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!"