Comic Book Men s01e05 Episode Script

What's your plan when the zombie *** and the zombie apocalypse finally hits? What zombie apocalypse? You keep telling me it's coming and that I should prepare.
- You know how many bullets are in this country and guns? If there are zombies out there and everybody's got a gun on them It'd be a week or two before everybody gets used to it, but you'll just be shooting zombies on your way to work.
Like, you know, like you pick up your newspaper.
I mean, there would be a little bit of danger added to your workday, but after a while, everybody would just get used to it.
You'd just pick off a zombie here or there.
Could you shoot a zombie in the head? Yeah.
Like, what if it's the zombie Mike? You know, you show up to work, and he's all gray and - and he's running after me? - Yeah, like well, no, he's shuffling.
I'd put him out of his misery.
I could do that.
You think they know they're miserable? I don't know, Bryan.
I mean, you've never done that for me, and you know I'm miserable.
I tell you all the time.
hello, and welcome to another episode of comic book men, the only show that's so full of geeks, you want to bully ur television.
I'm Kevin Smith.
- Walt Flanagan.
- Bryan Johnson.
- Ming chen.
- And Michael Zapcic.
If you had to put together a superhero outfit for yourself, what do you think would be? I kind of like to think that I kind of wear a costume every day.
Maybe not so much like a superhero, like a Batman, but more like like a trademark, like a like, uh, aunt jemima or colonel Sanders.
Uh, just a very basic suit and the mask.
- You just want to look nice.
- Yeah.
Well-cut.
- Well-dressed superhero.
- Yeah, yeah.
You, sir? Maybe I'd wear, like, a shroud, like the shroud of turin.
- Like, are you wearing the shroud of turin just to unnerve people? They're like - Yeah, yeah.
- "Is that the shroud of turin?" You're like, "that's how powerful I am.
I'm wearing Jesus!" Exactly.
I want that face on my chest.
You know, where it's like he looks like he's in pain.
- Yeah.
- Then I pull my cowl down.
I got a faceless, just anamorphic flesh head.
Right then and there, I give up.
I hand you my gun.
I turn over everyone I know.
I go stoolie, 'cause that's terrifying, man.
- Hey.
- 'Sup? I was just going to call you.
This Sunday, cancel your plans.
There's a comic book convention up at howell, and I think we should go up, make some money, make a day of it.
You know, we don't get to hang out just out of the store ever, do we? You guys have a day off, and that's how you're gonna spend it? It's for the store, man.
I can't think of a better way to spend it.
You are three men with wives and kids.
Like, out on the road, like Lewis and Clark, searching for a con.
Finding a con.
- Uh-huh.
Hmm.
Settling down in the con and making your way in the con.
That's true, I have often likened you guys to pioneers.
The con was at a elks club.
Oh, that is like Shangri-LA to a comic book fan.
You going to an elks club is the equivalent of potentially finding gold.
But the place it's always old wood and old tiling.
And they have a very distinct feel and impression and smell.
Unlike a modern building, they reek of cancer because dudes have been smoking cigarettes in these buildings for decades.
- Smells like America.
- Yes.
Yes, and it smells le the potential for great finds 'cause you never know somebody in an elks lodge, maybe they're not aware of what they're selling.
You could find some wall book for very inexpensive.
I knew that you'd appreciate this.
Literally, if you call me up and go like, "this is on the agenda" - catch the red eye.
- I might! I might punch up on the plane and be like, "comic con at an elks lodge, eh?" So you've never fantasized about being the king of the dork castle? - What, here? - Yeah.
You see the way they pay tribute to Walt, like he's something.
I kind of like the hierarchy the way it is.
- I see it as much more of, like, your wife at home, like you guys are in bed, and she's like, "when do you think you're gonna take over the stash?" - She's trying to push me to - To usurp Walt.
So you've been listening in on my pillow talk.
It's mine and your wife's pillow talk as well.
That's what we talk about.
- Oh, you evil bastard.
- That's not bad.
Maybe she's being infidelious, but at the same time, we're talking about your future.
- Hey, how you guys doing? - Hey, how you doing? I got this avengers print here.
Oh, my God, an avengers This is gorgeous.
It's actually signed by George Perez.
Oh, yeah! I am a huge George Perez fan.
Huge.
I picked this up at a comic con in Philly six years ago.
George Perez was there.
Got it signed, and the rest is history.
He only signed so you know that it's legit.
He was one of the nicest dudes I met at the con.
I love George Perez.
He can take any most ridiculous costume and make it look completely badass.
I mean, like, have you ever seen cosmic boy? It's a pink costume on a dude.
