Fan Friendly

Lake Charles, LA

I’ve been a fan of many things over the years.  Some of them, like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Batman, and Nightcrawler, have been a part of my life for a very long time.  Some of my other interests, such as Star Trek, Firefly, and Harry Potter, haven’t been with me as long.  

I grew up watching Doctor Who and Batman.  Star Wars was that magical series of films that I watched on the big screen.  As I grew older, I turned to the X-men, Thor, Daredevil, and the Flash for inspiration.  Harry Potter and Firefly didn’t arrive in my life until I was already an adult, but I’ve grown to love both of them very much.  

Star Trek took a bit more time for me to fall in love with.  The original series was off of the air many years before I was born, and since I grew up without cable television, I had only glimpsed a few episodes at friends’ houses or on vacation at a hotel.  It wasn’t until Star Trek:  The Next Generation came into being that I really took an interest in the series.  I watched all of the films that had been released to that point, but Trek just didn’t grab my attention.

Once I graduated college, I took a much deeper interest in Trek.  I started watching TNG again and eventually fell in love with the original series.  Couple that with the fact that many of my current friends are major Trekkies, and it’s the perfect recipe for me to fall in love with the entire franchise.

There are plenty of fandoms out there that I’m not very fond of.  For instance, I just don’t get Bronies (male adult fans of My Little Pony) nor do I understand the fascination with Twilight.  However, if I ever make fun of either of these fandoms or the franchises they are a part of, I do it only in jest.  Why?  Because whether I enjoy or get these fandoms, they are obviously important to the people that do enjoy them.

Basically what I am saying is that we all nerd out over something, whether it’s a TV or film series, a collection of books, Hello Kitty, or our favorite NFL/NHL/MLB/NBA team.  We find comfort within the confines of our respective fandoms no matter how silly others might see them.  When I tell people that I collect Star Wars and comic book toys, many of them laugh at me or tell me to grow up.  When I do the same thing amongst fellow fanboys, I get asked about my collection, offered tips on how to improve and/or grow my collection, and sometimes I get offered money or trades.  I’ve even been invited to places to talk about certain parts of my collection.

The bottom line is that for those of us who enjoy things like Harry Potter or Spider-Man, we need to stick together.  Mainstream fandoms such as NFL fans, reality tv fans, and popular music fans can freely declare their love for whatever it is they are into and no one seems to mind that much.  However, turn up at a party wearing a Spock t-shirt and nerds are automatically ostracized.  So, if you do ever find yourself in a similar situation, seek out your fellow oddballs and embrace their love for their favorite things, even if it is My Little Pony.  Don’t become one of those people who picks on a person because of what they love.  Support them.  Support each other!

Much love, folks, and thanks for reading.