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

Welcome to Atop the Fourth Wall, where bad comics burn. In this episode, Linkara looks at the continuing adventures of Superman and a bunch of children looking at obsolete computers!
atopthefourthwa...
Originally uploaded September 19th, 2011.
ORIGINAL INFO: Once again watch as the Man of Steel wastes his time shilling outdated computers!
RUMINATIONS: The Tandy Computer Whiz Kids: my constant excuse to let me ramble about being an old person who remembers old computer games and how back in my day we had 100-meg hard drives AND LIKED IT DAMN IT! Us and our Windows 95s and our Amigas and our Magic Pockets and our Bitmap Brothers and our modems and our wav files and our-
But yeah, is there anything really to say at this point when it comes to the Tandy Computer Whiz Kids that hasn’t been said already? Interesting to see a lesser-known villain like Major Disaster in this one. I wonder if Tandy had to approve these things and either didn’t care or was a DC fan already and thus didn’t mind using a lesser-known villain in the title.
Obviously since this episode I’ve gotten pretty much all the remaining Tandy Computer Whiz Kids comics and have gone through most of the rest of them.
Plus the Entity distortion is getting worse…

[@InteriorCrocodileAlligator86]

Alec: "Hey Superman, why aren't you taking care of that tornado?" Superman: "Well, that tornado is over there, and over there has its own problems."

[@thewalrusclown]

It is now my theory that Miss Wilson isn't an actual person at all, but one of The Martian Manhunter's many human guises, that would certainly explain how she's able to to get superhero's to talk to just her class instead of the hole school AND her "Ranger Smith" est shape changing between comics

[@jfdrac]

Hello Megan

[@MitchellTF]

Nah, Martian Manhunt has more personality...

[@kingofthegundam7974]

Kryptonite is radioactive? ... THAT CAN'T BE GOOD!

[@javonyounger5107]

+KingoftheGundam79 it can even kill normal humans after years of exposure

[@kingofthegundam7974]

THAT'S WHY IT ISN'T GOOD!

[@armandotorres8962]

KingoftheGundam79 Glad someone else said that

[@andreworders7305]

Yep, it gave Lex cancer

[@kingofthegundam7974]

@@andreworders7305 It was so bad he had to clone himself and to pretend to be his own son from Australia. Fake accent and everything.

[@bowenorcutt78]

On the subject of advances in computer tech, I remember my class taking a tour of a manufacturing plant, and I asked one of the engineers how the computers on the apollo capsules compare to what we have now. His response: that a modern day pocket calculator has more processing power than the spaceship that went to the moon.

[@harmonicajay91]

I think of Tandy and I think of this Futurama joke: "To my spoiled son, Tandy, who never learned the value of a dollar"

[@Chocobo0Scribe]

It feels like the writer was trying to put these kids in an Alfred-esque mission control role to help Superman, and saying that seems like it could be good idea if handled properly... and...10:21 Holy crap did Alec break his own neck?

[@benjaminrubin2178]

I wonder what a Grant Morrison comic featuring the Tandy Computer Whiz Kids and Superman would be like?

[@juhaniaho6698]

Alec and Shanna would probably be master hackers, capable of infiltrating government data banks.

[@CouchSpud91]

I now want an entire Twilight Zone series based around the DC and/or Marvel Superheros experiencing it. For some like Batman it'd be a walk in the park after the likes of villains like Mad Hatter, but I think Superman's reaction to, say, everyone in the world suddenly vanishing would be interesting to see.

[@ThePreciseClimber]

When someone mentions a real book or a movie like Mein Kampf or Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, I sometimes randomly come up with an imaginary sequel or a spin-off (i.e. Mein Summer Kampf, George Washington Werewolf Hunter)... only to do a google search and realize someone actually wrote such books alredy! I love the Internet. :P

[@LibraGamesUnlimited]

ThePreciseClimber I would think George would be better with vampires what with the wooden teeth... he could... oh never mind that's dumb. :)

[@Awesome_Pichu]

ThePreciseClimber I made crack wondering if they made Ben franklin was an exorcist or something

[@LibraGamesUnlimited]

Oh yeah, then the thing with lightening and the kite could've been to fight demons. :)

[@Morningstar91939]

ThePreciseClimber what did you say? About Mein Kampf?

