Comic Book Men s06e12 Episode Script
Daughter of the Demon
1 [upbeat rock music.]
You know how all of our favorite heroes, they lost someone close to them? And it spurred them on to become the hero that they are today.
Uh, who would you choose to lose if it made you a superhero, though.
I I guess I would pick one of you guys.
I think if, uh, you know, a criminal took you down, I would want to avenge you.
I'd be I'd be pretty angry.
I'm actually touched.
That's nice, man.
I mean, I-I got one too.
You know, the UPS guy who brings our comics every week.
- What? - I mean, can you imagine that? Like, he's struck down as he's t carting the comics over to us.
You know, I see it from the window.
You know, and I'm like well, I first I go get the comics.
[laughter.]
Then I would be like, you know, like, that's a good dude.
I don't I forget, what do we know his name? - Joe.
It's Joe.
- Oh, it's Joe.
Okay.
Yeah, Joe.
A guy he doesn't even know his name - means more to him than you do.
- Yeah.
- [laughs.]
- He probably wouldn't even be able to pick him out of a lineup.
Like, he could be replaced by some other guy who got called in sick, you wouldn't even notice.
I don't think you value Joe as much as, like, UPS as a company, as a whole.
Like, is it I don't even know if he's a UPS.
It might ju I don't know who I mean, it's the guy who brings the boxes.
[laughing.]
No.
I'm just waiting for you to turn to him and be like, "Are you Joe?" [laughter.]
[heroic music.]
[laughs.]
Comic Book Men SO6E12 [upbeat music.]
Hello and welcome to another episode of "Comic Book Men," the only show that cries like a baby whenever somebody says "hold the door.
" - I'm Kevin Smith.
- Bryan Johnson.
- Walt Flanagan.
- Mike Zapcic.
- Ming Chen.
- I hope to God somebody came into the store this week.
Yes.
A guy brought in something that combined the three things I love: Saturday morning cartoons, dogs, and robots.
- Hey.
How are ya? - Hey.
How you guys doin' today? - Pretty good.
- Question for you: you guys fans of "Dynomutt, Dog Wonder"? That's one of my all time favorite characters in the entire world.
Well, you're in luck.
I got something you guys might be interested in today.
"Dynomutt, Dog Wonder" number 1.
Oh, man, I had this.
Mm.
[rock music.]
Where'd you get it? Um, you know, I was digging through some boxes at a con, I found it.
I'm a big fan of pop culture and Hanna-Barbera, so I figured "why not pick it up?" "Scooby-Doo" I can see.
"The Flintstones" I can see.
Uh, uh, you know Yogi Bear.
The Dynomutt? I connected to Dynomutt, man.
I connected to a superheroed bionic dog.
- Partner of Blue Falcon, he's like Batman.
- Yep.
- And Dynomutt just foils all of his plans, but then ends up saving the day - in the long run.
- At first, I was like, "Why is there a gray Scooby-Doo in, like, a superhero outfit?" [laughter.]
And then he opened his mouth [slobbering gibberish.]
[laughter.]
It was a kind of annoying voice.
I mean, do you remember Dynomutt's voice? I can barely like, I you know how, like, when people die you start to lose the sound of their voice? This died for me a long time ago.
- [laughs.]
- So I don't quite remember.
If I had to guess, it was like, [goofy voice.]
"I'm Dynomutt " Is that even close? Well, we can resurrect it right now.
Because somebody at the table does a mean Dynomutt.
Let's hear it.
- [as Dynomutt, spitting.]
That's me.
Dog Wonder.
[laughter.]
- That's what he sounded like? - Yeah.
- No wonder it didn't catch on.
[laughter.]
Was he always doing that, too, the [blows raspberry.]
? Yeah.
[blows raspberry.]
Like, "You're talking about me?" Like It couldn't been so cool Robot dog, he had these legs that extended, a spring for a tail, and, like, vacuum cleaners for hands.
He was taking down criminals, and then he had [as Dynomutt.]
That's me.
[laughter.]
- You a big Hanna-Barbera fan? - Absolutely.
"The Flintstones," "The Jetsons," "Jabberjaw," "Scooby-Doo" Yeah, I mean, you just named 'em all, man.
I mean, remember Mildew? - Yeah.
Mildew Wolf, yeah.
- Oh, this guy.
- Him and Snagglepuss Laff-A-Lympics.
- You know your stuff, man.
- Know my Hanna-Barbera.
You know your stuff.
A lot of people argue this with me, and I'll always best them in the end, but Hanna-Barbera's roster of characters, I think surpasses Disney.
I think it dwarfs dwarfs Disney's stable of characters.
That's true, though, pound for pound, I betcha Hanna-Barbera has more characters in their stable.
Like, 'cause you can't count Cinderella Disney didn't create her.
- Snow White.
Snow White, they didn't create her.
- Peter Pan.
- Peter Pan's not theirs.
They always kind of went to source material that was a little more classically oriented.
Hanna-Barbera from scratch, son.
How often do the kids get the Hanna-Barbera versus Disney lecture? Oh.
[laughter.]
They probably get it now once a week.
What're ya watching this for? [laughter.]
Hanna-Barbera makes a better cartoon! [laughter.]
- You have young kids.
- I do.
The ritual of Saturday morning cartoons - has been obliterated.
- Gone.
