Fandomization: IT , a similar story
So I’ve talked about fandomization several times on this account, it’s still pretty prevalent and ive now seen some other people calling attention towards it…. In ways that miss the mark. They’re right there. Right on the issue. But then call it something other than what it really is. Blaming some other factor of fandom. Basically I’m here to ramble again so sit tight
Let me take you back to 2017-
The IT remake is at its absolute peak. Content is being pumped out every few minutes. Fanart, fics, little analytical pieces on clothing , scares etc! It’s great… but as months go on… it’s a very similar picture. Fandomization settles in. Characters are reduced to tropes and singular personality traits. Ideas and fears are gone in place of high school AUs set in the modern day. One ship rules them all and if you even dare to think you’d get content about anyone else? I pity you.
A similar thing happened with Stranger things. It was also brand spanking new at the time and set in the 80s the same way. I think it’d be season 2 or at least filming it. Same situation of deteriorating. there was not a singular ship to rule them all… there was two and they are still fuckinh fighting to this day. However with it also being set in the 80s there was crossovers with IT…. Without taking into account that It takes place in 1989 and season one and two of stranger things is 1983-84 …. Guys the IT kids are like Holly’s age.
What are we seeing with the black phone? Starts out same. Fanart, fanfics, analytical content, gifs, screaming and fanning over characters and background details, soon? Characters slowly Start getting reduced … content becomes a X reader only, one ship immerges on top. However Black phone is unique because it’s without a doubt the first time I saw it almost exclusively x reader and not have at least a few ships more popular than that.
Same with IT and stranger things there’s a LOT of sexualisation of the underage cast, either by adults are kids the same age… which, is different but not all the much better. Point is. Circle
Here’s something… back in 2017 a good majority of us were kids! I know I was making wildly ooc stuff trying to keep up with my friends in the space no matter how frustrated I was with bad characterization (Richie is still fighting to this day rip fam). It’s understandable, and for me to judge a bunch of us when we were 13-16 wouldn’t be fair? I feel like the same is sort of similar with the black phone, it makes sense the kids are around the same age 13. I get it
As Much as I can understand it doesn’t mean I can’t be annoyed a bit. The issue is that’s all their is. Analysis, gif sets, background detail posts, none x reader fics are …. Almost non existant now. All the other content that I like to engage in now and did back then is just.. a drop in a huge sea. And if your like me and you complain a little bit but then don’t make the content you want to see? Cmon now….
Confronting bad criticism-
Going to keep this Anonymous and vauge as this is not a call out! It’s more a look at fandom cycles as a whole. But this is me looking at and addressing that criticism I was talking about at the beginning so close but so far. basically It was talking about the “It-ification” of the black phone fandom. Which, I agree with…. But then said “by making into a gay rom com” and compared Brance to reddie - sit down we have a lot to unpack.
1.) The problem was never Reddie as a ship in itself. It makes sense and it’s sort of backed by every version of IT.
The problem was the fandom wide characterization. It’s when they become so universally ooc that it might as well be ocs. This is the “owo softboy” and “edgy talkative bad boy” thing comes from. It’s the oocness AND the fact that was all there was. Soon there was nothing for anyone else in the movie- if there was they were in the background or a mouth to talk to in relation to Reddie. It was rare to just see something of all the kids hanging out and being kids.
2.) Brance is not remotely comparable
The number one criteria Is that it has to have taken over everything. It has to be all there is. It has to meet that certain level of almost fandom wide ooc characterization. Brance just… doesn’t. Hell it’s relatively popular but again it’s a small drop in the sea to X reader or Rinney. If we are going to compare anything it’s Rinney. I can already see hints of them doing the “Finn is a soft owo boy” robins the “bad boy” thing… but the black phone is a unique case that comes with a lot of modern horror in that most actual character content goes to the wayside for X reader.
3.)softer content not automatically bad
Now I hope you can see where I’m going with this If you sat here long enough. None of this stuff is automatically bad or a problem but it becomes so if that’s all there is. I can’t blame kids for writing something fluffy and more care free about characters they love, but at the same time… hey it won’t kill anyone to have some dark and more serious content about a movie that’s like 90% dark and serious. You know? Like I 100% get where the criticism is coming from… I didn’t enjoy fandom being 99% fluff piece for one ship either but “gay rom com”?? Idk something doesn’t fit right with me with that wording.
So stated again before but back to my whole point. The problem isn’t x reader or ooc characters but that it’s the only thing out there! Kids and younger fans should be able to go as wild as they want, I or anyone else shouldn’t dictate how they relate to the movie or just have fun but it becomes annoying and a problem when there’s nothing else. When there’s not a lot of in character, non x reader , fics , art, analysis , rambling etc for there to be a balance.
There’s no balance! Is that I’m saying. This isn’t to say there’s not other stuff out there but there’s more people with the complaint then actually making that other content! I can’t work alone I’ve said this a million times, make what you want to see and we can have a wide array of content and stuff to engage with and everyone’s happy.
I have nothing against x reader fans or people who like x reader but I’ve just never been a fan. It’s awkward to me and I’ve never had a thing for a character in that way and when it’s the only content out there? Well I get really annoyed and sort of paint a broad brush/pin issues. I’m sorry, it’s nothing personal but I want to talk about horror movies every once and awhile and not just that? You know? Idk
