The Comic Book Men Nightmare

When the reality show Comic Book Men premiered in Spring 2012 on cable channel AMC, I told you a few  times during its six springtime episodes how much I hated the thing.There were also six fall episodes and last week the last of those aired and, guess what? I still hate it.

The series should really be classified as an UNreality show since its shenanigans bear no resemblance to the goings-on at any actual comic book store. The good news is that I have developed a new perspective that makes it less painful for me to coexist in the same universe with this dog.

Just as the 1960s Mort-Weisinger-edited Superman comics relied heavily on dreams and hoaxes and imaginary stories, I've come to view Comic Book Men as a dark fantasy that takes place inside the recesses of a twisted mind. Rather than showing the true workings of a comic book shop, it presents the worst nightmares that a shop owner might have. People strolling in off the street and announcing how much they want to be paid for their collectibles? Nightmare! A birthday party for a youngster convening in the store? Ridiculous! Two of the store clerks dressing up and re-enacting the wedding of Reed and Sue Richards? So stupid! But now at least I can wink at the wry satire of it all. I get the joke and it doesn't make me as frantic. I have learned to stop worrying and love the bomb..

Though my new viewpoint allows me to tolerate the television show's existence, please don't misread this as me wishing success for it. I still hate the thing. My fingers and everything else I have at least two of were crossed that the fall finale of Comic Book Men would in fact be the series finale.Imagine how my souffle dropped when an announcement was made at the end of last week's installment that the show will return in the spring with new episodes. Now that's what I call a nightmare.