svgurl: (smallville: tom welling comic con)
I forgot I was doing this. Well, here's part 4 of [personal profile] maevedarcy's 72 Multifandom questions to ask a fangirl

Favorites and Preferences

1. Who is your favorite character or member within your fandom, and why?
When it comes to Smallville, well, Superman has always been my favorite hero and even SV Clark had my heart early on and then Lois once she showed up. I think as I got older, I somehow got more sympathetic towards him. He's so young and tried his best, even when he made mistakes. With the MCU, it's Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. Again, the "boy scout" characters tend to have my heart, especially when they're more complex than on paper. With my current fandom, 9-1-1, that would be Eddie Diaz. I was really drawn to him from the first episode he was in and he just kept growing on me. He's just fun and snarky and competent and such a good dad.

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2. What is your favorite installment, episode, or album from your fandom?
I do like the early seasons of Smallville, specifically 3, but even though it's wacky, for a long time, 4 was my favorite. Probably because it leaned into the really weird and I kinda enjoyed the cracky moments. I don't love the doom and gloom all the time. The first half of s8 was strong and then it weakened. 9 was my favorite after that.

I don't love the handling of SHIELD but CA: TWS is probably my favorite MCU movie.

Season 3 and season 4 are tied for my favorite 9-1-1 seasons.

3. Do you have a favorite quote, lyric, or saying from your fandom?
Clark's "I stand for truth, justice, and ... other stuff" does still make me laugh, because of the delivery.

Athena's voice over in the s2 finale of 9-1-1 (I miss the voice overs), specifically, "This is how we save ourselves, by saving each other, because nobody, not anybody, has ever been saved alone."

4. What’s your favorite fan-created content (art, music, video, story) related to your fandom?
Yeah, there's no chance I can narrow it down to one or even five for any fandom. :D

5. Who is your favorite pair or group within the fandom in terms of chemistry or dynamics?
I've always been drawn to Clois in most versions of Superman and Smallville wasn't an exception. I did start writing fic for Clark/Oliver, a ship that snuck up on me and then inspired me to join fandom because barely anyone else was writing them and I figured I would give it a shot. I love a bit of a push/pull dynamic with ships so Steve/Tony after The Avengers and Sam/Bucky post CACW. With 9-1-1, it's Buck/Eddie. I actually didn't expect to ship them when I started watching the show. As much as I like friends to lovers, the best friend ships rarely appeal to me and I tend to prefer them as just friends, and my brain can be a little contradictory in general when it comes to the juggernaut, but this one really stuck.

6. Do you have a preferred genre when it comes to fan fiction or fan works in your fandom?
Probably romance/drama. I like canon level action fics (can't handle anything too violent), and while I enjoy fluff, if it is longer than a couple of thousand words, I need some sort of plot.

7. What’s your favorite piece of lore or backstory within your fandom’s universe?
With Smallville, I've read that Lois's nickname for Clark (calling him "Smallville") was an accidental slip by Erica Durance and it just stuck, which I love. I also like that it was her idea to nix the kiss in 8.15 "Infamous" and to jump on Clark after the secret reveal in 10.05 'Isis'.

When it comes to 9-1-1, the fact that Ryan Guzman and Oliver Stark seemed to have a hand in naming "Buddie" is my favorite. I wasn't in the fandom/watching back then, but I found a screencap of an old post from the official 9-1-1 account asking people if they were on "Team Buck or Team Eddie". And I think Oliver Stark must've called them "Beddie" because RG's replied, correcting it to Buddie, and OStark agreed that they can go with that. So if that was the first showing of the ship name, that's pretty great.