I remember, I used to wake up at 6:00 in the morning and sit in front of the TV from 6:00 a.
m.
to to noon.
There was a period, probably between the ages of 6 and 12 where the most stressful time in my life was Friday nights [laughter.]
Because I knew I had to wake up at super early.
And I was terrified I would oversleep.
And I remember that realization one morning when I woke up, and I looked at the clock and it was uh, it was 10:00 and I had missed all my shows.
I was unconsolable for for days.
[laughter.]
I mean, I remember crying and crying.
The kind of cry where you can't catch your breath and I was like, "I'll never be able to see them a again.
" [laughter.]
All right, so why are you looking to sell it? - It was an impulse - buy.
I want to see what I can do to get some cash maybe spend it here in the Stash.
All right, what are you looking to get for it? Uh, 25.
Ooh.
I couldn't go that high.
There's not many guys lis like us out there.
Um, would you go 20? How about 15? I can't go any higher.
15 sounds good.
I can go with that.
All right.
Done deal.
[cash register whirs.]
- There you go.
- All right, thanks a lot.
- Come back anytime, man.
- All right.
- See you guys later.
- See you later.
Walt Flanagan, Katrina Law.
She plays, uh, Nyssa al Ghul - on, uh, the TV show "Arrow.
" - Oh, really? I got a surprise visit from one of my convention buddies the other day, and she also happens to play one of the most badass women on TV.
- Ming! - Oh, my God.
- Ah! - [laughs.]
[both laughing.]
- Hi! How are you? - I'm doing great.
Surprise.
Oh, hi, guys.
How are ya? Like to introduce you to, uh, Katrina Law.
- Hi.
- Hi.
How are ya? - Nice to meet you.
- One of my con One of my convention buddies, uh, a Jersey girl, and, uh, she also plays, uh, Nyssa al Ghul on the TV show "Arrow.
" - Oh, really? - I pay him to brag about me.
- So [laughs.]
- What's there to brag about? It's it's all true.
- The daughter of Ra's al Ghul? - Yes.
We like to say "Raysh" al Ghul.
Oh, yeah oh, there's a proper, uh - Okay.
- Si.
Yeah.
I have a speech impediment.
I don't I go [laughter.]
Thank you for bringing it up.
[laughter.]
- Is that a thing? Like, "Raysh" al Ghul versus Ra's al Ghul? Like, is this something, yet again, - nerds are arguing over? - Oh, yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
- Oh, yeah.
It is.
Just thought I'd stop in and check to see if maybe you got that book yet? - Did you get it? - The "Batman" 232? - Yes.
- That's so cool.
- Oh, Nyssa al Ghul.
- Nyssa Al Ghul.
From "Arrow.
" I promised I would find her a copy of "Batman" 232, the first appearance of her TV father, Ra's al Ghul.
Ra's al Ghul, or "Raysh" al Ghul, for those that don't follow, and how could you not know this character? Liam Neeson played him in the "Batman" movies.
And I love how, you know, primarily, he's known as a badass Batman villain, but they've crossed him over into "Arrow," and she does a great job.
You see her on "Arrow," like, you believe she's the daughter of Ra's al Ghul.
Not only that, but she wouldn't be in that role had it not been for that comic.
Here you go.
Oh, my gosh.
That's beautiful.
1971.
Neal Adams.
Denny O'Neil.
There you go.
[upbeat music.]
Have you been looking at this one for a while? I have been.
Um, I just thought it'd be really cool that my comic my first official one that I've ever bought had my dad in it, something that basically kicked off the entire family.
I was thinking about giving it to Matt Nable who plays my dad on the show, but I think I I think I might keep it for myself 'cause I'm a selfish daughter.
So [laughter.]
You play his daughter.
So do you have, like, martial arts training? Or like, you gotta be a badass in real life too to play this character, I would guess.
Um, I have a black belt in tae kwon do.
Um, and I could kick you in the face pretty easily.
I just don't know that it would be very effective.
It would be effective.
You might sting.
Your first appearance on that show, like, she takes down, like, five guys within seven seconds.
It's some pretty intense stuff.
It it's amazing.
You would love it.
I know, man.
I'm waiting for a free weekend.
I'm gonna binge-watch it all.
- All four seasons? - Yes.
- It's a lot of television.
- Yeah.
Get the popcorn ready.
Don't feel bad.
He's not caught up on "Seinfeld.
" [laughter.]
Got a lot of TV ahead of him.
How true does "Arrow" remain to the characters? Does "Arrow" really follow the comic book continuity? Or does the show take it in another direction and create their own continuity? I think when the show first started, they basically tried to follow along as much as possible, but now that the seasons are going on, they've been basically creating their own world.
My character is a lesbian.
Oh.
Okay.
[laughs.]
- Hello.
- Let's start it tonight.
[laughter.]
"Seinfeld"'s on the shelf, man.
I was, um, both stunned and somewhat titillated to find out that [laughter.]
I'm angry, but I'm very excited.
Well, I'm so happy to be able to finally get one of these for you.
Sounds like you've been looking for it for a long time.
It's $500.
- Okay.
- Wait.
Hold on.
Hold on.
Can't we do a little better than that? It's kind of a friend of the family.
It's over 40 years old, and look at the shape it's in.
I mean, this is one of those books that, you know, doesn't last on the wall very long.
I mean, it's bright colors, sharp corners.
Come on.
