Watch Documentary on Comic Shops at Baltimore Comic Con

Shopping for Superman to Screen at Baltimore Comic-Con 2025

from the official Baltimore Comic Con Press Release . . . .  BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - September 29, 2025 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is pleased to announce a screening of the new film Shopping for Superman our 2025 event, as well as exclusive merch from Shopping for Superman's online store, including enamel pins, signed posters, stickers, as well as Blu-ray copies of the film.  The highly-anticipated comic shop documentary, Shopping for Superman, will screen at this year's Baltimore Comic-Con on Saturday, October 18th from 3:00-4:45pm as part of our programming for the weekend. The film is scheduled to release on the video-on-demand platforms Apple TV+, Google Play, and Amazon Prime Video September 19. Winner of ‘Best Documentary’ at San Diego Comic Con and the LA Film Fest, Shopping for Superman covers the 50-year history of the friendly neighborhood comic shop. This heartfelt love letter to comic stores explores their profound contributions to pop culture and the many hurdles they face in the modern day. As the effects of disruptions to distribution ripple across the country, culture wars consume everything in sight, and literacy numbers continue to dwindle, the American comic shop faces a growing number of existential threats.

Pre-production began in 2014 in Los Angeles California with pre-interview conversations and coverage of the Southern California comic shop scene. The scope quickly expanded to include well-known industry professionals and celebrities known for their love of the medium. After early-crowd funding success, the filmmakers expanded their coverage to several states across the US.

“Comic shops are a singular phenomenon in today’s market. They’re located all over the country, selling a lot of the same materials but they’ve never become homogenized. It’s their differences that give them their own character and make them special to the communities where they operate,” shared Wes Eastin, the film’s director.

Production wrapped on the film in 2024 in Mt. Vernon, OH with the help of Kenyon College, book-ending the film’s 10-year production window. With a modest budget of roughly $100k, Shopping for Superman has, much like the comic shops it celebrates, demonstrated its resilience despite tumultuous circumstances.

Joe Field, creator of the annual event, Free Comic Book Day, shared his thoughts after the San Diego Comic-Con screening, “Comics are the gooey center of pop culture and Shopping for Superman takes us to that sweet and sour core, spotlighting the story of the comics specialty market’s birth, rise, fall and hopefully bright future with the voices of those shaping pop culture in comic shops on a daily basis.”

The film’s September 19th release precedes the nation-wide campaign, Local Comic Shop Day on September 27th, a national event designed to raise awareness and generate interest for local comic shops. Local Comic Shop Day was started by the retail comic shop organization, ComicsPro. Featuring a treasure-trove of exclusive collectibles only available in comic shops, it’s never been a better time to visit your local comics store.

Shopping for Superman arrives to rent or own on Apple TV+, Google Play, and Amazon Prime Video on September 19th. Ultra 4K Blu-ray copies are expected to ship in October and can still be pre-ordered by visiting www.ShoppingforSuperman.com.

“It's such a huge honor to be invited to screen our film at a con that’s renowned for such a concentration of comics talent and fans," said Wes Eastin, Director, Shopping for Superman. "I'm really looking forward to the chance to set up a table and chat after the screening where I'll have Blu-ray copies of the film and some other fun merch like our new enamel pins and posters. Being able to share this film with a uniquely specific audience is the kind of thing you find yourself hoping for when you start crafting a love-letter to comic shops.”

"As a comics retailer myself," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. "this is a topic near and dear to my heart. This should be a fascinating watch for fans coming to the show this year!"

Shopping for Superman - Official Trailer

This new documentary will be screened as part of the programming at Baltimore Comic

Con. More news to follow . . . . .

SPIDER-MAN Newspaper Strips Collected - Kickstarter Campaign

EDITOR'S NOTE: Passing this information along from CLOVER PRESS  to those of our blog readers who are  SPIDER-MAN collectors. The Kickstarter campaign has already reached its' goal, so if you make a pledge you will get the goods. See the link below for all details . . . .

The Amazing Spider-Man Classic Newspaper Comics is now live! 

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO PLEDGE, OR GET MORE INFORMATION . . . . .

Spider-Man Newspaper Strip Collections

Be sure to check out our EARLY BIRD and EXCLUSIVE rewards. 

Hurry, Early Bird pricing is only good for the first 48 hours, PLUS you'll receive a special full color bookmark!