[@johnalogue9832]

24:56 So if Superman isn't immune to radiation(and that is one of the reasons kryptonite hurts him), why do people go through all the trouble of getting kyrptonite to kill him when they could just use radiation guns(which, in the context of superheroes, would be remarkably LOW tech...) on him? I mean, kyrptonite might be MORE effective, but you could probably just hide a few radiation guns on Metropolis rooftops and shoot him down in an ambush if radiation DOES hurt him to some extent.... Dammit, I'm going to be a supervillain someday, aren't I?

[@miylacrystal9938]

ProbeVoyages Don’t worry I know how to plan psychotic murders with in the back of my mind under 30 seconds I also know how to make a supercharge arrow(which is an arrow with some sort of liquid inside) Either we are weird...... OR we are going to be super villains one day

[@Stormkrow280]

From what I understand kryptonite is the remains of krypton that was soaked with the radiation of the red sun and whatever caused the planet to explode in the first place, it’s a specific type of radiation not radiation in general

[@lkvideos7181]

Actualy mate, yes it's realistic that SUperman has to *precisely* calculate everything to catch an object without causing too much harm to anything or anyone. That's what he does all the time. That's why he strictly controls himself and holds back.

[@florenceb1031]

"Also, why are there only ten kids in this class?" Further proof that this is the school's special education class, along with riding the short bus. I was in a special ed class for grades 4, 5, & 9-12 (my middle school didn't have one), and the class size rarely reached double digits. It would also explain their behavioral issues.

Florence B I was in special ed classes when I was in kindergarten through second (possibly even third) grade, and yeah, I can attest to that. There tended to be at least six kids in those classes at a time. That's still true in junior high and high school IIRC.

[@Ice-Climber]

Further proof that Superman cares less about collateral damage than a DBZ character.

[@shis1988]

Ice Climber Being fair, not even the Power Rangers care about that. Conveniently the townspeople know to flee the moment they see a group of dudes in spandex and a monster duking it out.

[@gargoyles9999]

Ice Climber still better than Man of Steel

[@MrEmpoleon2010]

gargoyles9999 nope.

[@MegaAnimazing]

The title card is brilliant. Superman: Hello! Linkara: AAAAAAH!!!!!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UNDER MY COUCH?!?!

[@JaelinBezel]

"The Computers That Saved Metropolis", eh? Pffft! Call me when they save Themiscyra, then we'll talk.

[@TPrower]

Wow. It's not often that we get a supervillain who knows exactly how to kill a superhero, yet goes out of his way NOT to do just that. I support you calling him Major Dumbass, Linkara. XD Also, interesting to see Alec being a douchey little craphead rather than the brainwashed little wiener he is in Fit to Win or A Deadly Choice.

[@jfdrac]

Yeah with his power levels he has to be.,...They later on learned teh full extent of his powers when he joined the Justice League and crap.....he could be on the level of Doomsday in his full form....I mean he can call down a frikking meteor but was always so dumb he could not use his powers proerly

[@kimifw58]

It works for the Joker, I think.

[@AquaFan1998]

no joke in the comics (not a tie in) a tandy computer told lex that superman was clark kent but he didnt beleve it

[@fungusonus]

White Protagonist i have that book, yeah he says, "no man that powerful would pretend to be that weak" i didnt know the computer was tandy

[@tomsmurf4225]

13:42 "Except for Apollo 18. Damn moon spiders" I wonder how many people will get that reference

[@SaintAbsol]

You know... I'd honestly be interested in seeing a Twilight Zone/DC crossover; maybe not with the big name characters, but it does sound like an idea with some potential. Has someone done something like that?

[@JaelinBezel]

Maybe with characters like Etrigan or Blue Devil or The Atom

[@Alevamltd]

I remember in the early 2000's when stuff like the iPhone was literally the stuff of science fiction... in the early 2000's!

[@BanditIncorporated]

"book report on Mien Kampf" LOL

[@Morningstar91939]

BanditIncorporated what did you say? About Mein Kampf?

