Why do comic fans get stereotyped so much?

[superboyprime]

A friend linked me to this yesterday, and I just had to share. Written and drawn by some guy who works in a comic book shop, Our Valued Customers is a webstrip in which he quotes actual things he's heard his customers say.



Some other stand-outs beneath the cut...

Comments

[cuntfucius]

I work at a comic book shop.

I don't know how much of it is confirmation bias, and I tend to see it way more on message boards than in the store I work at, but oh my god the negativity. And weird, unfounded opinions and dislike! My God, why the hell are you guys having so much fun in NOT having fun!?!?!? At least laugh about it and don't take it seriously!

Also I just really hate A-lister only fans omg.

[cuntfucius]

And I actually get REALLY surprised -- i mean lkwelawe it's totally jarring to go to s_d and less pleasant places like cbr forums and dc message boards and see the cynicism and fear of change and love of the status quo and the "just because" opinions everywhere and in my shop, have guys and gals come in who are actually excited about new stuff coming out, excited about lesser known characters, and have fun talking about characters and even recent bad decisions/events by the companies without having beautiful gems such as thoughts like "She should just die" "I just hate him, he's emo" "She's whiny" "She's useless" "He's boring"

[kamino_neko]

lkwelawe

Translation, please?

[cuntfucius]

FINGERS MAKING LOVE TO KEYBOARD , ANGRY HATESEX

[kamino_neko]

*giggles at that image*

*suddenly THINKS about that image*

*gets mildly disturbed*

*filed line away to use when the opportunity arises*

>_>

[fifthie]

The best kind of fans are the ones who feel a need to go on the internet and trash other fans for failing to like terrible things.

After all if people didn't incessantly trash other people for the vile act of having negative opinions of comic books, you wouldn't know that those people were better than all those negative fans they're trashing.

[cuntfucius]

yeah because i totally implied that if you have any negative opinions about a comic book, you're a terrible fan.


here let me get my hankie out :)

[fifthie]

yeah because i totally implied that if you have any negative opinions about a comic book, you're a terrible fan.

Nah you did a pretty good job phrasing your passive-aggressive swipe at a broad group of people well enough that any attempt to pin down specifically who you're shitting on is easily deniable on your part, you should be proud.

[cuntfucius]

passive-aggressive swipe at a broad group of people well enough that any attempt to pin down specifically who you're shitting on is easily deniable on your part,

Lmao GURL. Hmm, broad swipe? Let's see, I specifically name:

People who are stubbornly ONLY fans of A-listers and will only give A-list characters a chance.
People who are miserably and overly negative (as opposed to people who don't like something, different. Very.)
People who throw out phrases at characters like a net to flatten and simplify without substantial evidence to back it up or address anything contrary suggested at them.

Seriously. I named the phrases, and said it's annoying when people don't really give much behind their opinion on that. I have voiced displeasure at various story turns, treatments of a character, and writing decisions before. There is nothing wrong with not liking something.

But have a little perspective and distance. These are comics. This is a genre. This is an art form, learn to divorce personal taste and preferences with the actual view of composition and structure. Many people don't. This isn't a public sphere where people are speaking of social injustices and those who talk against the status quo or The Man are oppressed and silenced in a similar way. This is about cape comics and superheroes and marketing gimmicks and the whole shebang. There are public spaces (the comic shop I work at) where it is entirely inappropriate to be voicing rage over how crappy (and it is, imo) Brightest Day is when young kids are thumbing through it and having fun. It's called tact, and the rhetoric is just memetic and a bore. It's too much to ask for actual reasonable dialog about this stuff, though, I guess, and about voicing any sort of displeasure.

Now, it being broad, of course you had to project your oppressed fan insecurities. I admit it, I'm a total meanie jerkpants who hates everyone that doesn't like Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Bendis, and all of our comic overlords. I believe you all should shut up and be pleased with whatever comes out.

I have a more optimistic view on life. For example. one of my favourite characters is Really Really Defensive Fan. I think they've been written terribly lately, though, and I voice my criticism often, but I have faith that they will be written justly :') according to my vision. You are SO shat on for disliking Geoff Johns and all other shitty terrible bad comics put out today!! My god, I just am totally crapping all over, what happened to my bowels?

You know, I always wondered the identity of RRDF... I mean, I noticed you're always taking bathroom breaks and stuff when they're around but...nah. You wear glasses and they don't. Couldn't be.

[punishermax]

You know, I'm curious, as a female comic shop worker, how many times have you been hit on and also how totally fucking awkward was it each time?

[cuntfucius]

It happens quite often!!! Probably a few times a day. My coworkers were always very polite, if a bit awkward at socializing, so their attempts to flirt were always just pretty sweet I guess, and very respectful once I turned them down. The customers, not so much. They're usually pretty creepy and there is this one guy that always says the "Giggity" thing every time I go on a ramble about some continuity knowledge or w/e

re: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4o3yLHCqaI

[cuntfucius]

^ btw that is like verbatim the talks I hear guys have on alien babes in green lantern

[punishermax]

Alright so a few things

1. I'd forgotten that clip and the fact that it works so god damn well to this day is magical.

2. If yoou actually use the word "Giggity" when you are aroused be something then I'm pretty sure you've committed a mortal sin and you will be sent to the newly constructed 10th circle of hell.

