Not sure what the director and writers were thinking when they made this movie. You have this interesting comic book movie that actually talked a lot about some of the older comics. That would for sure grab a certain type of viewer and the film could of had a following. Maybe even became a cult film. But half way through it went from being about comic books, to about killing people. It makes no sense. You could of made two crappy movies out of this one film. Small parts I did enjoy and that was mostly just some of the characters. Like I enjoyed Donal Logue and Danny Masterson. Logue really seemed to get his role and Masterson, although having a small part, seemed to get his also. Most of the other characters were OK or just awful. I really don't get Cary Elwes as his character. It just really didn't seem like his type of character and you can really pick it out in the film. Again, the story of the film just doesn't make too sense. Well too much sense on how they made it. The general background is easy to understand. People who love comic books fight to try to get a stash of old one of a kind comics that was left over by an old lady's dead son. But how they filmed it was just messed up. Eileen Brennan played the old lady and she was actually not that bad to watch. It shows even in a bad movie like this, the wise can still act.

In a typical American town, wiry comic book fan DJ Qualls (as Archie Lake) favors buying comics at the store run by his portly, pontificating and pipe-smoking friend Donal Logue (as Raymond McGillicudy). They really enjoy reading and collecting comic books. Across town, another comic shop is operated by the more business-oriented husband and wife team Michael Rapaport and Natasha Lyonne (as Norman and Judy Link). Thanks to dastardly Danny Masterson (as Conan),a "switch hitter" who frequents both stores, both proprietors learn about a death in the comic collecting community...

After consuming "too many burgers," overweight comic book collector David Cresswell has died...

Naturally, the dead man still lived with his mother, Eileen Brennan (as Mrs. Cresswell). She inherits a roomful of valuable comic books. Both businesses visit Ms. Brennan, but she misses her son and doesn't want to sell his comic book collection. Since they are worth a fortune, the rival stores try to woo Brennan. Although he begins as an advocate for Mr. Logue, Mr. Qualls befriends the old woman. Logue also gets handsome Cary Elwes (as J.C. Carter),a former high school bully, to help...

When nothing seems to get Brennan to part with her son's old comics, the characters resort to drastic measures. They even become violent. This qualifies "Comic Book Villains" as a dark comedy. The plot sounds interesting, and the story was written and directed by James Robinson - an actual comic book creator. However, the film fails to be flattering or funny. The locations appear authentic and Joey Altruda's musical score is a plus. It is strange to see no "DC"-owned character depicted in a film about comic books.

**** Comic Book Villains (9/3/02) James Robinson ~ DJ Qualls, Donal Logue, Cary Elwes, Natasha Lyonne

"Comic Book Villains" tells of an old lady who's sitting on her late son's valuable comic book collection and two competing comic book store owners who want it at any cost. Among its many deficits this shabby film has a handful of second rate actors, an amateurish screen play, obvious low budgetness, awful music, and a generally lame execution. Cinematic junk food. (C-)