What's kind of irritating about it is that of course a company is out to make money - the problem is that doesn't mean they can't produce better content.
The annoying thing about variant covers is that they serve no purpose. The cover is supposed to hook potential new readers or tell the story of the comic inside of it on a single page. Instead, a variant cover is just a way for us to go "LOL Deadpool/zombies/pin-up!" And really, the supposed reason variant covers exist is for people to buy multiple copies because they MUST HAVE BOTH COVERS! ...for some reason.
*sigh* Look who visited and did his usual thing... Not only does Linkara over-explain EVERYTHING, he makes detailed analysis of things that, if you are not retarded, you already knew and needed no such analysis. Therefore you get all these idiots saying he's some kind of comic-book "expert" and he is sooo not. A smart-mark is still a mark. His actual comics knowledge has been shown lacking several occasions on his website, in his shows, by him generally missing points, not knowing classic artists or characters and over-all just not getting "older" books...
Gee. Kinda sounds like me. I know every time I go to my lcs and see some random issue of some random series that is in no way deserving of a variant I mumble to myself curses at DC. Marvel, which I don't even follow regularly anymore, even has variants with character on books that have nothing to do with them.
While over dramatic, that A Comic Show podcast thing made a good point in a video. http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/09/16/a-comic-show-special-boycotting-variants-forever/ These things are almost like feeding an addiction to OCD kids / man-kids who need to get every damn cover. It's Pokemon syndrome, gotta catch them all. Not that smaller publishers like Boom, avatar, or even Dark Horse are innocent. (Plus, a personal peeve, it can get confusing which issues you're missing when you see every one has multiple variants. Ugh.)
It's not just making money. It's making a quick cash grab while overstating a gimmick of false scarcity that nearly brought down the market in the 90s. I don't think this variant addiction, for consumers and the companies, helps in the long run.
"Linkara! So nice to see you here! Do an episode about variant covers! I COMMAND YOU!"
I HEAR AND OBEY, RANDOM ANONYMOUS PERSON ON THE INTERNET.
"These things are almost like feeding an addiction to OCD kids / man-kids who need to get every damn cover. It's Pokemon syndrome, gotta catch them all. Not that smaller publishers like Boom, avatar, or even Dark Horse are innocent. (Plus, a personal peeve, it can get confusing which issues you're missing when you see every one has multiple variants. Ugh.)"
It really is just bizarre sometimes. Variants would be a little better if they were just available as an alternative for retailers, like saying, "Hmmm, this cover is decent, but I think this one will actually get people to buy it more than this one." Instead it's a rarity thing. The Pokémon comparison is pretty apt.
I love how if anyone on the internet EVER does not like someone or something that MUST mean they are jealous or a douche. I'd like to see you apply that shit-logic in real life: I hate every aspect the show Glee so therefore I must a a douche. And I can't STAND broccoli so that means by internet logic that I am jealous of it. Think, people!!! Sometimes people have legitimate reasons to dislike or have a problem with something- it's small-minded to simply boil it down to jealousy or douche-baggery...
-I like how the (also) anonymous posters who defended him did not even attempt to challenge any of the points made to begin with. They just spouted off the usual internet fan-boy generic responses...
Well, Linkara, now that you said you would, even if in jest, you are obligated to do an episode about alternative covers, otherwise you will forever receive hundreds of e-mails every week on the subject, asking why you haven't gotten around to it yet. You poor fool.
Also, it's weird, I was just wondering if you'd heard about this blog yet, and lo and behold, I check the comments for the first time in weeks, and here you are. Que raro, ¿no?