3. Has a guy, after finding out you're not interested in them from a sexuality standpoint, ever gotten angry at you? I'm sure hat has to end reeeeaaally badly for the whole store.

[cuntfucius]

1. Isn't it!?!? I STILL LAUGH AT IT WHEN I WATCH THE CLIP, and when I think of all of the similar conversations I've overheard and eavesdropped on ever-so-politely.

2. I know. I think he just is trying to be funny, but it comes off as so obnoxious. I was recommending Life with Archie to somebody and he popped in, and I didn't even see him enter the story, and made the most generic threesome joke ever. I just think it is the saddest thing ever that he exists.

3. I have two coworkers by my side almost always who are incredibly thoughtful and really good at picking up on my discomfort :) and steering away guys who are harassing me. I can stand up for myself, but it actually really helps me out, when they take the burden off of me since I'll just be seen as a bitch or a stick in the mud or whatever. I've had that happen at a lot of other jobs, but never at this job. People have never accused me of leading them on or anything, but I have had the generic "Get your mind out of the gutter, I just wanted to be friends" comments after I refuse to give my number for like the tenth time.

Overall I get slight discomfort from some advances, but most are annoying in their frequency/persistence, but less offensive than what I've experience, interestingly enough, than working in let's say the food industry or retail.

[punishermax]

"So I was just saying that Green Lantern is getting reall-"

"Yeah, green, red, but we're all pink on the inside huh ~suggestive eyebrow waggle~"

"...Funny. Anyway Archie was-"

"Yeah, Betty, Veronica, why do you gotta choose between em ~crotch grab~"

"Wow, thanks for that, you able to find it alright in there? Want me to get Steve to find it for you?"

"Maybe you can find it ~eye waggle~"

"Really? That-that's your pick up line. You want me to find your dick? Like, it's so small you lost it? Should I send a fucking search party out to find your schlong? Can you just leave already?"

"But-"

"No. Just fucking go. I don't need your money, it ain't worth hearing you joke like Dane Cook's secret half brother he has locked in his basement and you smell like Satan's asscrack. So fucking go"

"Frigid bitch..."

"Yeah, I know, I'm so frigid taht I didn't immediatly blow you after you used pick up lines from a dating simulator. They usually work on the maids with huge tits and glasses who call you Onee-chan but not so much in the real world."

[kamino_neko]

Also I just really hate A-lister only fans omg.

One of my buddies is sort of like this - and it's bizarrely recently...while he supported Manhunter and Blue Beetle when they were coming out, anything headlining a b-(or c-)lister, or breaking from the format (Superhero books only - he's good with non-Superhero books, but superbooks which break away, not so much), etc...

I'll be geeking out over Great Ten, or Knight and Squire (which he admits to liking, but...see below), or the Mighty Crusaders, whatever, and conversation will grind to a halt when his reply is 'won't sell'/'not selling'. (I've not even bothered trying to discuss the First Wave universe with him, although the main book and Doc Savage have both been awesome, and The Spirit passable.)

It's frustrating.

[cuntfucius]

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A NIGHTMARE INTERACTION WITH ME, TBH. Frustrating is a kind word I'd use to describe those sorts of interactions as. I wasn't a part of the conversation, but I remember when the sweeeeetest guy who works with me was like, trying to suggest some old avengers title on a guy who wanted to play catch-up in marvel, and he went on a rant immediately about how he only reads THE REAL AVENGERS and it was just the most overly defensive and zealous thing I had seen from such a simple suggestion. I get this reaction when I praise R.E.B.E.L.S, too.

It reminds me of like, I don't know, a Tea Partier. I WANT MY COUNTRY/REAL AVENGERS/REAL JLA BACK!!!

I mean if the writing is bad, I understand, but godddd the vehemence aimed at certain characters advancing or trying to break the glass ceiling is just wow

[cainofdreaming]

I think I sort of see what your friend is thinking. Maybe. No claims to being able to read minds though. Books that do not sell are discontinued. Which really sucks if you've invested yourself emotionally.

I'm of the mind of enjoying myself while the going is good, even if the journey will eventually head over a cliff. But people are different, I guess.

[kamino_neko]

Yeah, I do kind of get that, but...a little bit of awesome is better than none, and every sale is a chance for it to, you know, not die.

It's a little bit annoying when it's simply 'that book's getting cancelled, why bother' (because it's awesome, that's why!), but it's really annoying when it's a preemptive dismissal - Some examples from recent attempts at conversations: 'A Knight and Squire - or better yet, DCU London - ongoing would be awesome.' 'Eh, wouldn't sell.'; 'I'm really looking forward to Mighty Crusaders.' 'They're not selling, it won't sell.'

[arilou_skiff]

I can sort of see not wanting to commit to a series you think is going to get cancelled just as soon as it gets good. (The worst part, of course, is that it is a self-fulfilling prophecy)