Episode 297 - fandoms

Nov 14, 2016

In this Quackcast we tackle the topic of fandom. Fandoms can be interesting, fun, helpful, fascinating, inspiring, or even bizarre and disturbing. Fandoms are frequently great resources for information about their subject and can really enrich your experience of whatever you're into. Fandoms are also a hotbed of creative energy- some of our most iconic literature was written by people who started out as ardent fans- even the great H.P. Lovecraft was part of a fandom of Gothic horror fiction along with fellow writers Robert Bloch, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert E. Howard. These highly influential writers were influenced by such greats as Arthur Machen, Robert W. Chambers, Edgar Allen Poe, and Lord Dunsany to name a few. And of course Lovecraft and his group went to to influence legions of fans who changed the face of 20th century pop culture. Looking at fandoms gives a cultural roadmap so we can follow influences, where ideas originated, how they changed, how pop-culture was created, and more importantly: they give us great clues about what other stuff we might like to read! No music this week I'm afraid. Mr Gunwallace is dealing with the fallout from a huge earthquake in his native New Zealand.

comment

anonymous?

Ozoneocean at 11:33PM, Nov. 15, 2016

Gunwallace is A-OK, but his house got "all shook up". He has given us TWO new themes for the next 2 casts. Fandoms can be amazing... they can also be horrible.

ejb at 6:09AM, Nov. 15, 2016

I was totally going to say, "It is, uh, interesting." But Banes beat me to it. Fandom can be a tricky thing, especially when fans feel an ownership, or at least stewardship, for the works they love. I hope Gunwallace is doing alright.


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