes I make - it's just my IMMEDIATE reactions upon finishing them, so I'm bound to miss things or make errors.

ANOTHER NOTE: Please, please, please, please, PLEASE read the comments before you make one yourself. Someone has probably pointed out something to me before you could.

Kamandi at Earth's End #1

2011-08-29T16:00:00.001-05:00

Behold the story that gave birth to Superman at Earth's End!

Podcast Monkeys

2011-08-27T08:28:00.002-05:00

Or, in this case, the Monkey Brodcast, where I was a guest on this podcast. Posted below!

Mightily Murdered Power Ringers #1

2011-08-22T16:00:00.000-05:00

Go Go Power Ringers! Go away and never come back.

You're Such a Card Game: Happy Days Board Game

2011-08-22T05:44:00.001-05:00

Liz and I recently took a look at the Happy Days board game! Watch us hang out at crack houses!

And Liz's final thoughts on it:

You Can Play This: Batman

2011-08-18T17:12:00.001-05:00

J-Dub helps Linkara as he goes over this oft-overlooked gem from Sunsoft Japan: Batman for the PC-Engine!

Kickassia Commentary

2011-08-16T17:22:00.003-05:00

So Nash, Obscurus Lupa, Phelous, and I decided to do a new commentary of Kickassia!

Why these people? Well, it was 4 in the morning and you'll have to listen to the commentary for more information. Look behind the cut!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

NBComics #1

2011-08-15T08:04:00.001-05:00

Learn about the shows you DIDN'T wake up early on Saturday mornings to watch!

Commentaries!

2011-08-11T05:58:00.002-05:00

More commentaries! First up is from Silent Hill: Dying Inside #5

Next, the 100th episode: Sonic Live #1!

Captain America: Return of the Asthma Monster

2011-08-08T16:00:00.001-05:00

Yes, a villain so good that people DEMANDED his return! After all, YOU remember the asthma monster, right?

Airzone Solution Bloopers

2011-08-05T21:51:00.000-05:00

And it seems not a moment too soon.

Star Trek #2

2011-08-01T16:00:00.000-05:00

Behold this classic tale of the starship Enterprise... and how her crew is incredibly incompetent.

A Discussion of the DCU Reboot

2011-07-28T10:52:00.000-05:00

A discussion between Linkara and Josh Hadley of Lost in the Static and Radiodrome about the upcoming DC reboot and digital comics. Recorded back in June of 2011.

Comic Book Advertisements

2011-07-25T16:00:00.001-05:00

You will worship hostess fruit pies or they shall take their vengeance upon you!

Battle Commentaries!

2011-07-21T15:26:00.003-05:00

Liz and I finally got around to recording commentaries on two Atop the Fourth Wall episodes featuring battles!

Power Rangers Zeo #1

Doctor Who Classics #7

NOTE: I say Marobot when I mean MasterTheCreater, my title card artist. I had Marobot on the mind since he did the interiors of Vyce's ship.

The Oddless and the Endless

2011-07-19T07:48:00.004-05:00

As always, here's a whole bunch of stuff that I'm cramming together in one post!

GCF Talk 1 Year Anniversary Podcast

This one is VERY belated, and my apologies to the people at GCF Talk for that, but a while ago I was on their show for their 1-year anniversary and I plum forgot to post it up! As such, enjoy!

Schedule for Upcoming Episodes

And, of course, what would an Odds and Ends be without the schedule of upcoming episodes?

7/25 – Comic Book Advertisements
8/1 – Star Trek #2 (Gold Key)
8/8 – PSA Hell: Captain America: Return of the Asthma Monster!
8/15 – NBComics #1
8/22 – 150th episode
8/29 – Kamandi at Earth’s End #1
9/5 – Marvel Super Hero Island Adventures #1
9/12 – Twilight Zone #9
9/19 – TRS-80 Whiz Kids: The Computers that Saved Metropolis!
9/26 – Street Fighter #1 (Yes, the Malibu Comics one)

As always, the schedule is subject to change, but here's what we've got going for the next two months.