Yes.
And I'm just like, "works.
" Dick Grayson's Robin costume.
- You know how he drew it.
- Yes.
Like, this guy in speedos with, like, muscles in his legs.
I wanted to look like that, the way he drew it.
I wanted to go to school dressed like Robin.
the Robin speedos to school.
it's a pink costume.
getting homeschooled.
See, what makes this a beautiful piece is that he's got everyone who was ever an avenger on here.
It's really weird 'cause they even have multiple versions of the same character.
Yeah, you got yourself a couple hulks.
That looks like an old hulk, right? - That's an old hulk.
- Yeah, there's people on here I don't even have a clue who they are.
This is how insane George Perez is, being a detail-oriented guy every one of the costumes that the wasp wore.
This is every one that she'd worn up until that point? - Yeah.
- I didn't know that.
Who's this guy, a Butler? Yeah, that's a Butler.
It's Jarvis.
- Jarvis the Butler? - Yep.
How does that happen? How do you become the Butler for the avengers? That has to be the ultimate nepotistic job, right? You have to know somebody.
He worked for Tony stark's parents.
And he betrayed them, like, two or three times.
Now, for what possible reason would you want to get rid of this? I'm trying to get to San Diego in July for the comic con.
Oh, really? I've been to every con on the east coast, but I've never been to San Diego, which is, you know it's the granddaddy of them all.
It's the godfather of cons.
If it's in your blood, if you like comics and geek culture, comic con is mecca.
It's just someplace you, at least once in your life, have to visit.
Back in '95, we started going.
And how many people were coming to the show? 30,000.
And Stan Lee was still the most famous person at comic con.
But now all of Hollywood kind of shows up.
It's, like, nuts how many celebrities are there.
It's like, there's Jack black, there's Christian bale.
Last year, Stan Lee was selling concessions.
It's actually a beautiful piece, but I don't think we'd buy it for the store.
- Okay.
- However I'd want to buy it for me.
Oh, really? Yeah, this is something I've wanted for a long time.
What's your best price for this? I feel like I gotta get 200 bucks for it.
Uh That's not out of the ballpark.
The only problem I see is right here is crimping.
Well, you know, maybe a touch.
You got a long day ahead of you at the con.
Even after you pick up something like ts, you've got to carry it around all through the con.
It's bound to pick up a few - he doesn't care about your problems, man.
That's not his concern.
I can give you $100.
How far would $100 get you $100 is not even going to cover one night hotel out there.
- Well, LA-di-da, I gotta get a room now.
Yeah, right? I can do $175.
UhCould you do $125? I've got to get at least $130.
At this point, is it even a matter of money? Or is it you just feel like you're losing if you give in to the other guy's side? Like, really, five bucks, what does that matter? Yeah, but I figured that, like, with five bucks, then maybe I win.
$130, you say.
Eh, I'd still put the value for me at about $120, but You're going to San Diego.
Yeah.
- $130 it is.
- All right, awesome, man.
- Thank you.
- Thanks a lot.
That's why you'll never run the stash.
- Here you go.
- Cool, man.
All right, awesome.
Thank you very much.
Good luck in San Diego.
All right, thanks a lot.
All right, so you know what we're doing here.
We're loading up for the con.
Okay.
Let's box it up and bring it.
You've got to bring some Kevin Smith stuff, we've got to bring comics.
Oh, these are con exclusives, right? Yeah, they're signed by Kevin, so Why don't you bring two fistfuls? I'll bring all of them.
Oh, what's this, the Zapruder film? Could be.
Bring it.
Bring it, somebody'll buy it.
All right.
What do you say we bring the Boba Fett backpack? Oh, yeah, definitely, bring the Boba Fett backpack.
You still got that gun? At, my price gun? No, man, your real gun because I think we're gonna be bringing so much money back, I mean, we might need an armored guard.
- I could I could play armored guard.
All right.
What are you staring at, ming? Get back to work, man.
All right.
Get it in there.
Squeeze it in.
I don't think we can fit another box in here.
Lock it up.
You're gonna drive, ming? - I'll drive.
- All right, sounds good.
I throw out two superheroes, and we debate who would win in the ultimate showdown.
Plastic man or Mr.
fantastic go.
My theory is that.
Mr.
fantastic forces himself down plastic man's throat.
- Ew! - Jeez.
And suffocates the bastard.
Who wants to watch that fight? - Ant-man and the atom.
Go.
Ming, I'll give you $40 if you just turn off this side of the van right now.
- Uh, I'm gonna go with ant-man.
Ant-man definitely beats atom.
Is the atom the size of an atom? - Yeah.
- What are his powers? The atom, he just I mean, aside from being small.
- What his power is he can grow to miniscule size but retain the power of a 180-pound man.
Has he ever had, like, a romantic interest? Oh, yeah.
His wife cheated on him.
- Well, of course, man, that's Dude, that's beyond micro-phallus, man.
I'm looking to see if there's any value in this.
I think it's a nice little slice of history.
You could be sitting on a fortune.
I've got an interesting superman collectible to show you.
This is the most rendered superman crotch in the history of Superman.
Wow.
- Ta-da! - Thank you.
- Thank you.
See all those people walking around out there on the streets of red bank, ming? Yeah.
What about them? They're making their way in the world.
They're actually doing something.
Feels like I'm just selling funny books.
What about us? We're running an empire.
You know what? That was a test.
And you've passed.
- I knew it.
Something it just didn't sound rig.
What would have happed if I said the wrong answer? I don't know, I was just bored for a few seconds.
- Howdy.
- Hi, how you doing? How you doing? Got some things I wanted to see if I can get priced.
I'm a big punisher fan, and I've got his second appearance in his own issue.
It is the very first solo punisher story ever.
- Yeah, he made his appearance in spider-man, and then this came out, giving a little backstory of who he is, and this is the second one.
- I love the punisher.
- Yes.
I loathe the punisher.
Why don't you like the punisher? 'Cause he's kind of a murdering scumbag.
"Murdering scumbag"? He's a vigilante.
The punisher's just like, "you've done wrong.
" And that's it.
- Yeah.
- He's a murderer.
So he's not a superhero then? - Not a hero, no.
- I disagree.
A vigilante, absolutely, but not a hero.
Definitely a hero.
Anybody wipes out my wife and kids, I'm coming out for blood.
Oh, I didn't know where you were going with that.
You're like, "anyone wipes out my wife and kids is a hero.
" You're right, he shouldn't be called so much a hero, but you know, he definitely is not - an antihero? Yeah, you know what I completely agree with that.
Yeah.
But there are people who will not cross that line in the sand.
Correct.
- Superman, Batman, spider-man, and to list him amongst them - yeah.
- Not cool.
- Yeah.
- So - all right, well, I'm looking to see if there's any value in this.
Might be interested in selling.
I mean, it's very cool, but unfortunately, it's in really bad condition.
I didn't think it was that bad.
"Fair" as opposed to "poor.
" Uh, no, I'd call this "poor" 'cause it's missing significant pieces.
Looks like down here, see the water damage? Okay.
I thought the binding would be overall all right because it's not really cracked or anything.
Unfortunately not.
Here Yeah.
Got the splitting.
You've got chipping up here and over here.
And this looks like there was some mildew starting.
Doesn't it just add vintage to it, though? - Authenticity? - Yeah.
No.
If this was in mint condition, this would probably and it would have to be mint condition about 50 bucks.
- Really? Yeah, unfortunately, in the condition it's in, probably $2 or $3.
Can't even get out of town with that.
- No.
- Okay.
What do you got there? - This is actually a first- generation high-resolution copy of the original sketch John Romita did while designing the punisher.
He still didn't have a name yet.
So he put "the grim reaper," "the executioner.
" You can tell he's still toying with an idea of who it is.
Now, a character sketch, for those unfamiliar, would be like somebody comes to you and says, "we just came up with punisher, man.
"He's, you know, he's a punisher.
He's a vigilante.
Can you draw one?" And so Romita draws this black costume with a gigantic white skull.
Skull, yeah, just right front and center.
With the belt becoming the teeth of the skull, which wasincredibly badass for the time.
I like when you get romantic about it.
Like, you literally rolled your eyes back as if in pleasure, like, "it was incredibly badass at the time.
" But it's it was.
When that character made the appearance, you were like, "look at him, he's bad.
" Yeah.
Even the go-go white boots he was wearing couldn't take away how badass he was.
Yes.
I think it's cool.
I think it's a neat little slice of history.
If it was the real sketch, you'd be sitting on a fortune.
But being just a photocopy Um I'll give you - No.
- No.
$12? Mm, $10.
I don't know if I can part with them then.
These hold such sentimental value with me, and hopefully, it'll accrue some value.
All right, well, thank you very much.
- Have a good day.
- Take care.
See you later.
All right, what about star wars versus star trek? Who would win if you took a team from each side? - Compile your star wars team.
- Yeah.
And, Mike, compile a star trek am.
I got it.
It's Spock, data, Worf, andKirk.
Good choice.
Ming, you're gonna be hard-pressed to come up with a team that could beat that.
