Posts in Fan Conventions
OTW Signal, December 2025
Every month in OTW Signal, we take a look at stories that connect to the OTW’s mission and projects, including issues related to legal matters, technology, academia, fannish history and preservation issues of fandom, fan culture, and transformative works. In the News Why some people are devoted to particular aspects of popular culture is a fundamental query in fan studies research. One common and familiar answer is that fandoms are like religions. A recent article offers a different approach to understanding the emotional intensity of fan devotion, suggesting that while fans often describe their devotion in terms that sound religious, this comparison “has some lingering… Read more
OTW Signal, October 2025
Every month in OTW Signal, we take a look at stories that connect to the OTW’s mission and projects, including issues related to legal matters, technology, academia, fannish history and preservation issues of fandom, fan culture, and transformative works. In the News A new short documentary from filmmaker Andrew Coons shines a light on Marquette University’s Tolkien Fandom Oral History Collection. The collection is curated by archivist Dr. William Fliss, who set himself the goal of preserving the voices of 6,000 Tolkien fans—one for each of the Riders of Rohan that Théoden mustered and led to the aid of Gondor. Fans are given three minutes… Read more
OTW Guest Post: Erin Hanna
Every month the OTW hosts guest posts on our OTW News accounts to provide an outside perspective on the OTW or aspects of fandom. These posts express each individual’s personal views and do not necessarily reflect the views of the OTW or constitute OTW policy. Erin Hanna is an Associate Professor of Cinema Studies at the University of Oregon and author of the book Only at Comic-Con: Hollywood, Fans, and the Limits of Exclusivity. Her research explores the intersection of media industries and fandom, with a particular emphasis on in-person events, film and television promotion, and historical fan communities.Today, Erin talks about her article in… Read more
This Week In Fandom, Volume 146
Hello and welcome to This Week in Fandom, the OTW’s roundup of things that are happening! If you’re feeling nostalgic, you’re in good company: Sarah Michelle Gellar posted an instagram photo of herself wearing Buffy’s prom dress from Buffy The Vampire Slayer episode Prophecy Girl with the caption “All dressed up and no where to go. “I say we party” #safeathome #prophecygirl”. Are you dressing up for yourself and your pets, or are you more of a pyjama chic fan?
This Week in Fandom, Volume 142
Hello and welcome to This Week in Fandom, the OTW’s roundup of things that are happening! As with last week’s TWIF we are offering a slight variation on our regular format, with a lot of people still at home and much of the entertainment world still on hold. But fear not, despite the hard times everyone is experiencing, we’ve sought out some good things happening around the globe. Have you encountered any exciting fandom ideas or initiatives? Let us know in the comments and we might feature them in a future TWIF! First, it’s clear that fans under movement restrictions, currently in place around the… Read more