The Fandom Zone

I am a fan.

And so are you.

But a fan of what? Well that's the real trick isn't it...

Leave it to Lowell at Age of Ravens to inspire a post when I already have so much on my mind and not nearly enough time to write it all down.

He asks the nagging question...

So what’s your fandom? What are you obsessional about? What are you obsessional about that others in your group aren't?

I have found other the years that one of the things that stands out for me is how fans and fandom seem to have gotten a bit more insular over time. I think I first noticed it with fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation who had never seen the Original Series. People like what they like and either really don't like what they don't (understandable) or have absolutely no knowledge of it what so ever.

I find that last mode of thought odd. I have never been as huge fan of the Japanese Anime and Manga 'One Piece', but I know it. I know the story and most of the main characters. I have seen a lot of fandom TV shows and movies that I myself am not a fan of per se, but I am not wholly unfamiliar with them.

In my current gaming group I can't tell you how many times I will mention an Anime, a comic book character, a TV series or, most often of all, a role playing game, and no one has ever played it or even heard of it. What is that about? Mention the Browncoats, Capt. Malcolm Reynolds and The Alliance, and I know you're talking about Firefly.

I don't even like Firefly. I watched a total of 5 episodes before I couldn't watch it any more. But that doesn't mean I don't know it. I'm curious. I like to know what my fellow fan finds interesting. Maybe I'll find it interesting too. Maybe I won't. How will I know? By checking it out Einstein!

I digress...

So what's my fandom? Let's see...

TV SHOWS

I no longer really watch TV. Not even on the internet or through some means other than a TV set or screen. Around the time Farscape was cancelled I started watching less and less. Then there was no Star Trek on TV. Finally, the relatively recent cancellation of the Young Justice animated series made me just not care that much about television.

I still have some shows I am obsessed with but most of them are old. I did love The Clone Wars CGI animated series on Cartoon Network which, er, was also cancelled. I am kind of looking forward to the new REBELS series on Disney XD, but I am losing faith in the medium more and more each day.

My top TV fandoms are Star Trek: All the series but especially The Original Series, Space: 1999, The Greatest American Hero, The Muppet Show (and any Muppets ongoing series), Justice League/Justice League Unlimited, Farscape, Young Justice and the original Teen Titans animated series (Teen Titans Go! can Go! *bleep* itself).

COMIC BOOKS

At present I am not obsessed with any comics, although I do read and keep up on nearly everything. I am considerably less interested in DC's nu52 dung heap but I still keep a watchful eye out just in case they do something smart. It could happen.

My Comic Book obsessions of the past are many but mainly Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earth DC Comics, DC Silver and Golden Age, Public Domain and lesser known heroes and villains (especially of the Golden Age), anything Green Lantern, Fawcett Comics Characters, Charlton Comics Characters, the Legion of Superheroes, Captain Carrot and the Amazing Zoo Crew and Marvel's Nova.

AUTHORS

Another area where I've fallen behind. I don't read nearly as much as I used to. I can't say I follow too many authors except for Larry Niven, David Brin, Robert Asprin, Terry Pratchett, E. E. 'Doc' Smith, Douglas Adams, Dr. Seuss, Charles Dickens, L. Frank Baum, Holly Black and Tony Diterlizzi.

RPG LINES

Like Lowell I love a lot of games, but it seems to me most of the games I enjoy the most are out of print. That said, I own everything ever made for every edition ever produced of Star Trek, Star Wars (except the new Fantasy Flight Games version), Mutants & Masterminds, Champions (although I am focused on 4th Edition), Mekton, Teenagers from Outer Space, Ghostbusters or anything like it (InSpectres), Ars Magica (although I prefer the old editions, especially third).

I am also kind of obsessed with Japanese table-top/table talk RPGs.

I love a number of different indie games but right now, none come close to being an obsession.

MOVIES/DIRECTORS

In this category I have a lot of favorites but not a lot I would consider to obsessions. Still, there are a few: the various Star Trek and Star Wars films, Superman I and II, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Muppet Movie and all the following Muppet features (including Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal), Ghostbusters (really just the first one), Men in Black (really just the first one), Mel Brooks' movies (especially Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein), the old Marx Brothers movies and finally Galaxy Quest. Yeah. Freaking obsessed over Galaxy Quest.

Directors? Spielberg, Scorsese, Coppola, Allen, Edwards and a few others I can't think of just right now.

VIDEO GAMES

None. I am just not obsessed with video or computer games. I used to be very into them and I am a fan of a number of MMOs but honestly, I can go a week or more without playing at all.

I do (or did) enjoy World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, Virtual-On and it's descendants, Halo, Mass Effect, Star Trek Online and Star Wars: The Old Republic.

ANIME/MANGA

I was majorly obsessed with Japanese pop culture entertainment at one time and although my otaku fever has waned a bit, I am still a pretty big fan and like to keep up with the new shows each season which interest me.

Major obsessions of the past (some of which still have me hooked today) include Mobile Suit Gundam (original 'Universal Century' timeline), Five Star Stories, Slayers, Tenchi Muyo, Aura Battler Dunbine, Dragonball and Dragonball Z, Wingman, Attack on Titan, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Mars Daybreak, all of Miyazaki's work, Crusher Joe and The Dirty Pair.

OTHER SUBJECTS

Other things I've been known to be fanatical about include Animals ( in general, but especially Dogs), The Muppets, The Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum books mostly), Exoplanets and the Space Program, UFOs (less so in the last few years), Cryptids (less so in the last few years), Ghosts, Faerie Folklore (especially that of the British Isles), British Candy and Chocolate Bars and Science Fiction Art of the 1970's and 80's.

Now let's see, what can I obsess over next...

AD
Barking Alien