- All right, so it would be obviously Luke, Obi-Wan, darth vader, and Boba Fett.
Come on.
Oh, so you got two bad guys on the team already.
So two bad guys are gonna sabotage the tm.
- No, it's a no - Yeah.
They're only out for themselves.
No, now they have a common enemy, the star trek Ers.
They have no common.
Why would you pick villains on your team? - Yeah, why would you - Powerful villains.
Pick, like, aunt Beru.
- One of the greatest American The road trip.
We've en hanging out for decades now, Walter and I, over 20 years.
The foundation of that driving around, looking for comic books.
I felt it was, like, so long since I had that kind of feeling in my blood.
- Right.
- And I was like, "boys" - that's more than a feeling.
- That's high adventure.
- Yes.
That's like living like, LA vida de loca.
That's living on edge, baby.
All right, boys, we're here.
Let's go.
Make some money! We must be the first ones here.
All right, well, let's grab a box.
- Let's get going, ming.
- Al.
Game faces.
We're here for the comic convention.
No, that was canceled.
Do you guys want to buy any comics? No.
- There was no con? - There was no con.
- Ere was nothing? - There was nothing.
Con got canceled days ago, and nobody told us.
It's like showing up to Walley world and finding out it's closed.
Exactly.
You just want to punch the moose in the face and take out a gun, and take John candy on every roller coaster there is.
Never offered for sale.
Good luck finding it.
A very authentic Batman mask.
Oh, my God.
No way! I want this.
If Kev called you, and heays, "one of the superheroes wants to work here," who's the most acceptable? What about, like, sayAquaman? Like, if he's out of water for a little while, does he start smelling like fish? - No, I don't think so.
- I don't think so.
So you don't wa Batman here.
He's gonna be brooding.
It's almost like having a muscular me.
I think you'll agree with me with this one.
I think it'd be green lantern.
- Yeah.
- You know? When he takes the ring off, he's just like you or I, a hardworking dude, working at the stash.
We put in the same amount of hours - I thought you said he was just like me.
Yeah, but I mean, wouldn't you want somebody that you're at least a little taken with? - I mean, I would like to say go with the obvious choice.
- Superman? - Superman.
You have, like, a little kryptonite ball.
You're like, "I said, stock the shelves.
" Just like, I'm threatening the world's greatest superhero.
- You got him by the - Got him by the super-gonads.
- Mm-hmm.
Have a great afternoon.
- How are you doing? - Hi.
Good.
How are you? Good.
My husband bought this Catwoman Barbie for my daughter.
Uh, butI don't think it's appropriate.
It looks like a dominatrix.
- Are you into Catwoman? - No, not really.
I mean, I do have a Catwoman costume from Halloween.
Do you have any pictures from the Halloween party? You would rather buy that? You guys seen this one? Yeah, I've seen.
To me, this is probably the worst representation of Catwoman that's been in TV or films.
You've got Lee meriwether, then you've got the second TV Catwoman.
- Eartha Kitt.
- Eartha? Eartha Kitt brought a little bit of soul to that role.
Very cool, very - she's like foxy brown.
- Yeah, sexy.
Michelle Pfeiffer.
That was probably the best one.
I like the stitching all over the costume.
It was pretty, um - Sexy yet subtle, not - yeah, I like that one.
That one is a little more appropriate.
It's covered.
This one hasSlashes.
It's a little too much in your face, you know? It's like - Up her thigh.
No, I think this is updated.
Like, when did the Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman come out? - '92.
- '92.
Sluttier is updated? Yeah, it's just a sign of the times.
So you're saying that you'd have no problem giving this to your five-year-old daughter? No, I wouldn't have any problem.
This is Catwoman.
This is what she wears.
Just the word "Catwoman" makes it okay? - Yeah, absolutely.
- That's weird, isn't it? I mean, I can't say for sure, because he was pressed up pretty close to the counter, but I think there might have been some light arousal going on.
- Over that Catwoman doll? - Over that doll.
Would you have ruled it out totally? I wouldn't rule it out, the way you were so hell-bent to hold it, to talk about it, and to just like - "can I take it out the box?" Let's say it was just dominatrix Barbie.
Wood that change anything? - Yeah.
- It's all context for you.
- Not just the packaging, it's - I mean, if you think your daughter would like it, then that's why I'm here.
I don't care if you're a bad parent.
I just don't want to be.
I'm not a bad parent.
- It makes no sense your argument.
It's all in the name, and it looked like Halle Berry.
It was her likeness from the Catwoman movie.
