Review of Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope (2011) by Garrett R — 31 Jul 2012

COMIC-CON: EPISODE IV- A FAN'S HOPE is as much an ode to the people of Comic-Con as it is the worlds and characters these individuals most strongly believe in and grew up with. Filmed during 2010's Comic Con in San Diego, A FAN'S HOPE thrives off of the fan's thrilling vibes of excitement and also the infectious enthusiasm and acceptance that many of the geek mecca-goers will appreciate to learn of or to be reminded of.

Every person in Morgan Spurlock's newest documentary, with it being his most restrained and straight-forward to date, has a fascinating story to tell. In addition, appearances from fan favorites and admitted geeks themselves Stan Lee, Joss Whedon, Kevin Smith, Eli Roth, Guillermo Del Toro, Seth Rogen, Seth Green, etc. all make welcome and warm statements sprinkled throughout this loving documentary.

In A FAN'S HOPE, there are eight individuals who come to Comic-Con for various purposes. Some are successful in their endeavors, others find a lesser amount of it but still strive on. There is the Survivor, the Soldier, the Costume Designer, the Lovers, and four additional individuals as well. From the comic book vendor of Mile High Comics (the Survivor) hoping to sell his most treasured, lock-sealed comic and turn a good profit in a market now dominated by popular mediums other than comics, to a soldier (of course the Soldier) from a small town who dreams of drawing comics for Marvel; and a costume designer (self-explanatory) who designs costumes with her friends and hopes to get a big break in the film/promotion costume designer scene. In short, these people are as relatable as they are honest in their camera confessions and what events and acts they take part in in 2010's Comic-Con.

Morgan Spurlock is firmly behind the camera the entire time, having only chronicled the events of the aforementioned eight individuals and directing his camera-men. He also released a stand-alone book with the same title that is a exciting photo journal of 2010's Comic-Con (at least for me). The camera-men knew how to tell the stories of these individuals, mainly by keeping the camera focused on them and the few key players in their geek-centric journeys.

A FAN'S HOPE is, by all means, a calling card for geeks of the newest generation to attend and geek out if we get the chance to at next year's Comic-Con, or any year for that matter. This documentary is also a reminder/affirmation to long-time geeks and attenders of Comic-Con that the geek mecca they have admired and loved over the years has received as much admiration and love from the filmmakers of this project that the widely-revered event it covers deserves. Us geeks feel it, and that's all that matters.