ISSUE NO. 1
fan WORLD T H E
Z I N E
"pretty little thing", they whisper.
as i carve
my
name
into their
backs
TABLE OF
contents 05
"i'll always belong, no matter where i go"
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take it from me
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a string of thank you's
is an insider's view to what fandoms there are and what being a fan really entails
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i think you heard wrong is a not-so-short list of common misconceptions people have about fangirls and fanboys
is the personal experience i've had throughout the years with friends within the fanworld
is an acknowledgement to all those who helped in the making of this amazing zine
AUTHOR'S NOTE Being a fan has been a fundamental part in my life. Ever since I was little, beginning with the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, going through One Direction and ending up with Marvel. And that’s just naming a few. Having an idol whilst growing up is something that helps you shape who you are and how you act, too. Being in a fandom has allowed me to do so many things such as practicing my English, getting to know myself a little better and the most important by far, making everlasting friendships.
My idols have varied, from real people to fictional characters, but they have all thought me valuable things. And I’ve decided to share a little bit of fandoms with all of you, dear readers. While this zine was born as a school assignment, it slowly built up and ended up being made out of love. I hope you enjoy this little ride throughout the three sections of this zine and that you get to learn something new too. Have a nice one and keep being great!
WHAT'S ON THE
menu?
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about about In case you hadn’t noticed, this zine’s section is called ‘What’s on the menu?’ and, as the title says, it will give you a little taste to what fandoms there are. You can literally be a fan of anything you want. However, the most common ones are music artists, actors and actresses and fictional worlds. This does not mean that those are the only “valid” and existent fandoms. I’ll give you a quick tour through the fandoms I’ve heard of, but please keep in mind they are not all of them. It is up to you to keep exploring this wonderful world! Okay, beginning with the basics: music. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard about several fan bases of different musicians throughout the world. From Ariana Grande to BTS, you can be a fan of every single musician in history! You can be a fan of Queen as much as you are a fan of George Ezra, there’s no limit. A few fan bases have specific names for their fans, too. For example, One Direction’s fans are “directioners” and Taylor Swift’s are “swifties”. Now, actors and actresses! The same rules apply here as in music. You can be a fan of any actor or actress. From Robert Downey Jr to Karla Souza, from Chadwick Boseman to Scarlett Johansson… anyone can be your idol! And coming up next, fictional worlds! This is quite tricky since it has several subdivisions. I’ll stick to the principal ones, according to me. First up, books. You get to choose from the widest array of options and genres: mystery, romance, science fiction… you name it! From books like The Selection trilogy to The Shadowhunters series, the characters written there often make readers wish they could insert themselves in the storyline or wish for them to be real. Now, following the printed category come comics. DC or Marvel, even Archie comics, it doesn’t matter. What captures us are the characters that lay within and that you can relate to. From Carol Danvers to Diana Prince, you get to pick those who you love the most! Oh, and you can also be a fan of the author, extra points if you do, I guess. And now, lastly but not least, we get involved in the series or cinematic universes. While some are based off comics or books, like the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) or The Umbrella Academy series, some are also original stories brought to the big or small screen. Series like Grey’s Anatomy and Gilmore Girls, between many more, fall in the latter.
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There sure is a lot more to explore but I’ll leave you to it! Keep on reading.
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A least known fan base is those of musicals. While some do fall in the category of ‘fictional worlds’, a few musicals are based off true events, which is the case of Hamilton. Many others have actually been turned into a movie (like Shrek) or vice versa (like Legally Blonde and Mean Girls). Whilst underrated, it is definitely worth taking a quick look to what musicals offer, since they usually mix different genres together and they’re a delight to watch live.
"i'll always belong, n Even though the title 'professional fangirl' is not a thing yet, my dear friend Aubrey checks all the requirements for it. Dedicated, passionate and with a loving soul, she is the epitome of what one considers to be a fan. She jumbles her work, school and her fandoms with unprecedented skill and not only that, she also takes the time to write fanfiction every now and then. I was lucky enough to get some valuable minutes with her in a more serious environment, contrary to what we're both used to. She is one of my best online friends and I'd reckon my life wouldn't be as bright as it is now without her. She is a true queen and make sure you check out her blog on Tumblr, too. You can find her as @tommyparkerr. So, you’re a book and Marvel fan, mostly, right? Tell me, how did you get involved in those fandoms?
I’ve been watching Marvel since I was about 7 years old, and as I’ve grown I’ve gotten more access to the internet and have been exposed to the fandom through both accidental stumblings and social media sites such as Tumblr! And what about the books? How did you find out about them?
