Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope

I had heard of comic-con before but never really understood what went on there. I was a huge comic book fan (X-men, Tales from the Crypt and Archie, etc.) but I really did not think that they were still all that popular, especially with the all the electronic gadgets that are out today. As the film illustrated, there are still folks out there that love to draw action figures (my brother being one of them) and are looking to break into the comic book industry. The two gentlemen depicted in this film are adamant about the opportunity to show the portfolios of their art and this film takes us with them on their journey on trying to get there and get someone to look at their work and hire them. I actually started to feel sorry for one of the guys because he was really heart-broken and I felt his pain. The film also showed other aspects of the convention like what goes into actually making some of the costumes that are showcased and what the sales folks have to compete with trying to sell their books in an electronic age. I enjoyed the film about the inter-working of the convention that is held in San Diego annually; I just had no idea that so many people attended and how many geeks (me being one) are actually left in this world. Emma and I are planning on attending the one that will be held here in Irving, Texas next month. That should make for some interesting pictures (smile). If you are a lover of comic books, action heroes and all related stuff, this would be an excellent film for you to experience.

I'm not an avid comic book fan, but I really enjoyed this cheerful, passionate geek-doc. It's really not as much about Comic-Con in itself, as it is about the people that travel there from different parts of the world in order to follow their lifelong hopes and dreams of distinguishing themselves in this ever-changing, tremendously cool industry.

By juxtaposing the interviews with some awesome, well-known people, with the adventures of a few Comic-Con regulars Morgan Spurlock achieved a subtle level of tenderness and showed a much different side of this enormous, spectacular fan gathering. The subheading (A Fan's Hope) reveals the whole truth about this picture, as the movie truly corresponds to the adventures of five attendees, who think of Comic-Con as a place of ultimate fulfillment. Comic-Con is a cultural phenomenon that's able to bring together not only all the true geeks and cos-players, but also many people, who aren't actually interested in comic books, yet they still want to take part in this splendid event. The truth is that this is the only place in the whole world where all of those people can really feel at home.

Apart from showing the passion and energy that permeate the place, this documentary also ponders a very difficult topic, namely the gradual demise of the cult fan-base, due to the overpowering force of corporate impact on the industry. While comic books will be made and fans will still read them, Comic-Con is slowly changing into a sort of business conference, where money is mentioned more times than any superhero or villain. That's a thought that the creators of the movie leave the audiences with.

Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope is a well made documentary - apparently made to order for the geekiest. I doesn't try to uncover some deep dark secrets behind this famous convention, which has grown from a small gathering of comic book and superhero die hards to a major convention, but simply shows us what happens at this convention. And just following some of the people interacting with others is really quite interesting to watch

Watching the people who attended the 2010 convention, including comic book dealer, Chuck; Holly, a costume designer and a couple of fans trying to get their ideas sold; one soon realizes that this is a salute to the event itself. There is a strong and very real feeling of camaraderie with pretty much everyone that attends. This is because the geeks have conquered (as they probably should) and appreciate their growth in numbers. There really isn't a strong opposing view on Comic-Con or what it is all about. But that's okay, because that is not what this is about. it is about the people, their characteristics and what happens at this convention, which has become a real force to be reckoned with.

Once again, director Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me) has brought us a documentary that is entertaining while giving us some insight in his subject matter.

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock brings his usual care and attention to a subject that, this time, sadly never gets it. From fast food, to terrorist-hunting, to product placement, and now to the largest convention in North America, Spurlock has proved diversity and that if you add the right balance of seriousness and wittiness to any subject, you'll be able to create a wonderful documentary. That's exactly what he does with Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope.

To my knowledge and research, this is the first documentary ever made focusing on the convention itself. Sure, when it happens in July we have updates on the web, and VLogs from a number of people, but nothing has ever been compiled into a full length movie. Spurlock chooses to follow along four people who are traveling to the convention from all walks of life, with different goals in mind.

They are "The Geek" (Skip Harvey, a bartender hoping to write a graphic novel and get feedback on his artwork at the convention), "The Solider," (Eric Henson, also hoping to become a comic book artist to support his wife and kids), "The Designer," (Holly Conrad, a young woman in a small, concise town who is designing costumes for a Mass Effect reenactment she hopes to put on), and "The Survivor," (Chuck Rozanski, a struggling-comic book store owner who is hellbent on making a huge profit by selling hundreds of comics at the convention. Including the extremely rare, first issue of Marvel's "Red Raven" which can command thousands of dollars online).