Guest Line-Up For KIDS ALLEY At Baltimore Comic Con

Baltimore Comic-Con 2025 Family Alley with Kid-Friendly Comics Creators

from the official Baltimore Comic-Con press release . . . . . BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - September 26, 2025 - Families will be making their way to the 2025 Baltimore Comic-Con this October 17-19 at the Inner Harbor's Baltimore Convention Center. The Baltimore Comic-Con will feature our Family Alley section for comics creators whose work is oriented towards kids for our 2025 event. Kids (plural!) 10 and under are free with an accompanying adult! Get tickets for the show online now!

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Carolyn Belefski creates and publishes original comics and illustrations, including her comic strip Curls. She is artist of the comic books Black Magic Tales, French Fry Club, and The Legettes. Her freelance projects range from working with BOOM! Studios on Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time comic book to commissioned comics for the Obama White House. Carolyn currently serves as Washington, DC chapter chair of the National Cartoonists Society and recently served on the Board of Directors. She conceived and orchestrated the NCS Activity Book featuring over 50 creators with a cover by Sergio Aragonés, which she colored. She has also worked on a variety of anthology projects including Mine!, Magic Bullet, Rise: Comics Against Bullying, Cartoonists Draw Blood, and District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington, DC. She was nominated for the Kim Yale New Talent Award from Friends of Lulu and was recognized as a runner-up for Best Visual Artist from Washington City Paper. Carolyn also designs and produces wearable art such as bandanas, enamel pins, and more.

Joe Carabeo is a writer and co-creator with Carolyn Belefski on comic properties The Legettes, French Fry Club, and Black Magic Tales. As Curls Studio, they have toured the convention scene with since 2007. He has also worked on a variety of anthology projects including Magic Bullet, Cartoonists Draw Blood, and District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington, DC. Joe is a filmmaker with Astray Productions. In addition to his own work, he has used his directing and camera talent to work with The First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, Madeline Albright, The Beach Boys, Olivia Jean from Third Man Records, My Kid Brother from Ruthless Records, Professional Wrestler Sonjay Dutt, U2’s Bono, ABC, NBC, Showtime, Epix, TLC, Bravo, DC Lottery, NASA, Under Armour, Papa John's Pizza, Jerry’s Subs, Chef Spike Mendelsohn, Chef Carla Hall, Van Metre, Northwestern Mutual, and many more.

Chris Flick is a professional illustrator, cartoonist, caricaturist, and UI/UX web and graphic designer working in the Washington, DC area. In 2007, he created the webcomic Capes & Babes featuring Roy the Werewolf. You can read all 1,200+ strips at www.capesnbabes.com. Chris has also collected those 12 years of strips into five trade paperback books and created three all-ages coloring books on amazon.com. Chris attends several conventions throughout the year where he primarily draws caricatures of people as werewolves and other monsters, sells mash-up posters, coloring books, stickers, and so much more. He also recently published a guide to tabling at conventions called "Conventional Wisdom".

Deans Family Productions (DFP) is a family-owned and operated company creating children’s books, comics, artwork, and toys. Started by Robert Deans in 2014 with the debut of Robert’s Shakes The Cow in the book Moo Thousand and Pun, DFP has quickly developed a reputation for quality all-ages products, all with a dash of “Dad Humor.” Following Moo Thousand, a second series for young readers, The Bear from AUNT spy adventures featuring Stanley The Bear was created. More series, including soft-boiled noir serials, “Choose Your Own” solo gamebooks, and picture books featuring original creations The MooseLambs have since followed. Robert’s wife Elinda has since created a line of handmade toys of DFP characters, including some in “cowsplay.” DFP also publishes an exclusive line of comics – The Mighty Hippofartamus – featuring a superhero co-created by Robert and his then-nine-year-old-Kidlet! DFP strives to make books, toys, and more that will delight children and adults alike. Find them online at grandpunwick.com and dfplinks.com.

Franco created the Dino-Mike book series and worked on various comic properties, including the critically acclaimed Superman Family Adventures, Young Justice, Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, Superpowers, Arkhamaniacs, and the New York Times bestseller, multi-Eisner and Harvey Award-winning series Tiny Titans for DC Comics, as well as Grimiss Island and the Eisner Award-winning Itty Bitty Hellboy with Dark Horse Comics, and Little Archie for Archie Comics. His latest work include Teen Titans Go to the Library, Deadman Tells the Spooky Tales (DC Comics), and his original Fae and the Moon (Little Bee). Twitter/Instagram: @awyeahfranco blindwolfstudios.com awyeahcomics.com

Chris Giarrusso is the writer/artist best known for creating the Mini Marvels at Marvel Comics and G-Man at Image Comics. He drew and co-created Hashtag: Danger! with writer Tom Peyer at Ahoy Comics and collaborated with Franco and Art Baltazar on Encounter at Lion Forge. His most recent work has been a steady stream of variant covers at Marvel Comics for Venom, X-Men, and a set of 15 connected covers recreating The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe in his signature Mini Marvelstyle.

