Can you be a fan of something without being a fan of the source material?
I don't like comics. I just don't. I have tried. Season 8 of Buffy, The Umbrella Academy, The Walking Dead and various others I was told I "had to" read over the years. I. JUST. DONT. LIKE. THEM. I can't explain it but I just don't
So this raises the question, can I be a fan of things based on comics as their source material? Can I be a fangirl of these things? Can you like a movie based on a book if you never read the book?
Of course we CAN, there is no way to stop how you feel about something (pop culture or otherwise). But is it a fandom faux-pax?
A friend I have had for quite some time is a comic fan, before I post things or tell him things I can hear his anger. Honestly, it's hilarious to me at this point and sometimes I post things JUST for this to happen. I live to argue with this friend, it's basically the basis of our relationship. Recently with my involvement in the Arrow and Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D, fandoms purely based on the TV shows, this has become more heated.
Fandom is different. I am always hesitant to call myself a fangirl, since there are so many negative connotations associated with this term. Comic nerds are hip and cool now, fangirls are their obnoxious little sisters. There are a lot of posts here about me being a fangirl, there is even a tag for it. I am not crazy, I do not stalk celebrities (though Norman Reedus might beg to differ, jk), I do not think the fandom or any of it's components owe me anything. Actually, I hate these parts of fandom, because of them I avoid common fandom like things.
I do like hot boys
I. JUST. DONT. LIKE. COMICS. What I do like is TV and movies. LOVE TV and movies, I always have. So I will always lean toward this medium. So when things are adapted to either of these things of course I am going to lean towards them. In the case of Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D (and Avengers) they included Joss Whedon, who is basically the king of fangirls. So yeah, I am going to like these things, I am going to run tumblrs and liveblog the shows (who does that? not me!). Does this make me inferior to my friend who reads the comics but doesn't watch the shows? Or just different?
The beauty of media is that there are so many different outlets. If you don't dig one you can always try another. I am not a musician but I love music, I can't draw but I like art. I don't like comics but I like the stories and characters that come from them.
Is it wrong? Does it make me a lesser fan? Do I actually care? No.
Do I love to argue with my friend? Do I enjoy the things I do without guilt? Has fandom made my life better? Yes.
Everybody wins.
everybody also ships Steve/Bucky