Can't you can't you do better than that? How about how about I do $400 then? That'd be great.
$400, is that cool? That's great.
- Thank you.
- $400? Deal.
Awesome.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
I was really impressed with Katrina coming into the Stash and wanting to search out that book, paying tribute almost to, um, the creators who have given her this character.
When young Hollywood shows respect to old comics, that gets my vote.
That's A-okay.
All right.
Thank you so much.
It was a pleasure doing business with you.
Thank you.
- All right.
Bye, love.
- Bye.
Enjoy, my friend.
- Come back anytime.
- Bye, guys.
Me got something for you.
[laughing like Popeye.]
Wow.
This is one of those toys that I put in my personal toy hall of fame.
- One of the things I've always loved about Green Arrow is one of the things I've always loved about Batman; no superpowers, just a guy with a gimmick.
Characters like Batman and Green Arrow are the way in to comics for someone like me.
I don't look at Superman and see myself I have no superpowers.
You can dream about it, but with Batman and Green Arrow, you just have two guys that trned insanely hard.
And you're talking about a character, in Green Arrow, who's been around asong as Batman, but he certainly didn't have that overnight success.
I mean, it has been a long, long road to get to where he's at now.
Right now, Green Arrow stands shoulder to shoulder with a Superman and a Batman.
You know, his own TV show, successful book.
- One of the biggest selling books in DC Comics was their relaunch of "Green Arrow", the "Rebirth" book.
That just goes to show you, man, you stick in there long enough, you'll make it to the top.
Green Arrow kind of like the Boba Fett of the DC world.
Everyone knew him and stuff, but he wasn't top-tier like your Luke and your Darth or something.
Until one day somebody at figured out, like, how to use him properly, and they use him well on that show, man.
He's reaching people like my mom.
She knows what "Arrow" is.
I used to write "Green Arrow.
" She don't even know, but she's like, "I know that shirtless boy on television.
" [laughter.]
[rock music.]
- Hey.
How are ya? - What's up, guys? - How are you? - What can we do for you today? Me got something for you.
[laughing like Popeye.]
I'm Popeye the sailor man.
[toy makes steam whistle sound effect.]
- Wow.
- I got this awesome 1967 Mattel talking puppet Popeye.
I had this as a kid, man.
This is one of those toys that I put in my personal toy hall of fame.
[upbeat music.]
Brings back so many memories, though, man.
It kind of was like a hand puppet, but it had this voice box.
I had pulled mine so many times, you couldn't even decipher what he was saying at that point anymore.
You were a Popeye fan, huh? I wa I still am a Popeye fan.
I have a soft spot for this old sailor.
- Mm.
- Ugh.
[laughter.]
There's something about Popeye that just made me laugh.
I think it was probably the way he talked.
[as Popeye.]
Oh, get the lifeboat! [laughing.]
You do a mean Popeye.
Oh, I terrible.
Terrible at it.
No.
No, you're pretty good at it.
I'd be making millions if I was the, uh, perfect Popeye impersonator.
Really? Millions? I mean, even the best Popeye impersonator is probably only pulling in a couple hundred bucks a year.
No, I'm definitely making [laughter.]
Popeye has a bittersweet nostalgic place in my life, but then once I discovered droids and Wookies, I'm like, "Popeye?" - [laughs.]
- And off it went.
So, you know, he's legendary, of course, but do you think, like, there's much interest in sailors anymore? - [laughs.]
Like, was that just a time when sailors captured people's imagination? Like, "this guy goes out on a boat!" Well, I mean, just like "Star Wars" characters, they're fighting a war in space, sailors fight one on the sea.
Yeah, his Darth Vader is the Sea Hag.
[laughter.]
When did it all go away for Popeye? I would say, like, he enjoyed a little bit of the limelight right after the Robin Williams movie, and then it was all downhill from there.
[sighs.]
Don't bring up that movie.
- You don't like it? - I you know what? I don't like the movie.
You got to give it another chance.
You got to give it another, uh, re-watch because the sets are amazing.
You know, I would actually like to go to Popeye Village.
- Where is Popeye Village? - Malta.
- Because they shot it there? - Yeah.
It's actually the real set from the 1980 movie.
- Oh, okay.
- They kept it, and everything's all Popeye themed.
Yeah, I mean, there's got to there's not much to do on on Malta, right? If Popeye Village is still around.
I guess not.
The Malta Chamber of Commerce was like, "Look, this is all we've got.
" [laughter.]
Can he return in a in a big feature film now? The only way Popeye could work in the present day is if, like, he gets a dark redo.
So what would the dark Popeye redo be? I think he murders vagrants in every port he goes to.
[laughter.]
- "I am what I am!" That's his "spinach.
" [laughter.]
I'd like to reacquire this piece.
- You want it back? - I want it back, man.
I made the big mistake of thinkin' I was too old for Popeye.
What are you looking to get for it? I'm asking for $250.
$250, huh? I don't think I could do $250, though.
Would you take $150? $150? That's a $100 drop.
I mean, but who else you gonna sell this to today? I mean, you could go from here To Malta.
[laughter.]
I'll do $200.
How about $175? Come on, man, you know you're not gonna get that anywhere else.
Let's be honest.
Well, I wanna fight to the finish.
- [laughs.]
- So I can eat my spinach! [laughing.]
Are you sure you want to sell it? Are you gonna have an identity after selling it? [laughter.]
