Tandy Computer Whiz Kids: The Computer Trap - Atop the Fourth Wall

Welcome to Atop the Fourth Wall, where bad comics burn. In this episode, Linkara looks at yet another comic featuring the Tandy Computer Whiz Kids.
atopthefourthwa...
Originally uploaded August 10th, 2015.
ORIGINAL INFO: RadioShack will save us all from terrorism.

[@Franklinsbrother]

The Tandy Kids should appear in Final Crisis, where Alec shoves his sister out of the way of a villain's energy blast and is disintegrated. Then his sister is so angry, she becomes a Red Lantern and kills more useless cameo characters, like the Quik bunny.

[@azurewriter1858]

Keelan Barron Does that mean she's actually Schrodinger's sister? Makes sense.

[@georgethefriend29]

I like it.

[@ecliptorcalrissian5014]

This is way more possible than you think, when you consider Wonder Dog turning into a monster-dog-thing and mauling Marvin to death.

[@jamiekamihachi3135]

I had this idea of the Tandy Kids be a kind of comedy mystery series where they use computers to fight crime and their teacher is crazy and thinks everyday is the first day of the school year.

[@tomsmurf4225]

@@jamiekamihachi3135 I was imagining it as a super dark eldritch horror series that really leans in on the brainwashing aspect. BOW BEFORE YOUR DARK GOD TAAN-DI. WE SPILL OUR BLOOD ON HIS ALTAR OF GLASS AND WORD PROCESSORS

[@TheGrayMysterious]

Wait a second. This comic says their hometown is "Metro City", when a later comic calls it "Coast City". It all makes sense now! Alec, Shanna, Ms. Wilson and all the others related to them are a traveling entity that lures in victims through advertising Tandy products and then feast on their minds to sustain themselves!

[@leomoreno7369]

All are one in Darkseid.

[@legomaniac213]

Somebody get on the line to the SCP Foundation, we've got a new one.

[@TheSkully343]

Linkara-senpai in the thumbnail be like... Linkara: Uhh... who are you? Shanna: F.B.I TANDY COMPUTER DEFENSE FORCE! Alec: We're under direct orders to apprehend Comicron-1 and seize your advanced technology and mystical objects and manuscripts.

[@lazerpeabody8062]

that was funny

[@nathanthompson4613]

Silly Linkara. Comic book logic says PTSD only happens when it helps advance the plot!

[@ashleightompkins3200]

I'm convinced that Alec and Shana either became or were the ancestors of The Fixer.

[@TheEmeraldWeirdo]

I know what's going on! Shanna has mind control powers and is secretly manipulating Ms. Wilson into letting the class do whatever they want while giving them all passing grades! Think about it: Shanna's ALWAYS the one picked to do EVERYTHING, from explaining the Tandy products to running the hotline to helping out at events.

[@TheMamaluigi300]

Why is she just squandering this incredible power on personal gain? She should don a cape, and join the Justice League as a superhero!

[@reptile1687]

@@TheMamaluigi300because shes lived long enough to see herself become the villain

[@troin3925]

I can't tell which backstory is funnier, the Tandy Computer Whiz Kids being kids stuck in a timeloop who've gone insane, or them being robots who can't perfectly mimic human behavior. Edit: Or them being part of a cult.

[@kingofthegundam7974]

They're insane robots stuck in a timeloop.

[@vectorequinox6202]

@@kingofthegundam7974 And the robots are in a cult.

[@acebear4710]

Definitely cult

[@ThePheonixHouse]

Or the possible 4th one, all of the them

[@johnalogue9832]

Considering the constant field trips and surprises in this classroom all centered around one extremely odd teacher...do you think Ms. Wilson is like Ms. Frizzle's evil cousin? Should this be called the Tandy "Black Magic School Bus"? If they had the dark arts, it would also explain the time loop!

