Documentary Review: ‘Surviving Supercon’

Review by James Lindorf

“Surviving Supercon” follows Supercon creator Mike Broder, his wife, and partner Sandy Martin as they prepare for the 2018 Florida Supercon. While huge events like San Diego Comic-Con International and ReedPop’s New York Comic Con battle it out for the crown of the largest gathering of comic book fans, Supercon is more of a “mom & pop” production. Mike and Sandy are involved in nearly every aspect of putting on the four-day convention that saw 60,000+ fans descend on the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale. Most known for his horror and television work, Director Steven Shea is making his documentary debut with “Surviving Supercon” when it hits streaming platforms on November 9th.

Shea opens the film with a discussion with Mike, his mom, and Sandy about what led Mike to start Supercon in 2006. A lifelong fan of comics and pop culture, and conventions, Mike knew he would love to have a big event in his area and believed he wasn’t alone. By taking inspiration from the largest con nearby, Atlanta’s Dragon Con, Mike and Sandy have grown Supercon from a hotel-based event that might see 2,000 people over the long weekend to a show that takes over an entire convention center. After the brief history, the movie shifts to just a few days before the launch of the 2018 event. The majority of the 94-minute runtime highlights the troubles and successes of putting on a large and varied event.

The biggest problem with “Surviving Supercon” is Mike Broder. He is very protective of the image of his event, which gives the movie an overproduced “officially sanctioned” feel. We don’t see any of the processes of booking celebrities, who said yes or no, and who had to back out at the last minute. We are constantly shown issues with the contracted security team. While those issues are real and significant, they are the only problems demonstrated in detail. Issues like people selling fake badges, illegally charging for parking, or having severe medical events are brushed off as just a thing that happens. Nothing that ever goes wrong is a result of Mike, Sandy, or their direct staff. We might have a better feel for how the event really proceeds on every level if Shea didn’t lean so heavily on the two main interview subjects. If it isn’t coming from Mike or Sandy, there is very little substance. It is a high-stress time, but Mike didn’t seem as interested in protecting his own image as much as the show’s. He was comfortable being seen berating people and having a tantrum, and driving over cones. Sandy will also yell, but it feels less natural with her that she has a point that needs to be shared right now and less of a personality trait like Mike.

“Surviving Supercon” is an exciting watch for mega fans of conventions who want to see what goes into putting on such a large event. They have to be prepared to read between the lines to get the most accurate story. The film isn’t without its good moments, like when we learn that Mike and Sandy sent a bunch of free passes and items to the kids who survived the Parkland school shooting. Maybe it was staged and done for publicity, but you can see its impact on the kid, and the ends justify the means or motivations in this case. A more open version of this movie could be very interesting and a must-watch for any frequent convention goer, but with this tight-lipped approach, “Surviving Supercon” is a 2 out of 5.

Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Director: Steven Shea
Producer: Steven Shea
Release Date: November 9th, 2021
Runtime: 1h 34m