We live in a generation where general geekdom has been mainstreamed. Comic-Con sells out in minutes every year, The Walking Dead has a popular fan-centered companion show called Talking Dead, and comedies today shows bros showing their love through movie one-liners and quirky habits. The culture was very different in the 90s. Comic-Con was actually about comics, few people had even heard of it and people obsessing over things like movies were supposed to do so in private or else risk being ostracized or judged in mainstream society. Evidence of this 90s culture is captured perfectly in Clerks through the characters of Randal and Dante. The clerks are two oddballs who love talking movies, discussing various taboo vulgar topics and musing about their general hatred for the rest of society. Customers come and go while easily judging Randal and Dante as the strange outsiders they were considered to be in the 90s. Their geekdom and bromance even exists in the bubble of their small convenience store where their quirks and personalities have been banished by "normal" society. The times have changed and film, television and basic culture show that change, but for evidence of a time when geekdom, strange knowledge and interests were not accepted as well in society, just pop in Clerks.
