Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan #2 - Atop the Fourth Wall

Welcome to Atop the Fourth Wall, where bad comics burn. In this episode, Linkara continues his look at the terrible adaptation of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan!
atopthefourthwa...
Originally uploaded December 12th, 2011.
ORIGINAL INFO: This comic has done far worse than kill us. It hurt us… and it wishes to go on hurting us.
RUMINATIONS: One of the reasons that Pollo needed a new body was that the old just didn’t green screen very well… like, at all. The metallic spray paint I used on him was just too reflective of the green. Mind you, his current body has a similar problem, but it’s not as harsh was it was here, where I needed to actually CG Pollo into it. I made sure to photograph every side of him to try to recreate him as closely as possible to the real thing. The other Pollo was CG mostly because the metal body wasn’t built to be a puppet, so there was no way I could reasonably hold it up to do some of the shots I wanted to do. This also allowed me to give Pollo the hovering motion I never really could do properly on the show. You can probably chalk it up to this particular hoverskirt’s design not working well with the recycled air system onboard the ship.
On the subject of CG, this was also the point where we introduced other sections of Comicron One, like engineering and the hallways. I’m a bit disappointed that they don’t look more like the bridge, but this was sadly due to Marobot losing the original files for the bridge, thus he couldn’t improve it or build a new version, thus he redid everything from the ground up. Scale is a bit of an issue and it wasn’t helped that he insisted on having depth of field for the shots… which is kind of a problem when I’m not necessarily standing where he THINKS I’ll be standing, thus the camera focus makes it look much more fake than if I had just blurred it myself. I also wish I was more adept with green screen lighting at the time, which would have allowed the shots to be integrated better. I wouldn’t get to that point until the end of the Gunslinger arc, partially thanks to Rob when he did the green screen shots for To Boldly Flee.

[@SpeedyEric1]

In speaking of the "KHAAAAN!!!" yell, in the comic adaptation of Revenge of the Sith, in the part where Darth Vader gives out his famous "NOOOOOO!!!", it was done in one splash page, with Force destruction going all around him and the Emperor, and the word balloon was done in huge ass font and in dramatic jagged lines to ad the effect.

[@TPrower]

It takes an exceptional level of ineptitude, almost deliberate, to mess up such a memorable scene...

[@dubbingsync]

The yell makes it seem like Kirk is just calling down the stairs at Khan.

[@BioGoji-zm5ph]

"Khaaan! You forgot to flush the toilet! Get back up here you disgusting lazy cretin!"

[@Tareltonlives]

It's like if "I am your Father" and all the "NOOOOOO"s from Star Wars were in tiny corner panels of their adaptation. Like a poor marksman this comic keeps MISSING the TARGET!

[@joshuamonson9973]

Linkara should've done the "fail" line in the style of "KHAN!!" to show the comic how it's done.

[@GOFFBITZH666]

I can't *believe* he didn't go for that joke!

[@MegaAnimazing]

Maybe it would've been too easy somehow.

[@Tareltonlives]

#missedopportunity

[@davidspring4003]

Linkara: clearly it's a Yeerk from Animorphs. Me: it must have been three days since it was last in its pool. Linkara: I am such a nerd. Me: Yes, yes you are. Which is why I love watching your stuff.

[@islamroks11]

David Spring THE ANIMORPHS ARE STILL ALIVE! YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!

[@thomaswalker8356]

thank you i was about to comment this.... the yeerk comment made me squeal like the fanboy i am.

[@teedup8995]

Megatron approves!

[@bowenorcutt78]

It cracks me up to NO end that miss marvel managed to do a better "Khan!" yell, in a panel roughly the same size. Dude who did it even had Shatner - esque hair.

[@shademeadows2424]

Pollo: "i have been, and always shall be... your friend" DAMMIT LINKARA! DON'T YOU DARE!!! D; This is HEAVY 4-Shadowing!

[@gratuitouslurking8610]

'If we keep our props in the shadow like this, it'll wind up fading...'

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

"The T stands for 'totally kicked your ass." I'd have gone with "totally Kirked your ass," if it were me, but that's fine too.

[@MrEmpoleon2010]

18:11 bookmarking the KHAAAAAAN! rant

[@tolchok89]

9:24 - 9:30 In fact, Kirk...it’s cold outside, there’s no kind of atmosphere, I’m all alone, more or less...