To the anon against Linkara. People consider him an expert? I just watch his show cause I enjoy it :P Though I wouldn't mind if you elaborated on your points on his mistakes. And no I am not going to try and MAKE you like him or say your jealous. I am not THAT close minded
"To the anon against Linkara. People consider him an expert? I just watch his show cause I enjoy it :P Though I wouldn't mind if you elaborated on your points on his mistakes. And no I am not going to try and MAKE you like him or say your jealous. I am not THAT close minded"
I think OTHER people consider me an expert, but I don't recall ever making such a claim. If I did, I apologize, since I most certainly am NOT. I try to admit all the time in videos when I'm lazy with research or when I make a mistake. As for not recognizing "classic artists," well I freely admit I prefer focusing on writing than artwork and if I don't mention it in a video it's because I didn't find anything particularly wrong with it. I'm scratching my head at "classic characters," though (like who, Nightcat?) and "not getting older books." I get the Silver Age and Golden Age just fine - I just don't think they're immune from criticism and jokes.
Second, Linkara never at one point declared himself to be a comic expert; heck, at one point he admited being an English Major, which makes sense why he tends to focus on WRITING in his reviews. As a Sequential Art Major myself, I usually see his videos as reviews from the point of view of a reader, which of course is the target audience of the comic companies, isn't it?
Now, the TGWTG site DOES have a self-proclamied Comic book expert by the name of The Last Angry Geek.
"Who now!?" Exactly.
Frankly, I gave this guy's videos a chance, and while they seem to be quite informative, they suffer from a severe case of the unfunny and complete disregard of constructive criticism, with every single attempt to humor be far worse than the previous one. If you were to fish out his earlier videos, he complained how he was literally obscured by Linkara despite of knowing far more about comics than him (whether this was an actual sentiment or just another sad attempt at humor is beyond me), and even tried to do the pity approach to humor (i.e. "OMG People say I suck!!! ;-;") to no avail.
Frankly, he either:
1) Get someone who can actually write funny material for him, or 2) Stop trying to be funny and stick to being informative, which tends to be good on its own remark.
As for the topic at hand, obvious statement is obvious. I simply can't say what others have already said.
Here's an idea, why doesn't everyone go blow or fight that Linkara asshole on HIS website and write paragraph after paragraph of NOTHING over there instead?
Ummm, no one ever said that Linkara DID declare HIMSELF to be a comic expert or that it was NOT him one here to begin with. Do people even READ the comments? And yeah- I agree with above- get all this arguing out of here!
Okay- an example, if it needs spelled out- look in his new video: he does not "get" Captain Marvel at ALL or how his powers work. That's a pretty "classic character" and "older books" does not necessarily mean "Silver or Golden Age" at all. Even The Bronze Age only covers to 1985-ish... Jesus, people- THINK! A book from 1990 is twenty years old now! Most his fans were not even born and he'd be, like what? Three?, so I think it's safe to say that constitutes an "older book" too...
Whoah whoah whoah. Linkara AND Our Valued Customers in the same page?
My pagan voodoo rituals were successful.
*(funnily enough, as I went to confirm I wasn't a robot by typing out that "random word" password-thingy, the random word chosen was "demons". Take that as you wish.)
Who cares if the comics companies are trying to make money off OCD collectors? If they want to buy three copies of the same product because they have different packaging, that's their problem.
Hey, comic shop drones - do shops profit or lose money from variants? Or a mix of both?
Have you watched the video...it's more like the original writer didn't get Captain Marvel...and as a side note the character isn't even Captain Marvel anyway.
Ummm-Have YOU watched the video? Because he was talking about how Captain Marvels powers work, at length (and misinformed)- everyone knows what character was IN the comic (and then who it turned out to be)- that was never the point. I can see why you people love him so, you're dumb as fucking rocks and you think nothing through for yourselves... And if you have to ask how it was wrong, then you don't know to begin with, and THAT was part of my original complaint.
...what is with this Linkara argument? Look if you don't like him, don't read his comments or watch his videos. It's that simple. By the way, I don't even watch his videos and this attack on him annoys me. Seriously, there's no need to make an ass of yourself.
I hate Linkara because my friend's autistic brother watches him religiously and constantly quotes his unfunny show, which are just quotes read from comics.