[@tht1person523]

So what youre saying is Ms. Wilson is bizarro Ms. Frizzle

[@Tareltonlives]

THE ANTI FRIZZLE

[@johnalogue9832]

@@Tareltonlives for every great good, there must be an equal evil. Balanced, as all things should be.

[@TheHeroOfTomorrow]

Wait-Metro City? Maybe the real hero this comic needs is Megamind.

[@Davethe3rd]

Or Mike Haggar...

[@NinjaRed5000]

+Davethe3rd Don't forget Cody and Guy

[@Ruiner667]

+NinjaRed5000 Final Fight vs Megamind vs Tandy Computer Whiz Kids THIS NEED TO HAPPEN!

[@ilikethecokev2]

Let's hope he doesn't have to fight arachnis-deathicus, though.

[@jrny20]

Also, the comic mentioned a Donald Anderson; no Metal Gear Solid reference?

[@haveapotato691]

As a matter of fact, I had friends who had TRS Computers when I was in junior high. I played games on them when I was visiting them and had fun. I don't remember what the heck they were, but I had fun. Funny story. One friend with a TRS-80 and printer was named Jason. One day he ticked off the teacher and she told him to write "I will not speak out in class without raising my hand", 100 times. So Jason went home, wrote a program that wrote that sentence 100 times, printed it out and brought it in. The teacher accepted it, with a look on her face that she fucking hated her life.

[@corona180]

Actually, the Children's Museum here used to have a giant computer keyboard that I believe kids were allowed to walk on. It was in a room that displayed some of the inner workings of the computers at the time, including a giant magnet. I miss those days. It used to have nets suspended in the air for kids to climb up to get to the different floors of the museum. All the fun stuff is gone from there now. Darn safety standards!

[@WeirdWonderful]

Ah the 80's, back when Terrorists in comic books and TV were random white guys without any specific goals beyond money.

[@billwhite515]

Also after 9/11 terrorist got tans vs white-collar

[@jfdrac]

COBRAAAAAAAAA

[@ebwarg]

Alec remembers his Summer vacation as being "a magical place."

[@JaelinBezel]

They should reintroduce Alec and Shanna into DC Rebirth as technopaths who are strangely obsessed with a very specific and old model of computer.

[@Tamashikiri]

22:14 Fun fact: reporting on your own actions, particularly in this context, is considered a serious breach of journalistic ethics. I'm beginning to suspect Superman may have been a bad influence on these kids...

[@roguishpaladin]

Gonzo journalism is a thing, much as I despise it.

[@DoomDahlia]

You gotta admit: Judy Baker looks very dapper.

[@Davethe3rd]

You know what? This comic... is actually pretty awesome! The Tandy Whiz Kids fighting terrorism? Holy Jesus, that's kinda awesom--wait, this is the TANDY WHIZ KIDS fighting terrorism... Never mind, it sucks.

[@TheArceusftw]

+Davethe3rd Yeah they were no help when France was under attack.

[@POLE7645]

+TheArceusftw And I'd still vouch for them before I'd vouch for the Fixer where it comes to fighting terrorism.

[@tlaloc4kids]

14:35 - "edumacation on computators" slays me

[@c.cooper2877]

Where can I get game statistics for Alec and Shanna for the next time I'm in a Champions RPG? They ARE canonical DC Universe characters.

[@bul13ts]

They appear to be post-crisis on infinite earths, but what about Infinite Crisis? Or The New 52? If they survived Infinite Crisis, they might still be active with Rebirth coming out. That is unless Dr Manhattan disintegrated them for obsessing over outdated technology.

[@bul13ts]

Was it Infinite Crisis or Final Crisis? GODDAMNIT WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CRISISES!!!!

[@JohnnyElRed]

"Trouble" again? Great! What could be better than the prototype story arc for a slasher movie, but without any killing in it.

[@SaurAuteur]

Wait a minute I just thought of something. Your "Miss Wilson" voice sounds almost like a young... Oh my god...is Miss Wilson actually a young Fat Grandma?!

