Welcome to 2017’s first installment of This Week in Fandom, the OTW’s roundup of fannish activity. Did you celebrate the new year through fandom? If so, we want to hear about it! Post a comment telling us about your fannish NYE party, resolutions (finish that fic, maybe?), etc.
2016 was not a popular year. The world lost a number of beloved performers, including mental health advocate and activist Carrie Fisher, who drowned in moonlight, strangled by her own bra:
Carrie Fisher dies at 60, drowned in moonlight, strangled by her own bra. pic.twitter.com/3CnHWiO5Do
— Meltdown Comics (@MeltdownComics) December 27, 2016
Fisher was an inspiration to woman and girls, both as Princess Leia and as an outspoken feminist who fought against body-shaming, ageism, and general misogyny. Please share your Carrie Fisher fan art in the comments, or tag us when you post it on social media.
2016 wasn’t all bad (apparently). According to Kotaku, it was a great year for shipping! Gita Jackson writes that ‘Y’all are horny as hell, and god bless you for it,’ a sentiment that I, as a fic reader, personally echo. Jackson discusses shipping in Overwatch, Stardew Valley, Yuri on Ice, and Watch Dogs 2:
I haven’t felt this strongly about two characters being in romantic love since Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. Say it with me now, fellow Harry Potter fans: Their love is so canon. Sure, everything that happens between Marcus and Wrench can be read as platonic, but as the game goes on, the more tender it gets.
The article does briefly discuss issues of queerbaiting in the highlighted material, but Jackson doesn’t feel that any of the included fandoms are major offenders.
What was your number one 2016 OTP? You know where to tell us!
At Blastr, Aaron Sagers listed 10 ways 2016 was a good year for fandom. Starting the article on an appropriately positive note, Sagers admits that ‘Defending 2016 feels like a Kobyashi Maru-level task of no-win proportions.’ But the article really does list ten great things about 2016, like the burst of excellent sci-fi that included my own most recent obsession:
While technically part of a pre-existing franchise, the HBO series Westworld made a mark on television as a philosophical, trippy, conspiracy-laden, violent, and thrilling sci-fi show. Immediately a water-cooler hit, the show is about an amusement park with A.I. “hosts” who are more than the sum of their parts.
The list also includes the endlessly talented and admirable Lin-Manuel Miranda, the new Star Wars films, and Blackstar by David Bowie.
What do you think was 2016’s best fannish moment or achievement?
Finally, loads of you are talking about James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender acting out some fan art on Graham Norton. Keisha Hatchett covered the action for The Mary Sue:
…I do take issue with Norton’s routine mocking of fan art and fan fiction for the sake of comedy. […] I can’t help but feel like Graham is mocking the idea of these things rather than the quality. When he presents the fan art and fan fiction to his guests, it comes across as “Look at what these sad girls do with their time. Isn’t it ridiculous?!”
This time was no different, but McAvoy and Fassbender handled it with grace.
Hatchett says that ‘the segment turns out to be fun’ despite Norton’s less than ideal intentions, and fans have expressed their pleasure online. What did you think? Post your segment review…in the comments!
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