REVIEW: Comic Book Men

AMC has quite the pedigree. The once dubious forerunner in unique and cerebral television entertainment found its cornerstone in Mad Men not all that long ago in 2007. After that, the critically acclaimed shows kept coming and made AMC a trusted brand in the medium. Now, AMC brings us perhaps one of the oddest shows to ever have The Walking Dead as a lead in—Comic Book Men. Only odd in that The Walking Dead is a high intensity horror/drama and Comic Book Men is a light hearted, often funny reality-TV spirited venture from Kevin Smith, a long time comic book nerd and filmmaker. The show centers around Kevin Smith’s real life comic book store “Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash” and the handful of employees as they engage in loving comradery over a mutual addiction to comic books and toys.

First, Comic Book Men is aimed at a certain demographic. If you are the type of person who identifies with geekdom, perhaps having memorized facts about hundreds of fictional characters that wear tights, or know ancient comic book storylines throughout the decades, then this show is definitely for you. If you’re not quite the outward, worn-on-the-sleeve geek, then this is probably still just as much for you, because AMC has been very clever on how easy it is to get into the program without knowing everything the guys on the show are talking about. The key is in the formula of the show.

I don’t like to say that anything is a mix of something else familiar with another yet familiar and established thing, but sometimes that’s the best way of describing a new show. Comic Book Men is half Pawn Stars (History Channel) and half The View. That is, if the ladies of The View were replaced by middle-aged men whose blood cells have been systematically replaced by Ben-Day dots. The most engaging segments—and funny—are those that feature the guys gathered together at a round table with silver microphones hovering in front of them to discuss comic books and whatever tangents might arise from that topic. This material is well done and really showcases the epitome of comic book store talk. You’ve heard of shop talk? This is geek shop talk. These guys bring up such oddities as Batman’s strange, storied acquisition of Robin, and who is the sexiest comic book character and why. The show excels in making you feel like you’ve found some like minded people, and that you can pull up a chair and take part.

The other segments of the show are much like Pawn Stars, where someone brings in something interesting to sell, and the show then gives a small history lesson on the who/what/why and then the negotiations start, often kickstarting more geeky reminiscences and chatter. This is a fun part of the show just because you never know what might come in from the amazing to the absurd. It’s also interesting to see the value on comics and collectibles (on a side note, I was overpricing almost everything. I can’t believe how little some things are worth!).

In the end, the formula of the show is a winning one. My complaints rise mostly from product placement on AMC’s part; The Walking Dead comics and action figures can be seen in the background and sometimes foreground of almost every shot in the actual comic book store. The other criticism I have is that it isn’t at its best at an hour long. I think the material would be more potent if it took the get in and get out pacing of a thirty minute show over an hour, resulting in some things feeling like filler, i.e. the “contest” between the three shop employees selling their wares at a flea market.

Comic Book Men is a delightful little show to end the weekend on, and it also shows that nerd culture is becoming even more and more mainstream. AMC again shows that it is willing to take a risk, and that’s a good thing for everyone. Especially nerds like me.

4 out of 5 – DVR it.

Tags: AMC, Comic Book Men