[@mattway18]

No, they aren- wait, I think that you were onto something. WE NEED TO REOPEN THIS CASE!

[@isenokami7810]

Only just realizing this now, but...Donald Anderson? As in the DARPA chief in Metal Gear Solid?

[@FusionFullForce]

Well this was the 80s, so its a window open for him, at least until 2005. If this does take place in the Metal Gear universe, then Big Boss and venom snake should be in Afghanistan and Africa, meanwhile Snake and Liquid were around this age. Possible Les Errant Terrible training they were put through, like some kind of torture resistance program?

[@mathieuleader8601]

this episode was fine and tandy

[@FarNoGaming]

Mathieu Leader 10/10

[@RadioRetrofuture]

Can anyone imagine they crossover with the Ghost in the Shell universe were these Whiz Kids suffer for Cyber-autism (Real thing in the anime). Would explain so much.

[@Isaac-gh5ku]

10:28 Notice the difference of Ms. Baker in two panels. As MST3K would say: "They just didn't care!"

[@kuteasabutton56]

Linkara, on the off chance you're reading this, thank you for uploading a mirror of the videos onto KZbin. While I feel like I'm 'cheating' watching it here, I can't get Screenwave to work at all, so this is great. So, thank you!

[@AT4W]

+kuteasabutton56 S'all good! They all end up on youtube eventually - this way just ensures the maximum amount of people can watch. ^_^

[@ThePreciseClimber]

Perfect for watching on a phone.

[@sebastianchung5602]

+Linkara-AtopTheFourthWall linkara please review the teen titans animated series

[@TheNumnutRandomness]

12:55; I gave an involuntary shudder when I saw the words "Donald" and "President" in the same sentence.

[@wario5372]

I know right Donald buck makes a terrible president

[@IzzuZiq]

Rewatching these videos and oh boy...

[@alicedarhk9790]

TheNumnutRandomness and he has the best with the biggest keyboard. *biggest possible eye roll* Terrific

[@Tareltonlives]

He is the Tandy Computer of presidents

[@isenokami7810]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, think about how the actual name here, Donald Anderson, is shared by the poor DARPA chief in Metal Gear Solid.

[@Tareltonlives]

Wouldn't it be hilarious if every page in the comic was the cover image?

[@Tareltonlives]

Oh god I wish US1 was in this

[@andrewmihovich4252]

That dock scene does have "fill in the dialogue" potential.

[@jamesadamsfl]

I recall that giant computer from Computer Masters of Metropolis. Also, these kids go on more field trips than the Magic School Bus! And at least those kids learn something instead of reiterating the same Computer junk!

[@IsaacAllison]

8:27 And we Get a dr. cox joke Thanks lewis!

[@TrinityShoji]

Donald Anderson? The DARPA Chief? I guess it makes sense that he made it big in the 80's-90's throught technology companirs

[@daelen.cclark]

"Yeah, things tend to be exciting and dangerous when you're an idiot." I love that line.

[@TheSkully343]

19:52 WAIT A MINUTE... Donald Anderson? Para-Medic? If we run into a Big Boss in this comic then I can only suspect one ting... *Grumbles* Metal Gear.

[@AbelYuen]

Wait, a second...this Tandy Computer Whiz Kids comic takes place in 1984. "Cipher is pursuing new research. He claims that what they're doing in Africa is the 'missing piece', a weapon to surpass Metal Gear."

[@Mathadar]

+Abel Yuen (Sungetsu15) Snake... Snake!? SNAAAAAKE!?!?

[@Tareltonlives]

Oh I wish.....

[@kameronhall4448]

You knew?!

[@metropod]

I think a figured it all out. They're not in a time loop, they're repeating the same grade over and over because Ms. Wilson spends so much time shilling Tandy products to the kids, they never actually learn anything and constantly fail at all their other subjects.

[@ThePreciseClimber]

Is Scrubs actually worth watching? That grumpy doctor seems hilarious.