- No, I'm pre You know what, I'm pretty normal.
You know, Popeye, uh $175? I'll do $175, yeah.
Done deal.
[register whirs.]
$175.
Thank you.
- No, thank you.
- Pleasure.
[laughs like Popeye.]
Got something for ya from our middle school years.
All right, what do you got? Oh, my God.
I haven't thought about these in decades.
[laughter.]
[upbeat music.]
- Hey, guys.
What's up? - Not much.
How are you? - Pretty well.
- We're brothers.
We got something for you from our middle school years.
All right, what do you got? Some Pogs.
- Pogs.
- Oh.
Oh, my God.
I haven't thought about these in decades.
Neither has anyone else.
[laughter.]
You know, hey.
[rock music.]
Oh, how many do you have here? About, uh, 250.
They had every license on the planet.
You could get a Wolverine card, like this one, or a Spider-Man.
Pogs were poised to overtake comic books as the numero uno collectible in the world.
Yeah.
It was, to put it in today's terms, Pokémon Go.
And then kids were like, "we don't care about it no more.
" What happened? For us [laughs.]
Our school said, "no more.
" I had read that they got banned from schools 'cause they considered it gambling.
- The same concept.
- Right.
Even though they're winning something that is essentially worthless.
[laughter.]
- Yeah.
Kids were addicted.
Me and Bryan, we were we worked at a community center.
We saw the fever that these kids had for Pogs and we actually were going to buy a million Pogs - [laughs.]
What? - Because we figured, like, if we sell each Pog at a dollar each, uh You were gonna be millionaires? We didn't [laughter.]
Yeah.
We were going to buy a million Pogs and sell them and become millionaires.
So wait, how much were you investing? - $500 each.
- Oh, my God.
- You couldn't pull that together? - We could've, but there was someone with better business sense than us.
[laughter.]
By the bank of someone's parents? - Is that what that was? - Yeah.
That was my wife.
She said that there was Oh, this is this was It wasn't gonna be your parents.
You're like, "I was a married man at this point.
Still having harebrained schemes.
" [laughter.]
So where'd you guys get all these Pogs? We won 'em.
So you guys are just natural born Pog players? We held tournaments at our school and we took Pogs as admission.
So we got those and then also, we'd just win 'em and win 'em and win 'em.
What grade you would you guys have been in at this point? Middle school, so fifth and seventh grade.
Did you collect these, Ming, when you were a young lad? I had a bunch of these.
My brother had a bunch of these.
Just give me a quick rundown of the rules.
I think you had to stack them in a certain way, right? Yeah, so so let's say, like, these are my you know, this is my stack here - right here, right.
- Yep.
Stack 'em like this, and I-I just slam it down on here, right? Yeah, yeah, so if it starts facedown, I gotta get it that way, or if it's vice versa.
So that's the the concept.
And that was called the slammer, right? - Oh, yeah.
- That has some weight.
He always won 'cause he had a super slammer.
It was it was almost double the weight.
That's not fair if you have a juiced slammer.
- [laughing.]
- Like, you can't yeah.
Yeah, that's not gonna fly.
All right, Ming, let's see your skills.
- Okay.
- Now, when's the last time you threw a slammer down on a Pog? Oh, probably about 20 years ago.
It's like riding a bicycle or sex, right? You never forget.
Yeah.
[laughter.]
And I'm good at both.
Ready? [dramatic music.]
Come on, Pog man.
Oh! All right, that was pretty weak.
None of them flipped over.
None of 'em flipped over.
Oh, man, I woulda took all your Pogs, man, and I woulda loved it.
[laughter.]
It was a great game because you didn't have to be fast, you didn't have to be smart, you didn't have to be strong.
Boys and girls were Pog-crazy.
I mean, everybody was playing the game, people were talking about how thick their slammers were.
[laughter.]
Finally, those of us without thick slammers had something to brag about.
[laughter.]
So you guys are here to sell these Pogs today? Yes.
Well, maybe here's our chance again.
Let's see maybe this is the start of our Pog empire.
Call your wife, man.
[laughter.]
- Yeah, there you go.
So what do you guys want for the Pogs today? 50 bucks.
[laughter.]
It's not 1991 anymore.
Even back then, they wouldn't be worth $50.
No way.
- I could swing a fiver.
- Can you do a fiver? So, like, 10 bucks? - Yeah.
- 10 bucks.
Uh, could you do $30? The best I could do today is is 12 bucks.
12 bucks for the whole kit and caboodle, man.
That's the best offer you're gonna get.
- Hmm.
- All right.
- Let's do it.
- We'll do it.
- Thanks.
- 12 bucks.
- That's freakin', uh - Thanks, fellas.
Keep an eye on "Forbes" magazine for us.
[laughter.]
It was a great game, though.
I I don't understand why it didn't last longer than it did.
Well, what followed Pogs? Was it Pokémon cards or Magic: The Gathering? Like, something always leads to something else.
Goosebumps.
Goosebumps books? You blame it on that? You're like, "these kids, they started reading!" [laughter.]
"The little jerks.
And my Pog business went up in smoke.
" [laughter.]
And unfortunately, that's all the time we have for this week on "Comic Book Men.
" I'm Kevin Smith.
- Bryan Johnson.
- Walt Flanagan.
- Mike Zapcic.
- Ming Chen.
