Summary: The internet historian (Anthony McCormack) has redefined the documentary genre on YouTube, blending dry wit, Terry Gilliam-inspired animation, and deep-dive research into a unique form of digital storytelling. Based in the ANZ region—specifically born in New Zealand and reportedly residing in Australia—McCormack’s work covers everything from failed conventions like Dashcon to historical tragedies like the sinking of the Costa Concordia. This guide explores the creator's rise to over 4 million subscribers, the technical artistry behind his "stock photo" aesthetic, the significant plagiarism controversies that shaped his 2024-2026 era, and the broader impact of his storytelling on the global understanding of niche internet subcultures.
The Architect of Digital Memory: Who is the Internet Historian?
Anthony McCormack, widely known by his online moniker internet historian, is a New Zealand-born YouTuber who has become one of the most influential figures in the documentary and commentary space. Emerging in 2017 with his first video, "GameStop's Battle with Toads," McCormack quickly distinguished himself through a style that treated trivial internet "raids" and memes with the gravitas of traditional historical events. His voice—characterized by a deep, deadpan delivery—serves as the perfect counterpoint to the absurd stock photo animations that bring his stories to life. Despite his persona being synonymous with the "Incognito Mode" and "Hide the Pain Harold" avatars, McCormack’s influence extends into the real world, influencing how digital events are archived and remembered by a generation of online users.
- Nationality: Born in New Zealand, though frequently associated with the broader Australasian creator scene.
- Aesthetic Style: Heavily influenced by Terry Gilliam’s surrealist collage animation, utilizing stock photos and memes.
- Brand Identity: Famous for over-the-top, character-driven sponsorship segments (notably NordVPN) that fans consider standalone entertainment.
- Expansion: Manages a network of channels including Incognito Mode and Storymode to diversify his content output.
Nationality: Born in New Zealand, though frequently associated with the broader Australasian creator scene.
Aesthetic Style: Heavily influenced by Terry Gilliam’s surrealist collage animation, utilizing stock photos and memes.
Brand Identity: Famous for over-the-top, character-driven sponsorship segments (notably NordVPN) that fans consider standalone entertainment.
Expansion: Manages a network of channels including Incognito Mode and Storymode to diversify his content output.
Key Channels in the Internet Historian Network
The creator utilizes several platforms to categorize different types of content, ranging from high-production documentaries to casual banter.
| Channel Name | Content Focus | Primary Style |
| Main Channel | Major internet/historical events | High-production documentary |
| Incognito Mode | Q&As, Sundance Rejects, Banter | Informal, community-focused |
| Storymode | Video game narrative retellings | Deep-dive storytelling |
| Video-making Assets | Greenscreens and visual elements | Resource-sharing for other creators |
Technical Artistry: The "Stock Photo" Animation Style
What makes the internet historian instantly recognizable is his visual language. Eschewing traditional high-budget cinematography, McCormack uses a collage of stock photos, often with the watermark still visible, to represent historical figures and internet personalities. This "low-fi" aesthetic is actually a result of meticulous editing, where layers of static images are animated to create a sense of frantic movement and visual humor. By treating the stock photo watermarks as a running gag rather than a mistake, he creates a meta-commentary on the nature of internet content itself—scavenged, repurposed, and given new meaning through context. This approach allows him to depict events where no actual footage exists, such as 4chan board wars or private conversations in defunct forums.
The Influence of Terry Gilliam and Collage Art
McCormack has cited Monty Python animator Terry Gilliam as a primary inspiration for his work, adopting the "cut-out" animation style to navigate budgetary and resource constraints in his early career.
- Layering: Dozens of image layers are used to create depth in 2D spaces.
- Visual Puns: Using literal stock photos for metaphors (e.g., a "man in a cave" represented by a generic stock explorer).
- Lip-Syncing: The iconic "mouth-flapping" style of animation used for stock photo heads.
- Consistency: Maintaining a distinct visual brand that remains coherent across disparate topics.
Layering: Dozens of image layers are used to create depth in 2D spaces.
Visual Puns: Using literal stock photos for metaphors (e.g., a "man in a cave" represented by a generic stock explorer).
Lip-Syncing: The iconic "mouth-flapping" style of animation used for stock photo heads.
Consistency: Maintaining a distinct visual brand that remains coherent across disparate topics.
