I grew up in the Silver and Bronze ages, which has absolutely nothing to do with Greek or Roman mythology. It does, however, pertain to gods and heroes - as in Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk and the Justice League.

Those characters brawled and soared their way to fame from the early 1960s to the mid-'80s, the so-called silver and bronze ages of comic book history. But in 1989, Tim Burton's "Batman" ushered in the era of the comic book movie blockbuster, and now Marvel and DC superheroes have set up permanent shop at your neighborhood theater with various film franchises. That's not going to change anytime soon; both companies recently announced busy film schedules through 2020.

That news got me wondering what longtime comic book collectors and dealers think of Hollywood's takeover of their youth's heroes. Are today's screenwriters and directors doing justice to the Justice League? Has Iron Man's on-screen ironic action resulted in better sales of his earlier four-panel exploits?

"We are getting new customers with every new movie," said Shelton Drum, owner of the Heroes Are Hard To Find comic book store in Charlotte, S.C. "They (Hollywood) are doing such a good job, and they're bringing in so many new people. The challenge for us as comic book retailers - and I'm a fan too - is getting these consumers to buy comic books too. Not just watch the movies, but find the source material. You can enjoy both."

I spoke with Drum at Atlanta's Marriott Century Center on a rainy Sunday in late November for the 81st edition of the Atlanta Comic Convention. Unlike the massive Dragon Con, this particular one-day-only gathering is comic books and nothing but comic books, with just a scattering of related toys. Four times a year, dealers from throughout the Southeast proudly display expensive rare items along with boxes of bargain-priced editions for about 500-800 attendees at each show, according to convention organizer Wesley Tillander.

The crowd when I attended was about 70 percent male. Their ages? "Guys in their fifties and sixties to 10-year-olds," Tillander said. "Right now what's really generating the backlog and craze for comics are the movies. Some of these guys didn't know that Spiderman was still being published." Movies and TV shows like "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Gotham" and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." are prompting younger audiences to seek out the comics. "They don't realize there's a paper product that's associated with it."

Drum's display takes up an entire wall of a Marriott ballroom that holds about 20 dealers. Nearby, his friend Dave Hinson, who owns another South Carolina-based store, Dave's Comics in Ft. Mill, is arranging half-price boxes of Spiderman and Avengers editions while pondering the latest movies based on these characters.

"It makes the younger generation like what's going on in the comic world," Hinson said. "Our comic world was totally different in the '60s and '70s because of our love for the comics. If you asked any of these guys like Shelton or myself, we love the comics more than we do the money. It's just one of those things where you're more of a collector than you are a dealer."

Hollywood has done more than its fair share of nerd-shaming those collectors (as "The Simpsons" Comic Book Guy might say, "Worst. Stereotype. Ever.") But the annual San Diego Comic Con has become an important event in the hype-cycle of movie studio offerings, with producers and directors seeking out fan approval. "Collectors are in the mainstream, finally," laughs Drum. "We've kind of been on the outskirts, the weird kids, but now everybody's found out about our secret."

As Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe nears completion (but with Phase Three rapidly approaching) and with DC Comics sinking more money into its own family of movie superhoes, Drum is ready to pass along his knowledge and love of comic books to the next generation of fans.

"If you like the movies, I've got something really good to show you," he said.

Southeast Comic Book Conventions:

Dec. 14 - Charlotte Comicon Winter Show (charlottecomicon.com).

Feb. 1st, 2015 - Atlanta Comic Convention (atlantacomicconvention.com).

June 19-21, 2015 - Heroes Convention (heroesonline.com).