[@jadafun]

Haven't watched it, but I hear nothing but good things. n_n

[@punkrockbttrfly]

Yes. Yes it absolutely is.

[@ThePreciseClimber]

Cox... I see what they did there...

[@jfdrac]

Xandrew is clearly the Earth 17 version of Linkara .....also wow the drugs needed to deal with Tandy are mind numbing

[@copman007]

Max Fuzzi.... The way you described it, it could have been an awesome idea for a toy bear back in the day. The Teddy Ruxpin of crime fighting.

[@DawnOfTheOzz]

"They just didn't care!" - MST3K

[@jeremyusreevu237]

8:35 I would so love to see Dr. Cox roasting Mrs. Wilson.

[@TheFlyingJew13]

Donald Anderson had a heart attack? Well now I know what Hideo Kojima was reading when writing the story of Metal Gear Solid 1

[@nicholasellis2779]

"Max Fuzzi" seriously who thought that name was a good idea . It's so rediculous lol

[@jdpragmatic8644]

LOL, if look closely @ 12:06 you will see that the sawn-off shotgun does still have a shoulder stock, but the artist used the same color as the Officer’s uniform. You can see the line drawn under the Officer’s forearm. BECAUSE POOR ILLUSTRATING...

[@jonahfalcon1970]

Someone probably told you the reason. TRS-80 means Tandy Radio Shack. You might notice that comic was released by Radio Shack. Tandy owned Radio Shack and the Tandys that were released through Radio Shack were called TRS-80's. Tandys sold anywhere else were just... Tandy.

[@georgethefriend29]

Someone should introduce Max Fuzzi to the Fixer. I kid. They'd probably both be destroyed by Crazy Steve and his reluctant sidekick, Dick Grayson, Aged Twelve.

[@BLasherman]

This issue was published in 1984, after the D.C. ones from the early 80s, This series ran from 1980 to 1991 with 11 issues, the first 4 were D.C.

[@TheMamaluigi300]

3:50 Next, the goddamn time loop becomes so compact, it's essentially paused at a single frame for all eternity!

[@Dicker296]

12:54 ¡¡DUUUDE!! ¿¿Donald Anderson like the Darpa Chief in Metal Gear Solid??

[@antheathetiefling8581]

Fuzzi wazzi was a bear. Fuzzi wazzi wants you to stick your hands in the air. Fuzzi wazzi wants the jewels you wear Or else

[@DrUSB]

They have one of those portable Tandy computers at the Washington DC News Museum on display. I typed in the AT4W theme song on it.

[@pinoypizza]

I feel that this one and the one about the drug smugglers on the plane are the "least bad" among the ones reviewed so far. But that still doesn't stop them from being bad. While this is here, I do have to question one particular complaint that keeps coming up in these Tandy Computer comics. Namely, the accusation that Alec, Shanna and the mannequin children in the rest of the class do not act like real children because they take education seriously. Not to defend them or anything, and I'm sure that in these lame comics it's exaggerated, but I have seen children that do take their education seriously. Or at the very least, get good grades while still acting like "real" children.

[@lewrl1]

I think the reason that this one and the drug dealer ones are the least bad because they actually have stakes behind them.

[@TheAllSeeingEye2468]

7:22 ms. Wilson could be the computer teacher. a bad computer teacher but still a teacher

[@Tareltonlives]

Is it odd that I find Hostess ads featuring superheroes the superior advertisement?

[@Tareltonlives]

It would be hilarious seeing this drones selling cakes the same way they sell computers, and foiling stereotypical 80s villains (terrorists, communists, drug dealers, etc) with Twinkies and such

[@Q.Q.Kachoo]

I was going to make a snarky comment like "Is Tandy really trying to push a PAGER onto the grade school kids reading this comic? Do they honestly expect that that'll lead to sales?" But then I remembered that my parents bought their first cell phone in the '90s after I mentioned it might be a good idea for them to have one, and I had first seen them on TV, so...damn you, predatory advertising executives; you win this round.

