What are super-devoted fans of comic books really like? What draws them
together and energizes their zeal? What do the denizens of this
pop-culture world have in common?
This book provides good answers as it scrutinizes the fans whose
profiles can be traced at their conventions, in pages of fanzines, on
websites, in chat-rooms, on electronic bulletin boards, and before the
racks in comic-book stores. They are a singular breed, and an absorbing
interest in comic books (sometimes life-consuming) unites them.
Studies have shows that the clustering, die-hard disciples of Star
Trek have produced a unique culture. The same can be said of American
enthusiasts of comic books. These aficionados range from the
stereotypical "fanboy" who revels in the minute details of mainstream
superhero titles like X-Men to the more discriminating (and downright
snobbish) reader of idiosyncratic alternative comics like Eightball.
Literate comics like Watchman, Radioactiv