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Honestly, comic con crowds flipped my view on 'real fan' tests
Ngl, I was all for quizzing newbies to see if they belonged. It felt like protecting our thing from casuals. Then I met a guy at a signing who only knew movies but bought his first graphic novel that day. His excitement was real, and I felt like a jerk. Now I think those tests just scare off potential fans. Should we keep standards high or open the doors wider? Let's debate.
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the_nathan6mo ago
Used to carry a list of trivia in my back pocket, ready to fire off questions. Felt like being a bouncer for the club. Then I realized every expert was a beginner once, and someone helped them. Now if someone's lost, I point them to a good starting comic or explain a confusing story arc. Building fans beats guarding the door every time.
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lisa_jones216mo ago
Used to be right there with you checking badges at the gate. Thought if someone couldn't name the first appearance of a side character they were just cosplaying as a fan. Saw that same genuine excitement you described from a kid in a store-bought costume and it hit me. Those gates we build just keep people out who might grow to love the stuff as much as we do. Who cares how they got here if they want to stay.
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