Is Comic fandom really comprable to being a Sports fan?

[Optimus_Prime_]

If the argument is about social acceptance and/or attracting women, then I'm confused. The average sports fan looks like Kevin James and the average comic nerd looks like Jesse Eisenberg. Neither of which I'd imagine drives the ladies wild lol.

Well if you looked like Kevin James and were a sports fan you'd probably be somewhat less of a social pariah if you were only obsessed with the Redskins as opposed to Star Trek. Also, is it really that sports fans look like Kevin James? Or that we're so fat as a nation that this was bound to be the case.

As someone who's an avid sports fan and a comic book fan, but like some of the folks said here, it's more commonly accepted to being a Sports fan.

Someone wearing a Yankees jersey is taken a little bit better than someone wearing a Spider-Man t-shirt.

I'd say Star Wars has begun to cross over into the inbetween. Somewhere inbetween Spider-Man and Sports. While wearing a Yoda shirt might be still a little weird, you can get away with a lot more. You can jokingly try a Jedi Mind trick on someone now and everyone will find it amusing.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Well if you looked like Kevin James and were a sports fan you'd probably be somewhat less of a social pariah if you were only obsessed with the Redskins as opposed to Star Trek. Also, is it really that sports fans look like Kevin James? Or that we're so fat as a nation that this was bound to be the case.

Kevin James was the first celebrity that sprung to mind when I thought of "that guy who used to be in shape/play a sport in college but then just started drinking beer while watching sports". Perhaps Favreau would be a better example.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

I'd say Battlestar Gallactica is the lowest fandom on the social totem poll. You weren't cool enough to like Star Wars, and apparently not smart enough to choose Star Trek, some instead you went after their ******ed love child. I feel sorry for BG fans, they're essentially giving up on life. Gobots fans too, that's got to be a horrible existence.

 

[roach]

i think its more acceptable to be a sports fan because its more engrained into our culture...the whole world almost came to a stop over the superbowl...no one is going over to their buddies house to have a "Blackest Night" party.
Sure people line up to go see Batman at the movies but how many of them read the comics?
ESPN is a billion dollar company and all they do is follow sports.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

Like the original poster's friend, I also went to USC and am a fan of the Game*****. Small world!

I won't say his name, but the store is Captain's Comics in Charleston. It's a great store with an incredible selection and a knowledgeable staff, and he's basically the only one in town so that helps him immensely.

I'm not knocking any genre here. Just stating facts. This whole argument reminds me of the age old adage: The jock gets the girl; the book worm does not. It may not be right (to the book worm), but it is the way it is and always will be.

I've noticed Predator, Terminator and Alien effortlessly cross between the nerd and non-nerd crowds. You can be a complete non-nerd who spent his life playing Football and hunting deer with your bare hands and it's not weird at all to like Alien, Predator or Terminator despite them being Sci-Fi heavy franchises.

 

[SpideyVille]

It's funny because you have people like Shaq and Dwight Howard who are open Superman fans, and have brought a lot of publicity to the character to non comic book fans because they are widely popular and respected. However, if some random average Joe had a big Superman logo tattoo on his should like Shaq does, they would be considered to be somewhat of a geek or comic book nerd by the general population.

 

[Darthphere]

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[Optimus_Prime_]

It's funny because you have people like Shaq and Dwight Howard who are open Superman fans, and have brought a lot of publicity to the character to non comic book fans because they are widely popular and respected. However, if some random average Joe had a big Superman logo tattoo on his should like Shaq does, they would be considered to be somewhat of a geek or comic book nerd by the general population.

Jerry Seinfeld probably another good example of this. Huge Superman fan, featured him in every episode, and it wasn't considered nerdy. Although I'd say Superman has a lot more pop culture cred than your typical Superhero, considering he's the archatype for all of them (him and Batman).

 

[Darthphere]

Seinfeld not considered nerdy? Just look at the guy.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

Seinfeld not considered nerdy? Just look at the guy.

I always thought he had more of an average dude appeal. He doesn't really fit into any particular group.

