The Comic Shop

Kid, watch the door.

Okay? Get your greasy little fingers off my door.

- Open it. - Patience.

Handle the comics with care.

So I guess old Joe from Jersey

didn't make it in last week, huh?

- Nope. Haven't seen him in a while, actually.

- Regulars haven't really been as regular

since the pandemic, have they?

- Yeah, I know. That's 'cause life is fully downloadable now.

Everything you need is online.

"Fully downloadable" my ass.

I haven't had a steady stream of customers in three years.

I mean, seriously, Alex, when are we gonna get back

to living life again?

You know, we just need to remind everyone

that nothing beats the experience

of browsing a store full of comics.

- Seems like we've got a lot more indie books this month.

Ah, that's 'cause we did.

I wanna start catering to the more artistic independent books,

you know, let people see something new.

Like "Techno Man."

Yes! Like "Techno Man."

You know, you should really check it out.

I'm good.

- Mm, you know, when Jack Kirby first started out,

he was the greatest illustrator of his time.

You know, somewhere out there is the next Jack Kirby.

Okay.

So where are you going now?

To find the next Stan Lee?

I'll, uh, be right back.

I'm just gonna grab a bite to eat

while you finish sorting the pull list.

Pull list. You got it.

Um, we're not thinking of drinking our lunch again

today, are we?

- Just, uh, keep an eye on the kids, Mom.

Mm.

Okay.

- Hey, guys, when you get down, straight back,

to the left, all the way back, okay? Thank you.

- Uh, careful with those, please.

- Son, why don't you make yourself useful

and help me with some of those boxes?

Come on.

Thank you.

Well, maybe if you spent more time playing sports

than reading comics, you'd be stronger.

Come on.

Kurt.

- Once we get settled in,

you and I can get into some father-son activities.

It'll be fun. You'll see.

- Brandon, just grab a smaller one.

- Not sure how hitting a ball

and running in circles is so fun.

Hey, don't mind him.

He's just grumpy about the move.

- Ha ha ha, ha ha ha, sharp.

- You know, you've really gotta raise the bar

on the, on the jokes. - I'll raise the bar.

- I think I heard that one last week.

Smarty pants. Okay, last one.

What's the difference between ignorance and apathy?

Oh. I don't know.

And I don't care.

Ha ha ha.

Oh, and Mike.

- Yeah. Sorry 'bout that.

- Thank you, buddy. - Keep the change.

- Thank you, Sir. Appreciate it.

Hey, Superbike Mike.

Oh, uh, uh, I am sorry. I gotta take this off.

I, uh, got terrible asthma. Can't be in there too long.

Hey, Mike, I've got a serious problem.

I was looking for the Invisible Man series,

but I didn't see any.

- That's 'cause they're invisible.

- Yes, yeah they are.

- Did you find everything you're looking for, Sean?

- I sure did. - That is so great.

Thank you so much for coming in. Really appreciate the business.

- Of course, now I'm on my way to a super sexy blind date.

Maybe together, we can see the light.

It's a joke, right?

'Cause "blind" date.

Stay clean, and stay healthy, citizen.

Hey, Mike, I'm sorry--

Thanks for coming in, buddy.

Point taken. I guess...

Okay, all right, just trying to look out for my boy.

Yeah, no harm, no foul, right?

Bye, Sean.

- Bye. - See you next time.

Yes.

- Well, that was mildly entertaining.

How was lunch?

Usual.

Yeah, I can tell.

- Hey, uh, you send those promotional emails

to the regulars?

- Yeah. Yeah, every month, just like you said.

Honestly, Mike, I think you need some new customers.

- Tell me something I don't know.

Advertising costs money.

I mean, you understand that concept, right?

I do.

- Look, Alex, you don't need to stick around.

Just flip the sign, and lock the door on your way out.

Okay, cool.

You sure?

I can stay and help out if you need anything.

- Nah, I just got some numbers to crunch. I'm good.

Okay, yeah. Goodnight.

- He's coming to get you, Barbra.

And I laughed at him and said, "Johnny, stop it."

- He's dead. Get up here.

Nick, Tony, Steve,

ya wanna get out in that field and build me a bonfire.

You, drag that out of here and throw it on the fire.

- I'll be down here.

- All right, go ahead down and give him a hand.

Dad?

I'm right here.

Stay with me, Dad.

- I'm right here, Son.

I've always been here,

and I always will be.

I love you, Dad.

Oh.

Mike, check this out.

- Can it wait? Kinda just woke up.

No, it can't wait.

You know that comic book store we been talking about?

Yeah.

- Well, they just opened up down the street.

Wild Imagination Comics.

Have you seen it? It's freaking huge.

Who reads the freaking paper?

- I don't know. Customers, maybe?

- I'm gonna go across the street for a little bit.

- Okay. - Okay.

- Hey, kid, you, uh, into the indie comics

or more of a DC-Marvel kinda guy?

I like 'em all,

but yeah, I guess I prefer indie, offbeat comics.

See that, Alex?

- You ever read "Techno Man"? - No.

- Mm, "Techno Man" is, is a blast.

I mean, it's, it's, it's genius.

You know, it's about a guy who can teleport

using any tech device with a digital footprint.

- Looks like it's already on issue 37, though.

- Oh, I think we have some old issues

in the, in the back,

if you wanna see 'em.

- Yeah, yeah, that, that'd be great.

- Cool. - Thanks.

Yeah.

What are those?

Those are really good. Concept art?

- Yeah, well, you know, I was an illustrator

for about five minutes.

Another life, you know?

- Hey. - Hey.

Got a few things.

- That's a big stack, Brandon.

Okay, but you have to unpack your room

before you read any of these.

Deal?

You guys just move here?

Yeah, last week from Idaho.

- Idaho. - Yeah.

Cool.

Well, welcome to the store. I'm Mike.

This is Alex,

and this, uh, finely curated comic boutique

that you are inhabiting

is Mike's World.

- Thank you. I'm Pamela, by the way.

What do you say, young man?

- I say destroy the cosmos, ask questions later.

Enjoy. Thanks for coming in.

- Thanks. - See you guys soon.

"Spawn."

- Wow. - Yeah.

Kid knew his stuff.

So do you.

Thank you.

There's really nothing you can do for me?

All right.

All right. Oh yeah, sure.

I'll, I'll see ya at the convention.

Thanks for nothing.

Business?

- Just trying to keep the lights on, as they say.

I hear ya.

You know, common sense is like deodorant, Mike.