The internet has enabled greater discussion among fan groups, closer ties between creators and fans, and made it much easier for like-minded people to gather and discuss their opinions. Specialty fan communities that analyze comics through a particular lens have been established.
Several sites and social media users have focused on females in comics and fandom. The tumblr for DC Women Kicking Ass describes itself as a place for, "Thoughts, pictures, reviews and other stuff about the women in comics who kick ass This is a feminist site. Deal with it." The Mary Sue has a similar focus, but covers geek culture at large, including movies, video games, comics, and novels.
It feels like main-stream comics have become more diverse, both in terms of characters and creators. I'd like to have concrete numbers to back this up, and I'm searching for them, but they aren't the easiest to find. It seems that I'm not alone in this feeling, as several groups have formed to counter what they see as negative changes to the media that they love.
#comicsgate is one such movement, and Inverse explains some of the history behind the group ,although from an outsider or disapproving perspective, and describes the group, "Comicsgate, meanwhile, seems to just want less diversity, both in characters and creators, in an attempt to save comics and keep the medium white, male, and familiar." The Angry Gamer, in an approving article, believes the group's goal is "to bring awareness to the comic book industry at large and the casual comic book reader how the comic book industry has become enveloped in regressive politics." The main activity of members using the hashtag on twitter appears to be sharing a list of creators who should be boycotted by comicgate members. There does not appear to be lots of discussion as to how this will improve the comics industry beyond removing 'SJW' influence.
Another group that encouraged slate voting, though not by direct purchase but rather by voting in a literary award, the hugos, was called the 'sad puppies'. Slate and The Guardian covered the campaign, by both the 'sad puppies' and the 'rabbit puppies', which aimed to counter what they saw as decrease in 'traditional' sci-fi and fantasy stories in favor of stories that featured more diverse characters, stories, or social commentary. Among the titles the group succeeded in nominating for the prestigious Hugo Award was ' SJWs Always Lie'.
As the conversation between comic fans has turned to issues of representation, diversity, and sexism, sub-groups that see these conversations as part of a broader 'political' conversation or as a front in some kind of 'cultural war' have formed. As members of these groups begin to form rivalries and per-conceived notions of the other group, 'othering' as occurred and civil discussions have become more difficult. Moderators of the main sub-reddit for comic book discussion /r/comicbooks have banned harassment and intolerance campaigns like 'comicgate'.
Several sites and social media users have focused on females in comics and fandom. The tumblr for DC Women Kicking Ass describes itself as a place for, "Thoughts, pictures, reviews and other stuff about the women in comics who kick ass This is a feminist site. Deal with it." The Mary Sue has a similar focus, but covers geek culture at large, including movies, video games, comics, and novels.
It feels like main-stream comics have become more diverse, both in terms of characters and creators. I'd like to have concrete numbers to back this up, and I'm searching for them, but they aren't the easiest to find. It seems that I'm not alone in this feeling, as several groups have formed to counter what they see as negative changes to the media that they love.
#comicsgate is one such movement, and Inverse explains some of the history behind the group ,although from an outsider or disapproving perspective, and describes the group, "Comicsgate, meanwhile, seems to just want less diversity, both in characters and creators, in an attempt to save comics and keep the medium white, male, and familiar." The Angry Gamer, in an approving article, believes the group's goal is "to bring awareness to the comic book industry at large and the casual comic book reader how the comic book industry has become enveloped in regressive politics." The main activity of members using the hashtag on twitter appears to be sharing a list of creators who should be boycotted by comicgate members. There does not appear to be lots of discussion as to how this will improve the comics industry beyond removing 'SJW' influence.
Another group that encouraged slate voting, though not by direct purchase but rather by voting in a literary award, the hugos, was called the 'sad puppies'. Slate and The Guardian covered the campaign, by both the 'sad puppies' and the 'rabbit puppies', which aimed to counter what they saw as decrease in 'traditional' sci-fi and fantasy stories in favor of stories that featured more diverse characters, stories, or social commentary. Among the titles the group succeeded in nominating for the prestigious Hugo Award was ' SJWs Always Lie'.
As the conversation between comic fans has turned to issues of representation, diversity, and sexism, sub-groups that see these conversations as part of a broader 'political' conversation or as a front in some kind of 'cultural war' have formed. As members of these groups begin to form rivalries and per-conceived notions of the other group, 'othering' as occurred and civil discussions have become more difficult. Moderators of the main sub-reddit for comic book discussion /r/comicbooks have banned harassment and intolerance campaigns like 'comicgate'.
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