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Comic-Con...the ultimate display of geek porn.

At the biggest comic book and popular arts convention in the world it’s unsurprising that being called a geek isn’t considered an insult. It would be more accurate to say that it’s an honour. Comic-Con 2010 in San Diego is a self-proclaimed nerd fest and the hordes of fans who attend display their passion for all things geek with unabashed enthusiasm.

Comic-Con started life in the 1970s as a small convention attended by 300 dedicated comic book fans. How times have changed.  In recent years hardly a month has gone by without the release of a superhero or graphic novel adaptation.  Geek culture has broken into the mainstream and Comic-Con is now a key commercial date in the Hollywood calendar.  The event is a showcase for established and upcoming film, TV and comic book projects within the genres of fantasy, sci-fi and horror.  Over its four day proceedings, anyone who’s anyone in the fantasy world turns up to give talks, host panels and screen exclusive footage to fans eager for as much industry insight as possible. These offerings are feverishly scrutinised all over the web, as fans blog and Twitter hard with their thoughts on their favourite fantasy creations.

And what fans they are.  Legions of film-goers and comic readers are what make the convention unique with their dedication to the worlds of superheroes and monsters, and they have high standards.  The audience response here is known to be critical, and the creative forces behind the projects must surely go back to the drawing board if the crowd verdict is less than favourable.  Post-convention analysis often gives a good indication of what impressed audiences and what didn’t live up to their high expectations. The fans ultimately have the power to make or break the filmmakers’ efforts.  Quite often, this will be done whilst in elaborate costume.  The crowds always turn up in an imaginative array of fancy dress to emphasise their dedication to the fanbase.  Extreme dressing is preferred; both ends of the spectrum are represented, with full body suits and scantily clad outfits all the rage.

Ackerman...the Pope of fantasy fiction.

You have to be impressed by the amount of passion whipped up for what are essentially freakish and monstrous creations.  A true fanboy will most likely have a collection of relevant memorabilia and avidly seek out as much information on the subject as possible.  This form of hobby may seem like it is driven by new media phenomenon, but has its roots early in the 20th century.  The first ever World Science Fiction Convention was held in 1939 and was a pioneering event for geek culture.  It was attended by one Forrest J Ackerman, a key figure in cultural history who in 1954 coined the term ‘sci-fi’ and in the process laid the foundations for modern fandom.

Famous in the business but not a household name, Ackerman’s legacy deserves to be recognised by a wider audience given the dominance of the sci-fi and fantasy genres in modern pop culture.  The JTD title Famous Monster takes a look at the life of the ultimate über-nerd, from his vast collection of fantasy memorabilia to his position as editor of the horror mag Famous Monsters of Filmland. It’s an introduction to the man behind the monsters and a warm celebration of his achievements, made fittingly by “Uncle Forry”’s own devotees.

Ackerman championed artists he felt were worthy of public attention and allowed readers an insight into contemporary developments in the horror and fantasy genres.  The film is a tribute to the man who was in many ways responsible for the huge success of events such as Comic-Con, as well as all those who dress up as monsters- just because they can.