Comic-Con: Episode IV: A Fan's Hope

by Morgan Spurlock

A photographic look at the world's most exciting pop-culture event. One of the entertainment industry's most exhilarating, eccentric, and influential events of the year, San Diego Comic-Con International celebrates the weird, wacky, and wonderful world of TV, movies, graphic novels, and…let's not forget, comics. Oscar-nominated director—and fanboy himself—Morgan Spurlock captures the magic and madness of Comic-Con in a new documentary. This companion book is a photographic celebration of the convention's heart and the fans who attend in costume, in droves, with their kids, with their parents…and with love, awe, and admiration in their hearts. Hundreds of stunning photos capture the whimsy and wonder, and are accompanied by interviews with the many celebrities who attend, as much to promote their projects as to be part of the An All-Access Look at the World's Largest Pop-Culture Event brings the magic, the masquerade, and the mayhem to you—no ticket required. Morgan Spurlock was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary for his debut film, Super Size Me. He followed up with the well-received Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden, and produced three seasons of the acclaimed TV series 30 Days. Spurlock conceived, wrote, and directed The Simpsons's 20th Anniversary Special in 3-D! On Ice and contributed to the feature-length adaptation of the New York Times Bestseller Freakonomics. His most recent project, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, hit theaters in 2011. Alba Tull is an accomplished photographer who has worked with artists and musicians including The Edge (of U2), Jimmy Page, Guillermo del Toro, Bryan Singer, and others. Mrs. Tull's work has been published and exhibited around the world. She served as the photographer and associate producer of Davis Guggenheim's It Might Get Loud, and she is currently working on a special project for the American Film Institute (AFI).

Genres: Nonfiction, Art

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 4, 2011

About the author

Morgan Spurlock was an American documentary filmmaker best known for his documentary Super Size Me, in which he only ate McDonalds food for a month. He earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film.

He was married to vegan chef Alex Jamieson, who wrote an diet book inspired by the Detox diet he had to take after the McDonalds experiment. The couple divorced in 2011.

Reviews

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was enjoyable, I really now want to get to San Diego Comic-con...

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like picture books this is for you not much reading involved one whole page to read from someone who went to comic con and to share there experience time at comic con it’s good book to show someone what some celebrities go to comic con what they say about and mostly see people in cosplay costumes and share there experience at comic con if you like looking at cosplayers at comic con this is for you what you will mostly be looking at but to show someone what to expect at comic con I can not recommend it unless you want to show them what cosplayers look like and some celebrities who have been to comic con that’s it,.

It doesn’t talk about anything else something to look at sitting on toilet, coffeee table conversation starter piece that’s all it does not go into detail what to expect from new person who have questions at comic con,.

For me I like I enjoy it I have been to comic con I know what to expect this book brings back memories make feel like I am there sometimes I would like to find comic con book that goes into detail what to expect what to look for at comic con but I have yet find that book

[Claudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is basically a picture book filled with photos and quotes from attendees of San Diego's Comic-Con 2010 - both fans and professionals (actors; writers; screenwriters; artists, producers and more). It is connected with the documentary that Spurlock directed and produced of the same name.

Why I've given it only two stars was that the documentary itself followed several people as they prepare for the four days of the convention which had an attendance of 130,000. The book has excerpts of a few of the interviews taken but nearly all photos and quotes. Perhaps it's due to the static nature of the photos, but it doesn't convey the energy and craziness of that many fans of so many different shows/films/books in one area and it feeding on itself in a positive way.

Admittedly, the photographer did get some interesting shots - the seven nearly R-rated Disney princesses and the exhausted 'Alice' asleep in a stroller. Lots of Star Wars. Lots of Steampunk. Lots of various comic and manga characters.

I guess I was just hoping for more.

2019-010

[Jani · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's no secret that one of my biggest dreams is to some day visit San Diego Comic-Con. I know I'm not alone with my dream ... in fact most geeks living outside US and many in US too dream of it.

This book was like fulfilling that dream a little. I know that it was all about positive things of Comic-Con and didn't tell about crazy lines and such ... but anyhow it made me feel that Comic-Con would be the ultimate place to feel like home and being among my people. I'm sure that the day will come that I will attend San Diego Comic-Con. I just hope it won't change too much with time.

Like most coffeetable books this was all about pictures and those pictures were really gorgeus and fun. All text in the book is short quotes from people attending Comic-Con ... from mega-famous to normal people.

I really enjoyed this book and surely will browse it along many times in future. Can't wait to see Morgan Spurlock's document about Comic-Con.

[Brie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photography in this book is great. It captures people who attend and cosplayers so well. I have been to Comic Con numerous times and my main complaint of the book is it is lacking on actual reading material. The quotes are great but they don't really help anyone who may not be familiar with San Diego Comic Con truly understand the event. It would have been nice to have a lot more text to the book to occupancy the photos. Still, the photos are worth a look and the book helps visually give people an idea of what Comic Con is.

[Mouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ol Morgan Spurlock. I like that guy, he's got spunk!
This book is fun and makes a great gift for any Geek or it just looks great on your Han Solo in Carbonite coffee table! There's some awesome pics and fun tidbits as well as tons of pop culture references.
I was at SDCC before it ever got up into the tens of thousands at the Convention Center and then I went back around 2011 and this book seems to cover the more recent time period perfectly!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite quote thus far in my reading: "The craziest things you see here are women dressed in very strange and revealing outfits. And you know it's from a comic book or an anime or a video game, but you can't quite place it, and all you know is that girl forgot her pants." - Morgan Webb, TV personality

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see white people. On almost every page. Some of them don't really know how white they are......

Coffee table books are not my noir.

I am, however, adding taking my son to comicpalooza in houston in may, so maybe it's more like 2.5 stars.

[C-chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me of all that is good in cons. I loved reading it. Although not a Comic-Con attendee myself, it made me more excited for my upcoming conventions.

The only thing that could have improved this book is including a few more non-fanservicey female costumes (and crossplayers).

[Brian DiMattia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice idea...portraits of some of the more interesting people that make fan friendly conventions entertaining. But it would have been a lot more interesting with more history, more assessment of the society and it's impact, etc.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great pictures and great quotes. A nifty coffee-table book that was a pleasure to flip through.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot less meat here than I'd have hoped -- with any luck, it's only a tiny glimpse of what will be in Spurlock's documentary.

But it still makes me yearn for San Diego in July.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great overview of the famous San Diego Comic-con. The pictures are the focus of this book and they are great. I was, however, hoping for a few more anecdotes...

[LaShonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

small geek-gas-em. Definitely see with the movie of the same title. Watching the Mass Effect characters come alive on stage is amazing!

[Babsji5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

*sigh* I so want to go to ComiCon, and this just intensifies the desire. Photos and blurbs by attendees.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book with photos of fans, creators and actors who all appeared at San Diego Comic Con in 2010.

[P.K. Di Tursi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book makes me want to go right now!!! maybe next year!

[Babs]

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