See- there ARE intelligent people out there who see the same things I do. Actual comic fans who notice the things I've been saying and will even go so far as to explain everything, as so many of you seem to need. -A more patient man than I: hocof.blogspot.com/2011/01/re-atop-fourth-walls-cry-for-justice.html Seriously, check it out...
I found this all so very entertaining, by the way. I just needed to see, with no names involved, what the generic general consensus of Linkara's videos were, on a site making fun of stupid comic fans, where he visited.
Obviously, I watch his videos- or I'd have nothing to say. I don't despise the guy (or even all of his reviews), just most of his fans who, well- see above. He makes his money off of me as much as he does you, so I feel I can, in turn, point out how ignorant he can be as a reviewer when it happens. Also, Wikipedia is NOT a valid or reliable source for your information!!!
It always surprises me, the number of people who don't seem to know that a publicly-owned company is *legally* required to try and make as much money as possible. If they don't, they can be sued by shareholders. Yes, Really.
Say it ain't so...
ReplyDeleteThis just in: water is, apparently, wet.
ReplyDeleteWell, give them some credit. If they REALLY cared about making money, they wouldn't be in the comics industry.
ReplyDeleteI take it that this kid wasn't around for the 90's.. and the IMAGE era of comics?
ReplyDeleteWhat's kind of irritating about it is that of course a company is out to make money - the problem is that doesn't mean they can't produce better content.
ReplyDeleteThe annoying thing about variant covers is that they serve no purpose. The cover is supposed to hook potential new readers or tell the story of the comic inside of it on a single page. Instead, a variant cover is just a way for us to go "LOL Deadpool/zombies/pin-up!" And really, the supposed reason variant covers exist is for people to buy multiple copies because they MUST HAVE BOTH COVERS! ...for some reason.
sometimes its feels likes sum peepels got no sens
ReplyDelete*sigh* Look who visited and did his usual thing...
ReplyDeleteNot only does Linkara over-explain EVERYTHING, he makes detailed analysis of things that, if you are not retarded, you already knew and needed no such analysis. Therefore you get all these idiots saying he's some kind of comic-book "expert" and he is sooo not.
A smart-mark is still a mark.
His actual comics knowledge has been shown lacking several occasions on his website, in his shows, by him generally missing points, not knowing classic artists or characters and over-all just not getting "older" books...
^ Actually, that IS Linkara.
ReplyDeleteAnd about your criticisms...U jelly? >D
Hey annon3 if you don't like linkara that's fine but don't be a douche.
ReplyDeleteAnyway...yeah damn all these comic writers/artists/editors/publishers how DARE they try and make money by providing entertainment those fiends.
Gee. Kinda sounds like me. I know every time I go to my lcs and see some random issue of some random series that is in no way deserving of a variant I mumble to myself curses at DC. Marvel, which I don't even follow regularly anymore, even has variants with character on books that have nothing to do with them.
ReplyDeleteWhile over dramatic, that A Comic Show podcast thing made a good point in a video.
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/09/16/a-comic-show-special-boycotting-variants-forever/
These things are almost like feeding an addiction to OCD kids / man-kids who need to get every damn cover. It's Pokemon syndrome, gotta catch them all. Not that smaller publishers like Boom, avatar, or even Dark Horse are innocent. (Plus, a personal peeve, it can get confusing which issues you're missing when you see every one has multiple variants. Ugh.)
It's not just making money. It's making a quick cash grab while overstating a gimmick of false scarcity that nearly brought down the market in the 90s. I don't think this variant addiction, for consumers and the companies, helps in the long run.
Linkara! So nice to see you here! Do an episode about variant covers! I COMMAND YOU!
ReplyDelete"Linkara! So nice to see you here! Do an episode about variant covers! I COMMAND YOU!"
ReplyDeleteI HEAR AND OBEY, RANDOM ANONYMOUS PERSON ON THE INTERNET.