Keep your nose clean and your arrow green, kids.
Good night.
You know how all of our favorite heroes, they lost someone close to them? And it spurred them on to become the hero that they are today.
Uh, who would you choose to lose if it made you a superhero, though.
I I guess I would pick one of you guys.
I think if, uh, you know, a criminal took you down, I would want to avenge you.
I'd be I'd be pretty angry.
I'm actually touched.
That's nice, man.
I mean, I-I got one too.
You know, the UPS guy who brings our comics every week.
- What? - I mean, can you imagine that? Like, he's struck down as he's t carting the comics over to us.
You know, I see it from the window.
You know, and I'm like well, I first I go get the comics.
[laughter.]
Then I would be like, you know, like, that's a good dude.
I don't I forget, what do we know his name? - Joe.
It's Joe.
- Oh, it's Joe.
Okay.
Yeah, Joe.
A guy he doesn't even know his name - means more to him than you do.
- Yeah.
- [laughs.]
- He probably wouldn't even be able to pick him out of a lineup.
Like, he could be replaced by some other guy who got called in sick, you wouldn't even notice.
I don't think you value Joe as much as, like, UPS as a company, as a whole.
Like, is it I don't even know if he's a UPS.
It might ju I don't know who I mean, it's the guy who brings the boxes.
[laughing.]
No.
I'm just waiting for you to turn to him and be like, "Are you Joe?" [laughter.]
[heroic music.]
[laughs.]
Comic Book Men SO6E12 [upbeat music.]
Hello and welcome to another episode of "Comic Book Men," the only show that cries like a baby whenever somebody says "hold the door.
" - I'm Kevin Smith.
- Bryan Johnson.
- Walt Flanagan.
- Mike Zapcic.
- Ming Chen.
- I hope to God somebody came into the store this week.
Yes.
A guy brought in something that combined the three things I love: Saturday morning cartoons, dogs, and robots.
- Hey.
How are ya? - Hey.
How you guys doin' today? - Pretty good.
- Question for you: you guys fans of "Dynomutt, Dog Wonder"? That's one of my all time favorite characters in the entire world.
Well, you're in luck.
I got something you guys might be interested in today.
"Dynomutt, Dog Wonder" number 1.
Oh, man, I had this.
Mm.
[rock music.]
Where'd you get it? Um, you know, I was digging through some boxes at a con, I found it.
I'm a big fan of pop culture and Hanna-Barbera, so I figured "why not pick it up?" "Scooby-Doo" I can see.
"The Flintstones" I can see.
Uh, uh, you know Yogi Bear.
The Dynomutt? I connected to Dynomutt, man.
I connected to a superheroed bionic dog.
- Partner of Blue Falcon, he's like Batman.
- Yep.
- And Dynomutt just foils all of his plans, but then ends up saving the day - in the long run.
- At first, I was like, "Why is there a gray Scooby-Doo in, like, a superhero outfit?" [laughter.]
And then he opened his mouth [slobbering gibberish.]
[laughter.]
It was a kind of annoying voice.
I mean, do you remember Dynomutt's voice? I can barely like, I you know how, like, when people die you start to lose the sound of their voice? This died for me a long time ago.
- [laughs.]
- So I don't quite remember.
If I had to guess, it was like, [goofy voice.]
"I'm Dynomutt " Is that even close? Well, we can resurrect it right now.
Because somebody at the table does a mean Dynomutt.
Let's hear it.
- [as Dynomutt, spitting.]
That's me.
Dog Wonder.
[laughter.]
- That's what he sounded like? - Yeah.
- No wonder it didn't catch on.
[laughter.]
Was he always doing that, too, the [blows raspberry.]
? Yeah.
[blows raspberry.]
Like, "You're talking about me?" Like It couldn't been so cool Robot dog, he had these legs that extended, a spring for a tail, and, like, vacuum cleaners for hands.
He was taking down criminals, and then he had [as Dynomutt.]
That's me.
[laughter.]
- You a big Hanna-Barbera fan? - Absolutely.
"The Flintstones," "The Jetsons," "Jabberjaw," "Scooby-Doo" Yeah, I mean, you just named 'em all, man.
I mean, remember Mildew? - Yeah.
Mildew Wolf, yeah.
- Oh, this guy.
- Him and Snagglepuss Laff-A-Lympics.
- You know your stuff, man.
- Know my Hanna-Barbera.
You know your stuff.
A lot of people argue this with me, and I'll always best them in the end, but Hanna-Barbera's roster of characters, I think surpasses Disney.
I think it dwarfs dwarfs Disney's stable of characters.
That's true, though, pound for pound, I betcha Hanna-Barbera has more characters in their stable.
Like, 'cause you can't count Cinderella Disney didn't create her.
- Snow White.
Snow White, they didn't create her.
- Peter Pan.
- Peter Pan's not theirs.
They always kind of went to source material that was a little more classically oriented.
Hanna-Barbera from scratch, son.
How often do the kids get the Hanna-Barbera versus Disney lecture? Oh.
[laughter.]
They probably get it now once a week.
What're ya watching this for? [laughter.]
Hanna-Barbera makes a better cartoon! [laughter.]
- You have young kids.
- I do.
The ritual of Saturday morning cartoons - has been obliterated.
- Gone.
I remember, I used to wake up at 6:00 in the morning and sit in front of the TV from 6:00 a.
m.
to to noon.