Iconic Series: From Dashcon to Sundance Rejects
The internet historian has produced several series that have reached legendary status within the YouTube community. His video on "Dashcon"—the ill-fated Tumblr convention—highlighted the "ball pit" meme and remains a definitive record of the event's failure. Another popular series, Sundance Rejects, focuses on summarizing the plots of obscure or bizarre films, often with a focus on their lack of logic or technical polish. By 2026, his portfolio includes deep dives into maritime disasters like the Costa Concordia and the "Man in Cave" incident, which pushed the boundaries of what viewers expected from a "meme historian," transitioning into serious, gripping investigative journalism.
| Series / Video | Topic | Impact |
| The Failure of Dashcon | Tumblr Convention disaster | Crystallized the “ball pit” meme in online culture |
| The Cost of Concordia | Costa Concordia disaster | Proved his capability for serious investigative docs |
| Sundance Rejects | Obscure film summaries | Became a fan-favorite series for comedy and absurdity |
| No Man’s Sky | The game’s redemption story | One of the most-watched gaming redemption docs |
Navigating the 2023-2024 Plagiarism Controversy
The creator’s career faced its most significant challenge in late 2023 when a documentary by YouTuber Hbomberguy alleged that the internet historian had plagiarized the script for his "Man in Cave" video from a Mental Floss article by Lucas Reilly. The investigation showed that large sections of the video’s narration were near-verbatim copies of Reilly’s work, without initial credit or authorization. This led to a temporary copyright strike and the video's removal, followed by a re-upload that included revisions and credit. The controversy sparked a massive debate within the YouTube community regarding "fair use," transformative content, and the ethics of professional documentary-making on a platform that often lacks traditional editorial oversight.
Key Details of the Plagiarism Allegations
The "Man in Cave" incident became a case study in digital ethics and the responsibility of high-profile creators to acknowledge their sources.
- Source Material: A 2018 Mental Floss article titled "The 1925 Cave Rescue that Captivated the Nation".
- Video Removal: The original video was taken down following a copyright claim by the article's publisher.
- Re-upload Changes: The revised version changed several phrasing structures and finally credited the original author.
- Community Reaction: While some fans remained loyal, the incident led to a significant loss of trust among critics and peers in the video essay community.
Source Material: A 2018 Mental Floss article titled "The 1925 Cave Rescue that Captivated the Nation".
Video Removal: The original video was taken down following a copyright claim by the article's publisher.
Re-upload Changes: The revised version changed several phrasing structures and finally credited the original author.
Community Reaction: While some fans remained loyal, the incident led to a significant loss of trust among critics and peers in the video essay community.
The Economics of a Top-Tier Creator: Sponsorships and Earnings
McCormack is frequently cited as the gold standard for YouTube advertising. Instead of a standard 30-second pitch, he creates "ad-reads" that are essentially mini-sketches featuring recurring characters like "Shadowman" and "Nord". These segments are so popular that they have their own dedicated fanbase, with some viewers reporting they skip the actual video content to find the ad. This innovation has made him a highly sought-after partner for brands like NordVPN, Raycon, and Raid: Shadow Legends, allowing him to command premium rates and maintain a production schedule that prioritizes quality over quantity.
| Revenue Stream | Description | Importance |
| Premium Ads | Character-driven, high-retention segments | Primary income source; sets him apart from peers |
| AdSense | Revenue from YouTube’s native ad system | Secondary, as his videos are often long-form |
| Merchandise | Official apparel and digital assets | Solidifies the “historian” brand and community |
| Patreon | Direct support from dedicated fans | Provides a safety net for high-production-time videos |
Educational and Archival Impact: More Than a Comedian?
While he is primarily known for humor, the internet historian serves as an accidental archivist for events that might otherwise be lost to "link rot." His documentation of 4chan's "Pool's Closed" raids or the "HWNDU" (He Will Not Divide Us) capture-the-flag game provides a time capsule of internet culture from the mid-2010s. By chronicling these events with a structured narrative, he provides future sociologists with a curated view of how anonymous online communities organized and interacted with the physical world. However, his work is often critiqued by professional historians for its lack of academic rigor and occasional bias toward "trolling" culture.
- Archival Value: Prevents niche internet history from disappearing as forums close.
- Sociological Insight: Examines the "hive mind" behavior of anonymous digital communities.
- Critique: Accused of occasional bias and prioritizing humor over objective historical truth.
- Cultural Bridge: Explains complex internet phenomena to a "normie" or older audience.
Archival Value: Prevents niche internet history from disappearing as forums close.
Sociological Insight: Examines the "hive mind" behavior of anonymous digital communities.
Critique: Accused of occasional bias and prioritizing humor over objective historical truth.
Cultural Bridge: Explains complex internet phenomena to a "normie" or older audience.