[@dustinarmstrong1168]

That kid got the suggestion to read that book from Darkseid.

[@pinoypizza]

Ah the TCWZ comics. Never fails to entertain. I wonder how many are there left to review though.

[@fungusonus]

nepomusik a lot

[@HiperPivociarz]

23:30 Wait, but wasn't you the one saying Superman caused damge by stoping tornado, and that it's bad? But niow it's totally okay for him to cause collateral damage? It's like Man Of Steel all over again

[@Blu0bunneh0surprise]

If there was a reboot i wonder if Mrs. Wilson would be like the T-1000. Or a God forbid a fembot.

[@chaosinc.382]

pls no

[@Morningstar91939]

GrimFood (confused look) WHAT THE FUCK IS A FEMBOT?!!

[@kingofgames2894]

Why did I not find this channel sooner? I have to say, I've always liked comics, but this channel gave me a ahold new love for them. Your videos are amazing. I hope to possibly see a superman 64 review (being the video game lover I am), if you haven't done it already. Keep up the amazing work linkara.

[@AT4W]

Sadly, I doubt you'll be seeing a Superman 64 review from me. XD I'd probably do it if it was a Patreon-sponsored one, but quite frankly I think James Rolfe did the best review of it that one could ever hope for. Also, if you're enjoying this stuff, I definitely recommend heading over to my main site! This channel is for uploading older content and it's about 3 years behind, so there's a loooot to catch up on. ^_^

[@kingofgames2894]

Linkara-AtopTheFourthWall Thank you for responding, that doesn't happen often. I love your work, and i am excited to see your new stuff. I'll have to check out your site. As sad as I am that you will not review superman 64, mainly because it would be amusing to watch you go through that agony, I respect your decision. Not that that makes a difference. If I raged about it it wouldn't change a damn thing, now would it?

[@AT4W]

max meade No, but it might make you feel better. ^_^

[@danatblair]

+Linkara-AtopTheFourthWall Not even the comic that came with the game? Everyone remembers teh game. Noone remembers the comic. I know my copy came with some promo mini-comic that provided the story for the game. If I recall it ended on a cliffhanger telling you to go play the game and experience the rest of the story yourself. Which is like a street safety PSA comic telling you to lie down on the interstate. I doubt it's enough for a full review as it was like 6 pages or something, but for a quickies episode it might make sense. Like it it was paired with the old Atari Force comics that came with some Atari games. If you have never read them they are sorta amazing (In the future the Atari corporation used it's video game wealth to build a starfighter fleet to protect Earth. If only ....)

[@Bauglir100]

+Linkara-AtopTheFourthWall Even though he only reviewed the first level and didn't know you could turn the rings off by switching to "Easy Mode".

[@yakkowarner1990]

That WarGames reference was hilarious, I haven't seen that movie in years.

[@adeadphish7931]

I love these videos because my entire family is super tech savvy and love thinking about the march of progress for computers. it is still crazy to think a big fragile drive for several thousand dollars was a few MB specifically for a workplace was a thing a few decades ago where now we are at the point where 5TB for 100$ or a tiny flash card with 1TB for a similar price are readily available for consumer access

[@Noddist]

Loved your reading the comic in your Rod Serling voice. Thanks for all the effort you and the rest of Team Linkara put into these videos, always informative and funny.

[@AquaFan1998]

Her friend is birzzaro "80-TSR is most the most primitive computer off earth" "Nasty analog neckless" "Bizarro give futrure of rocks"

[@jeremyusreevu237]

And Bizzaro Mrs. Wilson is also a good teacher, who actually teaches her class instead of discussing computers and anti-drug propaganda.

[@Necrikus]

Superman isn't invulnerable to radiation? I find that highly suspect considering how I have never seen him have issue flying around space and brushing up with the sun. I thought kryptonite was special because it was specifically the type of radiation that he isn't immune to.

[@JaelinBezel]

Sunlight isn't the harmful kind of radiation. The harmful kind is Ionizing Radiation. Like gamma rays, microwaves and X-Rays.

[@davidspring4003]

@@JaelinBezel right. Solar radiation isn't harmful. That's why we require sunscreen to stop us getting skin cancer.