For the books, I was trying to find a copy of the last book of a series online and I accidentally stumbled upon a fan fiction of a version of what the third book could’ve been like, and I ended up reading that all the way through and actually making friends with the author, and from there I started exploring the site more, which was fanfiction.net, and explored different sites I could go to for fan fiction!
"It gives yo go when y escape Wars
That’s great! And now, besides the fandoms you belong to, of what others have you heard of?
The Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Lord of The Rings, and Star fandoms are the biggest ones I’ve heard of and know exist!
And from both, the fandoms you belong to and know of, which one do you consider to be the craziest? fanworld
That’s such a hard question Genny, oh my gosh! (Laughs). I mean, Marvel can get pretty crazy from time to time but I don’t think it’s the craziest... honestly, I think that the Doctor Who and Supernatural, sorry I forgot to mention that one before, fandoms are crazy 24/7.
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no matter where i go" Haha, sorry not sorry! What is or has been the best thing about being in your fandoms?
The sense of belonging and connection I make with people! I’ve made one of my best friends from being in my fandom and several other friendships, and they’re honestly a lot stronger than a lot of my friendships in real life! It gives you a place to go to when you want to escape reality, and very rarely do you face hate, and if you do it’s easy to avoid, unlike in real life. It’s just super cool how how thousands thousands andand thousands thousands of people of people can come can come together, together, take new takepeople new innpeople people in, and accept them for who they are, no questions asked. That was long, sorry. (Chuckles). No worries at all! What has been your best experience through fandoms?
Making new friends and knowing I’ll always belong somewhere no matter where I go.
And what is something you dislike about fandoms?
Sometimes people face random hate for no good reason, and if they share don’t it, then it can tear that person down until they leave the fandom to escape the negativity. Have you ever had a bad experience like those ones or something similar? similar? something
I personally have not, but I’ve had friends who have and I know it hurts.
u a place to ou want to What advice do you have to others about getting into reality." a fandom? a fandom?
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Thank you very much, Aubrey!
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If you’re holding back because you feel like it’s a ‘nerd’ thing to do or you’re you're going to be forced to carry a title of ‘fangirl’ or ‘fanboy’, don’t let that stop you! Your fandom will love to have you, and it’s okay to even be a part of multiple ones! Don’t let what other people may think, or the potential of maybe receiving hate someday, stop you from joining!
... diary DEAR
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about about And, also in case you didn’t notice, this zine’s section is called ‘Dear diary…’, and as the title says, it’ll talk about life in the fandom. Fan-life is made up of several things. All of them with the prefix ‘fan’ added to them, maybe breaking some orthographic rules but, who cares? There are four main pillars in the life of a fan and they are:
Fan-accounts. How do you fangirl (or fanboy) about your celebrity crushes? Where do you let out all of your thoughts and share more stuff about your favourite characters? Well, you do so in a fan-account! Fan-accounts are accounts (you don’t say) dedicated to a single fandom, person or to several fandoms (commonly known as multifandom). You can find these in all social medias, I promise. From Tumblr to Pinterest, we fans are all out there. Fanfiction. Now this is the backbone of every single fandom. Without fanfiction, fandoms wouldn’t be as huge as they probably are. While some lack writing content, the biggest ones certainly don’t. From reader inserts to original characters, we take canon (what actually happens in the story line) and turn it into whatever our heart wants, aka fanon. Avengers: Endgame? Don’t know her. Fanart. Just right after fanfiction, fanart is also a force to be reckoned within the fandom world. Artists creating new versions of characters, based off prompts or just their imagination. Fanart doesn’t just stick to drawing and painting, either manually or digitally. GIF making and edit/manip making is also an art. The short clips that last a few seconds take quite long to make and the edits you also see aren’t made in just 5 minutes. All forms of art are welcome, but I reckon writing and art deserve their own categories. Fan-friends. The great people you meet along the way. Those who share your likings, who understand how passionate you are about something or someone. Relationships stronger than adamantium and vibranium, created by a mutual interest. People who unite through a fandom and that stand up against something that’s wrong. A community.
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I could honestly go on for days about how wonderful fan-life is, the pros and cons, my experiences and so on. But, it’s best if you experience it first hand. So, what are you waiting for? It doesn’t matter if you’re 13 or 30, fandom will welcome you. As long as you’re respectful, of course. Go ahead! Explore.
I THINK
YOU HEAR For the longest of times, fan-people have lived behind a wall full of misjudgements and misconceptions alienating them from others who don't seem to understand what being a fan is. In these two pages you'll get to learn eight common misconceptions about fangirls and fanboys and the truth behind them.
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Obsessive and crazy stalkers.
Yes, we might have the HQ photos of a certain celebrity minutes after they have arrived to a destination, but that does not mean we track every single move they make. We do know when their birthday is because we’d like to send a felicitation, not so that we can make conjectures about their zodiac sign and see if they’re compatible with us.
