👓 TGWTG Lewis Jeffrey Lovhaug / Linkara / Atop The Fourth Wall / AT4W / Reuisu / PsyWeedle - Comic Book Reviewer. Failed Comic Book Writer and Author. Male Feminist. Obsessed With Rape. Nasty Cockslut. Jerked Off to the Green M&M. "Dead Gay Muppet Gangbang". HMMMMMMMM?

[A Random]

Or even if not... he sort of strangled himself with the whole 'Atop the Fourth Wall, Where Bad Comics Burn'. Or at least, is my view on it.

He's a Negative Critic. Fair. But that means he's more focused on ripping apart stories that are bad than he is in sharing stories that are good. I know he did recommendations more than a few times, but those aren't videos, right?

 

[Idling]

Just went through the first four pages on his blip page and took a look at the comics he reviewed recently on AT4w. There are 15 superhero comics (not all of them DC or Marvel) and 11 non superhero comics. I guess non-cape stuff isn't actually as much an exception as I remember.
The comics are pretty much all from the US though, not very much diversity there, but that might just be the US comic market favouring US products.

 

[Mr.Bones]

The US comic market has a real problem with a bias in general. Mainly because Diamond Publishing (the company that publishes DC and Marvel) controls the distribution of comics in the US. So naturally, those two companies' products take priority above everything else. And like I said, it's not that Linkara doesn't want to review UK comics, it's just that no one is recommending bad ones.

 

[FemaleGoodra]

Or even if not... he sort of strangled himself with the whole 'Atop the Fourth Wall, Where Bad Comics Burn'. Or at least, is my view on it.

He's a Negative Critic. Fair. But that means he's more focused on ripping apart stories that are bad than he is in sharing stories that are good. I know he did recommendations more than a few times, but those aren't videos, right?

He did dedicate videos to Wonder Woman and the History of the Blue Beetle, which were positive videos but weren't really typical reviews for him because they were more about the character and not about a specific issue or mini-series. Not to mention the former was only meant to be a precursor to his Amazons Attack! review, so it is connected to a negative review in the end.

Given the fact that he is an angry reviewer, it's hard for him to do a review of a good comic; getting angry, shouting at the top of your lungs, and making cut-away gags are easy tactics for bad comics, but that won't cut it for a comic you like. (and sure, he did reviews of comics like Brute Force and the Doom comic that are enjoyably bad, but again, what I remember him doing for those comics wouldn't work for genuinely good comics because he still made fun of them.)

...Though I do seem to remember him doing a review of a Teen Titans comic he recommended before, but by that point I lost all interest in his videos so I didn't see if he did anything different in that review.

 

[MiloWuCollusion]

It gets to be increasingly uncomfortable somewhere during the last third, apparently (I've only read a small chunk). However, it's still a landmark title in the industry's history that's still worth a look because of its historical value.

It gets pretty proto-MRA. Probably still worth a read.

 

[Idling]

And like I said, it's not that Linkara doesn't want to review UK comics, it's just that no one is recommending bad ones.

Why would he need recommendations for that? Why not do some research to find suitable non US-comics by himself. His show really needs a bit more diversity.

 

[A Random]

Because he spends so much time at work he cannot have a normal, 9-5 job, much less do anything.

Pay his bills.

 

[Hodor]

Why would he need recommendations for that? Why not do some research to find suitable non US-comics by himself. His show really needs a bit more diversity.

Because it'd take time away from writing scripts, is my guess.

 

[Slowboat to China]

He won't touch Asterix or Tintin? His loss. Asterix especially is freaking brilliant--or was in the days of Goscinny, at least. And Tintin is just fun.

Actually, what I'd really like to see him take on is The Kin-der-Kids. I'm betting on sheer stuttering incoherence.

 

[A Random]

I don't much like to side with him at this point, but: guys.

Linkara doesn't want to do/talk about good comics. His job depends on it. He wants garbage.

What could be garbage in Astérix or Tintin?

 

[Trombonista]

Maybe he should do more good reviews. It would probably be more refreshing than the storylines he does. Maybe I'd even watch him again.

 

[Steamboat_Bill]

So this is where I choose to start posting outside the one forum I go to...

But let's be honest, Linkara did some good videos, particularly those about genuinely bad comics such as that Batman rock 'n' roll thing, the Tandy Computer Whiz Kids... but the main problem is, of course, the goddamn storylines. They were never interesting, never entertaining... Reviews are for reviewing, not fucking storylines. Who wants to watch that? (Apparently a lot of people did.)

If you read comics and but haven't read anything from Europe, haven't read any classic newspaper comics, haven't read any Carl Barks or Little Lulu, and in general go out of your way to avoid non-superhero books, you don't know shit.

