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Archive:Fanboy

2006-03-29T00:19:45Z

193.195.0.101:

{{references}}
'''Fanboy''' or '''fanboi''' is a term used to describe a male who is utterly devoted to a single subject or [[hobby]], often to the point where it is considered an [[obsession]].

==History of fanboys and the term==
The term originated in [[comic book]] circles, to describe someone who immersed himself in the fictional worlds of comics and the culture of comics fandom, to the exclusion of a more mainstream social life. The term is often used in a derogatory manner by other less obsessed fans. In the songs of the fannish [[parody]] [[musician]] [[Luke Ski]], many characters proudly consider themselves ''fanboys''. The term is most commonly associated with adolescent and teen males but can be applicable to any age or sex. Common subjects of reverence by fanboys are [[TV show]]s, [[film|movie]]s, [[anime]], [[car]]s, [[video game console]]s, [[video games]], [[operating system]]s, [[MMORPG]]s, and [[software]] companies.

The stereotypical image of the fanboy is as an unkempt, socially awkward, young man who may be perceived as a loud mouthed [[pseudo-intellectual]]. A popular depiction of this stereotype is the [[Comic Book Guy]] on ''[[The Simpsons]]''. In the mid [[1990s]], the emergence of [[slacker]] culture changed this image somewhat. Movies such as [[Kevin Smith]]'s Jersey Trilogy (''[[Clerks]]'', ''[[Mallrats]]'', and ''[[Chasing Amy]]''), altered the image of the fanboy{{fact}}. As electronic entertainment gained popularity, the term became increasingly applied to video gamers and television addicts who readily labelled themselves.

The earliest use of the word "fanboy" has been dated to 1982, to the cover of the "Official Underground and Newave Comix Price Guide". On this cover page are sketched overweight, overzealous comic book collectors wearing T-shirts that state "Fanboys of America," and are describing the extreme measures they would go to, including moving to San Francisco, to preserve their comics.

Fanboys can be zealously committed to their particular narrow area of interest, to the exclusion and derision of competing or similar products, regardless of their merits. Fanboys are often perceived as possessing a [[sycophant]]ic devotion to the creators behind the object of their passion. An obsession may be short or long term and, at times, aggressively defended. One example of this is [[Harry Knowles]] and his associates at [[Ain't It Cool News]], whose particular focus is on [[film|movies]] in the [[action movie|action]], [[fantasy]], adventure and [[superhero]] genres.

==Some common types of fanboys==
===Video game fanboys===
After comic books, video games may be the most fruitful environment for fanboys. These include:
*[[Nintendo]] Fanboys (sometimes called a "Ninty" or "Drone", short for "Nintendrone", also "Nintendophile")
*[[Sony]] Fanboys (sometimes called "Tools", short for "PSTool" which is derived from Sony's current entertainment console, the [[PS2]])
*[[Xbox]] Fanboys (sometimes called "Xbots")
*[[Sega]] Fanboys
*[[Final Fantasy]] Fanboys (want the series to continue forever)

On the [[GameSpot]] System Wars forum, as well as SystemWars.com [http://www.systemwars.com/forums/], the different schools of video game fanboys are associated with various animals. Nintendo fanboys are called "[[sheep]]" because of their perceived willingness to be herded by Nintendo. Sony fanboys are called "[[Cattle|cows]]" because of the perception they pay extra, i.e. are "milked" by Sony for optional features for their equipment of choice. Microsoft fanboys are called "[[Lemming|lemmings]]" because of the perception they follow Microsoft blindly, even if it leads to their demise. Similarly, PC fanboys are called "[[hermits]]" because they are perceived as solitary, friendless gamers who play by themselves.

===Anime fanboys===
Anime is another fertile breeding ground for fanboys. Some notable examples are:
*[[Dragon Ball]] Fanboys (get hung up on names, especially [[romanji]])
*[[Sailor Moon]] Fanboys (very strict about [[manga]] continuity)
*[[Inuyasha]] Fangirls (generally, they're all [[female]], but display all the traits of fanboys)

===Computer software/hardware fanboys===
* [[Linux]] Fanboys - Love open source and believe that anything coming from Microsoft is inferior.
* [[Mac]] Fanboys - Are devoted to the Mac design concept and think that anything coming from Apple is amazing, especially Mac OS X. They would dismiss x86 processors as being inferior to IBM's PowerPC, until Apple's recent adoption of Intel processors.
* [[Microsoft]] Fanboys - Love Windows' ease-of-use and all Microsoft stuff.
* [[ATI Technologies|ATI]] Fanboys - Often boast of their graphics cards' greater image quality. Refer to [[Nvidia]] fans as "Nvidiots".
* [[Nvidia]] Fanboys - Refer to [[ATI Technologies|ATI]] fans as "FanATIcs"

==In Media==
===Comic Book===
*[[Sergio Aragonés]]' ''Fanboy''

===Television===
*[[The Simpsons]]' [[Comic Book Guy]]

===Radio/Podcasts===
*[[Fanboy Radio]] - [http://fanboyradio.com]
*Drooling FanBoy - [http://droolingfanboy.com]

===Webcomics===
*[[Fanboy Almanac (webcomic)]] - [http://fanboyalmanac.com Fanboy Almanac]
*[http://www.ngeb.net/fanboys Fanboys web comic]

==See also==
* [[addiction]]
* [[otaku]]
* [[anorak (slang)|anorak]]

[[Category:Fandom]]

[[de:Fanboy]]

Archive:Fanboy

2006-03-29T00:17:52Z

193.195.0.101:

{{references}}
'''Fanboy''' or '''fanboi''' is a term used to describe a male who is utterly devoted to a single subject or [[hobby]], often to the point where it is considered an [[obsession]].

