FANdoms
Fandoms are a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of empathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest. Fans typically are interested in even minor details of the object(s) of their fandom and spend a significant portion of their time and energy involved with their interest, often as a part of a social network with particular practices (a fandom); this is what differentiates “fannish” (fandom-affiliated) fans from those with only a casual interest.
A fandom can grow around any area of human interest or activity. The subject of fan interest can be narrowly defined, focused on something like an individual celebrity, or more widely defined, encompassing entire hobbies, genres or fashions. While it is now used to apply to groups of people fascinated with any subject, the term has its roots in those with an enthusiastic appreciation for sports. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary traces the usage of the term back as far as 1903.
Fandom as a term can also be used in a broad sense to refer to the interconnected social networks of individual fandoms, many of which overlap.
Organized subculture
Fans of the literary detective Sherlock Holmes are widely considered to have comprised the first modern fandom, holding public demonstrations of mourning after Holmes was “killed off” in 1893, and creating some of the first fan fiction as early as about 1897 to 1902. Outside the scope of media, railway enthusiasts are another early fandom with its roots in the late 19th century that began to gain in popularity and increasingly organize in the first decades of the early 20th century.
A wide variety of Western modern organized fannish subcultures originated with science fiction fandom, the community of fans of the science fiction and fantasy genres. Science fiction fandom dates back to the 1930s and maintains organized clubs and associations in many cities around the world. Fans have held the annual World Science Fiction Convention since 1939, along with many other events each year, and has created its own jargon, sometimes called “fanspeak”. In addition, the Society for Creative Anachronism, a medievalist re-creation group, has its roots in science fiction fandom. It was founded by members thereof; and many science fiction and fantasy authors such as Marion Zimmer Bradley, Poul Anderson, Randall Garrett, David D. Friedman and Robert Asprin have been members of the organization.
Media fandom split from science fiction fandom in the early 1970s with a focus on relationships between characters within TV and movie media franchises, such as Star Trek and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. Fans of these franchises generated creative products like fan art and fan fiction at a time when typical science fiction fandom was focused on critical discussions. The MediaWest convention provided a video room and was instrumental in the emergence of fan vids, or analytic music videos based on a source, in the late 1970s. By the mid-1970s, it was possible to meet fans at science fiction conventions who did not read science fiction, but only viewed it on film or TV.
Anime and manga fandom began in the 1970s in Japan. In America, the fandom also began as an offshoot of science fiction fandom, with fans bringing imported copies of Japanese manga to conventions. Before anime began to be licensed in the U.S., fans who wanted to get a hold of anime would leak copies of anime movies and subtitle them to exchange with friends in the community, thus marking the start of fansubs.
Furry fandom refers to the fandom for fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. The concept of furry originated at a science fiction convention in 1980, when a drawing of a character from Steve Gallacci’s Albedo Anthropomorphics initiated a discussion of anthropomorphic characters in science fiction novels, which in turn initiated a discussion group that met at science fiction and comics conventions.
Additional subjects with significant fandoms include comics, sports, music, pulp magazines, soap operas, celebrities and videogames.
Some Of Our Fave FANdoms
- Twilight: Twihards
- Shadowhunters (which can be divided into the book fans as well as the fans of the Freeform hit series) – Angels Squidlings?
- The Vampire Diaries
- Lucifer – Lucifans
- Harry Potter – Potterheads
- Doctor Who – Whovians
- Directioners – One Direction fans
- Bachelor Nation – The Bachelor fans
- Trekkies – Star Trek fans
- Tributes – Hunger Games fans
- Arianators – Ariana Grande fans
- Mahomies – Austin Mahone fans
- Little Monsters – Lady Gaga fans
- Sheerios/Sheeranators – Ed Sheeran fans
- Halers – Lucy Hale fans
- Bey Hive – Beyoncè fans
- Truebies – True Blood fans
- Colbert Nation – Stephen Colbert fans
- Thronies/Throners/Brotherhood without Banners/The Bookwalkers/the Unsullied/GRRuMblers – Game of Thrones fans
- Star Warriors/Jedis/Warsies – Star Wars fans
- Whedonites/Browncoats – Josh Whedon
- Tolkienites or Tolkiendils (book fans)/Ringers (movie fans) – Lord of the Rings fans
- Cumberbitches/Sherlockians – Benedict Cumberbatch fans
- Walker Stalkers/DEADicated – The Walking Dead fans
- Avatards – Avatar fans
- Batmaniacs – Batman
- Marvel Zombies – Marvel Comics fans
- Shellheads – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans
- Hornheads – Daredevil fans
- Loki’s Army – The Avengers fans