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Archive:Fanboy

2008-08-12T22:33:45Z

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'''Fanboy''' (sometimes spelled '''fanboi''') is a term used to describe an individual who is devoted to a single subject in an emotional or fanatical manner, or to a single point of view within that subject, often to the point where it is considered an obsession.

The term is most commonly associated with adolescent and teenage males but can be applicable to any age or sex, and is mostly applied by others as a derogatory label.

==History==

According to the [[Merriam-Webster]] Collegiate Dictionary, the earliest known use of the term "fanboy" in an English-language publication dates to 1919.<ref name="mw">[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fanboy fanboy. (2008)]. In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved July 7, 2008.</ref>

In [[comic book]] culture, a 1982 reference is 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," who are describing the extreme measures they would go to, including moving to San Francisco, to preserve their comics.

Also published in 1982, a comic strip appeared in Jim Engel and Chuck Fiala's "Fandom Confidential" comic. In the strip, Jim and Chuck met comic artist/writer [[John Byrne]] and collapsed into "mindless paroxysms of adoration." The John Byrne character responded that they were "a couple of fanboys in bondage" (a play on words referring to a [[List of Monty Python's Flying Circus episodes#10. E. Henry Thripshaw.27s Disease|Monty Python sketch]] in which an Elizabethan era character reads what she claims to be a new Shakespeare work called "Gay Boys in Bondage". <ref>[http://www.byrnerobotics.com/FAQ/listing.asp?ID=7&T1=Miscellaneous+Questions#154 Byrne Robotics: FAQ]</ref> Another early use is in a smart-alec editorial reply by "[[Ambush Bug]]" to a letter in his comic in [[1985]].

By 1990 the term was being used in [[popular music]] and [[science fiction]] circles<ref>
[http://groups.google.com/groups/search?lr=&safe=off&num=10&q=fanboy&safe=off&qt_s=Search&as_drrb=b&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=1&as_maxm=1&as_maxy=1990 USENET use before 1990]
</ref>, and as electronic entertainment gained popularity, the term became increasingly applied to [[computer]]s and [[video game consoles]] - with people often developing an obsessive loyalty towards one platform or brand.

Current subjects of such obsessive loyalty include areas of: [[TV show]]s; [[film|movie]]s; [[music]]; [[anime]]; [[comic book]]s; [[car]]s; [[video game console]]s, [[video games]] and [[MMORPG]]s; and [[computer]] [[operating system]]s, [[computer Hardware|hardware]] and [[software]]—and more recently politics.
<ref>
[http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/11/whos-nuttier-ap.html "Who's Nuttier, Apple Fanatics or Ron Paul Enthusiasts?", Wired Magazine]
</ref>
<ref>
[http://www.blogmaverick.com/2007/02/03/the-fanboy-culture/ "The Fanboy Culture", Mark Cuban, blogpost]
</ref>

"Fanboy" was added to the [[Merriam-Webster]] Collegiate Dictionary in 2008.<ref>[http://www.welt.de/english-news/article2186069/New_words_in_the_Merriam-Webster_dictionary_.html New words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary] [[Die Welt]] online, 7 July 2008</ref>

==Fangirl==
The term fangirl, while similar, often carries slightly different connotations - often applied to any enthusiastic female fan regardless of obsessive qualities or not, and is often used with overtones of "[[teenybopper]]". Depending on context, "fangirl" may be used or perceived as a derogatory label.

==Media==

Popular depictions of Fanboy stereotypes include the [[Comic Book Guy]] on ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and columnist [[Larry Groznic]] from the satirical newspaper ''[[The Onion]]''. In the songs of the fannish [[parody]] [[musician]] [[Luke Ski]], many characters proudly consider themselves ''fanboys.''

===Comic books===
*[[Sergio Aragonés]]' ''Fanboy''
*[[Galactic Storm]]'s ''Fanboy''

===Television===
*''[[The Simpsons]]''' [[Comic Book Guy]] refers to himself as a fanboy.
*''[[Freakazoid!|Freakazoid]]'''s [[freakazoid!#Other characters|Fan Boy]]

===Radio/podcasts===
*[[Fanboy Radio]]
*Fanboy Planet.com[http://www.fanboyplanet.com]

===Movies===
* [[Fanboys (2003 film)|''Fanboys'' (2003 film)]], a New Zealand short film
* [[Fanboys (2008 film)|''Fanboys'' (2008 film)]], an American comedy film

==See also==
* [[Addiction]]
* [[Cyberstalking]]
* [[Editor war]]
* [[Anorak (slang)|Anorak]]
* [[Astroturfing]]
* [[Otaku]]
* [[Obsession]]
* [[Nintendo]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/02/17/fanboys/ A look at fanboys from the game industry perspective]
* [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fanboy Fanboy at Merriam-Webster]
* [http://www.netjak.com/review.php/1013 Dissecting the Fanboy Mind] - A discussion of the fanboy behavior in regard to video games.
* [http://palgn.com.au/article.php?id=6463 The trial of the Fanboy] - A criticism of the fanboy concept and overusage of the term.

