Comic Book Villains (2002)

Comic Book Villains (2002): The Nerd War You Never Knew You Needed

Imagine “Comic Book Villains” as a bar fight between two comic shops, but instead of broken bottles and pool cues, they’re hurling mint-condition issues and passive-aggressive snark. In this delightfully offbeat gem, a couple of rival comic book dealers go full supervillain when a goldmine of rare comics pops up in a sleepy town. Greed, obsession, and truly questionable fashion choices spiral into chaos faster than you can say “first appearance of The Punisher.” If you thought collecting comics was a safe hobby, buckle up – these guys make Lex Luthor look like a librarian.

The film slaps together a cast of cult favorites and lets them go wild: Donal Logue is all sarcasm and sweat, Michael Rapaport unleashes his inner dork, and DJ Qualls steals scenes as the world’s most tragic sidekick. Throw in some Eliza Dushku attitude and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him Cary Elwes, and you’ve got a geek showdown for the ages. Director James Robinson, known for his work in actual comic books, peppers in enough in-jokes to give even Stan Lee a nosebleed.

Fun trivia: Robinson is the guy behind DC’s “Starman” comics, so you know the man knows his secret origins!