Comic Book Men

Review

Common Sense Media says

Juvenile humor mars reality series about geeky collectibles.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this reality series depicts a group of men who work at a comic book store and exhibit frequent juvenile behavior, including thinly-veiled sexual innuendo and a fixation on objectifying women. Expect some occasional language ("hell," "damn," plus bleeped stronger words) and occasional social drinking.

  • Positive messages0
    The show values obscure knowledge about geek culture and illustrates how that knowledge can be parlayed into a career working in the comics industry. But it also reinforces stereotypes about geek culture, including the prevalence of sexism.
  • Positive role models0
    Most characters seem to have an immature attitude toward women and sexuality.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex2
    Heavy sexual conversation relating to comic books and other pop culture media, for example a lengthy conversation about which female superhero would be most sexually appealing.
  • Language3
    Words like "damn" and "hell" are frequent, plus "lay" in reference to sexual acts. Stronger words occasionally bleeped.
     
  • Consumerism4
    The show takes place largely in a comic book store covered in imagery and products featuring major media characters including Batman, Spider-Man, and many others. A key element of the show features collectors bringing in valuable items to the store for evaluation and appraisal.
     
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking2
    Occasional social drinking or jokes about drinking.
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What's the story?

Set within the comic book and collectible store Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash and its environs in Red Bank, New Jersey, COMIC BOOK MEN is an unscripted reality series chronicling the work adventures of grown men who sell toys and comic books for a living. As they endlessly debate the merits of men and women in spandex, they also encounter amazing collectibles and appraise their true value, in the vein of shows like Pawn Stars or Storage Wars.
 

Is it any good?

 

By now, Kevin Smith has become inextricably linked with a very specific kind of entertainment -- his projects are almost always filled with equal parts true insight and juvenile humor. In Comic Book Men, your ability to tolerate the latter will directly impact your ability to appreciate the former.

When the show focuses on amazing collectibles, such as a one-of-a-kind sketch by Batman creator Bob Kane, it's compelling to see the reactions of the store's staff. But when the show consists of these same employees talking about the hottest superheroines or busting each other's chops over some obscure bit of trivia, it's downright obnoxious. There's a reason why it can be annoying to stand in a store and listen to the employees babble on endlessly about some obscure comic book or movie, and Comic Book Men captures that feeling of "just let me buy this book so I can get out of here" effortlessly.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the show's attitude toward sexuality. What kinds of messages do the men's comments about women send? What kinds of stereotypes about "geeks" does this series reinforce or challenge?

  • Do you think any of the toys or books you own will ever be as valuable as the collectibles on this show?

This review was written by Matt Springer

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This review was written by Matt Springer
Topics:history
TV rating:NR
Network:AMC
Cast:Kevin Smith, Walt Flanagan
Genre:Reality TV
This review was written by Matt Springer
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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