==History of fanboys and the term==
The term originated in [[comic book]] circles, to describe someone who immersed himself in the fictional worlds of comics and the culture of comics fandom, to the exclusion of a more mainstream social life. The term is often used in a derogatory manner by other less obsessed fans. In the songs of the fannish [[parody]] [[musician]] [[Luke Ski]], many characters proudly consider themselves ''fanboys''. The term is most commonly associated with adolescent and teen males but can be applicable to any age or sex. Common subjects of reverence by fanboys are [[TV show]]s, [[film|movie]]s, [[anime]], [[car]]s, [[video game console]]s, [[video games]], [[operating system]]s, [[MMORPG]]s, and [[software]] companies.

The stereotypical image of the fanboy is as an unkempt, socially awkward, young man who may be perceived as a loud mouthed [[pseudo-intellectual]]. A popular depiction of this stereotype is the [[Comic Book Guy]] on ''[[The Simpsons]]''. In the mid [[1990s]], the emergence of [[slacker]] culture changed this image somewhat. Movies such as [[Kevin Smith]]'s Jersey Trilogy (''[[Clerks]]'', ''[[Mallrats]]'', and ''[[Chasing Amy]]''), altered the image of the fanboy{{fact}}. As electronic entertainment gained popularity, the term became increasingly applied to video gamers and television addicts who readily labelled themselves.

The earliest use of the word "fanboy" has been dated to 1982, to the cover of the "Official Underground and Newave Comix Price Guide". On this cover page are sketched overweight, overzealous comic book collectors wearing T-shirts that state "Fanboys of America," and are describing the extreme measures they would go to, including moving to San Francisco, to preserve their comics.

Fanboys can be zealously committed to their particular narrow area of interest, to the exclusion and derision of competing or similar products, regardless of their merits. Fanboys are often perceived as possessing a [[sycophant]]ic devotion to the creators behind the object of their passion. An obsession may be short or long term and, at times, aggressively defended. One example of this is [[Harry Knowles]] and his associates at [[Ain't It Cool News]], whose particular focus is on [[film|movies]] in the [[action movie|action]], [[fantasy]], adventure and [[superhero]] genres.

==Some common types of fanboys==
===Video game fanboys===
After comic books, video games may be the most fruitful environment for fanboys. These include:
*[[Nintendo]] Fanboys (sometimes called a "Ninty" or "Drone", short for "Nintendrone", also "Nintendophile")
*[[Sony]] Fanboys (sometimes called "Tools", short for "PSTool" which is derived from Sony's current entertainment console, the [[PS2]])
*[[Xbox]] Fanboys (sometimes called "Xbots")
*[[Sega]] Fanboys
*[[Final Fantasy]] Fanboys (want the series to continue forever)

On the [[GameSpot]] System Wars forum, as well as SystemWars.com [http://www.systemwars.com/forums/], the different schools of video game fanboys are associated with various animals. Nintendo fanboys are called "[[sheep]]" because of their perceived willingness to be herded by Nintendo. Sony fanboys are called "[[Cattle|cows]]" because of the perception they pay extra, i.e. are "milked" by Sony for optional features for their equipment of choice. Microsoft fanboys are called "[[Lemming|lemmings]]" because of the perception they follow Microsoft blindly, even if it leads to their demise. Similarly, PC fanboys are called "[[hermits]]" because they are perceived as solitary, friendless gamers who play by themselves.

===Anime fanboys===
Anime is another fertile breeding ground for fanboys. Some notable examples are:
*[[Dragon Ball]] Fanboys (get hung up on names, especially [[romanji]])
*[[Sailor Moon]] Fanboys (very strict about [[manga]] continuity)
*[[Inuyasha]] Fangirls (generally, they're all [[female]], but display all the traits of fanboys)

===Computer software/hardware fanboys===
* [[Linux]] Fanboys - Love open source and believe that anything coming from Microsoft is inferior.
* [[Mac]] Fanboys - Are devoted to the Mac design concept and think that anything coming from Apple is amazing, especially Mac OS X. They would dismiss x86 processors as being inferior to IBM's PowerPC, until Apple's recent adoption of Intel processors.
* [[Microsoft]] Fanboys - Love Windows' ease-of-use and all Microsoft stuff.
* [[ATI|ATI Technologies]] Fanboys - Refer to [[Nvidia]] fans as "Nvidiots"
* [[Nvidia]] Fanboys - Refer to [[ATI|ATI Technologies]] fans as "FanATIcs"

==In Media==
===Comic Book===
*[[Sergio Aragonés]]' ''Fanboy''

===Television===
*[[The Simpsons]]' [[Comic Book Guy]]

===Radio/Podcasts===
*[[Fanboy Radio]] - [http://fanboyradio.com]
*Drooling FanBoy - [http://droolingfanboy.com]

===Webcomics===
*[[Fanboy Almanac (webcomic)]] - [http://fanboyalmanac.com Fanboy Almanac]
*[http://www.ngeb.net/fanboys Fanboys web comic]

==See also==
* [[addiction]]
* [[otaku]]
* [[anorak (slang)|anorak]]

[[Category:Fandom]]

[[de:Fanboy]]