[@JadeEyes1]

I love the commercial at the end.

[@GrandCorsair]

I'm glad there is another option to watch the video that player on CA was not working for me.

[@bradleycalvert8630]

Damn, I'm so ridiculously late to the reference! After watching the show for so long, I only just noticed you've got a Tom Servo prop displayed in the intro! XD

[@tfmaster96]

Mr. Anderson? Holy crap! They really are trapped in the matrix!

[@Tareltonlives]

The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry has a 727, a Foucalt pendulum, a Tesla Coil and a captured German U-Boat, but DO THEY HAVE A GIANT TANDY COMPUTER MODEL!?

[@troin3925]

The artwork of them running to the computers was also in "Fit to Win."

[@JounLord1]

A computer trap huh? So is it a computer that was made in the body of a radio?

[@bul13ts]

Maybe two Tandy computers divorced and moved away from eachother, each taking one of the identical disc drives with them. Then the disc drives meet at a computer repair shop and decide to exchange places leading to hilarious Tandy hijinks!

[@jevazquez2]

OMG when those two kids knock out the terrorist, that the was first time in these reviews where they actually do something useful.

[@psycher7]

I just realized, Shaw committed a war crime in this issue. Pretending to be an EMT, particularly to do things like get close to someone and then pull a gun on them, is super illegal.

[@Tareltonlives]

"President Breshnev, we need a new plan to destabilize the enemies of the people" "What do the American Bourgeoise use to oppress the proletariat?" "What else, a museum of science featuring a giant computer model!" "And for that we'll need our deadliest agent....GET ME MAX FUZZY!"

[@Tareltonlives]

Ultimately, I'd say the characters of Trouble are all around horrible people. The Tandy Computer Kids are just mindless drones.

[@dukespubber741]

I'm sorry, but unless Ms. Frizzle is leading the Field Trip, I don't wanna read about it.

[@Werrf1]

22:16 "The pace of international terrorist activity around the world continued unabated during 1984. We recorded nearly 600 international terrorist attacks involving personal injury or property damage, representing an increase over each of the previous four years. Deaths in 1984 exceeded 300." Terrorism was not invented in 2001.

[@tkayube]

I went to a museum once when I was a kid that actually did have a giant computer like that.

[@ethanor]

It has been 3 years and this video still has no dislikes. Just wanted to point that out

[@yakkowarner1990]

I gotta say, I think the best person to advertise computers back then was the Fourth Doctor. Couldn't we have gotten *him* to do one of those product placement computer comics instead? At least his adventures are interesting and fun

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

That would've been great! Unfortunately the BBC wouldn't have allowed it (I'm not sure they would even today), as they were *very* fussy about commercialisation back then.

[@SonofMrPeanut]

IBM "Who TOLD you about THEM?!!!"

[@Kaltagstar96]

There's something SUPER CREEPY about the Tandy Computer Whiz Kids. Alec and Shana especially.

[@redrasegarden]

Ikr? I feel like I should scream ARE YOU STILL ALIVE? To these kids

[@Goatcha_M]

I'm just thinking about how they couldn't have a password of more than 8 letters, and these days you can't set one with less than 8. Also upper and lower case, numbers and sometimes a symbol which other programs can't read. The important thing is that you can't remember your own password.

[@Shades14]

A password couldn't have more than 8 characters? How many people back then do you think had their password be password?

[@Tareltonlives]

Did these actually sell, or was Radio Shack this deluded to keep making them?

[@Tareltonlives]

Mr. Anderson.....

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

Were they sold, or given away for free?

[@jfdrac]

@@andrewgwilliam4831 All PSA comics are given away...would have to be insane to try and sell them

[@jfdrac]

Tandys sold to a degree as to the comics well they were free but they may have had a hard time getting rid of them sometimes as I know my old comic shop got a ton dumped on them once

[@DynoStretch]

For some reason my auto-correct keeps changing the word "with" to "28th".

