NYCC 2015: Ming and Mike Talk ‘Comic Book Men’ Season Five, ‘Star Wars,’ BronyCon, and More

Ming Chen and Mike Zapcic on AMC’s Comic Book Men are the excited opposites to the subdued, sarcastic Bryan Johnson and Walt Flanagan. Unlike Bryan and Walt, according to Kevin in my other interview, Ming and Mike soak up their newfound geek celebrity at Comic-Cons around the country. Who can blame them?

“I love the travel. I’m an adventurer so I think it’s fun,” Ming tells me at this past New York Comic-Con. “I’m visiting cities I never thought I’d be able to go to. The fact that there are fact so many cons now. It’s just fun. Me and Mike come back from a day where guys were in church basements or at the mall or some little closet somewhere. Now, they’re in filled convention halls.”

Mike Zapcic, his co-worker and co-star, chimes in. “Take a look at this,” he gestures in the press room. “This is the entire Javits Center.”

“They take over cities,” Ming adds. “New York Super Week has taken over New York City. San Diego takes the whole city. It’s fun. It’s not grueling at all. It’s more of an adventure to me. It’s like Lord of the Rings, sort of.”

But like a journey to Mordor, it takes its toll.

“It’s a little tiring,” Mike admits. “Don’t get me wrong. I love going to the cons. I love our fans. First and foremost to me, that’s what it’s about. It’s going out and we’re like ambassadors for Comic Book Men, as stupid as that sounds. We still have entire families coming up and saying, ‘We love watching you guys. You teach us something every week. We’re not afraid to let our kids sit and watch this.’ That’s essential what it is for us, for me.

“For him,” Mike gestures to Ming, who begins to laugh. “He is a party animal. Now if you guys had said, ‘What are you doing later on tonight?’ His itinerary is open. He’ll meet you there.” One wouldn’t assume the Asian guy out of a group of comic book nerds would party up, but that’s just because you haven’t seen Ming at hotel parties after conventions.

But cons remain sacred ground. Mike adds: “I recently talked to a friend of mine. She was recalling the first time she went to a con. I think it was Dragon*Con, maybe five or six years ago. She literally broke out in tears. She was like, ‘These are my people. I didn’t know things like this existed. I’ve been going around, I couldn’t find people like me. And, here’s a whole three, four day weekend full of people just like me.’ She got so emotional. Literally it brought her to tears. I’m just like, welcome home. This is it.”

The fifth season of the AMC reality series for dweebs has drummed up a dedicated fan following that stays tuned in after The Walking Dead. Because of that, notable names in geek culture have waltzed through the doors, from Nichelle Nichols to Daryl McDaniels of Run-D.M.C. Season five will be no different.

“Stan [Lee] drops by again which is always a pleasure,” Ming says. “We had Jim Lee also.”

Mike Zapcic: “What a great guy,” Mike gushes. “Just the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet.”

When asked about favorite moments out of the four seasons thus far, Mike replies: “I loved the drag race.”

In a recent episode, the gang drag races Adam West’s Batmobile against the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty. As a fan of the Green Hornet, it was one of my favorites too.

“I’m a big fan of Bruce Lee, for the obvious reasons” says Mike. I show him my phone wallpaper, which was actually Alex Ross’ cover for Kevin Smith’s Batman ’66/Green Hornet #1 cover. I didn’t plan it that way.

What works about Comic Book Men is the guys themselves. Bryan, Walt, Ming, and Mike are like a married couple of four, bickering and giving each other shit but never making any of it malicious. Most reality TV manufacture drama. Comic Book Men has impromptu, hilarious pop culture debates.

“We’ll never stop that,” Mike says. “I’ll be 85 and I’ll be talking about, ‘You know who’d have a really cool wheelchair? Batman would have a really cool wheelchair!’ I’ll still be complaining about the three prequels when I’m 85. I mean, no doubt.”

Working in reality TV have also informed the gang just what goes in to making these shows. They get it: it’s manufactured. But they can’t stand to watch other reality TV, but not for reasons you think. “There’s the whole Wizard of Oz,” Ming says. “We’ve seen behind the curtains. You can see little details.”

Mike adds: “Oh, yeah. I’m not going to name names, but you watch that and you’re like, ‘Holy crap, are you fucking wooden?’ I mean, I know I am wooden. These guys take it to another level. I’m watching Rick just try to be pissed off like, ‘Chum Lee!’ That’s horrible. Get really pissed at the guy and throw something as him.”

Being a “Pawn Stars for geeks,” the guys are still waiting to see their dream items.

“The one things that are like truly one of a kind are I think are movie props. Anything from like the first three Star Wars would be incredible. Although, sometimes you look at stuff like that and it’s so beat up and I was like, ‘This is it?'” The magic goes away. “Like Han Solo’s blaster pistol was like rubber.”

Mike brings up Adam West’s utility belt in *Batman*. “It’s a piece of pleather and some wooden dowels spray painted yellow. That’s like, wow. I want something cool.” Mike then spoils a cool item that they see in season five. “I even saw the Batcopter this season. They had the shark repellent. All it was, was a bunch of canisters strung up. That just sucks. Come on! I want it to be shiny.”

Despite being roughly the same age, Ming and Mike splinter in a generation gap when it comes to their pop culture diet. “He’s more late ’70s,” Ming says referring to Mike. “I’m an ’80s kid. As much as you love the ’80s as well, I think our toys and collectibles are still from different. It’s only maybe, five years apart but it’s still a different. It seems like a whole world.

“You can literally tell time by toys,” he adds. “It’s great.”

Being a fanboy show, surely they don’t have their pulses on everything. I ask them if there are any fandoms that surprise them by their sheer existence, and I can’t say I’m surprised.

“My Little Pony” Ming replies quickly. “Those guys are insane.”

Mike recalls the episode they hit up BronyCon. “When we went down to Baltimore to the BronyCon, I got booed off stage. I thought I just being kind of clever.”

Mike went as a veterinarian. A bloody veterinarian. “Sometimes, the ponies don’t always make it,” he says with a smile.

Someone naturally brings up Star Wars. Because of course. Male:

“I have no mixed feelings. It’s J.J. Abrams. I’m giving him my full confidence. I am very excited. I got chills,” Mike says. Ming echoes.

“Yeah, beyond excited. Once that John William’s score kicks in and you see the X-Wings back again. ‘Chewie, we’re home.’ Come on. You must have a black heart if that doesn’t get you a little bit.”

Comic Book Men premiers Oct. 18 at midnight EST on AMC.