Shopping for Superman is a new documentary that explores the rise and struggle of neighborhood comic shops, tracing their impact on storytelling, publishing, and the fans who call them home. At their peak, there were around 5,000 stores across the U.S. — now, that number is shrinking fast. This film isn’t just about history; it’s about why these stores still matter. From fostering creativity to shaping groundbreaking comics, their influence is undeniable. But if they vanish, so does something truly magical.

Update: After a quick chat with filmmaker Wes Eastin, I got a few more details about the documentary’s premiere:

We’re currently doing the festival circuit with our premiere set to be, coincidentally, on Free Comic Book Day at the Cinema Columbus Film Festival in Columbus, OH at 4:30 PM on May 3rd at the Gateway Film Center. After the next month or two we’ll know if there are other fests that would require us to not publicly show the film and if we get the all clear we can release it later this year.

Watch the trailer below — because this is a battle worth fighting.