by Bethany & Staff
Happy May the Fandom! Much like the community at large, our library staff count themselves among a wide range of fandoms. But what exactly is a fandom? According to the Oxford Dictionary of Media and Communication, a fandom is defined as: 1. An interpretive community consisting of dedicated followers of any cultural phenomenon, such as a television series or serial or a particular film genre or film star; and 2. An interconnected social network of such subcultural communities. Read on below for more details about the interests that reign at the library!
Kiel
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (26 years) and Star Trek (30 years)
Kiel became a fan of Buffy around 15 years old and has loved the show ever since. He enjoys Star Trek’s interesting science fiction stories and the visions of an inspiring future.
Caitlin
Naruto (18 years) and Dimension 20: Fantasy High (3 months)
Caitlin watched Naruto with her brothers starting in the 5th grade! She is thrilled that the new generation is getting more stories about Naruto’s son, Boruto. As for Dimension 20: Fantasy High, her partner, their sibling, and herself are all in love. They have watched most of the first season and love it more with every episode!
Antoinette
Disney (36 years), Marvel (16 years), and Dungeons and Dragons (7 years)
Disney in general is Antoinette’s happy place; the parks and their animation have always brought magic to her and the imagination fuels and restores her energy when she is down. Another comfort watch is anything Marvel, specifically Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes and her favorite characters are Janet Van Dyne (The Wasp), Hank Pym (Ant-Man), Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier), Mockingbird, and The Scarlet Witch. Antoinette enjoys the family dynamics of the characters and how there is usually some sort of telenovela nonsense to laugh at. Antoinette’s sister introduced her to Dungeons and Dragons. She enjoys that she gets to build and participate in stories, collect and roll fancy dice, and live in a fantasy world for a few hours each week.
Lena
I Love Lucy (30 years)
Lena started watching I Love Lucy when she first came to this country, and she’s been a fan of the show and its star Lucille Ball ever since. A timeless classic, she loves its great acting, funny situations, and humor, and that it helped her better understand American English. Lena has watched all the episodes multiple times and read all that she could in our library about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s lives and careers.
Randalee
Firefly (20 years), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (26 years) and Harry Potter (19 years)
Randalee became a fan of Firefly just after the series was cancelled and was so mad at herself for not watching it before then (in case it would have helped it not get cancelled – wishful thinking!). As for Harry Potter, she watched The Chamber of Secrets right before she went into the Peace Corps and proceeded to read all the books while at her site. Doing so tied in a sentimentality to the series, although she currently has mixed feelings due to the author’s stance on various issues. Randalee is also a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. She watched the show since its inception, and it was wonderful to see such a powerful female lead.
Christena
Charmed (21 years)
Christena started watching Charmed when she was 8 years old and grew up in the fandom. During the summer, she would wake up early in the morning to watch it on TNT. She remembers being fascinated by the magic and loving the dynamic between the three sisters (it made her want to have a sister so bad!). Over the years it became her comfort show, especially during college. She’s probably watched the entire series start to finish at least ten times, and she still catches the occasional re-run.
Luckas
Dead Like Me (18 years) and Happy Endings (6 years)
Just by chance Luckas found Dead Like Me. Its witty and dry sense of humor revolves around death, but the payoff is that it makes you, the viewer, enjoy life more. Luckas found Happy Endings years after it was cancelled, and it is a show that he will rewatch all the time. It’s very funny and has jokes within jokes. This show made him love Chicago even though he still hasn’t visited the city!
Find these fandoms and more at the library this May and beyond!
