Kevin Smith and cast of Comic Book Men talk Season 2 at NYCC Panel

AMC’s Comic Book Men is one of the more refreshingly hilarious reality shows out there right now, showing the kind of shenanigans that go down in the world of comic book retail. That’s why it was no surprise to see the IGN Theater at New York Comic Con 2012 packed to capacity with fans eager to see a panel hosted by the four Comic Book Men themselves, as well as executive producer Kevin Smith.

The lighthearted panel started off with Kevin describing how the show came about, and how the staff was initially a bit reluctant to proceed. “Sometimes you have greatness thrust upon you” Kevin explained. “This wasn’t one of those times.” Bryan Johnson, known affectionately to fans as “Beard Guy,” was apparently one of the hardest to convince, and Kevin talked about how many fans went from hating Bryan in the first episode, to loving him by the end of the season.

Fans then got a sneak peek at what’s ahead for season two, showing off some of the rare comic merchandise that will be coming through the store. There were many laughs as the men recreated their favorite comic book wedding (with Ming Chen as Sue Richards), as well as a surprise appearance from the god of comics himself: Stan Lee. Afterwards there was a bit of chaos as it was discovered that only Kevin’s mic was working, which led to the five men all crowding around a single microphone at the podium for a Q&A session with fans.

Though the event was meant to promote the show, many fans had personal questions for Kevin, often regarding his many past and future projects. Kevin confirmed that his Batman miniseries The Widening Gyre should be wrapping up in 2013, and that he has no plans to direct any more movies, claiming that he will never make anything better than his horror title Red State. He also talked a lot about how his popular podcast, the Smodcast, was what has led to this show and other similar projects. Kevin seemed very adamant about encouraging the audience to consider not just being consumers, but trying their hand at entertainment as well, arguing that if he found success than anyone could.

Honestly though, I think Kevin is selling himself a bit short, as Comic Book Men is a truly original show. I’ll be waiting for the new season to hit October 14^th, and I hope you’ll consider tuning in as well!