8. Is there a particular scene, moment, or episode that always makes you emotional or excited?
With Smallville, Clark & Ryan always gets me emotional, especially in the hot air balloon moment. There are a ton of Clois moments I love, but one of my favorites will always be the Dunk Tank scene because Clark & Lois have such good chemistry already and it's just a few episodes in. Plus she is a pro at getting him to smile, even when he tries to be annoyed with her. Even Tom Welling had said that Lois brings out a different side of Clark. It's true, she does. The Piggy Bank conversation also gets to me because she understands him so well even without knowing his secret, and isn't afraid to be firm while being sympathetic at the same time (which is something I love about her). There was also a moment toward the end of 9.04 "Echo" with Clark & Oliver talking on the balcony and the way Clark told Oliver he still believed in him was so good, even if they handled Oliver's very real suicide attempt badly. s8 was such a rough go for their relationship and I was frustrated. To see them have a moment like this in s9 really gave me hope.

In 9-1-1, all the Tsunami scenes in early season 3 get to me, especially the one where Buck is explaining to Eddie that he lost Christopher. It's so painful to watch Buck try to explain and the resignation, moving on to grieving look on Eddie's face, before Chris is found. Of course Eddie telling Buck about his will remains a top moment too.

9. What’s your preferred platform for engaging with fellow fans and content (forums, social media, etc.)?
I've always preferred journal based sites, probably because I was mostly on fandom in the peak LJ days, so I still love Dreamwidth best, but I do like Tumblr for the gifs, and it is nice to chat on Discord from time to time, even if I can't really keep up with any of the servers.

10. Can you name a favorite moment when the community came together to support the fandom or a cause?
I've seen a lot of works created for a 9-1-1 for Gaza event but I can't say I know the origins, but that was awesome. I generally think it's great when fandom does that kind of thing. Whether it's the [personal profile] sunflower_auction or Marvel Trumps Hate or Fandom Trumps Hate.

11. What’s your favorite way to show your fandom pride (cosplay, apparel, tattoos, etc.)?
I don't know if I really have a way. I don't really go out searching for fandom merch, mostly because I know it will collect dust somewhere and I'm so bad about being organized already. The only time I actively went out for something was Tom Welling & Erica Durance were featured on the TV Guide cover. I still have that issue.

12. Who’s your favorite content creator, artist, or writer within the fandom, and what do you love about their work?
Fanfic is hard to narrow down, but I've enjoyed watching fanvids again once I got to 9-1-1/Buddie so a couple of vidders I like are:
[youtube.com profile] butchdiaz
[youtube.com profile] JuliGrisel
[youtube.com profile] akapotatogirl
svgurl: (bollywood: shahrukh looking back)
This is part 3 of [personal profile] maevedarcy's 72 Multifandom questions to ask a fangirl.

Experiences and Memories

1. What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had related to your fandom(s)?
I feel like everything in Smallville fandom has kinda blurred together. Maybe not a specific fandom, but in recent years, the excitement of running (well, co running) my first exchange was such a good feeling, as was the unexpected enthusiasm over Comment Bingo, when I finally got it up and running.

#2-12
2. Have you ever traveled to a location specifically because it was featured or related to your fandom(s)?
No. When I went to Vancouver though, I was excited when I realized I could recognize the top of the building that they used as Oliver's penthouse/Queen Tower in Smallville. I still remember a LJ friend made a list of places that they film at, and I left it on my laptop and forgot that I wasn't planning on taking it, so I couldn't use it. IDK how much my family would be all for my Smallville related tour of Vancouver but I could've tried to see a couple of spots. Oh well.

3. Can you share about a time when fandom helped you through a difficult period?
I don't know if there's a specific time, but fandom has always felt like an escape. I'm pretty closed off/keep things to myself, for better or for worse, and sometimes, I think I have been able to express myself online in a way that is a little harder to do in person. And people have always been kind and supportive and I have appreciated that a lot. I've left fandom multiple times but it's always easy to find a home here when I return.

4. What’s the longest you’ve ever waited in line for an event or release related to fandom?
Probably a couple of hours. Both when I stood in line at Barnes N Nobles for the 7th Harry Potter book (had to go twice - one to get the ticket with the Letter Group I was in earlier in the day and the second time when they were actually opening the doors) or when I went to the midnight showing of The Dark Knight and had to be there at like, 9PM. Even then, we were further back than I planned so we could've gotten there sooner but the seats we ended up with weren't so bad, iirc.

