Straight Up Reviews #4: Atop The Fourth Wall DVD Vol. 1

After a few days of patience, I finally managed to purchase the DVD.  This was actually the first time I ever purchased anything from the states let alone merchandise from Channel Awesome and it's affiliates so needless to say I was excited.  Mainly because I, like many fans of the show have wanted to know the Secret Origins.  Fair warning to those that haven't purchased the DVD, there will be spoilers.

First and foremost the package itself.  I got it through Airmail as it was the cheapest route.  It was essentially a Parcel Envelope with Bubble Wrap.  What kinda sucks about it is that I can't take said bubble wrap out, but that's a petty nitpick......What I like popping bubble wrap. Normally I would just throw the packaging out but because this was my first merchandise I ever purchased from Channel Awesome, I am thinking of framing this.

I don't know if it's easy to see due to my poor lighting but the case is awesome in my opinion. It looks reminiscent of the Star Trek and Indiana Jones covers and it has some of the Iconic Characters without mashing them together.  Clearly Linkara and MTC Studios wanted to make it unlike the comics he read.  We got the Trio as the main focus with Linksano on the Spock side, Harvey Finevoice on the McCoy side and Linkara as center Kirk.  In the middle has Zeo Linkara, duking it out with a ravaged Mechakara with lightning coming out of his hand presumably to say the iconic "You are an android, I AM A MAN!!!" Punch. Under them has Ninja Style Dancer, Pollo and Munroe  and at the bottom there is Moarte, 90s Kid and Boffo the Clown.  Lewis if you are reading this I understand your intentions with Boffo not being evil, he still creeps me right out.  Not for the same reasons as most people fear clowns.  Just that I get the feeling he might become disgruntled.   All and all great cover none the less.  I would like to mention the figure behind Linkara, it's too obscure to make out but would anyone else who purchased the DVD help me out and tell me what's up with that or is it just another clue for the recent storyline. 

The back part of the case is pretty cool too as it was made in the style of an actual movie cover.  Which we have a critic byline on top Reminiscent of the Nostalgia Critic.  As well as the plot Summary under it.  The pictures I must say are better because shows what to expect without giving anything important to the storyline away.  Under it has the Special Features list and the standard Technical Jargon you find on all DVD cases.  And I must say the Time Length section is the best, because rather than show by the minute, it says the exact hours and minutes.  The Bullshit Man would be pleased.

The Disc itself is Awesome Personified with nothing more than the iconic logo as if to say. "Ya there's no title, but you know who I am already otherwise you wouldn't have bought it."


Now for the features itself.  I am gonna save the storyline for last because they are the best part. But since extras qualifies as part of it I still call spoilers.

Now the first thing I watched was the Origin Featurette,  it was pretty much a standard interview panel, in which Lewis talks about his inspirations of some of his characters.  What made this a good thing to watch was that if you're like me, you are watching this DVD in the living Room on the couch, it gives the impression that you are sitting with Lewis hearing what he had to say.

The Making of Feature I must say is the best part of the DVD as it shows Lewis' unique style of screenwriting an acting.  I never knew he took his cues from a teleprompter.  It makes me wonder if his friends try to prank him with that every now and then.  Kidding aside, it's actually a pretty clever way to keep your face on the camera and not mess up your lines.  But what I really like about this making of feature is that once he's finished the episode, he shows the final product to his parents to review.  That is heartwarming at it's finest and something I completely envy.

Last but not least is the main events.  In which he reviews three golden age superhero comics.  I am not gonna review his reviews because I am afraid that creating such a paradox will destroy the universe.  Just kidding that only happened once.  Actually the real reason is because I am not the right person to review this reviewer.  That spot is reserved for the parents I mentioned.  However I will review the storylines.

How Lewis purchased the Magic Gun was......unexpected at best and kind of creepy, but hey that's what Linkara does, he makes sure an origin story is like nothing we ever seen before.  Still if there was one nitpick that I would want to point out is that the gun didn't attack him upon picking it up.  Then again Lewis is one of the nicest people on the net, so odds are the titular empathic weapon couldn't attack anyone that didn't deserve it.  The Construction of Pollo was pretty good too and we even get more insight on the magic book.  As well as why Linkara didn't die from prolonged usage of Magic.  It was also nice to see that Iron Liz was in the origin story.  Out of many of the characters on AT4W (90s kid being a personal favorite of mine because he reminds me of my own love of the 90s.  Hell I wanted to call myself Canadian 90s kid at first.)  Liz was one of my other favorites because well it's kind of embarrassing to say and I hope Lewis doesn't take it the wrong way,  but Liz reminds me of my mother.  Her over all look and attitude during her spots on the show reminds me of the stories my mother used to tell me about her own youth.  The only difference being that my mother not being a fan of table top RPGs, she was a fan of Tetris.  That aside Liz being one of the key features of his origins is pretty heartwarming by itself.  And she was kinda right, that Obelisk Blue uniform looked like a Full Metal Alchemist costume.  That's not your fault though Lewis, blame the artists on the show.  I myself am a Slyfer Slacker though.

But I ramble on.  The DVD is an excellent buy for the first volume and I hope to purchase the next volumes in the near future.

As usual debate, argue, and let me know what I missed. Stay Tuned For More.  And seriously Linkara who the hell is that behind you?