Ming, if someone sd a dildo with "Catwoman" written on it, you wouldn't buy it just 'cause it was Catwoman-approved.
Like, you gotta use your good sense, man.
She's just wearing ripped jeans and a bippy top.
That's not the first Catwoman I want to present to my daughter.
"Look how little you have to wear!" I agree.
What about you? I don't care, man.
You know what, if it sells, I don't pass judgment on it.
But we just don't sell Barbies here, though.
You know, we don't stock them.
I understand.
- Now is guy looks like you might you put your money where your mouth is, brother.
Maybe your little girl's getting a present tonight, if you think it's such a great toy.
I really don't think this is that bad.
How much were you looking for this? My husband paid, like, $70 online, so About $50.
What a bargain, ming.
- Yeah, I don't I couldn't give you $50 for this.
I mean, the most I'd I'd give you $5 for this.
- $5? - Oh, my God.
- Yeah, I - It is kind of insulting.
Well, how out $20? I mean, I couldn't even give you $20 for that.
$7, I could give you I'd go up to $7.
- Seriously? - $7? - Yeah, $7.
- I don't know.
I don't want this to be a waste of my time completely.
Give her 10 bucks, man.
She probably had to pay metered parking.
That's at least a dollar.
It's raining.
$10 is the highest I could go.
There's no chance I can go higher than $10.
I'll take $10 just to get out of here.
All right, you got a deal.
Can we shake over it? Okay, yes.
Here you go, $10.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Even with you guys trying to derail me - bye.
- Have a good day.
- You too.
- I wouldn't bring this home.
I don't think it's going to be worth the headaches.
- We'll see I'll tell you how it goes tonight.
"When I knock on your door, saying 'can I sleep here?'" know what I think about every time at a diner like this? That scene in Superman ii, when he loses his powers, gets the crap beat out of him.
What's the scene? I never saw it.
- You never saw Superman II? - Nah.
Superman loses his powers to be with Lois.
- On purpose? - Yes.
So that he could be normal and he didn't have, like, that responsibility or whatever? Yes, and then as soon as he gave up the powers, he did theEh-eh.
Oh, ye? He got busy? - To me, that meant, like, he couldn't do it with her eh-eh as Superman, 'cause it would be, like blow the top of her head off.
So they go to a diner afterwards.
Right after the act? Well, I mean, come on, don't you want to, like, get some nice egg omelet after you - I'm normally eating as I'm doing it, so - all kidding aside though, ? What about selling the comics out of the truck? Like, maybe we can find a empty parking lot or something.
We'll set up our own con.
- That a local paper? - Yeah.
Why don't we check out some of the garage sales around here? It's Sunday.
Not a bad idea.
How good could it be though? Maybe it might be better than stopping on the side of the road and opening up the van - it was just it was an idea.
And having people drive by as we eat their exhaust while no one stops and we try to desperately - "Comics for sale!" Ooh, that is a salvageable day.
You may have lost the elks lodge comic books show, but garage sales, man.
That's like taking it to an even more intimate level.
Right.
This is going into somebody's lawn, possibly their front porch.
You're talking about stuff where they're like, "I couldn't be bothered to take this to a show.
"But if I'm just selling it off my lawn, yeah, all right, I'll put the crap out there," and the crap's where the gold is.
I've never seen this poster before.
I love it.
How much is it? I wouldn't let this go for anything less than $2,500.
For anything less th how much? I think I got something really rare.
I could probably go up and down the east coast and not find one of these.
I want it.
There are holes in our collections that we desperately try to fill, and those items become a type of holy grail item.
So part of the fun of collecting comics has always been the hunt.
I went online recently.
I was looking for something I had in the early '70s.
It was the Evil knievel stunt cycle with the helmet, and you would put his motorcycle into the little crank, and you crank it up, push the button, and it would take off, and he would do wheelies a stuff.
- Yes! - Yeah, and I went online to look for it, try to buy it back, a happier time, and it cost it was, like, $300.
- And that's too much? For, like for that, like, concrete piece of your childhood.
Like, the way you just spoke about it was the way poets describe women and the earth and stuff like that.
And still, you hit a price tag, you're like, "no, I'm not gonna do it.
" I'll stay sad.
Are you aware that there's a condition, clinical lycanthropy? Where you believe you're a werewolf? "Defined as a rare psychiatric syndrome "that involves a delusion that the affected person can transform or has transformed into an animal.
" I mean, people come up with everything and anything these days to say that they have some sort of mental illness.
If you were going to have a mental disability, this wouldn't be too bad.
