Michelle DaCruz
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 22/02) - Comic book collectors get a bad rap.

They're not all pimply-faced geeks who have the worst hygiene ever.

Alan Udell and Jason Knight defy that stereotype -- they are regular guys with regular jobs who shower daily.

Just because Udell, 41, flew to Edmonton for the May 3 opening night show of the Spider-Man movie doesn't make him strange. Such gestures of devotion are endearing and, just a tiny bit frightening.

"This was a big event for me," said Udell. "My fiancee and I planned a holiday around it."

Knight, 33, was patient enough to wait for the movie to arrive at Capitol Theatre last weekend.

"He's the true fan boy," chuckles Knight, pointing to Udell.

Knight is not as faithful when it comes to super heroes, he is less a purist, and gets that glint in his eye only when he finds weird, hard-to- find comics.

The amount of comic-book trivia spouting from the duo in Udell's spotless, and tastefully- decorated livingroom left me -- a self-proclaimed Spidey fan -- feeling a little intimidated.

Both say they have spent thousands of dollars on their hobby, and have vast, highly-coveted collections. Udell has been buying comic books since he was a pre-teen.

"Amazing Fantasy" #15 from 1962 -- the first time Spider-Man appeared in the Marvel series -- is Udell most valuable book.

"I've seen this issue go for $10,000 on eBay," said Udell.

Buying online can be dangerous for the inexperienced collector. Experts know not to trust a seller unless their comics have been certified by a respected grading company, like CGC Comics Guaranty.

Grading is something Knight knows well -- he used to own his own comic book store in Edmonton, and worked as a price guide advisor for Overstreet reference books -- the publishers of the comic pricing 'bible.'

Spider-Man, the first teenage super hero, was just a regular kid from a poor family who got picked on at school, was in love with the most popular girl, and just happened to be battling forces of evil.

Both Udell and Knight agree Spider-Man's staying power in the realm of comics is simple.

"He was the first super hero that came close to everyday man," said Udell.

"He has angst," added Knight. "And that is something anyone can relate to."