[@Horzuhammer]

Kirk kinda looks more like Tim Allen than the Shat in a lot of this comic.

[@jfdrac]

Its a Galaxy Quest prequel comic

[@mitchfletcher2386]

Nah, this is Buzz Lightyear's origin story.

[@JaredsGaming]

"You have interstellar flight, I think you can find some new planets to settle down on and grow corn!" LMFAO!

[@otakon17]

19:08 I think that is the most legit outrage I've heard you belt out watching these MANY story-arc reviews in the last 2 weeks.

[@andrewmihovich4252]

Honestly, *before* Khan goes on about how Kirk "tasks" him, and he can't allow himself to rest until his wrath is satisfied, one of my favorite parts in the movie *is* Joachim suggesting that Khan has proven himself better than Kirk by escaping Ceti Alpha V, and between that and the fact that, well, they've got a spaceship and they're no longer stuck in the desert, they can just let the ball stop there. Eh? Eh? ...what, nothing on how the United Federation of Planets still has Youngblood's Disease in the in the 23rd Century? :P (Although on a closer look at the classic cases, this comic doesn't have it quite so badly as they did in the '90s. Maybe it would be more accurate to say they've developed a treatment, but haven't wiped it out? ... Wait a minute... the 1990s? The Eugenics Wars? ... Carry on.) ... Yeerks!

[@Headbanger142]

Khan? Khan! KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!

[@LizardOfOz69]

I get it, a MGS reference.

[@rogermwilcox]

15:52 ... From what I recall, in the movie, Carol didn't even *tell* Kirk that she was preggo with their son. The fact that Kirk even *had* a son came as a big surprise to him.

[@JOSH-lw2jv]

Here's how I'd envision the "KHAN!!!" yell as a pair of 2-page spreads: A bird's eye view of Kirk screaming with a anger-induced expression on his face, arms raised high up and hands now in a tight fist, with the communicator nearly crushed. Everyone stood back in shock. The yell *"KKKKHHHHAAAANNNN!!!!!!"* is on the top of the first 2-page spread and in big red firey letters. The second 2-page spread shows the planet: Regula I with the second *"KKKKHHHHAAAANNNN!!!!!!"* echoing through space. And finally, a right bottom corner panel of Khan sighing in victory.

[@maskmaker6374]

I love all the animorph love you are dishing out!

[@dukespubber741]

Hey, I remember that "He tasks me!" scene. That was in Freakazoid! :)

[@noahlarsen1720]

FAIL! YOU FAILED THIS FANBASE!!! seriously how the heck do you mess up the *KHAN!!!!!* part?!?!? ugh......

[@joeywaters5559]

Well Kirk did actually get Miramanee in The Paradise Syndrome. It just didn't end well. The effects for Pollo looked really good. Your summation of Kirk's character and how this comic bungled the story were very on point. Great stuff as always. P.S. I actually stopped watching this show for a while so I could binge-watch The Original Series and its movies, because of your glowing recommendation in the previous review, and have been re-watching up to this point. Thanks again.

[@DeathofInk]

Pollo is my favorite.

[@cobrasphere9760]

Pollo: There's cameras everywhere on this ship. So, when do we learn that Pollo sold videos showing Linkara on the ship's bathrooms (because, in a ship with at least 15 decks, there will be bathrooms) to The Worshippers of The Brown Linkara (a cult composed of people who wear the same clothes as Linkara and try to kill the people who did bad comics - since for every intelligent person who try to do something good, there will be people who won't understand what he meant to do and screw things up)?

[@sheepheadsez2229]

Most iconic line in the movie: "DEET DEET DEET".

[@PosthumanHeresy]

I wish this episode was a 2-parter just to be able to say "Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Kahn 2, Part 2".

[@lunamalfoy7]

So the lens flares weren't a JJ Abrams thing.

[@All2Meme]

What bothers me in the movie is that Chekov tells the away team that Khan put brain-controlling creatures in him and Captain Terrell, and Doctor McCoy doesn't even bother checking them out medically until phasers are drawn and a redshirt is vaporized. Uh, Doctor, don't you have a medical tricorder with you? One that can detect things like parasites and whatever else? Maybe Doctor McCoy was working on drinking the rest of his stash of Romulan ale before they beamed over...