E-mails

A lot of people have been upset that I haven't answered their e-mails. I do apologize for this, but it's the nature of the beast - I'm busy A LOT and September through December is going to be especially difficult because of some of the stuff I have planned. Still, I'll try to get to your e-mails as soon as possible. As of this post, I have 66 unread e-mails sitting in my inbox. I may not respond to them at all - sometimes there's just nothing to respond TO - sure, I love getting thanks and praise and I do READ every e-mail sent my way, but it feels empty if I just respond with a "Thanks for the kind words!"

I'd also like to remind people that I sadly am completely unable to respond to e-mails from Comcast or AOL. Long story short, my parents' e-mail server (which I still utilize) was hijacked several years ago by spammers, the server was blacklisted, and despite it all having been dealt with, we're still blacklisted and thus AOL and Comcast reject e-mails from us. I've made some attempts on my own to try to correct this, but I haven't had any luck. It's not a priority for my family because they have alternate e-mail addresses that they more frequently use, anyway, so it isn't a problem for them.

As such, I do want to apologize if you have an e-mail that you think should have gotten a response but flat-out I was unable to respond to. I HAVE considered switching over to something like Hotmail, but it's just one of those things that I'm lazy about and never gotten around to.

Lightbringer and Revolution of the Mask

Both of my comics shall be returning! Sou-Zou has been hard at work cranking out pages weekly for me and is 50% done with issue 3. Lightbringer will also be making a return and I do have a new artist signed up, but I don't want to set an official day for its return until we have enough buffer to at least finish off the current storyline.

But yeah, neither project has been forgotten and they shall continue.

Thank you all for your continued support of the show and the rest of my work!

Warrior #4

Warrior #4 is being edited by Spoony. It's not the highest priority, unfortunately, because he wants to get his Final Fantasy X-2 review finished before ConBravo. Plus he was unsatisfied with how some of the shots turned out and is considering ways of doing reshoots for certain segments. However, it will be done, but we have no date for which it'll be released.

Rise of Arsenal #3 and 4

2011-07-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

Got any China Cat? How about some A-Train? How about a better comic?

Suburban Knights Commentary Parts 5-7

2011-07-15T22:44:00.000-05:00

The commentary concludes!

Suburban Knights Commentary Parts 3 and 4

2011-07-14T17:12:00.000-05:00

The commentary continues!

Suburban Knights Commentary Parts 1 and 2

2011-07-13T20:23:00.000-05:00

Linkara and Iron Liz discuss the making of Suburban Knights!

History of Power Rangers: Power Rangers Dino Thunder

2011-07-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

The History of Power Rangers travels to Reefside, where the Rangers are powered by genocide to fight off scientists who don't know how to hold test tubes or who mistake their experiments for Mountain Dew.

In Part 2, we take a look at Tommy's psyche and see the Ninja Storm Rangers kick our heroes' asses.

NOTE: Yes, I am aware that all of Power Rangers is on Netflix.

Facebook Fanpage Contest Winner

2011-07-12T01:00:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, the Facebook Fan page held a contest for people in honor of the fanpage reaching a certain amount of followers. The contest was to do your own version of Atop the Fourth Wall. The winner was DGCakes and the prize was to have the video posted on the blog as well as win an AT4W T-shirt!

So here is is, with her review of Cyberfrog #0!

Rise of Arsenal #1-2

2011-07-11T16:00:00.001-05:00

More melodrama than you can swing a dead cat at!

NOTE: If you're experiencing some kind of glitch or the like with the video, right-click on it and go into your flash settings. Go to hardware acceleration and switch it on. If it's already switched on, switch it off and then switch it back on again and it SHOULD fix the problem. I'm uploading the videos directly to Blip now instead of converting them to flash in the hopes of getting better quality out of the video.

Barbi Twins Adventures #1 (Plus Dancing!)