There was a period, probably between the ages of 6 and 12 where the most stressful time in my life was Friday nights [laughter.]
Because I knew I had to wake up at super early.
And I was terrified I would oversleep.
And I remember that realization one morning when I woke up, and I looked at the clock and it was uh, it was 10:00 and I had missed all my shows.
I was unconsolable for for days.
[laughter.]
I mean, I remember crying and crying.
The kind of cry where you can't catch your breath and I was like, "I'll never be able to see them a again.
" [laughter.]
All right, so why are you looking to sell it? - It was an impulse - buy.
I want to see what I can do to get some cash maybe spend it here in the Stash.
All right, what are you looking to get for it? Uh, 25.
Ooh.
I couldn't go that high.
There's not many guys lis like us out there.
Um, would you go 20? How about 15? I can't go any higher.
15 sounds good.
I can go with that.
All right.
Done deal.
[cash register whirs.]
- There you go.
- All right, thanks a lot.
- Come back anytime, man.
- All right.
- See you guys later.
- See you later.
Walt Flanagan, Katrina Law.
She plays, uh, Nyssa al Ghul - on, uh, the TV show "Arrow.
" - Oh, really? I got a surprise visit from one of my convention buddies the other day, and she also happens to play one of the most badass women on TV.
- Ming! - Oh, my God.
- Ah! - [laughs.]
[both laughing.]
- Hi! How are you? - I'm doing great.
Surprise.
Oh, hi, guys.
How are ya? Like to introduce you to, uh, Katrina Law.
- Hi.
- Hi.
How are ya? - Nice to meet you.
- One of my con One of my convention buddies, uh, a Jersey girl, and, uh, she also plays, uh, Nyssa al Ghul on the TV show "Arrow.
" - Oh, really? - I pay him to brag about me.
- So [laughs.]
- What's there to brag about? It's it's all true.
- The daughter of Ra's al Ghul? - Yes.
We like to say "Raysh" al Ghul.
Oh, yeah oh, there's a proper, uh - Okay.
- Si.
Yeah.
I have a speech impediment.
I don't I go [laughter.]
Thank you for bringing it up.
[laughter.]
- Is that a thing? Like, "Raysh" al Ghul versus Ra's al Ghul? Like, is this something, yet again, - nerds are arguing over? - Oh, yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
- Oh, yeah.
It is.
Just thought I'd stop in and check to see if maybe you got that book yet? - Did you get it? - The "Batman" 232? - Yes.
- That's so cool.
- Oh, Nyssa al Ghul.
- Nyssa Al Ghul.
From "Arrow.
" I promised I would find her a copy of "Batman" 232, the first appearance of her TV father, Ra's al Ghul.
Ra's al Ghul, or "Raysh" al Ghul, for those that don't follow, and how could you not know this character? Liam Neeson played him in the "Batman" movies.
And I love how, you know, primarily, he's known as a badass Batman villain, but they've crossed him over into "Arrow," and she does a great job.
You see her on "Arrow," like, you believe she's the daughter of Ra's al Ghul.
Not only that, but she wouldn't be in that role had it not been for that comic.
Here you go.
Oh, my gosh.
That's beautiful.
1971.
Neal Adams.
Denny O'Neil.
There you go.
[upbeat music.]
Have you been looking at this one for a while? I have been.
Um, I just thought it'd be really cool that my comic my first official one that I've ever bought had my dad in it, something that basically kicked off the entire family.
I was thinking about giving it to Matt Nable who plays my dad on the show, but I think I I think I might keep it for myself 'cause I'm a selfish daughter.
So [laughter.]
You play his daughter.
So do you have, like, martial arts training? Or like, you gotta be a badass in real life too to play this character, I would guess.
Um, I have a black belt in tae kwon do.
Um, and I could kick you in the face pretty easily.
I just don't know that it would be very effective.
It would be effective.
You might sting.
Your first appearance on that show, like, she takes down, like, five guys within seven seconds.
It's some pretty intense stuff.
It it's amazing.
You would love it.
I know, man.
I'm waiting for a free weekend.
I'm gonna binge-watch it all.
- All four seasons? - Yes.
- It's a lot of television.
- Yeah.
Get the popcorn ready.
Don't feel bad.
He's not caught up on "Seinfeld.
" [laughter.]
Got a lot of TV ahead of him.
How true does "Arrow" remain to the characters? Does "Arrow" really follow the comic book continuity? Or does the show take it in another direction and create their own continuity? I think when the show first started, they basically tried to follow along as much as possible, but now that the seasons are going on, they've been basically creating their own world.
My character is a lesbian.
Oh.
Okay.
[laughs.]
- Hello.
- Let's start it tonight.
[laughter.]
"Seinfeld"'s on the shelf, man.
I was, um, both stunned and somewhat titillated to find out that [laughter.]
I'm angry, but I'm very excited.
Well, I'm so happy to be able to finally get one of these for you.
Sounds like you've been looking for it for a long time.
It's $500.
- Okay.
- Wait.
Hold on.
Hold on.
Can't we do a little better than that? It's kind of a friend of the family.
It's over 40 years old, and look at the shape it's in.
I mean, this is one of those books that, you know, doesn't last on the wall very long.
I mean, it's bright colors, sharp corners.
Come on.
Can't you can't you do better than that? How about how about I do $400 then? That'd be great.
