AMC’s Comic Book Men proved to be a success when it first premiered on the network back in 2012. The Kevin Smith-produced show endeared itself to viewers not only because of its celebration of all things nerdy but also because of the memorable personalities it featured. All were great in their own ways and would even gather at Comic-Con for panels and fan events. One of the people that was included was noted fan and memorabilia collector Robert Bruce, who appeared frequently on the show. Unfortunately, Bruce was found dead at the age of 62 last week. With this, Smith has taken to social media to pay tribute to his former colleague.
Kevin Smith was apparently made aware of Robert Bruce’s passing when Bruce’s brother, John, reached out to him on Twitter. After receiving the news, Smith shared some kind words about his television collaborator. He also revealed an interesting tidbit regarding Bruce and the Comic Book Men franchise:
My condolences! I’m truly sorry to read this John. @popculturizm was always a welcome addition to any episode of @ComicBookMenAMC, as well as a nice guy. I’ll miss Rob. ( @AMC_TV shot a sizzle reel for a spin-off with Rob & his family before they got rid of all the reality shows.)
The filmmaker, who recently wrapped on Clerks 3, has never shied away from being sentimental or emotional, and his comments here are sweet. It’s also surprising to hear that AMC was actually considering a spinoff series starring the late collector. It does make sense, though, as he was a pretty unique individual with an eclectic personality. Plus, viewers certainly would’ve gotten a kick out of seeing him to travel to different events to seek out cool collectibles.
Robert Bruce was found dead on Friday, December 31 in a New Jersey storage unit. Per NJ.com, the space served as Bruce’s office and he’d reportedly been living there. The site also reports that his family had grown worried after not hearing from him for a few days and were also concerned that he had apparently taken up residence there. His death is currently being investigated by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office, though no foul play is suspected at this time.
Comic Book Men welcomed the late pop culture enthusiast on 34 episodes before the show was cancelled after seven seasons in 2018. According to IMDB, Robert Bruce also served as consulting producer for 82 of the series’ 96 episodes. So it goes without saying that he certainly made an impact on the comic book store-set show.
The pop culture pundit will surely be missed by his family, friends and colleagues. And of course, the fans are sure to miss his updates on social media, though they can always hold on to their memories of his quirky presence and love for comic book culture.
We here at CinemaBlend extend our thoughts to the loved ones of Robert Bruce during this time.