2011-07-04T16:00:00.003-05:00

"Adventures" is too strong a word. "Stumbles into nonsense" would be more accurate.

And, of course, as a bonus since I have nothing to offer for the holiday, enjoy America's independence with our freedom to dance with the TGWTG Year 3 Dance Spectacular!

...and of course, don't forget to check out the commentaries in the next post below!

Commentaries

2011-07-04T08:38:00.001-05:00

I've got a triple-dose of commentaries for people to enjoy!

First up is a commentary for the classic Wolverine: Adamantium Rage review...

Next there's the commentary for the Manimal crossover I did with the Cinema Snob...

And finally a commentary for the Bimbos BC crossover I did with him!

And of course check back later for the new episode today!

Suburban Knights Part 7

2011-07-02T19:37:00.000-05:00

Will the world of technology be destroyed?

Suburban Knights Part 6 (Plus Crossover!)

2011-07-01T22:57:00.002-05:00

The final battle approaches! Who is Malachite? Where is his hand? Will Joe ever get his line right?!

ALSO! Nash and I did a crossover! In the wake of the Green Lantern movie, we take a look at the failed 1997 Justice League of America TV pilot!

And man does it suck.

Suburban Knights Part 5

2011-06-30T19:34:00.002-05:00

As Team 2 attempts to rescue their hypnotized comrade, Team 1 comes across a new enemy and an old ally!

Suburban Knights Part 4

2011-06-30T02:03:00.001-05:00

Team 1 must discover which warrior to fight while Team 2 attempts to navigate without their map!

Suburban Knights Part 3 (Plus Podcasts!)

2011-06-29T00:31:00.002-05:00

As Team 1 settles down to rest, Team 2 must do battle with the Cloaks!

Also, I've been on quite a few podcasts lately, so here they are!

First up, I had the honor of once again being on Made of Fail, but this time with DC Comics writer Sterling Gates! We got to talk about the DC relaunch and other issues relating to the comic world, including the Green Lantern movie!

You can listen to the podcast HERE!

Next, Those ComicBook Guys interviewed me!

Hopefully coming soon will also be a one-off podcast that I did talking about the DC relaunch in other areas, but I've been sidetracked so I haven't uploaded it yet, but it will indeed happen soon. Enjoy, everybody!

Suburban Knights Part 2

2011-06-27T23:29:00.001-05:00

The two groups face their first obstacles on their quest for Malachite's Hand!

Eminem/The Punisher #1

2011-06-27T16:00:00.001-05:00

Will the real Slim Shady please stand up... and throw this comic away?

NOTE: Just to put the kibosh on more comments on the subject, I have been informed of the meaning behind "Bluehairs" and "Coney dogs." I have never heard either term used before now.

Suburban Knights Part 1

2011-06-26T23:50:00.001-05:00

The Third Year Anniversary Begins!

Suburban Knights Trailer (and Podcast!)

2011-06-21T22:59:00.003-05:00

First up - the trailer to Suburban Knights, the third year anniversary of Channel Awesome!

Next, a podcast I recently participated in - Data Stream!

Game Boy #1

2011-06-20T16:00:00.002-05:00

Now you're playing with... nothing, because this isn't a video game console.

EDITED TO ADD: People have been asking me about the tune I use for the Entity storyline. Here's the thing: I DON'T have any real info on it. I acquired it along with a lot of the other Ren and Stimpy public domain music second-hand and A LOT of tracks that are included either don't have correct information or don't have any information other than a name. In this case, the piano music is simply called "Evil." However, I also have a duplicate of the song that labels it as "Satanic" and that it was composed by Richard Harvey. I hope that's helpful, but that's all I've got.

VLOG 6-17-11: Green Lantern Movie

2011-06-18T00:11:00.001-05:00

I give my quick thoughts on the Green Lantern movie.

