The documentary MY COMIC SHOP COUNTRY is now available in digital version
It’s not an understatement to say that with the current global pandemic, comic book retailers are now holding onto on the edge of a knife. Step aside a bit, and they will fail, to everyone’s ruin. I don’t think First Run Features could have anticipated the most unusual moment when the documentary released. My comic book country of the filmmaker Anthony Desiato.
Last summer, I had the opportunity to interview Desiato about the genesis of the project which examines the challenges of today’s comic book retailer. My comic book country is now available for purchase / rental on Apple TV and arrives on Amazon Prime on April 7th.
Comic book characters are box office gold, but why do comic book stores struggle to survive?
In My comic book country, filmmaker Anthony Desiato sets out on a quest to explore the culture, business and fandom of comic book stores across America. Venturing behind the scenes in stores from coast to coast, it reveals an industry in transition as stores strive to stay relevant to the growing hordes of movie, online gaming and mega-fans. conventions. The film is a heartfelt exploration of the power of comic book stores to build a community that honors the original form of the superhero: the comic book.
Director’s biography
Director Anthony Desiato has chronicled comic book store culture through documentaries and podcasts for the past decade.
While in law school, Anthony fulfilled a long-standing ambition by shooting the camera on Alternate Realities, the New York comic book store where he worked. The result, My Comic Shop Documentary, was screened at film festivals across the country and garnered press coverage in several media, including the New York Times. Anthony continued his debut with the award-winning short film By Spoon! and the feature film Wacky Man: The Rise of a Puppeteer.
With the funded Kickstarter My comic book country, Anthony focused on comic book retail across America, highlighting an often overlooked side of the industry.
As a podcaster, Anthony hosts the My Comic Shop History series.
“Comic book stores: these are clubs, time capsules, gathering places and destinations. They are, individually and collectively, a community. In an age when face-to-face interactions, let alone meaningful ones, are increasingly scarce, comic book stores struggle but endure by sticking with people’s routines.
My hope is that the documentary inspires its viewers to reflect on the places and rituals (comic book shops or otherwise) that gave them a sense of belonging, like my comic book shop did for me. I know this is an especially trying time, but I like to think that the camaraderie and connection you see in the document is a hopeful reminder of what lies ahead on the other side of this difficult time of social distancing.
If you’re a comic book fan, curious about an often overlooked side of the industry, love superhero movies but have never set foot in a comic book store, if you yearn for the face-to-face interactions of a record store or bookstore, if you are passionate about something and appreciate the importance of having a place to share that passion, well, do I have a movie for you.
Please watch the movie, and if you like what you see I hope you leave a rating / review, tell a friend about it, and help spread the word on social media. Each like, comment and share helps others discover the documentary. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for listening, watching and supporting. Enjoy. “