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Young teens, always.
While there are some fans in the younger spectrum, that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones! I personally am a high school senior and I’ve met people who have already finished college, that have kids and that are even getting married! We’re not just a bunch of 12 or 13 year-olds, fandoms cover a huge range of ages.
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Strict policy: only fangirl/boy about the people we’re attracted to.
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This was addressed in the first section of this zine, so now what I can say is that you can be a fan of several things! It’s not only about a celebrity’s looks, what they wear, their character, etc., it’s about who we think they are. Careful there, though! Since we don’t actually know them and we only see what they want us to see.
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Oh, so you’re a fanboy? Then you are feminine and weak.
First of all, what’s wrong with being feminine? And secondly, what’s your definition of feminine? Boys are allowed to get excited over stuff! They are human beings and therefore, they have feelings. LET. THEM. FEEL. And if showing emotions and actively make known their likings is a sign of weakness, well then there is no one “strong” amongst the billions of people in the world.
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RD WRONG
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Screams. Screams. Screams.
Personally, I still wonder how people can scream that loudly and so high-pitched. I can raise my voice, yes, but not like that! And we don’t spend all of our time screaming, can you imagine the damage our vocal chords would have? Contrary to our constant use of caps lock, we speak as your average person. Loud and clear, but not overbearing.
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This is a girl-only activity, you can't go through.
Hey, you! Yes, you, that boy over there in the middle of a sea of fangirls. I see you! Opposed to what many people think, boys are actually a part of fandoms and they have made huge contributions to them. Ever heard of “The Adventurous Adventures of One Direction”? Yep, that was created by a boy. I actually know a few and they are pretty awesome.
We take things way too personally.
We do respect celebrities privacy! Even more so when they explicitly say so! There might be a few exceptions to this particular point, but most of us actually care about whoever we look up to. We have their wellbeing on top of our lists and we’d do anything to make sure they’re okay. Obviously, with the highest respect and kindness we can muster.
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Boundaries? What are those?
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More often than not, we’re seen as snotty people who, if you even dare to think wrongly of something or someone, will come for your head. We usually are pretty chill, unless you directly attack some of our beliefs (or even creations) without any foundation. Then you’d better watch out, because we have friends who have our back covered.
THE
...
family YOU CHOOSE
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about about This last and final section, in case you just skipped the last page, is called ‘The family… you choose’. And it’ll briefly discuss online friendships, the good and the bad. While the little phrase I used is commonly used to describe really great friendships, I love it because it also applies to fandoms. Your fandom becomes your family, and you choose them. Then come your online friends and you get another family inside your family… it’s incredible. Friends come when you least expect it or when you need them the most. The most precious memories and interactions I’ve had in fandoms have been with my friends and when I’ve met them (aka, when I actually talked to them). On your left, you’ll see a little collage containing several messages some of my friends have sent me on Tumblr. Much to my dismay, I couldn’t add all the sweet things people have told me because it’d take so much more than just a page. I’ve found sisters, brothers and mother figures. I’ve found incredible people who have been through a lot and still treat everyone with kindness, even when theworld hasn’t been as gentle to them. And I’ve met people who backstabbed their so called friends in an instant. Fan-life, as I mentioned before, is not a fairy tale. But for me, it comes as close as it can. I won’t spoil you a lot, since it’s a path you must take to fully understand. Nevertheless, this section is for all those wonderful people all around the globe. To all those who are like me, who are the opposite or everything in between. For all those who overcome their anxiety, who learn healthier coping mechanisms and so much more through online friends.
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Thanks to all of my online friends I’ve met through the years. To Day and Mich, to The Lupin Litter™, to my Tumblr friends. To Bailey, Raj, Leah, Meta, Leea, Amanda. To my ma, Grey. To Summer, Kaili, Aubrey, Steph, Kai. Thank you all for being the inspiration behind this section. Thank you all for being so amazing.
TAKE IT
from me
The most effective way, from my experience, to make friends online is through social media. Fandoms blossom in them, some more than others, but they’re still there. I’ve made my strongest friendships through two main social medias: Wattpad and Tumblr. And it all began because I decided to be nice to someone! And I mean, it goes beyond just following people and liking their posts and works. You have to make the effort to actually interact with them and get to know them beyond what their blog or profile says about them. And it’s also a 1000x easier since you already have something in common! I’ve met tons of nice people throughout all the years I’ve been in fandoms and made beautiful friendships with them! And it’s so fun too, because you get to know a little bit more about a different culture, different customs and even ways of thinking. The friendships I’ve made have been amongst the best of my whole life and I couldn’t be happier to have met them. And they’ve all helped me grow into the person I am today, too! They have all taught me valuable lessons I wouldn’t have learnt without them. I’ve learnt to be resourceful, confident about my own work, sensitive and I've embraced my feelings too. I’ve learnt it’s okay not to be okay and that there are people out there 1000% ready to help you in any way they can.
