10 Must-See Fan Documentaries About The People Who Matter Most

2. Comic-Con IV: A Fan's Hope

If any documentary on this list represents an all-out fan-fest orgy, then it's undoubtedly Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope. Morgan Spurlock's film exploring the phenomenon of the San Diego Comic-Con International not only manages to capture the incredible diversity of franchises and mediums at the convention, but also crams in dozens of talking heads, from Joss Whedon and Kevin Smith to Stan Lee and Guillermo del Toro. The film follows five people as they attend "The ultimate geek Mecca": two aspiring illustrators intent on getting a deal with their favourite imprint; a costume designer and cosplayer determined to win the costume competition; a comic book store owner trying to clear his debts; and a young fan who uses his Q and A moment with Kevin Smith to propose to his girlfriend. Dividing its time between the fans and the creators reveals a great deal about the similarity between the two - many of the writers, directors and creators of the franchises millions of fans have come to love come across as every bit as fanatical about these fantasy worlds as the rest of us. It's sad that comics have been relegated almost to the sidelines at the San Diego events - after all, as the name of the event implies, this great visual art form was the primary reason they started in the first place. Inevitably, profit-driven corporations and Hollywood executives have come to treat the conventions almost as giant sandbox events, both testing and teasing the market with new products. But for the most part the fans are discerning and in their own ways fickle - it'll be a long time before the soul is sucked out of this scene.