[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Anime and manga terminology]]

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Archive:Fanboy

2007-01-15T05:44:42Z

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{{Otheruses3|Fanboys}}

'''Fanboy''' or '''fanboi''' is a term used to describe an individual (usually male, though the feminine version ''[[fangirl]]'' may be used for females) who is utterly devoted to a single fannish subject, or to a single point of view within that subject, often to the point where it is considered an [[obsession]]. ''Fanboys'' remain loyal to their particular obsession, disregarding any factors that differ from their point of view. They are also typically hateful to the opposing brand or competition of their obsession regardless of its merits or achievements.

==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. 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, [[music]], [[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]]''.

The earliest published uses of the word "fanboy" have been dated to 1982. One reference is 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. Also published in 1982, a comic strip appeared in Jim Engel and Chuck Fiala's "Fandom Confidential" comic. In the strip, Jim and Chuck met comic artist/writer [[John Byrne]] and collapsed into "mindless paroxysms of adoration." The John Byrne character responded that they were "a couple of fanboys in bondage" which was a play on words referring to a [[List_of_Monty_Python%27s_Flying_Circus_episodes#8._Archaeology_Today|Monty Python skit]] in which an Elizabethan era character reads what she claims to be "'Gayboys in Bondage' by William Shakespeare".[http://www.byrnerobotics.com/FAQ/listing.asp?ID=7&T1=Miscellaneous+Questions#154] Another early use is in a smart-alec editorial reply by "[[Ambush Bug]]" to a letter in his comic in [[1985]].

==Subjects of obsession==
Some brands and products, which have fanboy supporters:
*[[Apple Inc.|Apple Computers]].
* [[Microsoft]]
*The [[graphics processing unit|graphics processing units]] produced by [[ATI Technologies|ATI]] and [[NVIDIA]].
*The [[computer]] [[microprocessor]] companies [[Advanced Micro Devices|AMD]] and [[Intel Corporation|Intel]].
*The various [[Automobile]] manufacturers, such as [[General Motors]] and [[Ford]].
*The competing video game consoles [[Xbox 360]], [[Wii]] and [[Playstation 3]]
*The competing handheld video game consoles the [[Nintendo DS]] and the [[PlayStation Portable]].
*The competing [[DVD]] successor formats [[Blu-ray Disc|Blu-ray]] and [[HD DVD]].
*The competing computer hardware and software produced by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]], [[Microsoft]], and [[Linux|GNU/Linux]]. See [[Operating system advocacy]].
*The long running [[science-fiction]] franchises [[Star Wars]], [[Star Trek]], [[Doctor Who]] and [[Babylon 5]].
*[[The Matrix]] trilogy of movies.
*The comic book brands [[DC Comics]] and [[Marvel Comics]].
*The MP3 players [[iPod]] and [[Zune]]
*The Internet browsers [[Internet Explorer]], [[Mozilla Firefox|Firefox]] and [[Opera (Internet suite)|Opera]].

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

===Television===
*''[[The Simpsons]]'''s [[Comic Book Guy]] refers to himself as a fanboy.
*''[[Freakazoid!|Freakazoid]]'''s [[freakazoid!#Other_characters|Fan Boy]]

===Radio/Podcasts===
*[[Fanboy Radio]] - [http://fanboyradio.com]
*Drooling FanBoy - [http://droolingfanboy.com]
*ifanboy - [http://www.ifanboy.com]
*[[The Fanboy Smackdown Podcast]] - [http://www.fanboysmackdown.com]

===Webcomics===
*Fanboy Almanac (webcomic) - [http://fanboyalmanac.com Fanboy Almanac]
*[http://www.ngeb.net/fanboys Fanboys web comic]
*[http://www.fogclub.net Fanboy Otaku Gamers Club web comic]
*[http://www.fanboysonline.com Fanboys!! Beyond Geekdom!!! (webcomic)]
*[http://www.fanboys-online.com Fanboys-Online]

==See also==
* [[Addiction]]
* [[Computer zealotry]]
* [[Editor war]]
* [[Anorak (slang)|Anorak]]
* [[Astroturfing]]
* [[Otaku]]
* [[Nintendo]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fanboy Urban dictionary: fanboy]
* [http://www.netjak.com/review.php/1013 Dissecting the Fanboy Mind] - A discussion of the fanboy behavior in regards to video games.

[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Anime and manga terminology]]
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