"These things are almost like feeding an addiction to OCD kids / man-kids who need to get every damn cover. It's Pokemon syndrome, gotta catch them all. Not that smaller publishers like Boom, avatar, or even Dark Horse are innocent. (Plus, a personal peeve, it can get confusing which issues you're missing when you see every one has multiple variants. Ugh.)"
It really is just bizarre sometimes. Variants would be a little better if they were just available as an alternative for retailers, like saying, "Hmmm, this cover is decent, but I think this one will actually get people to buy it more than this one." Instead it's a rarity thing. The Pokémon comparison is pretty apt.
Except Pokemon are cuter.
ReplyDeleteI love how if anyone on the internet EVER does not like someone or something that MUST mean they are jealous or a douche. I'd like to see you apply that shit-logic in real life: I hate every aspect the show Glee so therefore I must a a douche. And I can't STAND broccoli so that means by internet logic that I am jealous of it. Think, people!!! Sometimes people have legitimate reasons to dislike or have a problem with something- it's small-minded to simply boil it down to jealousy or douche-baggery...
ReplyDelete-I like how the (also) anonymous posters who defended him did not even attempt to challenge any of the points made to begin with. They just spouted off the usual internet fan-boy generic responses...
ReplyDelete""These things are almost like feeding an addiction to OCD kids / man-kids who need to get every damn cover."
ReplyDeleteSounds like free money to me, then. Why waste that opportunity?
Well, Linkara, now that you said you would, even if in jest, you are obligated to do an episode about alternative covers, otherwise you will forever receive hundreds of e-mails every week on the subject, asking why you haven't gotten around to it yet. You poor fool.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's weird, I was just wondering if you'd heard about this blog yet, and lo and behold, I check the comments for the first time in weeks, and here you are. Que raro, ¿no?
To the anon against Linkara. People consider him an expert? I just watch his show cause I enjoy it :P Though I wouldn't mind if you elaborated on your points on his mistakes. And no I am not going to try and MAKE you like him or say your jealous. I am not THAT close minded
ReplyDelete"To the anon against Linkara. People consider him an expert? I just watch his show cause I enjoy it :P Though I wouldn't mind if you elaborated on your points on his mistakes. And no I am not going to try and MAKE you like him or say your jealous. I am not THAT close minded"
ReplyDeleteI think OTHER people consider me an expert, but I don't recall ever making such a claim. If I did, I apologize, since I most certainly am NOT. I try to admit all the time in videos when I'm lazy with research or when I make a mistake. As for not recognizing "classic artists," well I freely admit I prefer focusing on writing than artwork and if I don't mention it in a video it's because I didn't find anything particularly wrong with it. I'm scratching my head at "classic characters," though (like who, Nightcat?) and "not getting older books." I get the Silver Age and Golden Age just fine - I just don't think they're immune from criticism and jokes.
First of all, nice to see you here, Linkara.
ReplyDeleteSecond, Linkara never at one point declared himself to be a comic expert; heck, at one point he admited being an English Major, which makes sense why he tends to focus on WRITING in his reviews. As a Sequential Art Major myself, I usually see his videos as reviews from the point of view of a reader, which of course is the target audience of the comic companies, isn't it?
Now, the TGWTG site DOES have a self-proclamied Comic book expert by the name of The Last Angry Geek.
"Who now!?" Exactly.
Frankly, I gave this guy's videos a chance, and while they seem to be quite informative, they suffer from a severe case of the unfunny and complete disregard of constructive criticism, with every single attempt to humor be far worse than the previous one. If you were to fish out his earlier videos, he complained how he was literally obscured by Linkara despite of knowing far more about comics than him (whether this was an actual sentiment or just another sad attempt at humor is beyond me), and even tried to do the pity approach to humor (i.e. "OMG People say I suck!!! ;-;") to no avail.
Frankly, he either:
1) Get someone who can actually write funny material for him, or
2) Stop trying to be funny and stick to being informative, which tends to be good on its own remark.
