Here’s a roundup of stories about the new face of fandom that might be of interest to fans:
- Haddayr Copley-Woods summarizes the classic experiences of fandom with “Many people called me a nerd back in seventh grade, when I played Dungeons and Dragons and got picked last in gym. Now the word feels like an embrace.” She encourages others to discover their tribe at a fan convention. “Sometimes, during a deeply intellectual panel on the work of Lloyd Alexander, you might have to raise your voice to compete with the sounds of a boisterous Klingon ritual going on in the courtyard below. But if you’re a misfit, it will be worth it. You’ll finally be home.” The longstanding tradition of face-to-face meets is being seen today as a way to connect with a new generation, as in the case of Amarillo, Texas’s comic book con organized by their local library.
- Some fans have found themselves excluded from in-person gatherings in the past, though this too is changing. The L.A. Times noticed that Comic-Con “is seeing more gay-themed panels, parties, signings and off-site events than ever before,” with one writer connecting canon acceptance to fandom presence. “Queer fandom is absolutely galvanized by seeing more accurate representations of ourselves.” Another con-goer added that this new energy is present “[e]ven among non-queer fans. My super-straight guy friend is totally into this comic about queer bears.” Comments to the article however, showed we still have a long road to walk.
- The road may be a lot shorter among fanfic writers who were called out in a video by Teen Wolf’s most popular slash couple. They gave the writers and readers something to think about while encouraging them to vote for an award. Such fans were probably also on the minds of app developers at Movellas who created “an iPhone app just for fan fiction about boy-band One Direction.” The reporting journalist’s “sheer disbelief” is the only quaint thing about the story, which otherwise proves that fans will take their fandom connections with them wherever they go.
Do you have a “future of fandom” story to tell? Why not contribute it to Fanlore? Contributions are welcome from all fans.
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