Global Reach vs. ANZ Roots: A New Zealand Success Story
Despite his global audience, McCormack remains a proud representative of the New Zealand and Australian creator ecosystem. His humor often reflects a distinctly "ANZ" dry wit—a blend of self-deprecation and sharp observation. By succeeding on a platform dominated by US-based creators, he has paved the way for other Australasian documentary makers, proving that localized perspectives can find universal appeal on the internet. His residency in Australia is frequently referenced in his second-channel banter, where he discusses the local lifestyle and the challenges of high-latency internet while managing a massive digital empire.
The ANZ Creator Landscape in 2026
The success of the internet historian is part of a larger trend of high-quality long-form content emerging from the Southern Hemisphere.
- Regional Collaboration: Frequently collaborates with other ANZ creators like SumitoMedia and Ordinary Things.
- Global Export: Proves that high-quality storytelling transcends geographical boundaries on YouTube.
- Influence on Local Talent: Has inspired a new wave of "video essayists" in New Zealand and Australia.
- Industry Voice: Represents the region in global discussions about platform policy and creator rights.
Regional Collaboration: Frequently collaborates with other ANZ creators like SumitoMedia and Ordinary Things.
Global Export: Proves that high-quality storytelling transcends geographical boundaries on YouTube.
Influence on Local Talent: Has inspired a new wave of "video essayists" in New Zealand and Australia.
Industry Voice: Represents the region in global discussions about platform policy and creator rights.
The "Historian" Toolkit: Hardware and Software
To produce his unique style, McCormack relies on a specific set of tools that have become part of his lore. He has even created a dedicated channel, Video-making Assets, to share his custom greenscreens and effects with the community. This openness about his process has fostered a "sub-genre" of creators who attempt to emulate the internet historian style, further cementing his influence on the platform's visual language.
| Tool Category | Common Selections | Use Case |
| Software | Adobe Premiere Pro / After Effects | Primary editing and collage animation |
| Audio | High-end condenser mics | Capturing his signature deadpan narration |
| Resources | Stock photo libraries (Shutterstock, etc.) | Source material for his character “actors” |
| Community | Discord / Twitter (X) | Sourcing stories and “boots on the ground” info |
Challenges in 2026: Copyright and Platform Evolution
As YouTube moves into 2026, the internet historian faces new challenges regarding AI-generated content and increasingly strict copyright enforcement. The "Man in Cave" controversy was a turning point, forcing him to become more transparent with sources and citations. Additionally, as AI becomes better at summarizing internet history, creators like McCormack must lean even harder into their unique personalities and "human" perspectives to remain relevant. His focus on "banter" and character-driven storytelling serves as a defensive wall against the rising tide of generic, AI-synthesized documentary content.
Final Thoughts
The internet historian is a polarizing yet undeniably brilliant figure in modern media. He has transformed the mundane and the absurd into a legitimate form of historical record, all while maintaining a level of creative control that most traditional documentary makers would envy. Despite the shadows of controversy and the ever-shifting landscape of YouTube's algorithm, his influence remains a cornerstone of digital culture. Whether he is explaining a forgotten forum war or investigating a global maritime disaster, Anthony McCormack reminds us that the history of the internet is as strange, tragic, and hilarious as the people who inhabit it. For more context on the wider world of digital archiving, you can explore the History of the Internet on Wikipedia.
FAQ
Who is the real Internet Historian? The creator is Anthony McCormack, a New Zealander who reportedly resides in Australia.
Why did the "Man in Cave" video get taken down? It was removed due to a copyright claim because the script was found to be largely plagiarized from a Mental Floss article.
Is the Internet Historian still active in 2026? Yes, he continues to upload high-production documentaries and casual content across his network of channels.
What is the Internet Historian's real age? While often cited as being born in 1989, he has confirmed this was a fake birthday; his actual birth year is believed to be between 1992 and 1998.
What animation style does he use? He uses a "collage" or "cut-out" animation style primarily utilizing stock photos and memes, inspired by Terry Gilliam.
How many subscribers does he have? As of February 2026, he has approximately 3.99 to 4 million subscribers on his main channel.
What is the "Shadowman" in his videos? Shadowman is a recurring character used in his NordVPN sponsorships and other comedic segments.
Does he have a second channel? Yes, his primary second channel is Incognito Mode, used for Q&As and side series like Sundance Rejects.
Where can I find his video-making assets? He has a dedicated channel called Video-making Assets where he uploads greenscreens for other creators to use.
What are his most famous videos? His most iconic works include videos on Dashcon, the Costa Concordia, No Man's Sky, and the "He Will Not Divide Us" capture-the-flag game.