[@rjgoodman4056]

Anyone else notice this video is in his 2012 playlist even though it says 2015 in the description

[@AT4W]

Huh. Weird. I have corrected it.

[@arturoreyes2119]

Two questions: 1) would you trust the Tandy Computer Whiz Kids over The Fixer in fighting terrorism? 2) is "The Tandy Computer Whiz Kids" a better superhero team name than "The Ravagers"?

[@Tareltonlives]

Tandy Computers: WE FIGHT TERRORISTS!

[@edwardramos4591]

Is it weird that I think these books would make for better parodies than Marville?

[@averagegamecritic]

The auto correct joke was good. Pen and pencil also has the magic of...not needing power! 😂 It is a sawed-off!

[@9-bitfox]

10:49 : Oh past Linkara, your going to use this allot in the future lol

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

They're all huddled together at the beginning, and Alec appears to be rubbing his hands. Are they all cold? Has the school turned off the heating to cut costs?

[@insanebase8883]

I know some pants that look like that. They have the zipper on the side and stuff. Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things. I also did find it really exciting to write stuff using a word processor on a computer back then... :(

[@TheXander360]

Shanna in the art looks like a Fallout version of the Nostalgia Chick

[@gregdeandrea1450]

Wait... Metro City? The city from Megamind? Am I the only one who remembers that movie?

[@danmount9462]

Those kids are like the one from the Village of the Dammed

[@kameronhall4448]

Wait Donald Anderson? What's the DARPA Chief doing here he should be working on a biped tank in Alaska.

[@gregdeandrea1450]

And he makes that guide.... Which is rendered kinda moot thanks to the RBY virtual console releases. Then again, he DID say he'd be happy about that, and it remains the only way to move up from Gen 2 (though why do I feel that has a time limit on it.) Ironic that "They Just Didn't Care" clip showing up, considering where we're at in the Current issues.

[@Tareltonlives]

Vin Diesel in Ted 3: MAX FUZZY

[@nicodemusedwards6931]

12:03 LOOK OUT! IT'S THE JOKER!!!

[@danmad297]

more Whiz kids!? man when they never lean!

[@bul13ts]

I know, right! Sometimes they're standing up straight, sometimes they're sitting up, but they never seem to lean on anything!

[@captainimagination1110]

Linkara did you grow up with Pokemon.

[@Merit2397]

Also, I find it interesting that the MST3K clips of "They Just didn't care." dates back to this episode. I aways associated it with the review for Titians/Young Justice Graduation Day. Then again, you could use them for all the lazy material reviewed on this show.

[@MrCarter0975]

TRS-80 Computer? More like TRaSh-80 computer, amirite, folks?

[@joshpope5221]

Nicely done, i love your reviews. Also, i believe his name is pronounced Fut-zi, it looks italian

[@EvilGuacamoleGaming]

So the other night I'm reading a book to my child. An Amelia Badelia book, one of the new ones where she's a kid. I have a number of voices in my arsenal thanks to doing Let's Plays, so I can go through it and not even think about where the voices are going to go. I get to the teacher and do a voice and I'm amused at it myself. Later that day I'm catching up and listen to this video and I realize I was doing your Ms. Wilson voice. I hadn't seen a TCWK episode for a few weeks before this I'm pretty sure. My kid seemed to like it so clearly you're on to something.

[@metanight788]

Yep we all know that Ms3tk clip all TOO well after this and last week's episode.

[@dukespubber741]

You missed a great opportunity to make a "The Shining" joke at "shining museum."

[@Mathadar]

Shining Finger!

[@magnamon2099]

..... that sounds dirty.

[@joeseaman8347]

Is it just me or does the reporter look like a 60s batman villan

[@Chaosmage42]

I have an even better theory what if the mind control and erasing their memories is because in universe all this is a sort of truman show advertising computers where all the things they do is scripted they just don't know it and people keep advertising products

[@Horzuhammer]

I'd like to see an anti-IBM psa from the Whiz Kidz.