5. Have you had the chance to meet any of the actors, musicians, authors, or creators from your fandom(s)?
No, the closest I got was when I saw Shah Rukh Khan filming on my college campus and seeing Chris Evans in LA pre-Captain America. I was getting ice cream with a few friends and a premiere for Push had just let out. Dakota Fanning left fairly quickly, but I do remember he was hanging around. We recognized him but I didn't have a smart phone or anything for him to sign, so I didn't bother.

6. What’s the most treasured piece of merchandise you have that’s related to fandom?
Bollywood may not be a fandom I was ever in much, but I was obsessed with Shah Rukh Khan as a teen and I was in London a few days after his Madame Tussaud's statue was revealed, so when we went, they had a SRK doll. I bought it and brought it back with me. I still have it. Also my sister once got me a Superman keychain from Six Flags and I still keep it on my lanyard. It's held up well! :D

7. Do you remember the first item you ever collected or received related to fandom?
Not really. I had a lot of Shah Rukh Khan posters as a teen. I would assume it was something Superman related though since I've been a fan for so long.

8. What’s the most exciting fan event or panel you’ve attended?
I've never attended any fan events/panels.

9. Have you participated in any challenges, collaborations, or competitions within fandom?
Yes, I've been apart of land comms, bingo events (though I'm terrible about completing them!), fests, and exchanges. They're a lot of fun and have helped me get out of my comfort zone.

10. How did you feel the first time you saw your favorite character, band, or actor in person?
I remember OneRepublic was part of this summer fest years ago and I was really excited to watch them live. I don't know how much I actually enjoy live music events/concerts, but that was a blast.

11. Have any of your family or friends become fans because of your influence? What was that like?
My sister has actually ended up getting me into shows for the most part, because I barely watch anything and she gives a lot of things a shot (she was even watching Smallville before me). My dad watched Elementary because of me, since I wanted to, and he really liked it too, so we'd watch together.

12. What’s the most emotional moment you’ve had as a fan within your community?
I remember when one of my LJ friends passed away. We weren't close, but we did work together on a fandom newsletter and I was just shocked. I'm sure many other people can relate unfortunately, but the way it all happened and escalated so quickly was a lot. I think that was the first time someone I knew online had passed away. Just so sad.
svgurl: (smallville: clark/oliver 'echo')
This is the second part of the questions from the 72 Multifandom questions to ask a fangirl.

Fandom Participation:

1. Do you keep up with any official or fan-authored wikis or encyclopedias about your fandom?
I don't think so. I've definitely used them as resources when I want to write fic and I don't remember specific details or if I want to find out more about, say, DC fandom/characters when I was writing Smallville fic.

#2-12
2. How do you stay updated with the latest news and information concerning your fandom?
I follow people who share my fandom on Tumblr and figure out things from others who post what is going on. Also sometimes, I follow the cast on IG and see if they post anything. Before, I used to be more active in reading fansites and the like, and take more of an initiative in posting news I find as well, but now I tend to take more of a relaxed stance. If I get really curious, I will look into things myself.

3. Are there any forums, social media groups, or online communities you frequent to discuss your fandom?
Back with Smallville, it was Livejournal. There were a lot of ship and fandom specific communities but mainly my journal and the journal of friends. Also, I used to go to some sites, like Divine Intervention, which was a Clois fansite. I was mostly a lurker at Kryptonsite.

These days, it's mainly Tumblr. I'm active on here, but I don't know how much I actively discuss fandoms. Not a fraction as much as I used to do on LJ for sure. I'm on Discord as well, but I tend to prefer one on one conversations. With servers, I tend to lurk more than actively participate.

4. How would you describe the overall atmosphere and culture within the fan community?
Good, as long as you know how to curate your experience. There are ups and downs to every type of fandom. There's drama and fighting, no matter how big or small the fandom is - it's just the type of fighting feels differently and I imagine it's more frustrating when you start out with fewer people and you have to block or worry about cliques since there is a chance of more overlap. It just depends what you want out of fandom and fortunately, there a lot of tools to help make it more pleasant and fun (blocking/muting/etc), which it should be.

