Bennett, Lucy. "Tracing Textual Poachers: Reflections on the Development of Fan Studies and Digital Fandom." The Journal of Fandom Studies 2.1 (2014): 1-7pg. Web.
Lucy Bennett introducing herself as a “Fan study scholar” writes a journal on the development of fan studies in a new digital age. Bennett uses author Henry Jenkins author of 1992 Textual Poachers throughout her work. She compares his text and the growth that fan studies has had since the book was released in 1992. She uses various themes in her analysis such as the connection between the social media, new aged technology, the fan, and the public figure. The main arguments are all analytically connected to communication, knowledge and organizational civic power which connects to our class during our presentations about how fans do outreach based on their fandoms.
The study begins with a quote from the book The Adoring Audience, fan culture and popular media the quote argues why the fan and its base is not taken seriously as research subjects and scholars if they are an obvious component of the public figure. It is per say how ¬¬anything can be distinguished as popular if it has no fan base. Arguments such as the fanbase is what creates popular culture arises in the introduction. The study identifies the problem as fans not being credible enough to be taken seriously academic wise. Bennett describes her stance, that fans are credible and have been more than ever with the growing of technology and social media.
The arrival of new technologies has pushed of fans to their limits per say. Bennet goes on to describe the components of new aged technology. Communication is the first factor. The internet and growing presence of public figures has grown within the decade since the release if Textual Poachers, with social media such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Fans have a more direct platform to public figures. Components such as hashtags has geared up a bigger conversation on social issues. The way that fans would communicate post social media era was probably through the post, or even chain email. Fans today can connect on social media without news or management filters. From communicating comes the constant advocating for the many forms of popular culture. Such as creativity where fans find themselves intertwining personal life interest to making art, videos, and maybe fan fiction. The last point was organizational and civic power. This is a topic of fan studies that we covered in class. What the fan takes from the popular culture medium and how they use it for good charitable causes. Some examples were the Harry Potter alliance, the Nerd fighters and even Ian Somerhaulder’s environmental and animal rights which my group personally presented in our class this year. The credibility behind the presence of the fan is continuously over looked. Fans should be under study for academic purposes. They have a reputable ¬cause and will continue in many different forms of popular culture. The method behind the study was the voice and opinion of fans. That their voice grows louder with social media and technology. Using Theoretical examples from social media to fan base helped support Bennett’s argument. This piece is extremely useful to introduce the growing credible fanbase of various forms of popular culture. ¬
Dan Vena. "Rereading Superman as a Trans F/man." Transformative Works and Cultures 25 (2017): Transformative Works and Cultures, 01 September 2017, Vol.25. Web.
Dan Vena wrote a study that reflects trans identities in comic and fan studies. In his personal narrative he writes about his personal connection in growing up a girl and relating to superheroes as a tomboy. He introduces the term transing. Whilst in transition many males in transition use comic books, or any other type of popular culture medium to guide them to understand male masculinity. The comics are used to explore gender dynamics within text.
Vena introduces the text with a quote from Jerry Seinfeld. “When men are growing up and reading about Batman, Spiderman, and Superman these are not fantasies, these are options.” In many comic book origins many superheroes begin developing into there formal characters. The “when did you know” or “when did it happen” is something as a trans male, vena can relate to. He connects these phrases to real lived experiences, it seems like a never-ending origin story. The theme here is identity. Trying to understand his identity in a cisnormative world is difficult. It is why as a comic book reader it helps the transition be easier. Vena as a fandom scholar knows that interpreting text is common within readers, so re-writing something more relatable is helpful.
Understanding the purpose behind a superhero is important. They are usually selfless individuals who conform to the current cultural values that society has placed upon them. Vena uses Superman as an example. Literally describing his physical form, the reader without reading can already assume that he is a normatively gendered individual. Many superheroes like him become the ideal man. The individual is then given masculine attributes to conform his physical identity. From this observation it can be assumed that anything opposing this identity Is considered weak. The trans reader normatively connects to the superhero as wanting a different identity. Many readers also have recollections of the times that the comics reflect a certain nostalgia and idea of lost boyhoods. The comics provide them with a portal to their childhood. The methology is simple, trying to find an identity while super heroes like Clark Kent are trying to find theirs.