Like, I'd rather think I was a werewolf than be depressed all the time, right? You know? Well, wouldn't you become really depressed when the full moon's out and you're still not a werewolf? Yeah, like, "I can't even do this right!" - How you doing? - Hey.
You guys buy toys? Depends on what you have.
I think I have something kind of interesting.
I dug it out of my closet, you know, to find some things to maybe make a little money off of, and it's connected to the movie commando.
- That don't look like Arnold.
- No, not at all.
You know, I've seen that movie, like, a million times.
No.
How do you know it's from commando though? I looked it up, and it said it was from commando.
- 'Cause I don't recall - No, I've seen I love that movie.
I loved it.
I like the Australian guy with the knife.
There's information about this right on his trunks.
It says, "20th century fox.
" Maybe this could have been an edited scene in commando.
Like, maybe he did fight a ninja and it never made it to - but isn't that like a postage stamp that's misprinted? Like, he's a weird, freakish like, it's worth a lot? Nah, just 'cause something's rare doesn't mean it's valuable.
This happens periodically in the world of toys and movie adaptations.
They have to extend the line, so sometimes they create villains.
Probably the most famous one was the six million dollar man TV show.
The maskatron he was not in the series ever.
That was a doll that was created just for that line.
And you always felt a little cheaper playing with it 'cause you wanted him to show up on the show, but he never would.
Isn't Arnold an underrated actor? I mean, that guy could emit emotion with his eyes.
I loved almost everything he was in.
- Batman and Robin? - Almost everything.
I didn't like him in that.
All right, enough on the Arnold.
I love it, man.
I think it's cool-looking.
It's got that kitsch value, something that we desperately need in the stash.
What are you looking for for this? - I was hoping$200.
It's it's really rare.
I could probably go up and down the east coast to every comic book store and toy store and not find one of these, right? But I also could go from one coast to the other coast and not find one person who really wanted it, though.
That's not what I was hoping to hear.
- But I but you know what, you're lucky 'cause I want it.
But I don't want it for $200, ough.
What's the lowest you'll go? I guess$150? No, I'm talking, like, your absolute lowest.
- I mean how about $100? I feel like there's got to be someone who wants this.
- Yeah.
- Just 'cause of how rare it is.
Uh, I couldn't do $100 for it.
Not even $50 could I do for it, to be honest with you, brother.
It's more going to be more of a decoration than an item I sell.
My bottom line is I could probably do 25 bucks.
$25? I mean, I guess I could hang onto it and hope that somehow - They make commando 2? All right, man, well, what do you want to do? You know, I really could use the money, even though it's nowhere near what I thought I was going to get for it.
I guess I'll I'll go for $25.
- All right, man.
- I'll do it.
Hey, it's going to go to a good home.
It's gonna stay here for probably as long as you had it, we're probably gonna have it too.
There you go.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
- Thank you very much.
- Thanks a lot.
All right, man.
I'll love it like a brother.
All right, boys, it's time to me some deals.
Got some comics over here.
It's a big range here.
A lot of old Superman, strange adventures, I see some aquaman, and then - it's eclectic.
Yeah, it's, like, from all over the place.
Got stuff from the '90s, the '80s, and I see stuff from the '60s.
These are old.
These are in sad shape, though.
What are you doing? You're not going to buy that, are you? Yeah, I'm gonna buy it.
What are you gonna do with it? I'll put it on my bike handlebars.
Put it on my computer.
What are you, five years old? - I could look at him.
- Put that thing back.
- I used to love going to garage I can't do it now.
If I show up, people are like, "you've got money.
" You know, but I like a bargain as much as the next guy, and I also like sifting through other people's crap.
Because they got the crap they're throwing out crap that maybe came from my childhood, where I'm like, "this crap is valuable to me.
" It's the only time machine that's out there.
You don't need plutonium, it's not fictional, you may not wind up sleeping with your mother.
It's the safest time machine there is, man.
Hello? These are all the comics you have? Yeah, just in the box and right around the box.
Books are all two bucks.
Two bucks each? - Two bucks.
- All right.
Two bucks each.
Two bucks.
Dude, these are awesome, man.
We could flip these so fast.
Oh, these, the marvel series.
- Those are in color, right? - Yeah, these were in color.
We can probably get, like, $2, $3 a pop for these.
No, we can probably get $5 or $10 a pop for the.
Keep looking, boys.
Keep looking.
Oh, man, look, Lois fell in love with a guy in a iron lung.
Ooh, look at these.
It's got a rip, but still, look at that.
Even in this condition, we could flip these real quick.
This one's better, Lois Lane against Lana Lane.
Oh, my God, look at these.
These are, like, 12 centers, man.
- Superman 168.
