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commodorecliche · 6 years

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Gimme all the book recs Please :D

yaaaaaaaaaaaas okay great. i love sharing books i love.

1. The Thief of Always - Clive BarkerGenre: Dark FantasyBig personal favorite of mine. My father read this to me when I was a kid, and it literally has stuck with me since then. Every now and then I go back and reread it just for fun. It’s a wonderfully spooky little story, accompanied by some really lovely and somewhat off-kilter illustrations. Much like Coraline, it’s a novel that is a fable for children, and a tale of terror for adults.

After a mysterious stranger promises to end his boredom with a trip to the magical Holiday House, ten-year-old Harvey learns that his fun has a high price.

2. House of Leaves - Mark Z. DanielewskiGenre: Postmodernism, horrorHands down an absolute favorite. This is a book I literally recommend to everyone. This is a book that made me viscerally uncomfortable, at times I didn’t even sleep in the same room as it. I made it sleep in the living room. There is nothing overtly terrifying about the book, but its format and its unsettlingly immersive nature will lead you down a road unlike any other.

In 1997, Johnny Truant has stumbled upon a chest full of scrap papers that had once belonged to a man named Zampono. The papers aren’t just scraps though, they’re a chaotic but detailed transcription of a series called the Navidson Record. The Navidson Record is a series of videos made by a family who has discovered that their new house appears to change dimensions almost daily, it has hallways that shouldn’t exist, doors that should lead outside but instead lead into nothingness. Johnny attempts to re-order and reconstruct Zampono’s papers, and along the way begins to lose himself as well.

3. The Postmortal - Drew MagaryGenre: Science Fiction, Postmodern DystopiaReally funny, really dark, and full of a surprising amount of morality and humanity in a pre-apocalyptic world.

Imagine a near future where a cure for aging is discovered and-after much political and moral debate-made available to people worldwide. Immortality, however, comes with its own unique problems-including evil green people, government euthanasia programs, a disturbing new religious cult, and other horrors.

4. Horrorstor - Grady HendrixGenre: Comedy, HorrorHonestly this book is just balls to the wall fun. It’s a horror novel that’s laid out like the world’s most messed up IKEA catalog. Spooky at times, ridiculous and funny, at times moving, while also offering great social commentary on consumerism and the the current status of retail workers.

Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking. To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

5. Rant - Chuck PalahniukGenre: Science Fiction, Horror, SatireThis is a book I read several years ago and that I still think about from time to time. I haven’t had time to sit down and reread it, but parts of it still resonate with me today. This is a very peculiar story and it is told in a rather peculiar fashion (it is an oral history, and as such is told in a very conversational way by a number of different characters with a wide variety of thoughts and opinions on the titular Rant. It’s hard to properly describe this book, but let’s just say it’s been in my reread list for a while now.

Buster “Rant” Casey just may be the most efficient serial killer of our time. A high school rebel, Rant Casey escapes from his small town home for the big city where he becomes the leader of an urban demolition derby called Party Crashing. Rant Casey will die a spectacular highway death, after which his friends gather the testimony needed to build an oral history of his short, violent life.

6. John Dies at the End - David WongGenre: Comedy, Horror, Dark FantasyHoly god what do I even say about this book? It is just hilariously and marvelously insane. A perfect mix of cosmic fantasy, horror, comedy, and lunacy, and I loved every minute of reading it. I still have the rest of the series lined up to read, too!

The drug is called Soy Sauce and it gives users a window into another dimension. John and I never had the chance to say no. You still do. I’m sorry to have involved you in this, I really am. But as you read about these terrible events and the very dark epoch the world is about to enter as a result, it is crucial you keep one thing in mind: None of this was my fault.

7. Sphere - Michael CrichtonGenre: Science Fiction, Deep Sea HorrorThis is one I actually JUST finished, and I absolutely adored it. I had a couple small complaints about it, but overall, it was a wonderful read and very engrossing. Plus, I’m always a sucker for deep sea horror.