5. Have you attended any fan conventions or meet-ups? If so, what was your experience like?
No, I used to want to, but I didn't want to go alone and since I've always tried to keep my online and real life separate, I didn't have anyone to go with.

6. What’s the significance of fan art, fan fiction, or fan videos in your community?
Really significant. I came to be part of fandom because of fanfiction - I had been reading it for years and then I eventually started writing. I started out writing for a very small ship in a big fandom and over the years, I've shipped bigger ships in bigger fandoms (MCU namely and I was able to see Sam/Bucky really grow into something bigger, which was nice). Now my main fandom is pretty big/active and there is a lot of content of all the above. I love looking at fanart and fan videos, though I do feel like I used to watch the latter more in the past. It seems a bit harder to find these days, unless you specifically search it out but the one way the algorithm on YouTube was useful is that if I find one I like, it starts to give me more so I have found some great creators that I wouldn't have otherwise, since I wasn't sure where to look.

7. Are there any charity or social causes your fandom community supports?
Currently, I've seen people participate in the Fandom Trumps Hate, which is obviously multifandom, and also, I think there's a 911forGaza one too.

8. How do fan theories or headcanons contribute to your enjoyment of the fandom?
As with fandom as a whole, there's good and bad. I like reading about other people's theories and headcanons and I enjoy coming up with my own. It's a fun surprise when you can theorize and speculate and end up being right - it has happened a couple of times over the years. However it is frustrating when a certain headcanon or theory can spread and take over and gets treated like canon. Sometimes, it's just mildly annoying because it's hard to avoid and others, when the fans get entitled and throw tantrums when they're not getting what they feel like they "deserve" or something happens that goes against their theory, it's downright frustrating.

9. Are there any rituals or annual events that your fandom community participates in each year?
There were plenty of ship specific events - I remember there being exchanges and the like for Clark/Lois in Smallville (and other ships but I can't tell you about those), both on a now deleted community and the fansite. Also there were Smallville fanfic awards with ship and general categories but that was in the later years. With my current fandom, I've seen annual events on Tumblr. Character/ship/theme specific weeks and a summer ship event that people are into. I haven't actually made anything for them yet but I'm still fairly new to 9-1-1 and am not yet comfortable with doing more than lurking.

10. What is the craziest or most dedicated thing you’ve done for your fandom(s)?
I don't think I've done anything too crazy. Online, I've ran communities and an exchange. Ran to the store to get a copy of the TV Guide that had Tom Welling & Erica Durance on it. Did the whole midnight bookstore visit to get my copy of the 7th HP book. Just fun stuff like that. Nothing too wild, or at least nothing I can think of.

11. Have you created any content or resources that have contributed to the fan community?
I've written fic and in the past few years, made some icons. Earlier on, back in Smallville fandom, since the ship I was writing for was so small and didn't have many other people writing for it, I did make a list of Clark/Oliver ships that I could link people when they expressed interest in the ship and didn't know where to find fic. I hope it helped.

12. Are there any well-known fan community leaders or content creators that you admire?
There are lot of great writers and vidders whose worsk I enjoy and subscribe to but I can't say I'm aware these days of who is "big" in fandom. Obviously you can tell by AO3 stats and who does numbers on Tumblr but I don't pay attention to that.
svgurl: (smallville: clark s4 amused)
I found this via [personal profile] vriddy: [personal profile] maevedarcy adapted a fandom questionnaire and made it more multifandom friendly - Questionnaire: 72 Multifandom questions to ask a fangirl.

I'm going to do it by parts, 12 at a time. :D

Current fandoms and personal connection:

1. How did you first discover your main fandoms?
My original main fandom was Smallville and I had always seen the ads on TV and I started watching a few seasons in because I love Superman and well, my sister was into it at the time, so I figured why not. I found Smallville fandom by chance when I was reading fic for other fandoms and then stumbled across Livejournal when I was googling Clark Kent/Oliver Queen, realized that there was very little fic, and decided I was going to write my own.