- That's early.
"The world's greatest junkie superhero.
" That's just weird.
I mean I'll grab that, I'll grab some planet of the apes.
- Did you go through everything? - Yeah.
- I mean, we know we want anything that's 12 centers so don't worry about them.
Just put them right to the side.
Mystery in space 85.
This is some amazing stuff.
Okay, quickly go through whatever's in the pile we didn't go through, see if there's anything else that catches our eye.
Definitely the Superman, though.
You want all these Supermans? Okay.
- All the Supermans.
- All the Supermans.
You guys want me to read you some love poems? - Awesome.
- Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Okay.
I don't care how long you've been collecting comics.
If you've been collecting comics for a month or you've been collecting them for decades, this is a fantasy of all comic book collectors.
- Yes.
You always stumble across - to wk in and just - It's true, dude.
- It is! - It's not it has nothing to do with boobs.
Does it at least involve a woman? - No.
- No.
The idea of, like, "oh, my lord, man, this is the thing you read about.
" Like, I bought $1 million book for $5.
It was truly, like, a day that the gods smiled down on the stash.
- This can be $80, guys.
- Did you toy boys see these? These are ones you like, right? Ooh, look, it's Walt and ming, ooh.
Where'd you get those? - Box over there.
- Are there mo? Or is that it? This is it.
- These all of them? - Yeah.
You're sure? Okay.
- Want me to put them back? - No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Let me see how much they go for.
Uh, how much for these things? - $5 a piece.
- Okay.
Okay, give the man $100.
You don't want that.
You're not really - No, no, no, I do too.
- We don't need that.
- We do too.
- $106.
- 106 bucks.
Make it $105.
- Yeah, $105 is good.
- Thank you.
- Thanks, guys.
- Thanks.
You're welcome.
Come on, guys.
Pinch me.
I think I'm dreaming.
A very authentic Batman mask.
.
How much you looking for this? I can't let it go for less than $1,000.
- Hey, guys.
- How you doing? I've got an interesting Superman collectible to show you.
Whoa.
This is a poster print made in 1977 licensed by DC comic this is done by an artist named George Stavrinos.
He was a famous fashion illustrator in ne[ York city.
He died in 1990 of aids.
He was gay.
And the reason why I mention that he's gay is there is a homoerotic sensibility towards the way he pictured Superman.
It's no different than Michelangelo doing David, and Michelangelo was gay.
Well, I had never heard any of this.
- Well - It's true.
I mean, it's a great image.
I mean, it's superb.
The colors are great.
But I don't see just 'cause a guy has his hands on his hips, and his leg perched on a black box I actually - first of all, I would say this is the most rendered Superman crotch in the history of Superman.
I didn't want to be overt and say, "look at it.
" - No I'm just going to point something out to you.
I think you're I was, like I wasn't sold on you until right now till I just noticed something on this poster.
If you look through the boot, like, the light is shining look at how his foot is, um See that through the boot? Dainty foot.
That's some sort of subliminal message.
It was dainty.
It was dainty.
Dainty? - You know what I mean? - No.
- Like, it was like - Alright, I'm puzzled.
What do you mean? It was, like, curved, like a dainty foot.
- What, because he curled his toe a little? You would never see that.
It was such a subliminal image.
Right then and there, I knew the guy was he was on the up and up.
It was definitely gay Superman.
I've been going to comic conventions since I was 15 years old in 1973.
I have never seen this poster or sale at conventions.
I've never seen this poster before.
I love it.
How much is it? I wouldn't let go for anything less than $2,500.
- Anything less than how much? - $2,500.
- $2,500.
- $2,500 for a poster? Just because he's just like, "I swear it's gay.
" - Yeah.
- Oh, my God.
And I'm telling you, the rarity of this never offered for sale.
Good luck finding it.
UmI would want to resell it immediately.
That's what I do here.
Of course.
I buy it, I flip it, try to make money off of it.
Even with its rarity, I would have a hard time.
I understand.
Our clientele forces me to pass on this one today.
I understand.
I did bring one more item that I tried to sort of keep hidden from you guys 'cause I thought I'll surprise you with it.
Okay.
- The achievement of every Batman fan boy's dream: A very authentic Batman mask.
Oh, my God.
Ma by the specs from the original costume designer.
Not only do you never see these offered for sale at conventions I mean, there are cheap knock-offs - can I hold that? - Absolutely.
One size fits all.
Oh, my God.
I don't know if I deserve to wear the Batman cowl.
We all do.
Because, look, it was the show that, even as a Batman fan, we all have a love-hate relationship with it, but - you know what? I don't have a love-hate relationship.
