They just keep coming and coming, an endless line of stoop-shouldered pilgrims in undersized t-shirts.

We’re talking about fans of fillmmaker Kevin Smith, who stream into his Red Bank comic-books-and-tchotchkes emporium, Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, looking for detailed directions to the Middletown convenience store that he made famous and that, in turn, launched him into the Hollywood firmament.

Well, the The Return of the Smith is upon us, as Himself makes his annual Q&A appearance at the Count Basie Theatre Friday night — another sold-out affair — and then hunkers down with a pocketful of Sharpies for one of his autographing marathons at the Stash on Saturday. (The photo above was taken during his August, 2006 appearance at the store; that one lasted into the pre-dawn hours.)

Today, Red Bank oRBit apprises this phenomenon from the eyes of the guys who run the store.

Never too soon to start oRBiting…

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