 

[JStorm]

Yup. Fans are just fans.

Sure I understand one fandom may be a bit more "understood," a la a room covered in Boston Merchandise, oppose to Marvel, but it still stinks of fandom.

I'm both and don't get **** for any of it. I'll gladly walk into a Braves game with a Batman t-shirt on, or a Con with a Braves hat. . who gives a ****!



"What. . just because a guy reads comics, he can't start some ****!"

 

[Figs]

Kind of like how a comic fan complains about how a certain arc or book is written, and how their ideas would be much better than those of professional writers.

I don't think that's a fair comparison. While a lot of those fans might not be able to write as well as the professionals, the key thing is that anyone can pick up a pencil or use microsoft word and write. With sports, you have to be in shape and have a natural skill on an athletic level, that and size comes into play. In football, you have to take big hits, a guy my size(even if I started working out)could never do that. I would get destroyed.

I can see the similarities in your argument SuperFerret, I just don't think they're on the same level.

I also want to point out, in regards to my previous posts, that I'm a casual sports fan and I'm not meaning to talk **** about sports fans in general. I'm just saying that the double standard needs to go.

 

[SuperFerret]

I take offense to the notion that playground games played by adults are more difficult to do than writing, an age old art form.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

In football, you have to take big hits, a guy my size(even if I started working out)could never do that. I would get destroyed.

I've never seen you but I'd bet money that you're bigger than DeSean Jackson of the Eagles. You can play the footyball if you want to. Chase your dreams!

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

I take offense to the notion that playground games played by adults are more difficult to do than writing, an age old art form.

Yeah, I agree. I can write well. I'm not sure how I stack up against a professional, but I know many, many people who are beyond abysmal at it.

 

[JStorm]

Yeah. . . did I read that correctly?

Any nerd can write, but anyone with an ounce of athleticism - unless a Pro - can not hold his or her own on a ball field, respectively?

So a guy that played in high school, and wasn't quite good enough to play in a Div-A college, years later couldn't hack in - just HACK IT - on the field with some other guys?

But a nerd who wrote fan-fic in his mamma's basement, could up and write the next kick-ass comic-movie?

I really feel like I'm way off, but that is how I'm taking the last few posts.

 

[BlackLantern]

its just a cultural things....sports are more socially accceptable

Im both a sports fan and a comic fan, a friend of mine is a HUGE comic fan and absolutely HATES sports

 

[BlackLantern]

I don't think that's a fair comparison. While a lot of those fans might not be able to write as well as the professionals, the key thing is that anyone can pick up a pencil or use microsoft word and write. With sports, you have to be in shape and have a natural skill on an athletic level, that and size comes into play. In football, you have to take big hits, a guy my size(even if I started working out)could never do that. I would get destroyed.

I can see the similarities in your argument SuperFerret, I just don't think they're on the same level.

I also want to point out, in regards to my previous posts, that I'm a casual sports fan and I'm not meaning to talk **** about sports fans in general. I'm just saying that the double standard needs to go.

good luck with that

 

[amazingfantasy15]

There is a definitely difference between sports fans and comic fans. Sports is a social activity more than anything, comics are a solo activity. You'll never see 50,000-100,000 people sit down together to read a comic book. However, you can almost always find that at a sporting event. Sure there are the people way too obsessed with sports, but more than anything the social aspect is what differentiates sports and comics.

 

[BlackLantern]

There is a definitely difference between sports fans and comic fans. Sports is a social activity more than anything, comics are a solo activity. You'll never see 50,000-100,000 people sit down together to read a comic book. However, you can almost always find that at a sporting event. Sure there are the people way too obsessed with sports, but more than anything the social aspect is what differentiates sports and comics.

yup

not to poo poo the business acheivements of Marvel and DC, but each major sports league NHL, NFL, MLB, the NBA...are all these massive businesses, managing all these different clubs and merchandising and tv rights and etc

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

Also whether you look like Kevin James or Kevin Hart sports is something you can do, can learn, and can replicate the acheivements of others. Comic fans have no such outlet. Comics and Sci-Fi is, as of yet, not an activity.

