Last night I got a chance to check out Morgan Spurlock’s (Supersize Me) new documentary Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope at the Toronto International Film Festival. The doc was filmed at the 2010 San Diego International Comic Con and is an exploration and celebration of both the event in specific but also fandom in general.
The story is framed by following the lives of 7 people attending Comic Con. There are 2 aspiring artists, a toy collector, a cosplayer, a nerdy couple, and a dealer. The dealer is in fact Chuck Rozanski of Mile High Comics who is, arguably, the most famous comic book dealer in the United States.
Interspersed between the above tales are stories from celebrities such as Harry Knowles, Kevin Smith, Olivia Wilde, Joss Whedon, Eli Roth, and Stan Lee. There are also several comic book creators that talk about Comic Con and fandom in general. It is also interesting to note that Spurlock himself does not appear in the film, eschewing his trademark style of guerrilla film-making to centre the camera on the fans themselves.
I should mention that this is not a film mocking fans. The stories are compelling and one of the themes is that Comic Con is a place where you can be as geeky as you want. Only the toy collector comes across a bit of a desperate weirdo, but he doesn’t get as much screen time as the rest of the cast and therefore we don’t feel that his tale is presented with any mean-spiritedness.
The nerdy couple met at Comic Con in 2009 and the young man intends to propose to his girlfriend during the Kevin Smith Q&A. Their story is expertly told, and the entire theatre was cheering when the ring came out.
The cosplayer’s tale highlights the work and dedication that goes into fandom, and it also solidifies that costuming is a huge part of fandom now. Just as dressing up on Halloween is normal, so is donning a redshirt and cat ears for Comic Con.
I was reminded by the film just how much the industry cares about pedagogy and training the next generation of creators. The 2 aspiring artists speak with editor after editor, artist after artist, in order to break into the business. And while it is mentioned that some feedback is mean and given by jerks, what is shown to the audience is a group of creative teams giving very good advice to those aspiring to break into comic books. The message of honing one’s craft is heard loud and clear.
For me the most compelling story was Chuck’s. He is a fascinating character; he is a businessman, but also a collector and the two are often at odds with each other. He brings some marquee books with him (including a 9.0 Red Raven #1) but finds it difficult to part with these gems of his collection. I have never met Chuck yet, but I hope that I get to one day.
Chuck also highlights the problem with the continual success of Comic Con; it is no longer about comic books. Those who come strictly for the comic books are saddened that they are now a sidelined portion of the event that they created back in 1970.
The documentary is by no means groundbreaking (this isn’t a nerd Roger & Me), but it is fun, interesting, and even those unfamiliar with our world will find the stories compelling and maybe understand a little bit more why we love coloured newsprint with pictures of men and women in tights.
Keep an eye out for the wide release, you will enjoy the ride.
I’ve been looking forward to checking this one out. There are some big names attached to the film, and a debut at TIFF is pretty cool too.
Documentaries like this one (or shows like Big Bang Theory) help take away the stigma of being a comic collector/toy collector/cosplayer. No matter how many people embrace the hobby/lifestyle, there are some people who are reluctant to go into a comic shop or go to a comic convention (hell… they are even scared to go into the toy aisle and look at action figures). The more that the mainstream public see stuff like this, maybe they will embrace the comic culture more than going to see Batman/Spider-Man/Whatever in theatre.
I don’t think that the mainstream public will embrace comic culture. I think that as aspects of comic fandom become well known it will simply be understood that at conventions this is what people do. It is more a matter of context. Once upon a time it would have been weird for a grown man to dress up like a Star Trek character anywhere they were. Today, it would be weird if he wore that costume to work, but totally normal to wear it to a con. The cons have created a place where people can enjoy their passion. Appropriate space for the hobby.
Howdy Anthony! I will be back in Toronto next year. Let’s try to meet! I would love to just BS with you about comics history. After 41 years, I have a few stories… I will also be at the show in Montreal next weekend, if you happen to be there.
If you haven’t done yet, you need to visit Chuck Rozanski’s website milehighcomics.com. It is definately one of the best places to buy comics on-line. I have completed many of my comic runs, which were almost impossible to find anywhere else. I’ve always had great transactions with Mile High.
I will be in Montreal covering the con for Comic Book Daily. We should definitely meet up; I’m sure your stories are pure gold!