[@JaelinBezel]

@@davidspring4003 And its why we dont need hazmat suits to go outside

[@davidspring4003]

@@JaelinBezel the reason we don't is because the sun is super far away. It's still dangerous.

[@JaelinBezel]

@@davidspring4003 Your mom's dangerous

[@SpeedyEric1]

I fondly remember those old IBM commercials, mostly because they had Captain Sisko from Star Trek: DS9. 10:44- Nowadays, the term is "going Man of Steel on their asses."

[@andrewmihovich4252]

One day, Number Munchers. No... well, it was something like that. I was making *progress,* and... anyway. Actually, I was just thinking recently about that short story. Weird. "Someone wake me up when he's finished! History and computers are boring enough by themselves -- but together? Good night!" Alec, would you care to step outside? 15:08 "Wouldn't it make more sense for *Clark* to be Spock?" Well, there you go. 18:26 CANADIANS DO NOT WANT TO EAT YOU! Somehow, I think that "That would be far too simple and obvious!" might be a reference to the movie of "The Man With the Golden Gun"... except -- if I have anything here in the first place -- when Nick Nack said that "That would have been too easy!", it was because it was an elaborately-rigged fight to the death between a paying customer and a not-that-sane adrenaline junkie organized by a sidekick who would get the boss' stuff if he died, and he was deliberately making it harder for his boss... ...not for *himself.*

[@samuelbarber4154]

Just the fact that we all carry around small devices right in our pockets, which have more power than what NASA used to go the moon.

[@indy6s]

24:59 So what you're saying is "Now Superman's radioactive! That can't be good!"

[@TheMellowFilmmaker]

20:43 When Superman burst through the floor, his fist "accidentally" hits Alec in the crotch.

[@SorowFame]

10:05 boring computers. 'Twas truly a different time.

[@bluestar2059]

Here's a funny thought: if Superman can think as fast as a TRS-80,, that means that my phone is probably faster than the Man of Steel. Neat.

[@PSIHedgehogChris]

Well, all these years later, we finally know why Superman only cares about this specific class.

[@KonElKent]

In the early 80s, there was a company called Androbot, owned by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, that had two robots that interfaced with and were controlled by the home computers of the day. They could vacuum and get things from the fridge from the commands from the computer. That counts as "performing household tasks", right? They also went bankrupt really fast...

[@marvelthinker3910]

I am pretty sure Superman IS immune to normal radiation (that not coming from kryptonite), but whatever. The video was still good.

[@JaelinBezel]

Can you believe that none of these Tandy comics are on the DC app? SERIOUSLY WHERE IS PRINCESS AMETHYST?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?! WHY DOES STARFIRE GET HER OWN SELF-TITLED BOOK AND NOT THE RIGHTFUL RULER OF GEMWORLD?!

[@cassiedevereaux-smith3890]

Yes, Superman was absolutely called 'the action ace' in many comics at the time.

[@Tareltonlives]

Frank Miller: Why can't Superman be more like the TRS 80 Whiz Kids? They're much better superheroes! They should beat up Superman!

[@Tareltonlives]

LOL I love the Twilight zone callback

[@Tareltonlives]

The moment when a tornado is killing people while Superman is busy blabbing about computers

[@Tareltonlives]

They literally made Superman brain damaged to make their product useful

[@Tareltonlives]

Any episode with an MST3k clip is a good one :)

[@davidspring4003]

+Tareltonlives which is basically every episode of AT4W.

[@jeremyusreevu237]

@@davidspring4003 Yeah, every episode of AT4W is awesome.

[@Lamadredetuamigo]

I used RealPlayer... And Windows Media Player online... :'( And floppy disks... Those were the days. But I'm not ancient as Lewis. Unluckily. EDIT: And now Radioshack is out of business.

[@Magitek1112]

Ah, Gods. I owned that game on the Sega Mega Drive, but never got very far because of how hard it was.

[@PapaKennMedia]

Ironic timing with this particular video coming to KZbin, considering Radioshack is essentially going out of business. Or... like 95% of their stores are closing.