As for the topic at hand, obvious statement is obvious. I simply can't say what others have already said.
"And I can't STAND broccoli so that means by internet logic that I am jealous of it."
ReplyDeleteWell, it's so obvious that you are....
Here's an idea, why doesn't everyone go blow or fight that Linkara asshole on HIS website and write paragraph after paragraph of NOTHING over there instead?
ReplyDeleteUmmm, no one ever said that Linkara DID declare HIMSELF to be a comic expert or that it was NOT him one here to begin with. Do people even READ the comments? And yeah- I agree with above- get all this arguing out of here!
ReplyDeleteOkay- an example, if it needs spelled out- look in his new video: he does not "get" Captain Marvel at ALL or how his powers work. That's a pretty "classic character" and "older books" does not necessarily mean "Silver or Golden Age" at all. Even The Bronze Age only covers to 1985-ish... Jesus, people- THINK! A book from 1990 is twenty years old now! Most his fans were not even born and he'd be, like what? Three?, so I think it's safe to say that constitutes an "older book" too...
ReplyDeleteWhoah whoah whoah.
ReplyDeleteLinkara AND Our Valued Customers in the same page?
My pagan voodoo rituals were successful.
*(funnily enough, as I went to confirm I wasn't a robot by typing out that "random word" password-thingy, the random word chosen was "demons".
Take that as you wish.)
Who cares if the comics companies are trying to make money off OCD collectors? If they want to buy three copies of the same product because they have different packaging, that's their problem.
ReplyDeleteHey, comic shop drones - do shops profit or lose money from variants? Or a mix of both?
I don't know who the fuck linkara is but his original comment on this post is pretty apt.
ReplyDeleteHow did he not get Captain Marvel?
ReplyDeleteHave you watched the video...it's more like the original writer didn't get Captain Marvel...and as a side note the character isn't even Captain Marvel anyway.
Ummm-Have YOU watched the video? Because he was talking about how Captain Marvels powers work, at length (and misinformed)- everyone knows what character was IN the comic (and then who it turned out to be)- that was never the point.
ReplyDeleteI can see why you people love him so, you're dumb as fucking rocks and you think nothing through for yourselves... And if you have to ask how it was wrong, then you don't know to begin with, and THAT was part of my original complaint.
you forgot to explain WHAT he got wrong about captain marvel's powers. :>
ReplyDelete...what is with this Linkara argument? Look if you don't like him, don't read his comments or watch his videos. It's that simple. By the way, I don't even watch his videos and this attack on him annoys me. Seriously, there's no need to make an ass of yourself.
ReplyDelete1/25/2011 6:58 PM -And apparently YOU forgot to read what the whole comment even said... Proving yourselves by leaps and bounds here, people.
ReplyDeleteI hate Linkara because my friend's autistic brother watches him religiously and constantly quotes his unfunny show, which are just quotes read from comics.
ReplyDeleteSee- there ARE intelligent people out there who see the same things I do. Actual comic fans who notice the things I've been saying and will even go so far as to explain everything, as so many of you seem to need.
ReplyDelete-A more patient man than I: hocof.blogspot.com/2011/01/re-atop-fourth-walls-cry-for-justice.html
Seriously, check it out...
I found this all so very entertaining, by the way. I just needed to see, with no names involved, what the generic general consensus of Linkara's videos were, on a site making fun of stupid comic fans, where he visited.
Obviously, I watch his videos- or I'd have nothing to say. I don't despise the guy (or even all of his reviews), just most of his fans who, well- see above.
He makes his money off of me as much as he does you, so I feel I can, in turn, point out how ignorant he can be as a reviewer when it happens.
Also, Wikipedia is NOT a valid or reliable source for your information!!!
It always surprises me, the number of people who don't seem to know that a publicly-owned company is *legally* required to try and make as much money as possible. If they don't, they can be sued by shareholders. Yes, Really.
ReplyDelete