[@dakotadoyle7573]

You just know that the guy who was put in charge of adapting the KHAN yell got fired for that fuck up

[@Tareltonlives]

It'd be funny if he was named Khan

[@SkullCrusher416]

you know i kinda noticed a couple of things about Star Trek 2 1. Why is Khan asking about info about the Genesis Device? Shouldn't it be on The Reliant Computer's or something? maybe it was classifiled on the Reliant's computer just like it was the enterprise's (taken from CinemaSins Everything Wrong with Star Trek 2) 2. Something kinda funny. When Khan shouted Fire during his first attack on the Enterprise, i noticed nearly everyone in the room with him jumped a little.

[@jfdrac]

It would have been classified and only Kir's retina scan unlocked it so I can assume its no one lower than Admiral who can get it

[@SpyHunter89]

Creating a planet in only six minutes? Genesis does what Ninten-don't!

[@Trevin_Taylor]

SpyHunter29 that’s already the top comment. Read the comments before posting.

[@theblacksamruott]

*sighs* linkaras rage its like that chilled water after a hot day outside also someone send linkara a replica red lantern ring

[@PosthumanHeresy]

4:04 The one failure? Kahn's face, man.

[@Tareltonlives]

"KHAN" Kirk said calmly

[@MotownFan1962]

6:35 How, you ask? WITH SCIENCE, OF COURSE!!!

[@Contemplativeman101]

I believe that, since news of spocks death broke out early, the film was reworked to have Spock die later in the film. That scene where Scotty rings up his nephew was supposed to be Spock, and they just swapped it with the nephew. Spock essentially leaves the film at that point after all. There but not there

[@Merit2397]

In the last video Linkara brought up the speculation of why Starfleet wouldn't have already known about Khan's exile or the destruction of Ceti Alpha V. My head cannon is that Starfleet dose know and has chosen to ignore it. After all, it was established in Deep Space 9 and more recently in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds that the federation has held prejudice towards those who favor or support genetic augmentation because of Khan's history and people like him. As such, they are more than willing to turn a blind eye to his suffering.

[@ascarif592]

to his suffering yes, maybe but then there should ABSOLUTELY be a warning in the databanks upon entering the system. Even before actually entering, just trying to set course or access information about it should trigger a warning.

[@Merit2397]

@@ascarif592 I thought about what you said, and I have come up with a head cannon for that too. Think about how Captains like Krik or well, anyone in Starfleet who disobeyed a direct order. It just makes more sense to keep it secret, especially since everyone thinks that the planet is already dead. Heck, there could have even been a cover up story to prevent anyone from going there. I admit, it's not a great plan (especially since the Reliant went there anyway.) but it did keep everyone away for at least 15 years.

[@cliffordshafran9250]

The scene where Kirk, McCoy, and Spock discuss Genesis may've been minor to the story. But it was a great scene nonetheless with Spock and McCoy nearly coming to blows. And we get "Khan!", instead of "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNN!!!"? Thank goodness I'm not a comics nerd.

[@ericcornett3417]

Well, ACTUALLY, 99.99% of the human population of the galaxy in TNG times are descended from Jim Kirk. Yes, he really does get around that much. It's how, like, almost all of Asian people nowadays say they have ancestry tied to Genghis Khan (obviously hyperbole, but you get my point). Actually, that just gave me a kind of cool, albeit really minor plot point they could apply to Riker in TNG: he could totally just one day say Kirk is a distant ancestor of his, and I would totally buy it, no questions asked.

[@jfdrac]

Of course its get akward when Troi reveals she also had a Grandfather named Kirk

[@badbeardbill9956]

Incest? More like wincest! Although, scientifically, the genetic risk isn't actually much higher than it would be otherwise...

[@metropod]

I had to go and watch the scream done properly to fell better after this

[@maxmcelhannan7477]

$59.95?! that's insane! it makes planets habitable and it only costs nearly 60 bucks?! are you high?! i've seen lego sets of the daily bugle worth ten times that much!

[@gratuitouslurking8610]

The problems of food and overpopulation that are brought up in the opening pages are things that even 40k freakin figured out with it's Hive Worlds and Agri-Worlds, and yet the thing implies that even Star Trek didn't even think of similar system?!?

[@fredrikcarlstedt393]

ADMIRAL PETER GRIFFIN : BIRD IS THE WORD !!!