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However, let’s face it. Not everything is a fairytale, sadly and contrary to a lot of fanfics, fandoms are not not an exception. I’ve met wonderful people through them, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t met not-so-nice people.
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Fake friends can also be found in the internet, and is a concern to most. I’ve been lucky enough to not have encountered that many of them, enough
but I have. Kindness and gentleness can only go so far. The person I’m talking about was a friend of mine, but as time passed by, they started showing their true colours. The chats we used to have were distant and I felt uncomfortable. Plus, we also had a group of friends in common and she started talking badly about them behind their backs. And when they were confronted about it, played the victim. The fandoms are filled with nice and not-so-nice people, and it’s up to you who you hang out with. So, here’s a little bit of advice from yours truly: Respect people!
This is the basics of the basics, but some people tend to f forget this. You're allowed to express your opinions and be yourself, but only as long as opinions you you respect others’ too! If you don’t like something, cut off ties with it immediately!
Nobody is forcing you to keep reading a fanfic that makes you uncomfortable, or to keep following someone whose views don’t match yours! Do yourself a favour and cut them off! It’ll be healthier for you and it has a lot to do with respect.
Be safe.
Share what you feel comfortable with and set your boundaries. Also related to both previous points, block or blacklist things you wouldn’t like to see. Make sure that relat and what those who you follow post don’t offend you and if they do, check point no. 2!!
Have fun and be nice!
The most important part about being in a fandom is having fun! Enjoying the content writers and artists make (and sharing it and giving them proper credit) is fundamental. And also, be nice! You don’t know what someone’s been through and maybe, sending them a short and nice message telling them you really enjoyed something they wrote, shared or did can really make a difference. All in all, make friends! They're awesome and support you no matter what. Don't hesitate, chat up! And always remember:
"a little kindness goes a long way."
This zine would not have been the way it is without the support and help from all these people.
I’d like to thank first to my instructor, Josh Walker, for being so understanding and helping me find out how I could structure this wonderful zine. Mr Walker, I’d be terribly lost without your advice and feedback. Thank you. Now, I’d like to thank my best friends. Ale, thank you for hearing me rant and knocking some sense into my head. For making me take a break when I got so frustrated nothing came out correctly and for helping me find some art too. For giving me your opinions in the content I made, too. Amanda, thank you for being so kind and asking me what you could help with. For being such a nice soul and also hearing my thoughts and reassuring me that what I came up with was good enough. Aubrey, for being my interviewee and bearing up with me. For also giving your opinions on how things looked. To all three of you, thank you for listening and being so awesome. I love you guys. I’d also like to thank my parents, whom without their support, I wouldn’t have even enrolled in this course. Dad, thank you for giving me insight and feedback so I could get better. Mum, thank you for making an effort to understand what I was working on, even though you barely grasped it. Thank you both. To all my amazing online friends, thank you all too. I’d name you all, but it’d be a never ending story. Thank you for spreading the word, helping me out when I needed, for encouraging me and for being the inspiration behind the third section of this zine. Thank you all, I hold you deep in my heart. And last but definitely not least, thanks to all the amazing artists who agreed to me using their works. Thank you for wishing me good luck and for being so understanding. You are all awesome and I admire you all. Here’s everyone who participated on this zine:
In the inside front cover, @art-pluto on Tumblr with the wonderful Natasha Romanoff art and @bigstarkenergy also on Tumblr with the gorgeous poem. In the ‘Dear diary…’ collage, @bakusquad-plus-ultra, @elenstar, @figuredineededalife, @guud-night, @lovethedanielhd, @maxyartwork, @sleepyoldchild, @thwiprose and @uglypastels on Tumblr and @frostel_ and @mediocreghost on Instagram. In the right side of this page, with a wonderful and tear-jerking comic, @lovethedanielhd on Tumblr. And in the back cover, @staryabosart on Tumblr with the Spiderman and MJ art. An FYI, too, the images used on the ‘What’s on the menu?’ collage were taken from the following Instagram accounts: @avengers, @beyonce ,@brielarson, @dovecameron, @ellefanning, @gameofthrones, @hazosterfield, @joelotruglio, @kjapa, @littlemix, @robertdowneyjr, @shawnmendes, @sussexroyal, @taylorswift, @teddysphotos, @tomholland2013 and @zendaya.
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thank you's
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A STRING OF
SUMMER 2019