Not in SITCOM Comic book stores. Even though Penny has been there more than once before.
Like any nerd would store a comic in a ziploc. Disregarding the imperfect size with regard to the standard comic size, the leeching chemicals in the plastic would send Sheldon into a panic if it just came within a few feet of his comics. cite
It’s also been lifted by Eric Masterson, who became a substitute Thor for a while, then later became Thunderstrike when given his own weapon (more of a mace than a hammer). Captain America (the real one, Steve Rogers) also lifted it once, but unlike everyone else it didn’t transform him into a pseudoThor, he just stayed Cap. There have been a few others as well (like a storyline about a guy becoming Thor set in the future). And of course Odin himself has no issue with lifting it.
Comic book stores have never been like that in my experience, which went from somewhere in the mid 80s until 2008. Yes, most of the customers were guys, but certainly not all, and certainly not just a bunch of sexless dweebs, everything from kids to family men (and women) shopped there. Hell, sometimes there were women working behind the counter (doesn’t hurt that a woman was one of the owners, I guess).
Say TV comic book store, rather than just sitcom - we saw the same effect when Claire Bennett applied for a job at a comic book store on “Heroes.” She got the job, but never returned.
Penny’s been in the store several times, but as a running gag she’s gotten the same reaction each time. In the one where she bought the Spock dolls, she mentions someone nearly fainted while she was there.
I’ve seen the phenomenon myself. I was in a store in Evanston when my gf at the time - an avid cyclist - saw me while riding by. She came in to chat, a 5’6" hardbody clad in black/purple Lycra, and not a single guy moved the entire time she was there, even the staff. She never noticed. I saw milder reactions in comic book shops in the city, like Chicago Comics and Graham CRacker comics, so it’s not universal.
What bugs me more is the decision to make Stewart an uber-geek/loser, when his first appearances had him as fairly cool, though somewhat ironic about his fate of running a comic shop.
I much prefer “with it” Stuart as well. You have him struggling a bit without making him a complete loser.
Brian
I wondered why Stewart wasn’t going to the convention as well…or any of the guys at the shop that day. And I really thought the guys would blow up at the girls when they came home and found them with all those comic books OUT OF THEIR WRAPPERS and strewn about…
But I liked the episode.
I found this to be a poor episode. It seemed that someone had the idea to put the guys in STNG costumes and send them to Vasquez Rocks and comedy ensues … not. It really wasn’t well thought thru. It also didn’t seem to advance the long term story line.
The subplot with the women was the only good part and it was still unnecessarily weak. E.g., the “women in the comic book store drawing attention” thing has already been done. They should have gone with something new there.
The fake backdrop was not done well. At one point you could see Sheldon’s shadow on it. They have done a few outdoor scenes, e.g., some of the driving ones (like Sheldon riding with Howard on the Vespa). I think they felt that having an extended scene wasn’t their style and you end up with … this.
Usually in even the weakest episodes, there’s a line or two that makes it worthwhile. Not this one.
At least it had Captain Sweatpants and Lonely Larry. I love a show that keeps using the same background characters. (I noticed that the Captain is only listed for 6 episodes on IMDb, which is nowhere near the right number.)
I didn’t see any food or drinks around, so no biggie. Mylar bags and acid-free backing boards are to protect from long-term deterioration, not ordinary handling. But then, I was never one of those nuts that didn’t even want you to open the book at the way to avoid creasing the spine…:rolleyes: