Eight, Arizona PBS welcomes superhero fans, comic lovers to 'BAM! POW! Bash'

Eight, Arizona PBS, in partnership with the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, invites comic-lovers, documentary fans and costumed super friends of all sorts to party and celebrate “nerd-dom” in the run-up to the 2013 PBS Nerd Walk, with the community event “Eight’s BAM! POW! Bash” from 6:30 to 10 p.m., Oct. 15, in the City of Phoenix's Civic Space Park, downtown (424 N. Central Ave., Phoenix 85004).

The event will be featuring the premiere of the three-part, three-hour PBS documentary "Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle," airing nationally at 7 p.m., Oct. 15, and on Eight, Arizona PBS.

The event will blast off with themed entertainment, including “Epic Super Hero Improv” by Torch Theatre, featuring Guido Martin; an “Iron Cosplay” competition led by ASU State Press; a superhero costume contest presented by Yelp; special appearances by the Justice League of Arizona and the Arizona Avengers; and prizes and registration for the 2013 PBS Nerd Walk. The Bookmans’ “Save the City” Photo Wall will also be on location.

“I’m really geeking out over this film, as a fan of both comics and historical documentaries – and I know I’m not alone,” says Bob Beard, promotions and events coordinator for Eight, Arizona PBS. “After all, Eight is the local home to Super-Grover! And the most popular T-shirt design currently trending for our upcoming PBS Nerd Walk features our Nerd logo imposed on Superman’s shield.

"Superheroes have cross-generational appeal. Everyone has a favorite character or an opinion about the best superpower to be imbued with – so we wanted to create a celebration of Superheroes that fans of all ages can come out and enjoy.”

Narrated and hosted by Liev Schreiber ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and Showtime’s "Ray Donovan"), "Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle" is the first documentary to examine the dawn of the comic book genre and its powerful legacy, as well as the evolution of the characters who leapt from the pages over the last 75 years, and their ongoing worldwide cultural impact. It chronicles how these “disposable diversions” were subject to intense government scrutiny for their influence on American children and how they were created, in large part, by the children of immigrants, whose fierce loyalty to a new homeland laid the foundation for a multibillion-dollar industry that is now an influential part of our national identity.

Among the notable on-camera talents in the film are Stan Lee, Adam West, Lynda Carter, Pulitzer Prize winners Michael Chabon and Jules Feiffer, and interviews with the late greats Joe Simon (co-creator of Captain America) and Jerry Robinson (who helped create the Joker) – as well as Arizona locals, Atomic Comics founder Mike Malve, and "Spawn" creator Todd McFarlane. The three-part film takes viewers on an epic journey of America’s comic-book phenomenon, from their early popularity during the Great Depression to modern fandom.

To register for the Eight, Arizona PBS “BAM! POW! Bash” event, visit: www.azpbs.org/superhero. To register for the 2013 PBS Nerd Walk, visit: www.azpbs.org/nerd.