 

[Figs]

I've never seen you but I'd bet money that you're bigger than DeSean Jackson of the Eagles. You can play the footyball if you want to. Chase your dreams!

t:

How big is this guy you're referring to?

Yeah. . . did I read that correctly?

Any nerd can write, but anyone with an ounce of athleticism - unless a Pro - can not hold his or her own on a ball field, respectively?

So a guy that played in high school, and wasn't quite good enough to play in a Div-A college, years later couldn't hack in - just HACK IT - on the field with some other guys?

But a nerd who wrote fan-fic in his mamma's basement, could up and write the next kick-ass comic-movie?

I really feel like I'm way off, but that is how I'm taking the last few posts.

No, I'm not talking about people who tried out for sports and might be able to hold their own, or have some athleticism. I was talking about people that have no place on the football field for example. Someone really small that can't play due to getting seriously injured right off the bat. They can choose to play but it would be a slaughter.

I also wasn't saying that any nerd can write the next great thing. I guess my comparison is a bit confusing or a bit off.

 

[BlackLantern]

but every fandom has those types though....how many wanna be writers do fan fic but then throw a hissy when a professional critiques their work??

I personally think that athletes can handle criticism a lot better than the other side can, because its part of the culture

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

I think the main difference with sports is that with sports, you need good healthy rivalry between certain teams to make it a lot more fun.
Over here there is Celtic and Rangers, but that is a very unhealthy rivalry, as the basis of it is in the Catholic/Prodestant(sic, i am Catholic) divide.
Up until about twenty years ago Rangers *never* signed any player that was Catholic as a point of policy, that is how bad it was.

But, if you have teams that have an inbuilt rivalry, it makes the games far more exciting and the rush of the win is not comparable to that of beating any other team.

I am not into watching sports these days, but when I was growing up everyone around me was into football, so i ended up watching(and playing)a lot of football games. So I ended up going to quite a lot of Celtic games in my childhood. When I started watching a game, i would get into it, and it is fun being at a big sports game, so i recall what that feeling is like. But, do I switch on the tv now to watch games, no, lol. edit: and after reading E-Man's post after mine, maybe that is just because of that particular sport, I mean, i have read jokes that Americans make about 'soccer', as in, you can sit for ages bored out of your skull cause there is no scoring going on, and it is true, some games are great to watch, but they can easily get boring when the players are playing it safe. So maybe I would be a fan of indoor synchronised swimming, bowling, American Football, baseball, hockey, basketball, who knows, i have never watched them. Although i did used to really enjoy playing World Series baseball on my old Spectrum.

With comic books you don't need that kind of rivalry at all, i never understood any kind of DC fans/Marvel fans divide, to me a cb/sh is a cb/sh, I don't care who publishes it, I'm only interested in the character.

I guess a similarity is that writers and artists change on the books, and even if they go through changes the fans don't like, a lot of them will stay loyal to the character. Same as with sports teams, when they go through management and player changes the fans don't always like, they will stick with the team they grew up with(or however they got into the team). I think that is how most people get into teams right? Your family was already into that team, so you grow into it, or they are the most local team, or sometimes a religion thing is interconnected to the team.

 

[E-Man]

I'm a fan of both. Both have obsessed fans just like anything else. Sports is more acceptable because it's more popular. It's just simple as that. For whatever reason people will be more into sports than comics. It's probably because of the live aspect of it. When the game or fight is on you're watching everything unfold in front of your eyes. With comics I don't get the same thing, but I still love them.

What I find funny is people on both sides talking down to the other side. Sports fans call comic fans nerds, and comic fans call sports fans Philistines and all that jazz. It's stupid to outright hate one or the other because they're all not the same. There are tons of sports out there, and everyone would probably like at least one if they gave it a chance. Same thing with comics. Even if you don't like superheroes there are other genres to read. Both comics and sports have great moments to enjoy. I loved seeing Black Panther one shot Mephisto and I loved seeing Dez Bryant play Superman during that Giants game in the endzone. If you can't appreciate both you gotta expand your horizons.