When Fandom Attacks

[Dub]

I was thinking about certain things and this has always been on my mind.

Do you think that fandom of comics (the online fandoms especially) tend to get too anal at the slightest changes done to a character nowadays? Like how some folks cry out bloody murder if even the littlest thing is changed to a character?

I think the best example would probably be the whole Green lantern/HEAT/Ron Marz thing that spiralled into people demanding Marz's head when he made Hal Jordan do a 360...

As someone who didnt even LOOK at Green lantern until Kyle came along I never did see what the big deal was. I always kinda though the original Green Lantern was dull back before I kinda got into comic books, but on the opposite end of the spectrum, I guess I could see why some Hal fans were mad. But thats not the point I bring up, just an example. **shrugs**....

On the same same respect, do you think stuff like that (fandom who vehemently attack the creatives and stuff rather than give constructive criticsm) hurts comics as a whole?

I often wonder why people get so....blown over the smallest thing in a comic book - "OMIGOD SPIDEY CLIPPED HIS TOENAILS! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT !!!!!!! I DEMAND THAT MAN BE FIRED FROM THE BOOK! HE'S A HACK WRITER!!" :P Though i could understand peoples love for a certain character (I know I hate it if a character I really adore is just yanked to all heck), sometimes I have to wonder if some people go overboard at times. maybe its just me.

[The Green Hornet]

nice post



this would make a good FOX special ;)


maybe some irate fans could then box against tonya harding or paula jones

[Joe Wagner]

Yes! I know for a fact that some fans can be very retentive about their character - not wanting the character to expand to a new horizion.

I guess I can feel especially jaded because I have been a fan of a lot of the changes that many fans have hated. I personally loved the Scarlet Spider and thought that it was cool to see a clone try and live his own life. When the proclaimed him as the "one, true Spidey" it was interesting but we knew it wouldn't stay. Why? Because the fans were stating that it "wasn't Peter" and that "Ben will never measure up". The angle that they took of Pete and Ben having a brotherly relationship was great - and now Marvel refuses to even touch the character again, mainly because they're afraid of the potential backlash - not to mention the constant Scarlet Spider bashing in Wizard. It's a shame because I'm sure a lot of these fans would love the Scarlet Spider if he had his own series and they were actually willing to give him a chance.

A couple of other concepts I liked that didn't get the fan acclaim was the electric-Blue Superman (it was refreshing to see a Superman that didn't know how to do everything, lest of which was mastering his own powers) and the future Flash that appeared around #160 or so - I thought the design was kewl and it was the only time in recent memory that I actually read the Flash on a constant basis.

-Joe!

[xbuilder]

Fans have a lot of power in the comic industry. More than any other Industry because it is the fan that actually has the buying power.

I'm working on a project "for one of the top comic companies"
the character I'm working with is onr that has been around for years.

I'm planning on changeing his world and looking into getting a slight costume change.

But I have to consider this character has a lot of Fans. And I can't change too much. The idea is to update him enough to add new fans but not alienate old fans.

and for the Record I'm 30 years old and I've been reading comics 25 years.

my favorite Green Laten is Kyle Rayner
My favorite Flash is Wally West
and Favorite Green Arror is Oliver Queen.


Malcolm
President of Maximum Cng
www.maximumcng.net

[kid_flash]

Number one thing I'll never forgive the comic community for: Not accepting evolution. Things change. People change. People die. People come back from the dead. People quit. People get shot. IT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN STORIES.

[xbuilder]

As Sad as it is my friends.

A Lot of Fans live through characters in comics and want to continue living through them. So if "their" character dies they get upset, they lost a part of their own idenity.

[Barb Gordon]

This is a pretty interesting topic! I'd have to agree with all of you. I remember sometimes after reading Batman or Nighty comics, I'd skim the back page on questions from the fans and the responses they'd get. Some fans were very upset for certain things that had occured, and sometimes I understood it, other times I didn't. Some fans can certainly go overboard when certain things happen, it's like they can't accept change. And the writers do have to pay attention to what the public says. When the public doesn't like what's happening, then they wont buy the comics anymore, and that would suck for the writers,artists,etc. I mean, look at Jason Todd. They took a poll from the fans on whether he should die, and because most of the fans wanted him done away with, they did so. It's a perfect example of trying to pleasing the readers. Some changes we'll find good, and some changes we wont. I'd say the majority deal with it, but there are certainly some people who go to extremes on how much they dislike changes done to characters.