[@chaosinc.382]

Let us be silent in mourning of the chain

[@paulmahoney7619]

Papa Kenn Media LLC and Radio Shack might have done better if they doubled-down on computers rather than divesting from them. Maybe if they became something like a low-to-mid budget Microcenter.

[@Viccatrix]

Where do you people keep getting this kryptonite from!?!

[@chaosinc.382]

From the Kryptonite shop. On Maple Avenue?

[@Oliviagarry69420]

Viccatrix I got it from my happy meal

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

Chinese bloke on eBay. The shipping takes ages, though.

[@Morningstar91939]

Viccatrix Ultimate Iron Man. UIM: (in a drunken voice) and you too can have some shards of Kryptonite for $12.95 per 5 shards plus tax, and if you order in the next 5 minutes, you can get a Magic Bullet Specially Made to Kill the Scarlet Witch absolutely free!

[@Morningstar91939]

Viccatrix 90’s Kid: DUUUUUDE!!!!

[@isenokami7810]

If the teacher is from Gallifrey, she regenerates way too often. Lay off, lady; you only have so many of those.

[@andreworders7305]

There were not enough llamas in your little film Linkara

[@matthancox7608]

Have the Wiz kids shown up later in the DC universe? What are they doing now that radio shack isn’t controlling them anymore? As far as we know...

[@Tareltonlives]

Superman: It's a tornado! What would my dad do in this kind of position? (Man of Steel tornado scene) Superman: Okay, what would he do if he wasn't a complete scumbag idiot?

[@JaelinBezel]

13:37 Actually I learned the other night that one astronaut didn't trust those newfangled computers' calculations and had a mathematician (you don't see those anymore, do you?) brought in to double check all of the computer's work. It took her a day and a half but they got the thumbs up and it went off without a hitch and the guy became the first American in space, spending 5 hours in orbit before making splashdown in the ocean.

[@andreworders7305]

Because giving a supervillain to ordinary police officers is a great idea!

[@lkvideos7181]

15:41 LMAO XD great save Supes !

[@Robin0928]

Love this episode!

[@Wanderingsage7]

...why is kryptonite so easy to get a hold of?

[@Tareltonlives]

Is it sad that the Kwick bunny Superman comic is better than this one?

[@laragallahue7127]

Tareltonlives sadly yes

[@Q.Q.Kachoo]

"And please be reminded..." Yep, totally normal person thing to say right there.

[@ShanaReviews]

This video made me feel old af within the first 2mins

[@AdmiralKakarot]

Team Four Star's cards against humanity brought me here :P

[@mogan4534]

Why does Superman waste so much time with these fucking kids?! There are people dying all around the world that Superman isn’t helping, and the only response he can honestly give to why he didn’t help isn’t “I was on another planet” or “I was poisoned by Lex Luthor with kryptonite,” but instead, he has to tell them “sorry, I was telling the history of computers to a classroom of kids, half of which weren’t even listening.”

[@haveapotato691]

I had this issue! And for free! They gave it away for free at Radio Shack when my Dad bought some batteries. I liked it well enough, because I was trying to learn to program Basic at school. But it seemed like a long-form advertising tie-in like those one-page advertisements where superheroes defeated villains with the aid of Hostess Snack Cakes. Hmmmm....Maybe you should review those? Like top ten Hostess Cake Superhero adventures?

[@AT4W]

Look up the Comic Book Quickies episodes - those are when I look at the Hostess fruit pie comics. =)

[@zyxaqc]

I actually found a copy of this comic at an antique store last week, along with a copy of the Kool-Aid Man comic.

[@weirdguy1495]

I don't think Superman would sell computers because doesn't he work at a newspaper place? I know he's a superhero, but I don't think he'd want to be unemployed as Clark due to the computers selling well.

[@PenumbranWolf]

I miss Radio Shack.

[@bfoot869007]

Can a computer stop my parents from getting divorced? 😂😂😂😂

[@scrabblehandforaname]

Wait until you see NetHack whose graphics I once manipulated in a text editor!

[@LukeAllen23]

Crow T. Robot is the Angry German Kid!

[@Canadamus_Prime]

Major Disaster must have an interociter.

[@ZeldaTheSwordsman]

485, sir

[@ariksanderstuckwisch1604]

The hidden setting of this school is fascinating...