Dawn Griffin, of Havertown PA, is an illustrator specializing in "cute, funny, quirky" kids and young adult material. Her creator-owned properties, both boasting four books each, are the sci-fi/humor comic Zorphbert & Fred and the self-esteem kids book series Abby's Adventures published under Eifrig Publishing. She has also contributed to multiple anthologies such as Team Cul de Sac from Andrews McMeel Publishing, and RISE: Comics Against Bullying from Northwest Press. Dawn is also a co-founder of Webcomic Alliance, a five-year-running web resource and popular podcast for comic creators. "Creative Workhorse" may be an understatement.

Raised on a “healthy” diet of cartoons, comics, and video games, Central Ohio-based Nate Lovett has been drawing since he could first hold a crayon. He’s been working in comics and illustration professionally since 2007, getting his first real start with Xombie: Reanimated from Devil’s Due. From there, his fun, colorful, and animated style has led to working on comics, children’s books, and concept art for Marvel, Image, Action Lab, Nickelodeon, Random House, Viz, and Hasbro on projects such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dungeons & Dragons, Marvel Comic Presents, Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur, Paw Patrol, Corn & Peg, GI Joe, Bravest Warriors, Redakai, Monsuno, Hack/Slash, and more. Recently, he's completed work on the graphic novel Commander Tomorrow for Rocketship Entertainment, and the comic Packrat & Thunderbunny while attempting to work on his own all-ages projects, Carter Kain & Punk Rawk Ninja.

Trevor Mueller is a comic writer from Chicago. His latest projects are Nexus Point and Re-Possessed (Webtoon Originals). He has also written the multi-Harvey Award nominated Albert the Alien. He has contributed stories to several anthologies, including Reading With Pictures (Andrews McMeel). He has also self-published several other works including Consumer, Beyond the Pillars, Los Ojos, and The Witches of E Wick Blvd. Trevor also appears on occasional episodes of the popular web series Nostalgia Critic. Trevor currently lives in Chicago with his family; his cat, Waffles, might be planning for world domination.

Dan Parent is an American comic book artist and writer best known for his work for Archie Comics. A graduate of The Kubert School, Dan began working for Archie immediately after graduation. His writing of the Love Showdown series from 1994 received widespread attention. Dan has also illustrated Felix the Cat, Barbie, and co-created the comic series Die Kitty Die, and has worked for Disney Adventures, Dynamite, DC, and Valiant. In 2010, Parent introduced the first openly gay character in Archie Comics when he created Kevin Keller in Veronica #202, which he wrote and drew. Kevin Keller got his own title with the publication of Kevin Keller #1 in 2012. In May 2013, Parent was presented with the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book. Dan was nominated for a 2013 Harvey Award for Special Award for Humor in Comics, and nominated again in 2014 and 2015 as a cover artist. Dan has worked on many crossover titles, including team-ups with KISS, the B-52’s, Blondie, Batman ‘66, Glee, Sharknado, Predator, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Vampirella, and Red Sonja.   In 2016, Dan published Die Kitty Die, which was funded through Kickstarter and subsequently published by Chapterhouse Comics. Three series have since followed.  Dan is currently working on titles celebrating Archie Comics’ 80th Anniversary, including special projects for the 60th Anniversaries of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Josie and the Pussycats.

Barbara Perez Marquez was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, now she lives in the USA. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and writes comics and prose. During her career, she has also been an editor, translator, and even a sensitivity reader for several publications and projects. Her work was first featured in a student collection in the 7th grade, which inspired her desire to become a writer. Since then, she's been featured in a number of literary journals, as well as anthologies. You can find her among the creators behind The Cardboard Kingdom, the Eisner-nominated graphic novel series about a neighborhood of kids having amazing adventures with cardboard. Her next graphic novel, The Library of Memories, is out in 2026.

Andy Runton is the award-winning creator of Owly, the kind-hearted little owl who's always searching for new friends and adventures. Owly showcases Andy's love of wildlife and the outdoors, and has earned him multiple awards, including the Eisner Award for Best Publication for a Younger Audience. The Owly books have been praised for their “charm, wisdom, and warmth” by Booklist, and WIRED.com said they are “one of the best comics for kids around. Period.” Andy lives in the greater Atlanta area, where he works full time as a writer and illustrator. Visit him online at andyrunton.com.  Pronouns: he/him