[@robinthedeliveryboy.8304]

Wow, so J.J. Abrans screwed both Star Treck and Star Wars, what a track record.

[@JKAzrael247]

This might be a bit silly to ask but why aren't there any "Green" Themed uniforms in the Federation, what's them being against green? :P I mean I've seen the Next Generation and Deep Space Nine entire series's but I don't think I saw any Green themed Federation officers or people from the federation. Also in regards to Genesis it sounds like the Federation should contact Magrathea so they can have more Custom constructed planets, Yes Constructed since Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy likes to have silly ideas. :P

[@AT4W]

+JKAzrael247 Not sure, exactly. There IS a green variant Captain's uniform in the original series, but in terms of a Green department uniform, none really exist. I HAVE seen a green variant exist, however, in an old text-based RPG I used to be a part of that I think got it from non-canon Trek tabletop RPGs where green was used for the Starfleet Marine Corps, but take that with a grain of salt.

[@JKAzrael247]

+Linkara-AtopTheFourthWall Huh interesting, glad you got back to me quite quickly I might add, I would recommend you have a Green style Star-fleet outfit on Star trek themed ATFW episodes. Maybe it could go well with the Comicron-1 style. Also in regards to Star Trek movies my favourite is the Undiscovered Country, I guess I like the dark but also tone that decides the fates of empires and nations. But hey I like Wrath of Khan from time to time. :)

[@kkentertainment5279]

+JKAzrael247 originally there were green uniforms... the goldshirts, they were actually green, but the lighting made them look yellow and they decided to keep them yellow for the future, so while behind the scenes they were green, in canon they are yellow, it's why Kirk's alternate shirt is green

[@cjermevpg6372]

Probably on a practical level it would have interfered with green screen.

[@mcshatly1576]

yep. my thoughts exactly.

[@ericcornett3417]

You know, saying "I am such a nerd" like it's some sort of self deprecation. Being a nerd is not some flaw or shortcoming, not something about which to make a derogatory remark. It's like self-hatingly saying, "There's iron in my blood", or "I have kidneys".

[@mcshatly1576]

You and your kidneys. We don't take kindly to your type.

[@DarkYamiSeto]

Love the animorphs reference. deep down i think everyone is a nerd and honestly im enjoy being a nerd myself.

[@namegoeshere5220]

Wait...! Comic costs four bucks? So at three comics, it's at least 12 US dollars? I bought the movie on Blu-Ray for 10! Just buy the damn movie!

[@jfdrac]

Yup comics keep going up....especially with Indy companies tending to be more expensive. I expect soon that it will be 5 dollars for these.....of course now the whole series can likley be found for about 75 cents in the quarter bins lol

[@ShadowWingTronix]

Theory: MechaKara's version of Linkara was not a nice person. I'd say it was mirror Linkara but we know what happened to alt Linkara.

[@lazyuniverse4932]

19:15 Captain we've gone code nerd! CODE NERD! LINKARA IS GONNA NERD RANT! Man positions! (Honestly I nerd rant too I'm not doing to be mean, I'm being snarky)

[@Merit2397]

This comic is so watered down that I'm convinced IDW should have just doubled the adaption to 6 issues as opposed to just 3.

[@linasalmi725]

Love your video's

[@kingofgames2894]

COOOOOOOOOOORN!

[@L1701]

CAAAAAAAAAAARROOOOOOOOOOOOTSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

[@mitchfletcher2386]

CEEEEEEELLLLLEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

[@teedup8995]

Lol!

[@teedup8995]

Cool part two. Your,,,,,,, Shatner,,,,,,is,,,,,,,,great!

[@aaa1e2r3]

So what was really one of the best opportunities that could have been given for a comic, was thrown away

[@gratuitouslurking8610]

+Athavan Rajasingham It wasn't thrown away, it was buried alive, buried alive.

[@lloydno966]

+5 cool points for an Animorphs reference

[@chriscarlisle5676]

best line ever 20:55

[@Tareltonlives]

Between the portrayal of Kirk and Spock, the poor interpretation of Trek, the lens flares....do you think JJ Abrams is a big fan of this comic?

[@majorfanboy2005]

What you talking about, those movies are great.