[@ninjagregshow9423]

so in that post-credit tsr-80 comercial, it said the tsr-80 micro computer is nearly $400.00, criminy, that's almost the cost of a new laptop now, and that was alot more back then

[@leomoreno7369]

Ms. Wilson is the Tandyverse's equivalent of Joo Dee.

[@Vollification]

6:47 Hey Superdork, shouldn't you be working at this hour or does the editor just let you blow off work whenever you feel like it?

[@jeremyusreevu237]

20:53 Superman calls Mrs. Wilson Margaret.

[@LibraGamesUnlimited]

I remember, when I was a kid, getting a horribly boring comic passed out to our class starring 'Ready Kilowatt' talking about the history of electricity or something. Really bad and dull as hell.

[@chaosinc.382]

Kil O Watt would have been a better name...

[@LibraGamesUnlimited]

Chaos inc. It may have been for all I can remember. I think he was the Electric Company mascot at the time or something.

[@chaosinc.382]

Then my name would be even more apt

[@LibraGamesUnlimited]

Chaos inc. It probably could be his name for all I know. :)

[@adultmoshifan87]

Us Brits got the TRS-80 under the name "Dragon 32"

[@Sigmundfruit]

that's a neat idea. maybe more public superheroes might do some public speaking at schools and the like, most likely about safety or the justice system

[@chaosinc.382]

*snrk* maybe on electrical safety?

[@mostmelon]

These types always make for my favorite reviews.

[@pikabluebear9941]

My head canon reason why Superman knows Shanna's Name is because he read the Tandy Computer Wiz Kids comics and heard about their adventures.

[@captainchaos5705]

I got the same sonic screwdriver for Christmas

[@lorddrayvon1426]

Just want to point out that it's illegal to advertise on the news unless its the point of the price. It's because of kids watching or something. Applies in the UK, dunno about the US or other country.

[@noahmagana137]

10 years of the third randy computer whiz kids review

[@MakeVarahHappen]

Don't make fun of the ole C64, it's so crappy it can defeat Ultron(not even kidding about that).

[@andreworders7305]

HTH did Major Disaster get so much Kryptonite. Isn’t it incredibly rare?

[@BrandonRaske]

16:46 a wargames movie reference

[@cameronstevens3185]

I want someone to make a comic series about superheroes being bought out by corporations.

[@MrLedhed123]

Off topic linkara I don't know if your aware there's a spiderman comic called renew your vows coming summer 2015 and it features a spidey heart around peter and Mary Jane together and on peters shoulders is a daughter of Mary Jane and what I am thinking is it's meant to fix the fuck up known as one more day somehow

[@icarusben4633]

Dear God... He might start reading Spidey comics again!

[@TheAllSeeingEye2468]

wait how dose water evaporation cause problems? its just steam

[@WiiVampire17]

is it just me or does the villain look like marvel comics Black Bolt?

[@chaosinc.382]

Shoot, he kinda does!

[@WiiVampire17]

it's weird...

[@Sfactor1990]

I own this comic, sort of. This was a bonus story in an Action Comics book.(I can't remember which at the moment.)

[@troin3925]

It feels so weird seeing Alec acting like a jerk.

[@andreworders7305]

Even if this takes place before the other Superman one, didn’t Alan like computers in Fit to Win

[@axaganyu]

Why does Linkara's Ms. Wilson voice sound like Taako?

[@andreworders7305]

And the next day the water vapor rained down flooding the entire city

[@kadindarklord]

just on the point of her class... there are classes today - if not back then. - dedicated to computer usage.

[@ZeldaTheSwordsman]

kadindarklord Yes. Starting from the middle school/junior high level onward. These are elementary students.

[@dr.penguinstein3426]

1:43 I could've helped, I still have some really old Quest for Camelot clips from the old Dragon Games disc,lol.

[@andreworders7305]

24:13 Didn’t he already basically do that with the Kryptonite?

[@ZeldaTheSwordsman]

The stinger in this one makes me chuckle. Computer-obsessed characters getting rebooted. Was that intentional?

[@LizardOfOz69]

"I am beautiful"