With the MCU, I watched The Avengers, started shipping Steve/Tony, and checked out what was out there. While I've read a lot of fic, I didn't start writing it until I began to participate in exchanges. It really helped me get out of my comfort zone.

I don't know if I have a "current" fandom but my main interest these days is 9-1-1, the procedural about first responders that is on ABC. It was one of those shows that had been on my "to watch" list and I'd seen some gifs on Tumblr and I finally watched it when it was seven seasons in.

#2-122. What was it about the fandom(s) that initially captured your interest?

With Smallville, it was definitely mostly about Superman and on a shallow note, I had a crush on Tom Welling. And as I said above, I got involved in fandom because barely anyone else was writing the ship I was newly into. It's funny - I got a comment on one of my Clark/Oliver fics a few days ago and that person was all "you're carrying this ship" and to be told that in 2025 is not what I would've had on my bingo card but it kinda delighted me anyway.

The MCU I got into because "The Avengers" was the big thing and once I found a ship I liked, I had to look for content. The timing was perfect too because Smallville had ended and while I was still into it, it was nice to have something fresh to grab my attention.

As far as 9-1-1, I'm hit or miss on procedurals but it always did look fun. When I found out that one of the main characters recently realized they were bisexual, it finally pushed me over to check it out.

3. Can you recall a moment when you realized you were more than just a casual fan?

Probably when I started writing all the fic? It wasn't surprising for me - I tend to get obsessive and am either all or nothing when it comes to ... anything really.

4. How has your interest in fandom evolved over time?

I still love it but I am more careful these days about how I participate. I got into all sorts of fandom drama during my first run and it's something that I try to avoid. I was young, but also old enough to know better and I definitely was more than a little naive. Nowadays, I prefer to stay on the edge and keep my circle close and tight.

5. Is there anyone in your life that shares your passion for fandom?

In my real life, no. That's what DW and Tumblr are for! I was really lucky that one of my mutuals on Tumblr, who I was friendly but not close to, does really love 9-1-1 too so I have had someone to talk with about my newest obsession. Otherwise, getting into a new fandom/ship, especially one as big, would've been more awkward.

6. How does your fandom inspire you in your everyday life?

Weirdly, I can't think of anything off the top of my head. I'm sure it has, especially since there are some things I have learned about via people I've met online but nothing stands out right now.

7.Does the fandom influence your personal style, hobbies, or interests?

No, it's probably the other way around. I've definitely been introduced books and media through fandom that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise, if that counts.

8. Can you share a personal story related to your fandom that you cherish?

I don't know how personal it is, but I used to have this one song that I specifically associated with Clark/Oliver - "Everything" by Michael Buble" - and then for my birthday, one of my Livejournal friends made me a fanvid to that song, when she didn't even ship them, and it literally meant everything to me.

9. What valuable lessons have you learned from being part of fandom?

Oh, plenty. I think it taught me the importance of not trying to force yourself to be something or someone you're not, because it will backfire. Being edgy for the sake of it is also not cool. Seems obvious, but it really isn't. Also, there are also tools to curate your experience and it is up to you to use them, more so now than ever.

10. Have you met any of your closest friends through a fandom?

No. My real life and fandom life are very separated (I'm private and paranoid), but I do have some people here and Tumblr that I've known for a long time and I have extra fondness for them in the same way I do about the people I see in real life.

11. Are there any rituals or traditions you enjoy before new releases related to fandom?

I don't think so. Sometimes, I like to refresh my memory of what happened before, with my favorite clips or reading some summaries, but I wouldn't say that's a tradition or ritual because I'm not very consistent.

12. If you could introduce someone new to fandom, how would you describe it to them

I'd probably say it's passionate fans who have come together over a shared love of a particular type of media and they enjoy spending time discussing, creating, and engaging in works about it. Depending on how that goes, I would try to explain fanworks and shipping and the like.