Fanboy, Twihard, Otaku: Obsession is Never Good

Camp Twilight (from movieset.com)

I just read an editorial by Sarah Jaffe of Blog@Newsarama that largely centered around the negative reaction we’re seeing to the Twilight fans practically storming San Diego as we speak. I don’t disagree that a lot of the negative reaction to their presence this year is instigated by either overt or covert sexism, nor do I disagree that, say, G.I. Joe fans should probably not be throwing stones about literary merit in their glass house. There’s certainly a segment of the commenting population that’s pissed off that girls are invading their boys’ club. I don’t deny that.

But I think there’s another reaction, as well, one that doesn’t seem to be articulated or responded to as much: the inclusion of Twilight exclusive coverage is just the latest development in the ongoing transformation of San Diego Comic Con – which, to some degree, is some sort of “embassy” of comic culture – from a convention where people talk about comics to an all-purpose obsessive fan emporium. Twilight isn’t the first property, nor will it be the last, that inspires a certain demographic to follow it with quasi-religious fervor, and comics as an industry are basically letting themselves get ghettoized by association. Why is there Twilight coverage at the San Diego Comic Con? Is it because the book and movie share science-fiction/fantasy elements that could be of interest to readers of science-fiction/fantasy adventure comics? Is it because of the upcoming manga-inspired comics adaptation? Or is it because the premier comics exhibition in North America has allowed itself to turn into a dumping ground for every major property trying to attract the greatest concentration of most obsessive fans possible to get media coverage?

I admit I haven’t read it, and from what I’ve seen it’s probably not my bag, but I’ve got no grudge against people who dig Twilight. My point here isn’t to slam the book, and if any people attending the panel grab some cool-looking comics in the exhibition hall and start discovering the medium: that’s fantastic! Then it worked. But I’m not sure whatever small gains could be made in that area are worth the fact that, once again, comics are going to be associated in the public eye with people who wait like fourteen hours in line for a one-hour panel and some exclusive sneak preview footage of a movie. I’ll admit I’ve got my obsessions when it comes to this medium – I love the storytelling, I hate spoilers, I’m generally impatient and eager to read new material every week. But I think we’d all do the industry a huge favor if we’d stop trying to sell and justify our fandom, and instead just embrace being a readership.