Cameo! The Sexual Awakening of the Human Nerd

2011-06-14T23:43:00.002-05:00

Doctor Block and Doctor Tease perform a scientific study to try to determine where sexual awakening begins for this strange animal known as "The human Nerd." Behold the deep recesses of Linkara's psyche! ...or, perhaps not.

Spawn/Batman

2011-06-13T16:00:00.001-05:00

Watch as Frank Miller continues to denegrate other superheroes just to make Batman look- wait, this was made in 1994?

Bimbos BC

2011-06-07T22:33:00.002-05:00

Linkara and the Cinema Snob review the movie that eventually spawned Bimbos in Time!

NOTE: This review takes place before the Ultimatum three-parter.

The Teaser

2011-06-06T19:57:00.000-05:00

This summer, the Quest Begins.

SCI-Spy #2

2011-06-06T16:00:00.001-05:00

He likes his war cold, his champagne colder, and his stories idiotic.

NOTE: The alpha-meson blaster I'm holding was a prop created by Allen Amis! You can tweet him @anarchysquared or e-mail him at amisanarchy@gmail.com

Comic Book Crazy #10

2011-06-05T09:06:00.001-05:00

Here's a podcast recorded a while ago that's finally gone up - episode 10 of Comic Book Crazy! Included in the link is where you can listen to it as well as an MP3 download.

Check it out HERE!

The DCU Reboot

2011-06-02T21:40:00.002-05:00

No, I don't care if they're not calling it a reboot. You can call it what you want, but firing someone and laying them off still mean the same thing: that someone doesn't have a job anymore, and a reboot and a revitalizing just mean that history's getting swept under the rug in favor of something that nobody asked for.

Look, people are asking me about my thoughts on this and honestly it's too early to give any thoughts about this nonsense. I'm depressed about it, not only because ONLY LAST MONTH I wrote up a recommendations list for people and now half of it is completely worthless because those ongoing series I recommended will be ending. I hate that Birds of Prey is being relaunched (AGAIN) without Gail Simone. I'm upset that she's working on a character, Firestorm, who I have zero interest in. I'm upset that it's likely that Lois Lane and Clark Kent will probably no longer be together, since they keep hyping up that these are younger versions of these characters. I'm upset that Batgirl is very likely going to be Barbara Gordon again, undoing 20+ years of character development of her as Oracle. I'm upset that Dick Grayson probably won't be Batman anymore and that Batman, Inc. will probably be ending, too, since I loved the concept and the story itself was awesome to me. I'm upset because Jim Lee is designing new costumes for everybody and frankly Lee, while a great artist, is not exactly the guy I go to for new designs because they just frankly don't look all that good. I'm upset because they won't just give a damn straight answer about whether this is a full reboot from scratch, everybody new, etc., etc., or if this is a continuation of everything that has come before.

And I guess what I'm most ticked off about is that this whole thing is, yet again, being done to capture this elusive "new reader" that they always want to get, despite them pulling this crap at least twice before now and FAILING AT IT.

When I was 12 or 13 years old, I had read some Nightwing comics my brother had because he was a fan of Nightwing from the Batman animated series. In one issue, he had a flashback to when he was a member of a team called the Teen Titans. I had never heard of this team before, but it intrigued me and made me want to learn more. When I was at a comic book store, looking for material to read on a trip up to a camp up in the woods for a four-day retreat made by my school, I saw "JLA/Titans: The Technis Imperative." Since I wanted to know more about the Titans, I picked that up and that's how I started regularly reading comics. The book has tons and tons of heroes I had never heard of before and it was glorious because it made me want to learn more about them, to learn more about a history I had never thought existed.

THAT is the new reader you want to get, DC. You don't get new readers by pretending that nothing ever happened before. You get new readers by telling good stories and making them want to know more about the history. You EMBRACE your history, use it as the platform to tell good stories. You have it even easier these days with the internet and its bottomless pit of information about characters and storylines that anyone can look up and read more about.

