‘Comic Book Men’ Is Perfect Nostalgia Machine

Many people cringe when they hear the term “reality television.” It’s the platform that’s given birth to such controversial shows as “Jersey Shore” and “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”

Unscripted television, though, has also allowed a showcase for demanding or unique jobs around the country. Many shows can now provide us with glimpses into worlds we may otherwise never have known.

One such show is “Comic Book Men,” AMC’s long-running series about the inner workings of Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, a comic shop owned by filmmaker Kevin Smith — which has been in operation in Red Bank, New Jersey, since 1997.

At a time that the printed word appears to be dying out in favor of digital “everything,” it’s quite a feat for a comic store to have thrived for 20 years.

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At the helm of the ship is Walt Flanagan, a part-time comic book artist and full-time wheeler and dealer. People can watch every Sunday night as folks come into the store with unusual or vintage comic-related items — and Flanagan not only shows off his deep knowledge of pop culture, but also his skill at drawing a hard line in price negotiations.

Under Flanagan are Ming Chen and Mike Zapcic, two loyal employees always happy to see an item from their past come through the doors. Rounding out the cast is podcaster, filmmaker and comic book writer Bryan Johnson. With no official capacity at the store, he’s mainly around to poke fun at his geek friends and provide a window for the audience into this world.

Through its four main cast mates (Smith also shows up in every episode for updates on how his shop is running), “Comic Book Men” is not just a show that provides a peek into a unique world; it’s also a series that highlights friendship and the ingenuity and persistence it takes to run a small business in today’s world.

It’s a show that former Superman Dean Cain once described to LifeZette as the “little show that could.” As it moves into its seventh season, LifeZette spoke to cast member Ming Chen in an exclusive interview about the show, upcoming celebrity guests and just what is so special for people about seeing toys or comic books from their childhood.

“I just think it really recaptures that feeling you had when you were a kid.”

“I just think it really recaptures that feeling you had when you were a kid,” Chen, 43, said about the kick people get when they see old items come into the shop. “When I was a kid, I was really into G.I. Joe and I would get a vehicle or a figure and I would play with that thing for years … I remember when I would get a figure — the next morning I would wake up and I would look over to my bed stand because I would put it right next to me.”

He added, “It felt like Christmas every day that I would get a new figure.” It’s that utter joy in something so simple that Chen believes many people lose as adults — so a reminder of it can be both humbling and exciting.

“It’s such a happy feeling,” he said. “I’m not alone in that feeling.” Through traveling and meeting fans at various comic-con events, Chen has heard plenty of viewers turn into “kids” again right in front of his very eyes as they talk about a certain item they treasured when they were young — and then saw reappear on the show.

“I think we kind of lose that when we become adults,” said Chen. “We try to buy it back. Unfortunately, buying back your childhood costs 100 times more than it did back in the ’80s … a lot of us still do it, though.”

He’s not kidding about rising prices, either. One of the others joys from “Comic Book Men” is the utter shock a viewer or customer feels when it’s revealed how much a toy that once cost maybe $3 is priced at today — if it’s in the right condition.

Related: Interview: ‘Comic Book Men’ Highlights Friendship, Small Business

The “Comic Book Men” staffers have felt the joy of seeing old toys from their childhood come into the shop themselves — even the very openly nongeek Bryan Johnson has been excited by an item or two.

For Chen, it was a G.I. Joe aircraft carrier. “It came out when I was about nine years old, and it was one of the first toys to cost almost $100,” said Chen, revealing it was one of the biggest toys ever made. While he was never able to convince his parents to get it for him, he had a neighbor friend who was willing to share.

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“I pulled the old trick with my parents where I said, ‘You don’t have to buy me a birthday or Christmas present for the next 20 years if you get me this,'” recalled Chen, laughing. “When it came into the shop 30 years later, I had to buy it.”

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Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash — the store is named after Smith’s two most used characters in his films — is also known for the regularity of celebrities stopping by; they hope to finally get a first-hand glimpse at the famous Stash.

Guests on the series thus far have included Marvel legend Stan Lee, the late Adam West, and many, many others.

This season will be no different. Paying a visit to the store are “Nightmare on Elm Street” star Robert Englund, “Luke Cage” actor Mike Colter, and “Daredevil” star Rosario Dawson.

Though many celebs have come through the front doors, there are still a couple Chen is hoping to see — “Star Wars” creator George Lucas and “Ready Player One” author Ernest Cline.

Cline is a breakout novelist whose best-selling book is headed to the big screen next year, courtesy of Steven Spielberg. “He’s living the geek dream,” said Chen.

As for Lucas, Chen would love to not just geek out about his love for the original “Star Wars” trilogy, but he’d also like to inquire about the very poorly received prequel trilogy that marked the last films Lucas has been credited with directing.

“I may even get bold enough to ask him about what happened with the prequels,” said Chen. “He may walk out.”

Though viewers can’t expect an appearance from George Lucas (yet), they can expect “Comic Book Men” to do this season what it’s perfected over the course of 83 episodes. Said Chen about what season seven has to offer, “More laughs, more hilarity, more comics, more vintage toys, more geek awesomeness.”

The season seven premiere of “Comic Book Men” airs this Sunday night on AMC following “The Walking Dead” block.

(photo credit, homepage image: AMC)