|
First off I need to give big apologies both to the readers and to
Sheryl for the delay in getting this article finished. Between
computer problems, finals and a flu bug its been a rough week
but enough of that, on with the show.
Despite the glut of gimmicks that proliferated in the 1990s
comic book industry, no trend is going to be looked back upon
as having as much impact on fandom as the Internet. While
variant covers, holofoil covers, and attempts at killing off major
characters only to revive them, defined the presentation of
comics over this decade the Internet completely changed the
way fans took part in the industry, as well as how they view
themselves.
Prior to the advent of Internet fandom, the primary ways a fan
could interact in the industry was restricted to conventions, mail
pages in the comic titles, or fanzines. During this era, the main
focus of fans seemed to be on the stories and characters
although creators would often have strong followings as well.
During this modern era of fandom, the focus seems to be more
on how a creator interacts within the industry than what their
creative output is.
With the increase in the accessibility of industry news combined
with the opportunity to post on a public forum, has drastically
changed the way in which fans view their role in the industry.
Interacting with creators and publishers has allowed for fans to
be closer to the industry than ever, but at the same time many
fans have grown to forget that they are fans of the industry, not
part of the creative side of the industry. On a quick trip to most
message boards you can find posters making demands of
creators, predicting how a title will fail if their preferences arent
implemented, or talking about how one of the posters should be
getting work rather than some professional or another.
|