Posted: 25 October 2020 at 1:52pm | IP Logged | 1
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From another thread...
Eric Sofer: "...Say there... I'M a super nerd! And I suspect that it's possible you are too, Mr. Byrne - and have been disappointed way too often (as I feel occasionally...)
Well, you did write both Superman and Captain America, and if that isn't nerdy, I dunno what is! :) "
John Byrne: "Then you don’t know what is."
I started a new thread for this subject, as I realized my response would veer further off course of the main topic of the thread in which the above quotes appear.
First, let me state to Eric that I am only using his comments and JB's response as a springboard for my topic, and am only using those comments because they are what provoked me to make a response to the subject matter of "nerds" and "geeks." I am NOT commenting on this as a means of criticizing Eric personally, but to discuss the way many comic book and pop culture fans view themselves.
On the matter of fans calling themselves "nerds" or "geeks," then...
I kind of loathe that comic book fans use the terms "nerd" or "geek" to describe themselves.
Again, this is not a knock at you, Eric. I know many people, friends included who do this, and I get "why" they do it. I get that it's embracing a negative term and "making it our own," but it did start out as derogatory and, frankly, in the general public's perception is is still meant that way.
I blame "Wizard" magazine for this. Really. I even wrote them a letter sometime around the early 2000s, or so, addressing this matter. Perhaps naturally, they didn't publish that letter. I took them to task for constantly calling fans "geeks" and "nerds" because it does perpetuate a negative stereotype. Sure, we fans are "in" on the joke, but the public still uses the terms mockingly to describe us. "Wizard" was trying to be edgy, hip, and irreverent, so that is why they adopted those terms and ran with it. Before "Wizard," I rarely, if ever recall fans calling themselves these terms.
It can be argued that taking offense or being annoyed with these terms might be taking things too seriously, but if we don't take ourselves seriously, we can't expect anyone else to do so, either. And if the response one might have to this point is "gee, dude, get a life. It's just funnybooks we're talking about," then the point is already lost on that person.
I roll with it, when I am in the company of others, but I never use those terms to describe myself or other actual fans. I don't support doing so, and I won't promote it. I do not boil with rage at the usage, and at this point it's pretty much a losing battle to hope other fans would stop using those terms to describe themselves and other fans, but I will likely always have some annoyance at the usage.
Don't fool yourselves, either: The general public does not respect us more because we can self-deprecatingly mock ourselves with these terms. "Big Bang Theory" and other similar programs, movies, etc., may be popular, and seem to make the public aware of so-called "geek" culture, but look at how the characters are really being written, and how the regular media and general public receive the shows, etc. They are laughing at such characters, not with them. I don't hate the show "Big Bang Theory," but I am under no delusions that it mocks us fans more than it celebrates us.
I know this is a losing battle. Too many fans do embrace those terms, and treat them like a badge of honor. And, of course, those on the outside will certainly not refrain from using those words to describe us, though obviously they do so in a way contrary to empowering fans. Still, I wish fans would reconsider what they are doing when calling themselves "nerds" or "geeks". It might be accepted within our circles as a "fun" and shorthanded way to describe the community, but I think it really just reinforces the concept of us fans as being oddball weirdo outsiders in the eyes of the masses.
Yeah... "Geek" culture is everywhere these days. It truly is. BUT, ask that jock who wears Deadpool shirts, or the hip chick who talks about seeing every "Avengers" film what comic books they read, and watch the sneer as they say, "I don't read comics."
I had a man come into my shop years ago looking for Superman merchandise. He was someone in top shape, so much so that he was planning to enter a Superman costume contest at the Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois, which is nearby my city. He proudly proclaimed that he was the BIGGEST Superman fan around!
At the time, I didn't have much Superman merchandise that he didn't already have, except for the comic books. Those I had PLENTY of, and I pointed that out to him.
"Oh," He said, "I don't read comics."
You see, these kind of "fans" from outside actual comic book fandom only enjoy the more pop culturally acceptable aspects of comic book related materials. But to actually buy -- Not for the monetary collectible value, mind you -- and.... *GASP* ... actually read comic books?? -- That's going too extreme for them!!
That would make them a geeky nerd!
And who wants to be THAT??
Edited by Matt Hawes on 25 October 2020 at 1:56pm
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