This specific journal is a unique piece because Vena connects on a personal level to a comic book superhero. He describes the upbringing of superman on his quest and how it relates to trans individuals searching for their solid identity. This Journal is useful because it showcases yet another way that an individual can connect to comics and popular culture as a fan.
Winters, Sarah Fiona. "Streaming Scholarship: Using Fan Vids to Teach "Harry Potter"." Children's Literature in Education 45.3 (2013): 239-54. Web.
This Journal article is written by Sarah Fiona Winters, she is an associate professor in the department of English studies. In this particular journal Winters will argue about using videos to teach particular non-fiction literary texts. In her examples she uses J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter. In her research she uses four particular fan made videos to teach literary text. This way of teaching may question traditional teaching styles. This argument is in place for a bigger vision in the field of fandom studies.
Winters begins her argument that a visual aid is like a virtual essay that also states an argument that can be analyzed. Another theme of this can relate to fan fiction. One of the examples she uses is called Harry Potter, The partisan. She used the “camping section” from the Deathly Hallows to visually explain how Jewish partisans escaped the Nazis during world war two. The video was created by Winters herself. The song choice, and the video clips both made sense if you have Nazi persecution in mind, the similarities between both concepts made sense visually without having gruesome examples from the actual war. Winters was quick to use a song called, The partisan by Leonard Cohen. Winters used the lyrics and the visual aids to balance of each other. This video becomes an interesting parallel to the teachings of the Nazi regime.
Winters starts questioning the beneficial use for vids as an education purpose. She then defines certain objections. Number one being the legality of using fan made clips for educational purposes. The second objection is whether it's okay to skip traditional teaching and teach more innovatively. Winters argues that the fan made vids provide a “traditional task in an innovative medium” The third objection is the use of fan vids and why they don’t belong in an academic environment. Typically, fan made mediums are seen creative rather then analytical. That’s when the conversation on fandom studies grows. In the way that teachers can use fandom studies and mediums to teach something further than literary text. Winters states that fan made vids are pedagogical tools for teaching.
This piece is useful because Winters uses an innovative way to teach literary text that is set beyond traditional teaching. Fandom studies has always been a subject field. Vidding adds a whole new perspective on how deep fandom studies can get. The relevance of this piece also invites readers a different teaching method for generations to come. It can maybe make a topic more interesting to learn both visually and emotionally. When a viewer already understands a popular culture reference. A vid can potentially open a higher interest and question on the topic.
Bridget Kies. "The Ex-fan's Place in Fan Studies." Transformative Works and Cultures 28 (2018): Transformative Works and Cultures, 01 September 2018, Vol.28. Web.
In this particular journal, author Bridget Kies explains the trauma behind a fandom breakup. She explains how she stepped back from the show Supernatural and how it became an emotional, technological burden. She states that in the particular field of fan studies there is not much about becoming an ex fan. The problem that she states relates to technology, and things such as a changing cast, or a production change. Something that would make the viewer/fan less interested. The goal of the piece is to engage the fan studies major, student to understand what becoming an ex fan might look like.
The method used in this journal would be her personal experience. She explains the impact that the show supernatural had on her. It starts with her peaking as a fan. She was obsessed with the show, committing to it, writing fan fiction. Kies was in love with the show. She goes on to explain the technological shift that she wasn’t ready for. Being involved with Dream width, and Live Journal, Kies found herself not wanting to transition onto Tumblr, and other new social media sites. Disinterested she contemplated whether leaving her digital fan base would make her a non-fan. She didn’t delete her sites but decides to stop watching the show altogether. Everything becomes a nostalgic memory of the past now.
The explanation behind her experience helps the reader identify with her reaction to the fan changing. Analysis behind the change is acknowledged by many other fan studies professors. This piece is interesting because being part of a fan community we ultimately never think about what happens when we lose interest. Do we still think about the show, how it affected our character or possible behavior? This study is also useful since fan studies usually talk about flourishing groups of fans and outcomes of being a fan. Many people really don’t talk about the role of becoming an ex fan.