With the release of every geek product, let’s say the new Marvel/DC movie, the new superhero videogame, or the latest issue #1 of a fan-favorite character, come the comments, the reviews, and the opinions. These can range from really positive to really negative. Regarding the latter, there are times when readers forget that creators are working their assess off behind each product and can be rude towards them, even without intention. They also disrespect their fans, the people enjoying this new content and sharing their love on social media. I don’t think freedom of speech should be limited, but it is often used as an excuse to be an asshole. Which is not Ok. This is a vast topic so on this occasion I will focus on opinions.
This reflection comes from seeing people on social media share their ranking of the Marvel movies considering the latest series or movie, and other people coming and pointing out their “mistakes” or questioning their choices in a confrontational way. Besides their rudeness or how they don’t understand that just because someone posts something doesn’t give you the right to demand answers, let’s focus on what they're saying. For a second, imagine a world where everyone was respectful on social media. These people are saying: Dear Sir/Madam, I regret to inform you that your opinion is wrong.
Nowadays every opinion is controversial, and every opinion needs to be backed by hard facts and research. I understand and agree with this on politics, health, economics, or science. But why do we need this in the arts? Or in the entertainment industry? Why do we need to back up an opinion on what MCU movie is better or who is the best writer of a character in comics?
Why are you a fan of […]? Why do you like A more than B, if B is clearly better? I hate this kind of questions. Because liking or being a fan of something doesn’t require an explanation. You can give one if you have one, but you may also skip it and your opinion should be as valid.
I’m obviously not talking about facts. I’m not saying that if something happened in a movie you could say it didn’t happen because you don’t like it. There are professionals who study Film, TV, Music, among others, so they can talk objectively about the arts. Currently, there are so many resources online that it is easy for us to read, investigate, and inform ourselves. Unfortunately, this has caused some people to rely on facts to mold their opinions. This is not wrong, but it is not the only way to like something. Absolutes like box office, years of experience, units sold, review scores, etc. are valid measurements but are not the only way to go when assessing the quality of a product.
I don’t think it is possible to say something is Good or Bad on every level. For example, talking about comics, you can set parameters and evaluate them, which is what pros do, but these do not need to be criteria like plot, writing, characterization, art style, or impact on society. They can be as simple as: I think X comic is better than Y comic because it made me happier when reading it. This is the beauty of arts and entertainment. This is what being a fan is.
I would like to present an example of this from sports. I like football (soccer) and I have a favorite team in Peru. I am a fan of this team. Do they win all the time? No. Do they play well? Not every game. Peru isn’t even a football (soccer) powerhouse in the region so the teams here are below average. But every Sunday I sit for 1.5-2 hours to watch them play. Why am I a fan? I couldn’t tell you. I couldn’t write an article on why this team is better than the rest or why you should like it too. I just know seeing them play makes me happy and I like being happy. That is all that should matter.
Continuing with my example, if you are a fan of the team that always wins, are you a fan of them or of winning? What happens when they stop winning? Do you switch teams? If you do, were you really a fan? Depends on you . That’s the whole point. The only person that knows if you are a fan of something is yourself. You do not need to prove your fandom to anyone. No one should make you question your good taste.
Nevertheless, if you base your taste on critics, statistics, or other people’s opinions, you may start to lose yourself, lose your identity. You become pieces of everyone else taste in movies, music, comics, and more. So it is okay to be a fan just because a movie is at the top of the box office, just be sure to appreciate the art for what it is, what it transmits to you, rather than the numbers it generates or the influencers telling you how good or bad it is.
My favorite Marvel character is Captain America. I know you know better than to demand a rational and informed explanation on why this character is better than everyone else, and therefore my favorite, but to test you I will give you 3 reasons why I like the character and you need to tell me which one makes me a bigger fan:
1) He is the leader of the Avengers. He fights for what he believes in, independently of any government or authority. He fights for the little guys, the ones that can’t fight for themselves. He is a (super)human respected by Gods. He is a great strategist and a great person. Overall, I consider this character an inspiration.
2) I like he uses a shield to fight instead of an “aggressive” weapon. It shows he isn’t looking for a fight but he is ready for one, as we all should.
3) Captain America and the Winter Soldier is my favorite MCU movie.
The answer is: they are equally valid.
Bonus questions: Am I American? No. Am I a part of any military force? No. Have I read ALL of the Captain America comics? No. Do I believe the Captain America trilogy is the best trilogy ever? No. Does any of this make me any less of a Cap fan? No. The beautiful thing with fandoms is that we all share the same love for the character, or the movie, or the creators.
In conclusion, stop trying to measure and/or question people’s fandom. Stop trying to test whether someone is a big fan. Start welcoming everyone to the community and spread our love for comics/movies/TV shows. Opinions matter because they can inspire others to try the things you like, and they could be as happy as you are while enjoying said things. And please remember: it is Ok to dislike something but it is not Ok to judge someone for what they like.
Housekeeping!
Happy Thanksgiving! I wanted to share this post today as I feel it all comes down to being thankful for the great entertainment we are receiving as comic book fans! We are all a big community with the same passion and it is time to stop diminishing other people’s happiness with rude comments. Speaking of other people’s happiness, you can make me very happy by clicking the following button:
If you do, I would be very thankful!
I appreciate you, reader. See you next time. Go watch Hawkeye, it’s awesome.
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