I love it.
I'm right there with you, brother.
I want this.
You just never see a piece like this one.
- It's true, it's true.
- I've never seen no merchandise from the Batman '60s television show.
And how much you looking for this? I can't let it go for less than $1,000.
And trust me, that's an accurate price and worth every penny.
Where did you get that price from though? "My head.
" Just based on what I paid for it, in order for me to make some profit - I mean, it's not a genuine Adam west-worn cowl.
Okay, but the pedigree that it's from the same set designer, come on.
I can do$350.
$350 from $1,000? There's no authenticity to prove that it wasn't just made last night.
I mean, how do you authenticate that? That's a beautiful - well, that's just basically arts and crafts.
You can't even put a price on that, right? I feel like it's - I could, I did.
$350.
Okay, how about at least $750? Come on.
$550.
How about $650? $600.
Deal.
- Thank you.
- Thanks, buddy.
What do you think, Bry? You got yourself a great Batman.
- This is pretty much - Walt, check this out.
The only thing that's been holding me back from life as a superhero.
Now look at that.
Look Everybody looks good.
Come here, Robin.
I want to put you in Booty shorts.
There you go.
Thank you, man.
Thanks, Walt.
- All right, so we buy the bat-cowl, huzzah.
But you don't buy gay Superman.
Why? I did a little investigation afterwards.
Okay.
Turns out it wasn't worth $2,500.
$35 you can still get that poster for.
And more importantly, it was not a George Stavrinos piece.
If it's not George Stavrinos, then who is it? Who painted this? Drew struzane the legend.
- Drew Struz okay, for those of you that don't know drew Struzan, he did, like, the raiders of the lost ark posters, the star wars posters, and he did the mallrats posterhello.
Probably his least famous work.
But this is a legend, man.
What a lead-on.
Hey, guys.
Rob Bruce.
How you doing, man? - So how'd it go? - Check it out.
Show him what we picked up.
Found a yard sale in the paper, found a toof gems.
Really? Now you've entered my world.
Rob Bruce knows everything about stuff that you never cared about and never will.
How much is a Godzilla figure made by Bullmark from 1964? Right.
And while we got him in the store, I'm trying to squeeze as much knowledge out of him as I can.
What do you think? Megos.
- Wow, this is great.
- See for yourself, man.
Figure you've got to at least pay, like, $15, $20 a piece for them.
I meanRight? Tell him, ming, for the whole lot of Megos.
- $5 each.
- That's crazy, dude.
Probably get $25 a piece for these.
Oh, this is great.
Vintage paperbacks.
- These are, le the condition on them is off, but, man, you just never see the tempo books.
And even in this condition, I would think you're talking at least $10 a piece.
This is a nice little haul of pocketbooks.
It's the box that never stops giving.
- It's a box-ucopia.
- Oh, what a second.
More world's finest, more Lois Lane, more Superman, more adventure comics.
These are easy at $5 to $10 a piece.
How many you think you got, ming? - About 30, maybe 35 there.
- So at $10 a piece, you're probably looking at $250 to $300 retail.
Can't believe you got them for so little.
It's a great score, guys.
Hey, let me ask you a question though.
What's with the frankenstein? - Don't you mean Franken-Bryan? - Franken-Bryan? - That's what I bought.
It's a little toy Bryan picked up.
- Did you buy that? - Mm-hmm.
- Really? Wh at the sale? - For my bike.
- Let me see.
I assume that's what it's for, right? You guys have any idea what this is? We just told you.
It's Frankenutein.
This is exactly what you think it is.
It goes on a bike.
It's actually called a bike buddy.
If you want to take it off the bicycle, you put it on the shelf what'd you pay for this? - $3? 3 bucks, ming? - $3.
You paid $3 for this? This toy you never see.
This is, like, one of those things that's pretty hard to find.
Oh, yeah? I saw one sell at an auction in the late '90s, but that was in the box, and that was for, like, $800.
But that was in the 90's and we're like in a recession now, you know things are not like they used to be.
*** and you didn't even want me to buy that, man I've got 150$ on me, I'll just give that all to you.
You got yourself a bite, buddy.
This is great.
It was meant to be the way it happened.
It was the best thing that happened to the stash in a long time.
That's awesome.
There it is man, the human adventure, once again as lived, by the gentlemen, of comic book men.
Their mission to * go into like people's garages if they have to to find the collectables that they can mark up and sell to you.
Thanks for hanging out with us on comic book men I'm Kevin Smith, - Walt Flannegan.
- Bryan Johnson - ming chen.
- And Micahel Zapcic.