I am banging my head against my desk that I have to keep reminding the industry about this: tell good stories and the readers will come. They will come through word of mouth, they will come because you have dedicated readers who invest their time and money into these characters. Does it work for every book? No, because opinions vary on it, but you know damn well that a good book is going to last a hell of a lot longer than a bad one.

So, people, you want my thoughts about the upcoming DC reboot? I'm upset about it. Maybe it'll all work out for the best - maybe I'm overreacting. It happens. But right now? I'm upset and I am going to continue to be upset about it because it feels like I've invested money and time in something for over ten years and it was for nothing.

And if you don't know what I'm talking about, just read HERE or google it.

Also, DC announced they would also release digital comics of those releases on the same day from now on. That's fantastic and I love it, howevere, there's a quote from the West Wing that I like to use at a time like this:

"Why is it for every good thing you do around here, we have to endure three screw-ups?"

Discuss, debate, argue, criticize me, support me, do what you like in the comments, but keep it civil.

Odds and/or Ends

2011-05-31T00:00:00.002-05:00

Revised Schedule

Well, many fans were quick to point out that I was operating under a misconception - there actually ISN'T a second issue of Eminem and the Punisher, meaning that I had to revise the schedle a bit. It's not just a matter of filling it in, though, since I try to keep to my "Marvel-Indy-DC-Indy-Marvel-etc." alternating schedule (exceptions being the holiday season). And since the 150th episode is coming at the end of August, I didn't want to change what I had planned for that, so I just had to reshuffle some episodes, including a few that I had planned for September and moving them up.

Plus I was only doing Rise of Arsenal as four individual episodes because I didn't want to have two 2-part episodes next to each other, so that was revised, as well. Still, here's the updated schedule for the next two months.

6/6 – SCI-Spy #2
6/13 – Miller Time: Spawn/Batman
6/20 – Gameboy #1
6/27 – Eminem and the Punisher #1
7/4 – Barbi Twin Adventures #1
7/11 – Rise of Arsenal #1-2
7/18 – Rise of Arsenal #3-4
7/25 – Comic Book Advertisements
8/1 – Star Trek #2 (Gold Key)
8/8 – PSA Hell: Captain America: Return of the Asthma Monster!

You're Such a Card Game: E.T. The Card Game

Behold as Liz and I play the 1980s E.T. Card Game! Okay, it's not a trading card game, but hey, it uses cards!

Podcasts!

First up we have the Lawrence Ross Waterhead Show!

I also just appeared on the BunnyCast, which you can listen to HERE!

Conventions

Lately I've had a lot of people asking me if I'll be making any convention appearances. Unfortunately, as I've said before, because of my busy schedule I don't have a lot of time to go to conventions just for fun. However, the Prop Lady has convinced me to go to CONvergence this July... though I'll be an attendee and not a guest.

Otherwise, I have no convention plans. Because of the aforementioned schedule, I really can only go to a lot of conventions if I'm invited. I've been told I need to register with DragonCon in order to get in, though I don't know if it's too late for that or not. Otherwise, nope - no one's invited me anywhere so I have no plans to go anywhere. ^^;

Mini-Contest in the Facebook Page
Sakura Mahal is running a new mini-contest over on the Fan Facebook page! Go take a look for yourselves by clicking on the link in the sidebar!

Ultimatum #5

2011-05-30T16:00:00.001-05:00

The event comic concludes with nothing having been achieved!

Manimal #1

2011-05-28T20:08:00.003-05:00

The lack of people changing into sharks in this comic upsets me.

Ultimatum #3-4

2011-05-23T16:00:00.001-05:00

The death count rises and the audience's patience falls.

The Airzone Solution

2011-05-18T19:57:00.000-05:00

Linkara and Phelous look at a movie that has a bunch of The Doctors from Doctor Who fighting an evil pollution company.

Ultimatum #1-2

2011-05-16T16:00:00.001-05:00

How come event comics never have accurate taglines? This one needs to be, "the one where everyone dies!"