Movie Review: Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope / Cert: TBC / Director: Morgan Spurlock / Screenplay: Joss Whedon, Morgan Spurlock / Starring: Kevin Smith, Stan Lee, Eli Roth, Seth Green, Seth Rogen / Release Date: TBC
Doco director, Morgan Spurlock has crafted a fascinating look into the universe of the legendary San Diego Comic Con in his new film, Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope.
I started attending the San Diego Comic Con in 1975 and have seen it grow from its humble beginnings at the US Grant Hotel in 1970 where its late founder Shel Dorf; who loved comic books and started as a freelance artist of commercial design and later, a letterer for Milton Caniff’s comic strip series, Steve Canyon.
Mr. Dorf decided that there were a lot of people who enjoyed comic books as much as he did and decided to start a one-day trial run, comic book convention where 500 fans showed up at the U.S. Grant Hotel.
His guest was Forrest J. Ackerman.
Expanding to a three-day venue, the convention quickly outgrew itself at the Grant, where it travelled around to the Escher-like, El Cortez Hotel (at the 1977 con, an unknown science fiction movie was being promoted called, Star Wars), the University of San Diego, the Golden Hall Convention Center and finally, to the new San Diego Convention Center in 1991.
Morgan Spurlock understands this gathering of communal love we fans have for this genre, taking us on a journey of six interesting people.
We start off with talented, aspiring artists; Skip Harvey, a bartender at a super hero themed restaurant and Eric Henson, a family man who currently serves in the US Air Force. We follow them on their trials and tribulations of pitch meetings and comments as they pursue their dreams of wanting to work in the comic book industry.
The cute couple; James Darling and Se Young Kang, where James decides to pop the question of marriage to Se with the help of fan favourite, Kevin Smith.
Chuck Rozanski of Mile High Comics, who always displays a great selection at San Diego, needs to sell off a rare issue Marvel put out in the fifties in order to pay off some debts. He’s seen the decline of comic books with the media and movie outlets taking over the convention pushing out the old guard. Fewer and fewer comic book buyers are out there. Will he do it?
The talented, Holly Conrad who enters her work in the legendary costume contest. Incredibly passionate about her craft, she’s designed costumes based on her favorite video game with her dedicated friends spending all year, working long hours to create the best hoping to win the grand prize at the San Diego Comic Con.
Peppered with interviews of convention fans and celebrities (Kevin Smith being the funniest), Mr. Spurlock presents a well-directed film and delivers a great insight to a world we all know and love.
Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope is a must-see for everyone.
Expected: 8 out of 10
Actual:
