Showerthought: Are we gatekeeping comic fans too much these days?

I remember back in the 90s, if you liked Batman from the movies and picked up a comic, people were just happy you were reading. Now I see folks on forums saying you need to read 50 issues of lore before you can call yourself a fan. I used to welcome new readers without any conditions, but lately I find myself holding back when someone says they only watch the shows. Has the bar for being a 'real fan' moved too high? When did we start requiring a test to enjoy comics?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_sanchez81mo ago

Gatekeeping just pushes people to pirate back issues instead of buying new ones lol.

paulb981mo ago

Okay but have you ever thought about the free previews some publishers put out on their websites? I mean yeah gatekeeping is dumb for sure but sometimes newer readers don't even know they can check out a couple pages of a series before committing money. I remember when digital comics first started getting traction and some companies would drop one full issue a month for free just to get people interested. That kind of stuff actually helps more than yelling at someone for not knowing who Doctor Strange is. And the pirate thing you mentioned is real because if someone wants to get into a story they'll find a way one way or another. Maybe if more shops did those sample rack things like they used to in the 90s it might cut down on people turning to sketchy sites. Just a thought.