[@linasalmi725]

Love your vidoes

[@Blubatt]

Knowing how much you hate questions such as 'WHAT DO YOU THINK..insert thing here', but I must ask, with the new series of Star Trek coming, and it being based between Undiscovered country (My own favourite Star Trek film) and TNG, do you envision a new uniform, or this style. I know the Enterprise C in Yesterday's Enterprise had that uniform, but do you envision the same for the new Star Trek?

[@epproductions7281]

Linkara can you please review the death of Spider-Man???

[@badbeardbill9956]

They comically missed the point?

[@Tareltonlives]

They KEEP MISSING THE TARGET!

[@100dampf]

wich is your favorite Star Trek Uniform?

[@michaelbuono4007]

Also y get rid of a icon line

[@CRocketSlim]

Four people apparently meaning to review the comic and not this video...

[@garethtrevor2920]

So star trek genesis like star wars death star

[@SaurAuteur]

Animorphs!? F*** YEAH!!!

[@dakotadoyle7573]

No its a Khan Worm from supernatural

[@Glitchtophertm]

That 3D model of poyo (I hope that's spelled right) bugs me. The textures are good but the movements don't look right...

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

Glitch Michaels Pollo. It's Spanish for chicken!

[@ZeldaTheSwordsman]

More art fail that I just noticed in the recap panel: Some of Khan's men are wearing cardboard boxes with vest/armor details drawn on.

[@benmcd8537]

Is it ever stated how many followers Khan has left by the events of the movie

[@teedup8995]

Was there ever a Khan Con?

[@colBoh]

Why, is that the theme from Match Game '90 I hear during your Genesis Device infomercial?

[@AT4W]

Because it sounds good as quick infomercial music?

[@colBoh]

I'm not questioning why, I'm just surprised to see-- er, hear-- it here.

[@jfdrac]

Ah that is where the Match Game came in I could not figure it out

[@__-dr5vm]

9:14 pretty sure that's an earth saying too Khan but ok

[@SnowyDragoon]

Now I'm not the biggest Star Trek fan, but why is everyone a redshirt? I thought those were engineers.

[@AT4W]

+Majin Boo In the first movie, they switched up the uniforms to reeeaaally ugly beige, eggshell blue, and white colors and the like that everybody hated, so in the movies afterwards they decided to create new ones that looked more professional and naval in design. Not sure why it's red, but I think it looks good.

[@SnowyDragoon]

Linkara-AtopTheFourthWall I wasn't implying it was bad, just confused.

[@New3DSLuigi364]

+Linkara-AtopTheFourthWall I thought the Red shirts were the ones who were ALWAYS first to DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@CRocketSlim]

LOL like wearing a blue or a gold shirt was ever any sort of guarantee for survival in the original series for anyone who wasn't cast or recurring supporting cast :)

[@moooshroomdragonking1335]

Does Liz have a channel

[@moooshroomdragonking1335]

what is it

[@averagegamecritic]

Grammar error! Needed a ? Mark!

[@JacobCMayer]

Category: Gaming?

[@chuckleshelicopterwigwamjo7315]

linkara gaming

[@L1z43vr]

Who is the Other Pollo?

[@AT4W]

Watch the previous episodes in the storyline. =)

[@reaperproductions7058]

18:35

[@hoopaguy6685]

16:08

[@ericcornett3417]

I never understood why Kirk yelled "KHAAAAAAAAANNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" to THAT, of all things. Just Khan saying "I'mma leave you buried alive on that planet, kthanxbai". That's why I much prefer Spock's scream of the line in Into Darkness. It's actually in response for doing something bad. Yes, Khan technically never fired a shot at the Enterprise, meaning Kirk's death wasn't his fault so much, BUT Khan did kill Admiral Marcus, whose fault Kirk's death was, and Spock realized that Khan stole his chance to avenge his best friend.

[@brendanmccabe8373]

Watch the fucking film he thinks he’s leaving him in a barren rock with nothing on it for food whereas in into darkness he shouts khan because... I forgot that’s how much little impact Kirk dying was it was just Kirks dead but don’t worry we won’t let this be a thing we can just fix immediately after we are done wrapping up this fight scene

[@MikeRuthless4Real]

IDW art is just BAD...

[@noahlarsen1720]

FAIL! YOU FAILED THIS FANBASE!!! seriously how the heck do you mess up the *KHAN!!!!!* part?!?!? ugh......