Thank you so much for saying this. Not to get off topic, but this is a common thing I find with most people who enjoy comics. You try to get them to read anything else besides fuckin' superheroes... they won't. You try to get them to appreciate Winsor McCay or George Herriman or Robert Crumb or Lewis Trondheim, you won't succeed. This is all pretty detrimental to comics, but that's another story.

@Slowboat to China: You are probably the only person I've ever met on a forum who knows what the Kin-der-Kids are.

 

[Slowboat to China]

Maybe he should do more good reviews. It would probably be more refreshing than the storylines he does. Maybe I'd even watch him again.

I agree. Quite aside from Linkara's offscreen personal issues, I feel like the "bad comics" emphasis was hurting him. I dislike Todd in the Shadows' offscreen behavior, but one of the things I do like about his music reviews is that he'll talk about what he does like about a song, or even unexpectedly turn in praise of something everyone was expecting him to lambaste. Linkara skews heavily negative, and between that and his narrow focus on superhero comics, his schtick gets old fast.

And guilty as charged, @Steamboat_Bill . I love the Kin-der-Kids. Really, though, the old comic that most comes to mind when I'm hanging around on this board is "Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend."

 

[Steamboat_Bill]

@Slowboat to China: This is why I joined this forum.

 

[Idling]

Because it'd take time away from writing scripts, is my guess.

I wouldn't see any problems woth him having less time to write his stupid storylines, but I don't think researching foreign comics would actually cost him more time. He has to do the same amount of research to find bad american comics.

I don't much like to side with him at this point, but: guys.

Linkara doesn't want to do/talk about good comics. His job depends on it. He wants garbage.

What could be garbage in Astérix or Tintin?

During Uderzos solo era Asterix quality dropped quite a bit. It didnt really get as bad as most stuff he reviews for his show, but there'd be enough to do one of his nitpicky reviews and Tintin... I guess there's Tintin in the Kongo - trashing that would work great with the SJW crowd.
Also as several people have pointed out, several reviewers have started doing more positive reviews and it works just as well. It's possible to make a funny review about something genuinly good. This whole angry screaming reviewer stick is pretty much played out by now and the market oversaturated.

 

[Meowthkip]

He won't touch Asterix or Tintin? His loss. Asterix especially is freaking brilliant--or was in the days of Goscinny, at least. And Tintin is just fun.

Actually, what I'd really like to see him take on is The Kin-der-Kids. I'm betting on sheer stuttering incoherence.

I wonder if he's ever picked up any Osamu Tezuka.

He probably refuses to read Cerebus because of its supposed misogyny. Haven't read it myself though.

I haven't read Cerebus, but if I get the chance to, I will.

Maybe ask @voiceguy for a recommendation.

 

[ASoulMan]

I remember watching his History of Power Rangers videos, and seeing his "Top Ten Comics I'll Never Review" video where he mentions Sonichu. Reading the OP and looking back at what he talked about Sonichu, I say it's pretty ironic giving how he writes Lightbringer. I also remember seeing the video where he tells his viewers to allow ads on his videos to run so he can get money, and people called him out on that.

Other than that though, I never watch his videos. Same with anybody on TGWTG.

 

[Sinner's Sandwich]

He won't touch Asterix or Tintin? His loss. Asterix especially is freaking brilliant--or was in the days of Goscinny, at least. And Tintin is just fun.

Need to play the devils advocate here:

1. These aren't superhero comics
2. They are good.

 

[DrChristianTroy]

2. They are good.

That's the thing, his show is about bad comics. Reviewing good comics is just counterproductive. As for the he only does Marvel/DC argument, those are the two biggest comic companies in the US so them being done is more likely. More importantly they would bring in the most viewers. If this is how he makes money it's just smart business to do those companies for the most part.

 

[Venusaur]

Maybe he should do more good reviews. It would probably be more refreshing than the storylines he does. Maybe I'd even watch him again.

Actually... This is a good point. Saying a badly written/drawn comic "sucks" is easy. It would be nice to see him review comics in a possitive light. Bring out information about the artist, and the comic. Discuss on what makes it shine above other comics, discuss what makes it notable. It's not like he doesn't have time for it, this is his 9 to 5 job according to him.

Buuuuut....Something tells me he won't get away from his show's slogan. "Where bad comics burn."

I haven't watched Linkara in years. Like many others, the storyline skits just got on my nerves. I had no idea about the Iron Liz drama, or his fetishes being discovered until this thread. I might check him out again if he mixed his formula up and tried branching out as an entretainer.