Spent the weekend with the Dread Dormomoo in Atlanta, at TIMEGATE, a con that reminded me of why I do not do SF cons anymore. It was originally a Doctor Who and Stargate fan con, but now The Doctor has shut everything else out, which is the way of WHO-fandom. As much as I have enjoyed the Doctor in his various regenerations, Who-fandom quickly quells that joy, rendering it into dust and ashes, because the fandom cannot be content with itself; no, it must smear itself on every OTHER fan-thing as well. Star Trek may not exist alone, no...we must materialise a TARDIS on the shuttlecraft deck. There is a shirt of a Stargate...with a TARDIS in it. There is a strong "WhoLock" fan presence, and well, the "SuperWhoLock" fandoms plumb the depths of "One of these things is NOT like the others.".
It is a peculiarity of the Who fandom that that EVERYTHING else must be painted or flavored by The Doctor and his adventures.
I await Fifty Shades of TARDIS Blue....
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That said, here is my next shirt design:
9 comments:
It both irritates and saddens me when fandom starts dividing into exclusive warrens. I'm old enough to remember the days when it was just Fandom vs. not-Fandom (or the Mundanes), and we were all shoulder-to-shoulder. This splintering into fanatical regimes (the SCA, the Darkover people, the Elfquest people, etc. etc. frickin' etc.) actually diminishes the overall concept of SF fandom and helps nothing and no one.
Okay, I'm going to enter as the dark horse, just a bit. I like to see some crossover, some 'what if'. Now, mind you, while I still have a head, I have limits. I mean, just because all I have is a hammer, really doesn't mean everything is a nail, either. I think, to a degree, in it's place, on the periphery, crossover can be great fun, a super spoof, or such. But, then set it aside and get back to the gig. Opens up creative opportunity. It even shrinks the worlds of non-worlds to a more manageable profile, at times. So much sci-fi/fantasy, so little time, innit? Or introduces things I may not have known. Call it an imagination spice. Thing is, as with all spice, a little dab will do you.
As for Dr. Who, and fandom... I wore out of Dr. Who when I realized they took themselves too... or at all actually... seriously. I doubt if I was ten, though had relapses away from others anyway. I saw it, and enjoyed it, as a spoof on a spoof on a spoof of seriousness, the powers that be, and the alternatives to those things (both of which are quite laughable... which is why America used to be great... we knew they were laughable so did it ourselves). When I realized people were lockstepped in favor of the Dr. Who philosophy of just "making it better", I realized I had fallen in with zombies who didn't even want to try to just make their own world better, do and fix, tinker and play. They wanted the world handed to them, to be told what to do, to obey because... whoever... was "The Doctor"! But... that's just me. I'd rather play indian, in cowboys and indians, even knowing the outcome in the end, than be a zombot Who-ee.
Urhm... well... it is how I see it.
There are a pair of acronyms which were developed in the days of classic fandom:
FIAWOL: Fandom Is A Way Of Life
FIJAGH: Fandom Is Just A Gosh-Darned Hobby
I tend to fall somewhere in between.
And there is actually quite a bit of cross-over. But the rot in definitely in place.
I only really remember the Tom Baker Who (WHAT!?) character from the '70s.
No matter what (Who?) the genre/fandom, the game's the same and you can take it too far if not careful. Whatever the geekdom may be, if I like it then I'm there to enjoy. If I see/read/hear of someone going overboard then: "Hey! She's a cartoon, not your waifu."
A (Bravely anonymous.) "true believer" recently chided me for posting a right leaning political message that used the Miyuki Takara character from the Lucky Star anime. Said I was making someone "pure and innocent" as Miyuki out to be a "reactionary asshole" (I got the graphic from another website.). I pointed out that she was not a real person and he was only proving the point of the message. Yeah, I know. DON'T FEED THE TROLLS!
Another antagonist (I won't name names but it rhymes with Weatherly Hardy.) recently posted on HIS blog a little jab aimed personally at me about a certain apocalyptic anime and my alleged paranoia having to do with a certain blue haired avatar "comin' ta git me". Have since responded with an article of my own.
LCL bath salts? Hmmmm ... Makes me wonder about that shows' fandom at times.
What is a group of grumps? I'm voting for a stew. Just think on it. A stew of grumps boiled into the room, none in full agreement. Thankfully, there was food to eat, after which all were too tired to chew the more?
Now I'm hungry.
@'Vark --- even if I could afford to attend cons now, I'd have to think long and hard about attending the major SF ones. To me it's becoming something of a young man's game. The last ComicCon I attended in San Diego was about twelve or so years ago. I barely strayed from the Misc!MAYHEM booth and the experience still pretty much wasted me.
@ Michaeru - Welcome to Zeitgeistburg!
@ Doom - Taking a fannish thing SERIOUSLY! The SF version of T-ball grannies.
@ Jay - No jab. Just sharing that mu prophetic vision is true. The world will not end until the last Evangelion merch license expires, and no more products are produced.
That, or when 3.33 is released.
@Aardvark --- I just checked and, as far as I can tell, "Zeitgeistburg" has never been used in a novel or story. I'm putting it on the mental back burner for when an interesting application comes along.
@ 'Vark -- 3.33 You Will (NOT!) Be Released, English dub, I have a feeling will be a no show.
Still getting ready for the Rei-pture on New Years.
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