For years I have wanted to visit San Diego and experience the Comic-con conventions. The pull was exceedingly strong following the news of the 2008 convention introducing a reset Star Trek, which was supported by some of the cast members. The second installment is my most anticipated sequel for viewing. This film showcases the fanaticism surrounding the convention and the opportunities sought by entrepreneurs, would be artists and designers looking to begin a career within the comic book, science fiction and fantasy industry. The Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope did an excellent job of allowing the audience to get a true feel for what it's like to actually participate as a fan. It may be that the documentary was expressly done to provide understanding but in my case it made me feel completely averse to ever going in person. A multitude of people queued up to attend a venue, was what I would call a hostile environment. If you had nobody with you or no buddy you could not even take a bio break without losing your place. The wait times, the race to a prized toy and the ensuing competition to get a much sought out piece of memorabilia or a collector's item was daunting to say the least and witnessing a triumph did not make it any better. I do not believe I would ever go to the convention as a fan. There were some heartwarming stories that made viewing this film worthwhile, that of the Artist, whose talent was undeniable, as was also the case for the Designer. It was nice to see and hear from some of the sci-fi heavy hitters like Josh Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: TV series, upcoming The Avengers), and Kevin Smith (Dogma, Reaper: TV Series). I have been a fan of both of their works for quite some time. I knew that Kevin Smith was talented, but I never knew that he was so funny. He has a very quick wit which was exhibited when speaking about his eleven year old self and when addressing the couple who became engaged during his Q&A at the convention. This was an interesting documentary, but in the end the effect that it had on me is I will consider myself lucky for never having been to the convention, not sure if that was the desired outcome but that's how it panned out. I give the film an amber light.
