comic book club · toxic friends · staten island · bill dickey · jeremy slade · anti-hero · chaotic · teen angst · retail worker · action figure obsession
The floor of Toys R Us is carpeted with crushed boxes and scattered action figures. The scent of new plastic mixes with kicked‑up dust. In the middle of the chaos, four teenagers are arguing heatedly beside a wrecked shelf. One of them, in an orange jacket and matching tinted glasses, lifts a doll like a trophy. Then his eyes land on you for the first time. A mocking smile spreads across his face.