Barb^-^

[kid_flash]

"Don't give the fans what they ask for. Give them what they want."

That's a Joe Quesada quote. And it couldn't be truer (is that a word?). Comic fans may complain when something "new and edgy" comes out, but the truth is that there would be a lot less fans if nothing changed. Who wants to see Batman shooting people, like he did when he was created? Or more recent than that: Do we really want Superman and Supergirl and Superhorse and Supermonkey and Superdog and Supercat and the Legion of Super-Heroes and Batman and Robin and Batgirl and Ace the Bathound teaming up again the deadly team of Lex Luthor and Brainiac and the Joker and Darkseid and his legions? Heck no! Things gotta change, that's the way stories work.

"We live in an era when anything different is viewed as a stunt."
-Greg Rucka

[xbuilder]

Originally posted by kid_flash
"Do we really want Superman and Supergirl and Superhorse and Supermonkey and Superdog and Supercat and the Legion of Super-Heroes and Batman and Robin and Batgirl and Ace the Bathound teaming up again the deadly team of Lex Luthor and Brainiac and the Joker and Darkseid and his legions?

I agree, no on wants to see that.

[Beyond Batman]

Something I've observed here on the boards, especially on the animated side... people not only dislike change, but they seem to dislike certain artistic perspectives. Some people find it hard to swallow a story if it's not designed or produced by Bruce Timm.

(Nothing against Bruce Timm, I'm a huge animated fan, but I don't idolize his work and I don't think DC characters revolve around him. There's a whole world of talent in the comic realm and I enjoy their work equivalantly)

I'm primarily a Batman fan... and we all know Batman has seen the light of many artist's impressions. He has a handful of titles to choose from including stories told in Elseworlds.

Many people argue, "Why can't Bats be limited to only a few titles?" Frankly, I'm glad Batman is offered in many varieties, through the eye's of different artists. That way, you have a choice in how you perceive Batman rather than feeding from one hand given to you by one or two titles.

Having a variety of titles... doesn't that tell you something about Batman and the world he lives in? That artists are intrigued by the character and his story can be played with in so many ways.

There are particular people who hate Frank Miller, Tim Sale, or the dark and dreery tales Batman lives in. Saying Batman is a "drooling psychotic fool..." Saying they've taken Batman away from his "escapism" roots and humanized them by "deconstructing" their superhero genre.

Well... comics have changed. But they haven't fallen far from the tree of escapism. It's just a different kind of escapism. Something a bit more real, relative, and hard-hitting.

What I do find deconstructing is how people negatively bash artistry rather than embrace or appreciate it. It's more common to find what people don't like opposed to what they do like.

"The Internet has given everyone and America a voice and evidently everyone in America has chosen to use that voice to b***h about movies" -Holden McNeil in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

...or in this case, comic books.

[apple head]

This kinda leads to the fact maybe these old characters should have a rest and maybe be resurected in a couple of decades earliest. If there's any sign comics need a fresh air is that comics don't sell anywhere near the millions it once used to. Personally I think in the past fifty years there has been enough Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk, Wonder Woman etc. stories told. There's enough evidence prooving that the crowds are leaving, but unfortunately nothing really came in it's place.

I blame the anal comic fans. I mean ever since the internet geeks around the world have been very vocal in their typing. Don't forget that this whole collectibility bullsh*t hasn't helped anyone creatively either.

[Ms. Kitty]

Many people argue, "Why can't Bats be limited to only a few titles?" Frankly, I'm glad Batman is offered in many varieties, through the eye's of different artists. That way, you have a choice in how you perceive Batman rather than feeding from one hand given to you by one or two titles.

Having a variety of titles... doesn't that tell you something about Batman and the world he lives in? That artists are intrigued by the character and his story can be played with in so many ways.

RIGHT ON !! :D ;) :) :cool:

* You get a sticker and a cookie that I ate in your honor!! :D :p

[Spider-Man]

Yes and no. I don't think we need endless spin offs that get the greenlight from the offices first, and then is assigned a creative team. Do you really need the Harley Quinn title? Or Azrael? I can understand the useful ness of Batman, Detective Comics, and Gotham Knights, but do we really need the countless spin off titles? I don't buy them all becuase DC has gotten so out of hand with them. I bet any day now we'll get a HAROLD & ALFRED spin off title. Batman has alot of great mythos, but we don't need a title for everyone. I'm dissapointed in the same aspect that we're getting a BLACK CAT ongoing. A mini-series I can understand, but an ongoing?