$400, is that cool? That's great.
- Thank you.
- $400? Deal.
Awesome.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
I was really impressed with Katrina coming into the Stash and wanting to search out that book, paying tribute almost to, um, the creators who have given her this character.
When young Hollywood shows respect to old comics, that gets my vote.
That's A-okay.
All right.
Thank you so much.
It was a pleasure doing business with you.
Thank you.
- All right.
Bye, love.
- Bye.
Enjoy, my friend.
- Come back anytime.
- Bye, guys.
Me got something for you.
[laughing like Popeye.]
Wow.
This is one of those toys that I put in my personal toy hall of fame.
- One of the things I've always loved about Green Arrow is one of the things I've always loved about Batman; no superpowers, just a guy with a gimmick.
Characters like Batman and Green Arrow are the way in to comics for someone like me.
I don't look at Superman and see myself I have no superpowers.
You can dream about it, but with Batman and Green Arrow, you just have two guys that trned insanely hard.
And you're talking about a character, in Green Arrow, who's been around asong as Batman, but he certainly didn't have that overnight success.
I mean, it has been a long, long road to get to where he's at now.
Right now, Green Arrow stands shoulder to shoulder with a Superman and a Batman.
You know, his own TV show, successful book.
- One of the biggest selling books in DC Comics was their relaunch of "Green Arrow", the "Rebirth" book.
That just goes to show you, man, you stick in there long enough, you'll make it to the top.
Green Arrow kind of like the Boba Fett of the DC world.
Everyone knew him and stuff, but he wasn't top-tier like your Luke and your Darth or something.
Until one day somebody at figured out, like, how to use him properly, and they use him well on that show, man.
He's reaching people like my mom.
She knows what "Arrow" is.
I used to write "Green Arrow.
" She don't even know, but she's like, "I know that shirtless boy on television.
" [laughter.]
[rock music.]
- Hey.
How are ya? - What's up, guys? - How are you? - What can we do for you today? Me got something for you.
[laughing like Popeye.]
I'm Popeye the sailor man.
[toy makes steam whistle sound effect.]
- Wow.
- I got this awesome 1967 Mattel talking puppet Popeye.
I had this as a kid, man.
This is one of those toys that I put in my personal toy hall of fame.
[upbeat music.]
Brings back so many memories, though, man.
It kind of was like a hand puppet, but it had this voice box.
I had pulled mine so many times, you couldn't even decipher what he was saying at that point anymore.
You were a Popeye fan, huh? I wa I still am a Popeye fan.
I have a soft spot for this old sailor.
- Mm.
- Ugh.
[laughter.]
There's something about Popeye that just made me laugh.
I think it was probably the way he talked.
[as Popeye.]
Oh, get the lifeboat! [laughing.]
You do a mean Popeye.
Oh, I terrible.
Terrible at it.
No.
No, you're pretty good at it.
I'd be making millions if I was the, uh, perfect Popeye impersonator.
Really? Millions? I mean, even the best Popeye impersonator is probably only pulling in a couple hundred bucks a year.
No, I'm definitely making [laughter.]
Popeye has a bittersweet nostalgic place in my life, but then once I discovered droids and Wookies, I'm like, "Popeye?" - [laughs.]
- And off it went.
So, you know, he's legendary, of course, but do you think, like, there's much interest in sailors anymore? - [laughs.]
Like, was that just a time when sailors captured people's imagination? Like, "this guy goes out on a boat!" Well, I mean, just like "Star Wars" characters, they're fighting a war in space, sailors fight one on the sea.
Yeah, his Darth Vader is the Sea Hag.
[laughter.]
When did it all go away for Popeye? I would say, like, he enjoyed a little bit of the limelight right after the Robin Williams movie, and then it was all downhill from there.
[sighs.]
Don't bring up that movie.
- You don't like it? - I you know what? I don't like the movie.
You got to give it another chance.
You got to give it another, uh, re-watch because the sets are amazing.
You know, I would actually like to go to Popeye Village.
- Where is Popeye Village? - Malta.
- Because they shot it there? - Yeah.
It's actually the real set from the 1980 movie.
- Oh, okay.
- They kept it, and everything's all Popeye themed.
Yeah, I mean, there's got to there's not much to do on on Malta, right? If Popeye Village is still around.
I guess not.
The Malta Chamber of Commerce was like, "Look, this is all we've got.
" [laughter.]
Can he return in a in a big feature film now? The only way Popeye could work in the present day is if, like, he gets a dark redo.
So what would the dark Popeye redo be? I think he murders vagrants in every port he goes to.
[laughter.]
- "I am what I am!" That's his "spinach.
" [laughter.]
I'd like to reacquire this piece.
- You want it back? - I want it back, man.
I made the big mistake of thinkin' I was too old for Popeye.
What are you looking to get for it? I'm asking for $250.
$250, huh? I don't think I could do $250, though.
Would you take $150? $150? That's a $100 drop.
I mean, but who else you gonna sell this to today? I mean, you could go from here To Malta.
[laughter.]
I'll do $200.
How about $175? Come on, man, you know you're not gonna get that anywhere else.
Let's be honest.
Well, I wanna fight to the finish.
- [laughs.]
- So I can eat my spinach! [laughing.]
Are you sure you want to sell it? Are you gonna have an identity after selling it? [laughter.]
