Fandom

In class many people were introduced to Bronies. Bronies are male My Little Pony Super Fans. I learned about them last year while working as an Intern at Hasbro.

This fanatic loyalty is considered Fandom. Megafans coming together to celebrate everything connected to a brand. Some of these fans lives rotate around the brand.

My first experience with a fandom was the San Diego Comic Con in the 90's. There people were emerged in there favorite characters to the point of dressing up and or impersonating them. The floor was swamped with Science Fiction and Comic mega fans.

I personally have never been a die hard fan of any particular brand to the point of shaping my life around it.

I am a huge fan of Transformers, GI Joe, Dragon Ball Z, Aliens, and Predator just to name a few. I am currently striving toward a job working with Hasbro. It's fandom in a way since I will be shaping my life around a brand I have enjoyed since I was a child but this will be my job so I'm not sure it will count. Unless in my personal life I absorb myself as well.

Fandom is actually pretty cool. I went to see a Dragonball Z movie release in theatre last Summer. I was surprised because all of the audience watching with me were actively engaged into the characters on the screen. When watching a typical movie you might get a couple cheers in the theatre but this crowed was all in. They were there because of the characters they have invested time in connected with and cared about. That movie had a fandom following.

I am sure since I am working with Hasbro I will have more Fandom experiences in the future.