Hey, was there other news in the comic book world today? You bet!
E! Entertainment Online is reporting that Joss Whedon is teaming up with famed documentarian Morgan Spurlock to produce a feature length documentary on the San Diego Comic-Con. According to the story's source, the film would focus on a small group of "super fans" starting three months(!) before the con and through the con itself.
Oh, boy. This can't be good. Or can it?
When I hear "super fan" and "comic book convention" I immediately think of the kind of person that the local San Diego news cameras search out every year: the walking stereotype social misfits who are usually flamboyantly costumed. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Morgan Spurlock fan — and he was actually seen wandering around the last party I attended at Bergen Street Comics — but every time someone talks about putting comic book fans, especially "superfans", in a documentary I worry because I know better than most that the smart, literate, normal comic book fan does not make, as they say, good television when compared to the loons. (Just check out the tone of the E! article.) I'd like to think that with super fan Joss Whedon at the helm, that this documentary will be infused with love and respect for not just the medium but those who love it.
We'll see.
This will be the first time that any kind of big time organized feature filming will be taking place at San Diego Comic-Con since Mark Hamill's film Comic Book: The Movie, which he shot at San Diego Comic-Con 2001 (I think). That was a bizarre experience, let me tell you. Hamill remained in character the whole time he was there. And I never in my life thought I would ever reach the point where I would cease to be excited to see Luke Skywalker in the flesh. "Oh, look — it's Mark Hamill. Again."
Because the article strangely does not mention when this is all taking place, I assume that filming on the Whedon/Spurlock picture will be taking place at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. If so, we'll keep our eyes open for you.
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With Joss on board, I am cautiously optimistic. No judgments from me until at least a trailer comes out.
Side note: My father can be seen, ever so briefly, in COMIC BOOK: THE MOVIE. He’s in a bright orange shirt in the background of the final scene. I was at some other panel at the time, but he was really excited to be a part of it.
Yeah, watching me 3 months ahead of a con would involve a lot of me working, family time and me time (reading comics and playing video games). It would be really boring.
Superfans though…they make easy targets for ridicule (which is wrong) but our medium is clickish and strange enough to outsiders with out providing ammo.
I like Spurlock a lot though so I assume it will be entertaining despite my apprehension.
I want to be in this, this year will be my 14th year and I’m not a crazy person.
Get ready to be exposited comic fans!
I saw Spurlock’s documentary/special on the Simpsons for their 20th anniversary and it wasn’t too "Hah! Hah! Look at those nerds!" (though he was doing it specifically for Fox) so I don’t think this’ll be too exploitive and Whedon doesn’t seem like the type to play into nerd stereotypes at the expense of others.
30 Days was fantastic television. This could be great.
Awesome! Best news of the day.
kickass! i hope ifanboy will get to be apart of it in some way or at least mention.
Is the girl fan going to die at the end?
I hope it focuses on the comic book aspect of Comic Con and not on the the TV, movies, and video games side of things.
Not to say been there done that but, been there done that. You need to check out a movie called Hobocon. Screenhead did a great review of it and they are just now making some noise with it. Their version may not be the same premise and definitely not the same budget, but I bet the same story comes out of it.
Conor, don’t be nervous. Your Comicon coverage will still be the best. But this sounds pretty neat. I’m curious what Whedon’s involvement will be.
Morgan Spurlock is one of the most self absorbed documentarians this side of Michael Moore, who Spurlock seems to ape waaaaaay to much, But I trust Whedon. And his involvement will at least get me to watch the movie. But still Morgan Spurlock yank.
This could be a lot of fun. Although even with Whedon on board I imagine this to be very heavily on the ‘let’s laugh at generic comic book fans’ type of documentary. I’ll still definitely see it whenever it comes out.
Spurlock goes to live with a comic fanboy for 30 days – comes out 30 pounds overweight, obsessed with alphabetizing things, and can spout off all the flight commanders from Battlestar Galactica. (Hey, I just figured I’d beat them to the punch).
I trust in Whedon as well, so maybe not too point-and-laugh filmmaking.
We shot footage at several cons over the last couple of years with a similar premeise, but we just didn’t focus mainly on San Diego, althought we did get some great footage there. We got the bulk of our footage at WonderCon and Emerald City primarily because the crowd size wasnt nearly as unwieldy. At San Diego we did have an interesting exchange/problem with san over-zealous publicist for Rose McGowan who was there promoting Red Sonja with Robert Rodriguez. Long story short we were told by Rodriguez’ "people" to go to room whatever for media interviews, so we trucked on up to the room with E! Online, Entertainment Tonight, G4, etc. As we waited our turn, this publicist ran us out because we werent with a major media outlet, we showed her our credintials and told her who sent us, but she was adamant about it, and its all on film too. But now I hear that Rodriguez is off the film and it is now in limbo somewhere…karma is a bitch!
Comic Book: The Movie was awesome! It served as both a lampoon of, and a love letter to the industry and the consumers. Also, probably the greatest DVD bonus feature ever: Behind the Voices.
@conor: I’m hoping they reference and show examples of "loons" or "superfans" but then say sure they exist but the majority of fans are normal folks with a love for the comic book medium.
I hope they balance the focus from the stereotypical and the not. I’m pretty stoked for this.
The poser super crazy fans (who cosplays without knowing anything) and the real fan.
This should define what a fan really is, Whedon should know. Whedon should thread carefully.
I bet it’s a ploy to get in a room with Trey Parker and Matt Stone to get revenge on them for starting Kick a Ginger Day.
I ran into Spurlock at comic con at the hotel. We took an elevator together. he seemed like a cool guy.
Which one becomes the lesbian at the end?
I can honestly say, I do not want this.
Just edit together all the iFanboy con specials… Mission accomplished.