- No, I'm pre You know what, I'm pretty normal.
You know, Popeye, uh $175? I'll do $175, yeah.
Done deal.
[register whirs.]
$175.
Thank you.
- No, thank you.
- Pleasure.
[laughs like Popeye.]
Got something for ya from our middle school years.
All right, what do you got? Oh, my God.
I haven't thought about these in decades.
[laughter.]
[upbeat music.]
- Hey, guys.
What's up? - Not much.
How are you? - Pretty well.
- We're brothers.
We got something for you from our middle school years.
All right, what do you got? Some Pogs.
- Pogs.
- Oh.
Oh, my God.
I haven't thought about these in decades.
Neither has anyone else.
[laughter.]
You know, hey.
[rock music.]
Oh, how many do you have here? About, uh, 250.
They had every license on the planet.
You could get a Wolverine card, like this one, or a Spider-Man.
Pogs were poised to overtake comic books as the numero uno collectible in the world.
Yeah.
It was, to put it in today's terms, Pokémon Go.
And then kids were like, "we don't care about it no more.
" What happened? For us [laughs.]
Our school said, "no more.
" I had read that they got banned from schools 'cause they considered it gambling.
- The same concept.
- Right.
Even though they're winning something that is essentially worthless.
[laughter.]
- Yeah.
Kids were addicted.
Me and Bryan, we were we worked at a community center.
We saw the fever that these kids had for Pogs and we actually were going to buy a million Pogs - [laughs.]
What? - Because we figured, like, if we sell each Pog at a dollar each, uh You were gonna be millionaires? We didn't [laughter.]
Yeah.
We were going to buy a million Pogs and sell them and become millionaires.
So wait, how much were you investing? - $500 each.
- Oh, my God.
- You couldn't pull that together? - We could've, but there was someone with better business sense than us.
[laughter.]
By the bank of someone's parents? - Is that what that was? - Yeah.
That was my wife.
She said that there was Oh, this is this was It wasn't gonna be your parents.
You're like, "I was a married man at this point.
Still having harebrained schemes.
" [laughter.]
So where'd you guys get all these Pogs? We won 'em.
So you guys are just natural born Pog players? We held tournaments at our school and we took Pogs as admission.
So we got those and then also, we'd just win 'em and win 'em and win 'em.
What grade you would you guys have been in at this point? Middle school, so fifth and seventh grade.
Did you collect these, Ming, when you were a young lad? I had a bunch of these.
My brother had a bunch of these.
Just give me a quick rundown of the rules.
I think you had to stack them in a certain way, right? Yeah, so so let's say, like, these are my you know, this is my stack here - right here, right.
- Yep.
Stack 'em like this, and I-I just slam it down on here, right? Yeah, yeah, so if it starts facedown, I gotta get it that way, or if it's vice versa.
So that's the the concept.
And that was called the slammer, right? - Oh, yeah.
- That has some weight.
He always won 'cause he had a super slammer.
It was it was almost double the weight.
That's not fair if you have a juiced slammer.
- [laughing.]
- Like, you can't yeah.
Yeah, that's not gonna fly.
All right, Ming, let's see your skills.
- Okay.
- Now, when's the last time you threw a slammer down on a Pog? Oh, probably about 20 years ago.
It's like riding a bicycle or sex, right? You never forget.
Yeah.
[laughter.]
And I'm good at both.
Ready? [dramatic music.]
Come on, Pog man.
Oh! All right, that was pretty weak.
None of them flipped over.
None of 'em flipped over.
Oh, man, I woulda took all your Pogs, man, and I woulda loved it.
[laughter.]
It was a great game because you didn't have to be fast, you didn't have to be smart, you didn't have to be strong.
Boys and girls were Pog-crazy.
I mean, everybody was playing the game, people were talking about how thick their slammers were.
[laughter.]
Finally, those of us without thick slammers had something to brag about.
[laughter.]
So you guys are here to sell these Pogs today? Yes.
Well, maybe here's our chance again.
Let's see maybe this is the start of our Pog empire.
Call your wife, man.
[laughter.]
- Yeah, there you go.
So what do you guys want for the Pogs today? 50 bucks.
[laughter.]
It's not 1991 anymore.
Even back then, they wouldn't be worth $50.
No way.
- I could swing a fiver.
- Can you do a fiver? So, like, 10 bucks? - Yeah.
- 10 bucks.
Uh, could you do $30? The best I could do today is is 12 bucks.
12 bucks for the whole kit and caboodle, man.
That's the best offer you're gonna get.
- Hmm.
- All right.
- Let's do it.
- We'll do it.
- Thanks.
- 12 bucks.
- That's freakin', uh - Thanks, fellas.
Keep an eye on "Forbes" magazine for us.
[laughter.]
It was a great game, though.
I I don't understand why it didn't last longer than it did.
Well, what followed Pogs? Was it Pokémon cards or Magic: The Gathering? Like, something always leads to something else.
Goosebumps.
Goosebumps books? You blame it on that? You're like, "these kids, they started reading!" [laughter.]
"The little jerks.
And my Pog business went up in smoke.
" [laughter.]
And unfortunately, that's all the time we have for this week on "Comic Book Men.
" I'm Kevin Smith.
- Bryan Johnson.
- Walt Flanagan.
- Mike Zapcic.
- Ming Chen.
Keep your nose clean and your arrow green, kids.
Good night.