Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Comic Book Men on AMC


Comic Book Men (AMC, Sundays at 10 p.m. ET), a new show starring the staff of Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, a comic book store owned by actor, writer director Kevin Smith. I've been to the Secret Stash in the lovely Red Bank New Jersey and have to say it was a comic geeks dream come true. 


Filled to the brim with comics, movie memorabilia from Smith's movies as well as autographed comics, from Smith himself. I bought three issues of Batman Cacophony, written by Smith and signed by the star, and they were sold to me  at cover price. Can't complain about that. 

What I can complain about is this show and how comic fans are portrayed. Smith's staff, includes a manager named Walt, who hides tries to hide his unwashed hair under a constant baseball cap. Ming, whom is labeled the kiss ass of the group, is often teased, bullied and ridiculed by the other staff members and a man named Bryan Johnson, a regular at the store, who apparently has even been known to sleep on the floor. In a culture that's usually mocked by jocks or the rest of the general public, to see brothers in the area of comics be such jerks to one of their own, was just difficult to watch.

Throughout the show rather than talking comics or whats going on in the comic industry, they have people coming in to sell items. The show is being sold to us as a comic geek's version of pawn stars. But its a pale comparison, Smith's staff is no where near as educated and apparently no one has the Internet in New Jersey. A woman who comes in to sell a Chucky doll and asks for close to $1000, you can find the same doll on E-Bay for more like $100. 

A few members of the staff go to a flea market and we watch them sell $80 statues for $8.00 because they just want to leave and get back to the business of just sitting around. Honestly I think Bryan is just a homeless guy who hangs out in the store. Forget the caveman beard for a moment what is up with that dutch boy hair cut. How does he even get the nerve to mock another human being where he clearly isn't living to much of any expectations. 

At one point a pop culture expert is called in to review a movie poster and some lobby cards, I'm not sure what qualifies one as a Pop Culture expert, or why again no one uses the web to price this poster, but I can tell you this Kevin Smith, I can do the job for you as well. 

Speaking of jobs Mr. Smith, rather than putting together a show like this that sets us back once again, making us look like trolls who visit flea markets to mock the others there. How about you just go back to making movies set in the View Askew universe. Clerks, Clerks 2, Mallrats, Dogma and yes even Chasing Amy all need to continue their lives and bring us something of substance. Something more than this. 

Comic geeks are portrayed as dirty, meaning un-showered, lazy, and pretty much uneducated in everything else other than why Dick Grayson became Robin. 

I enjoy comics and have for years, they are a source of entertainment that I get to read on  a weekly basis, I get a good story, some spectacular art and continue to follow along with characters that I've enjoyed since I was a kid. Its a nostalgia factor that keeps us young at heart while letting us continue watching that battle of good vs. evil. 

I'll give this show another chance, I'll watch the next episode most likely because it follows The Walking Dead, a much higher quality comic book show than Smith's attempt at bringing pop culture into the spotlight.