In the mix of chronicling these four strangers, Spurlock also sets his sights on getting opinions and commentary from actors and directors who have been to the Con themselves. One of them is Kevin Smith, my favorite director, who attends Comic-Con to provide a monstrous Q&A session in the largest room of the convention. Other celebrities include Hostel director Eli Roth, stating that there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a passion for something you liked when you were young, Knocked Up star Seth Rogen, and comic book king Stan Lee.

We also follow a man who proposed to his girlfriend at Kevin Smith's panel last year at Comic-Con, as well as seeing a toy collector who is determined to acquire another entry in his prized collection, much to the dismay of his wife.

These people are genial, optimistic, and effortlessly likable. They aren't wallflowers, who sit back and expect to be taken under the wing immediately without contributing some amount of effort. They take the steps necessary in order to achieve their big goals. Comic book store owner Chuck seems to be the odd-man out when stating this, but if you look at his persistency, continuing to have faith in the comic book community and constantly spending money to run his store, he is truly fighting just as hard as the other subjects in the film. He already has his dream, he's just fighting to keep it.

The one downside with the documentary is Spurlock, himself, has virtually no part in the film whatsoever. This is quite a shame, seeing as we can see just by the way he captures the footage and edits it together (not to mention, last year, he wrote a book about the convention with the same title as the film) that he has a true love for the Con and the crowd it draws. Why doesn't he ever interact with the four subjects or the crowd themselves? It's a bummer because on top of him already remaining silent, it almost seems he doesn't have any questions for the people, when we already know that is highly unlikely. Spurlock seems to sit back and watch the fun happen, without ever getting involved or enjoying it for himself.

I would still call Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope a documentary that needed to be made. As I've grown older, I've found it important to look at all walks of life with an open mind, and to see documentaries further illustrate that idea is wonderful. This is definitely an eclectic and ambitious film, not only documenting an extremely popular convention, but the kinds of people you'll find there. From what I hear, that's half the fun of going.

Starring: Skip Harvey, Eric Henson, Holly Conrad, Chuck Rozanski, Kevin Smith, Seth Rogen, Eli Roth, and Stan Lee. Directed by: Morgan Spurlock.

The transformation of San Diego's Comic-Con International is fascinating. What was once a small comic-book convention intended to connect comic creators with their fans has evolved into an annual celebration of geek culture that validates and rewards those who have dived deeper into the pop-culture pool than most.

What Morgan Spurlock has done with "Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope" is essentially to re-validate Comic-Con, only with the big picture in mind. He and the film's many producers have crafted a love letter to this convention, one clearly born from their inner-geek's own longing to capture what the Con has become.

As such, it's hard to say how much an "outsider" to geek culture would even care about what happens at Comic-Con and consequently this film. It does take a certain predisposition to care about the subjects of the movie, namely to accept their obsessions with comics/gaming/movies and in some cases their dreams and aspirations to make the leap from fandom to professionalism. Anyone who can relate even the slightest bit to that notion, however, will enjoy the film.

The best choice Spurlock and co-writers Jeremy Chilnick and Joss Whedon (yes, that Joss Whedon) make for this documentary is to come at the Con from every possible angle. They have found a diverse group of subjects that as a whole manage to embody every type or person or personality who passionately seeks out Comic-Con each year.

The chosen subjects consist of two aspiring comic book artists hoping to get valuable feedback and perhaps even a job offer from the major names in the business; a young woman hoping her costumes featuring Mass Effect video game characters will grab some attention; a long-time comic book collector and vendor contending with the shriveling devotion to comics at the convention created specifically for them; a young man who hopes to propose to his girlfriend whom he met at Comic-Con the year before.

Some of these subjects aren't even likable people, but there's something that even someone who's only part geek will connect with in each of them. They are dreamers, and they all embrace the kid inside without any trepidation, and anyone who does that or yearns to do that more often will be caught up in these stories.

Peppered into these narratives are testimonials from various celebrities or annual Comic-Con personalities. While they lend an authoritative voice to the documentary, their words and thoughts feel remarkably more hollow in comparison to the people whose stories are being told. Even if they are genuine, they feel like a forced means of guiding the documentary from chapter to chapter.

And then there's the fact that it's not exactly poignant. The end note is that Comic-Con is a place where everyone can let their geek flag fly, a point that becomes evident minutes into the movie. The only challenging question that the documentary raises is whether Comic-Con has "sold out," yet that's not the emphasis of the film.

Documentaries are supposed to push boundaries and ask tough questions, but "Comic-Con: Episode IV" was created similar to how a middle school student chooses a research topic — because the subject is something he loves, not because he has some provocative thesis he's dying to test.

Setting aside those pre-teen motivations for making the film in the first place, "Comic-Con: Episode IV" is exceptionally well made for what it is — a celebration of geek culture and the dreamer's mentality.

~Steven C

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