Fandoms
by Leor Szleifer
What is a fandom?
To the casual observer, the average fandom appears to be a large group of young adults obsessed with some fictional character or universe, but in reality, a fandom can go much, much deeper than simply a common interest.
The word fandom is a mesh of two words, fanatic and the suffix -dom (as in kingdom, freedom, etc.). Its first recorded usage dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, close to when the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes was “killed” by the author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (only to appear again a few years later). Heartbroken masses of avid readers took to the streets to mourn the loss of their beloved hero.
This was around the time that a large group of devoted followers of a fictional work was described using the word “fandom”.
Today, many fandoms exist, each with their own inside jokes, slang, and rituals.
To the casual observer, the average fandom appears to be a large group of young adults obsessed with some fictional character or universe, but in reality, a fandom can go much, much deeper than simply a common interest.
The word fandom is a mesh of two words, fanatic and the suffix -dom (as in kingdom, freedom, etc.). Its first recorded usage dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, close to when the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes was “killed” by the author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (only to appear again a few years later). Heartbroken masses of avid readers took to the streets to mourn the loss of their beloved hero.
This was around the time that a large group of devoted followers of a fictional work was described using the word “fandom”.
Today, many fandoms exist, each with their own inside jokes, slang, and rituals.
Browncoats
These are the fans of the short-lived space western television series Firefly, named after the characteristic brown coats worn by the show’s Resistance faction.
After Firefly’s cancellation, the Browncoats clamored for the show’s revival. Joss Whedon, the show’s creator, attempted to sell the show to other networks, with no result. Later, he decided to sell the idea as a film, and soon, Serenity was released, bringing a fan-satisfying end to the story.
After Firefly’s cancellation, the Browncoats clamored for the show’s revival. Joss Whedon, the show’s creator, attempted to sell the show to other networks, with no result. Later, he decided to sell the idea as a film, and soon, Serenity was released, bringing a fan-satisfying end to the story.
Potterheads
The Harry Potter books were an astounding international success, so a fan following was inevitable. The 2005 midnight release of the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, was one of Entertainment Weekly’s “Entertainment’s Top Moments” of the last 25 years. Fans threw parties in bookstores as they waited for the new installments of their hero’s story.
Whovians
Probably the most well-known fandom, the followers of the sci-fi franchise Doctor Who have various theme-related publications and events, ranging from fan fiction (short stories written by fans) to entire organizations, like the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.
Notable Whovians include:
Notable Whovians include:
- Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
- George Lucas, creator of Star Wars
- Stephen King, horror writer
- Brian May, guitarist of the band Queen
- Joss Whedon
- Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons and Futurama
Fandoms are not limited to books, television and films. Upon the 2010 release of the video game Mass Effect 3, the fans of the series, unhappy with the trilogy’s ending, started a campaign known as “Retake Mass Effect”, demanding a new ending to the game. A fundraiser, run by Child’s Play (a charity organization), was launched by the campaign and raised $80,000 USD before being shut down for alleged false advertising.
The game’s developer, BioWare, later released a downloadable “extended cut” in an attempt to satisfy the fans. Whether or not they succeeded is up for debate.
I, being part of numerous fandoms in many different fields of popular culture, can say without a doubt that there is definitely something special that comes with finding a large group of followers of that one thing that you love so much. Fandoms are diverse and accept everyone into their ranks. Odds are, if you love it, so do many, many others.
The game’s developer, BioWare, later released a downloadable “extended cut” in an attempt to satisfy the fans. Whether or not they succeeded is up for debate.
I, being part of numerous fandoms in many different fields of popular culture, can say without a doubt that there is definitely something special that comes with finding a large group of followers of that one thing that you love so much. Fandoms are diverse and accept everyone into their ranks. Odds are, if you love it, so do many, many others.