A group of American scientists are rushed to a huge vessel that has been discovered resting on the ocean floor in the middle of the South Pacific. What they find defies their imaginations and mocks their attempts at logical explanation. It is a spaceship of phenomenal dimensions, apparently, undamaged by its fall from the sky. And, most startling, it appears to be at least three hundred years old….

8. I, Lucifer - Glen DuncanGenre: Religious Fantasy, Occult FictionThis book is incredibly well researched, thought out, and characterized, as well as funny and extremely thought-provoking. I’d never expected to see a story that would give me a realistic and modern look into the Devil’s side of the story. I especially never expected to see a story that would make the Devil learn what it is to be human, either. All in all just an A+, fantastical read.

The Prince of Darkness has been given one last shot at redemption, provided he can live out a reasonably blameless life on earth. Highly sceptical, naturally, the Old Dealmaker negotiates a trial period - a summer holiday in a human body, with all the delights of the flesh. The body, however, turns out to be that of Declan Gunn, a depressed writer living in Clerkenwell, interrupted in his bath mid-suicide. Ever the opportunist, and with his main scheme bubbling in the background, Luce takes the chance to tap out a few thoughts - to straighten the biblical record, to celebrate his favourite achievements, to let us know just what it’s like being him. Neither living nor explaining turns out to be as easy as it looks. Beset by distractions, miscalculations and all the natural shocks that flesh is heir to, the Father of Lies slowly begins to learn what it’s like being us.

9. The Wasp Factory - Iain BanksGenre: Psychological HorrorLook, I want to say this right off the bat. This book is… not for everyone. Trust me when I say this is an extremely dark book with a lot of dark content. I would say that if you have any potential triggers, you may want to message me first and I will give you a better rundown of what all this book entails. This is a true piece of horror fiction. But it’s also incredible. I ate this book up in about two days and it is one of my favorite pieces of dark fiction to date. So yeah, chat with me if you have any concerns, but if you enjoy truly dark fiction, then this is up your alley.

Two years after I killed Blyth I murdered my young brother Paul, for quite different and more fundamental reasons than I’d disposed of Blyth, and then a year after that I did for my young cousin Esmerelda, more or less on a whim. That’s my score to date. Three. I haven’t killed anybody for years, and don’t intend to ever again. It was just a stage I was going through.

10. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (the whole series, trust me)Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction, Cosmic FantasyJust trust me when I say this is a series that literally everyone should read at least once in their life. They are unflabbably hilarious in a way that only Douglas Adams could be, and they are just truly unique. This series is (rightfully) a classic and shouldn’t be missed.

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker’s Guide (“A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have”).

11. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War - Max Brooks Genre: Zombie horror, Faux HistoryI beg you - do not judge this book by the very terrible movie that was made about it. It is an entirely different animal than that mess of a movie, I promise. World War Z is a masterfully crafted book that details the zombie apocalypse in ways never before done in fiction. The Battle of Yonkers scenes and the testimony of Tomonaga Ijiro still stick in my head to this day. This book is a triumph of horror, ‘history’, and humanity, all balled into a distinctly unique experience.

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

12. The Raw Shark Texts - Steven HallGenre: Fantasy/Realism, Meta-fiction, MysteryThis is a tough one to put into words. I read this many years ago, and I remember it more as a series of emotional experiences rather than just as a singular plot. Which I think really speaks to its character as a book. This is a book that deals with dissociation, memory loss, our sense of self, how easily we can lose that sense, and our struggle to hold onto or to rediscover the world we know and the people we believe ourselves to be. This book is just… an experience, much like House of Leaves. It’s immersive, and at times quite unsettling.

Eric Sanderson wakes up in a house he doesn’t recognize, unable to remember anything of his life. All he has left are his diary entries recalling Clio, a perfect love who died under mysterious circumstances, and a house that may contain the secrets to Eric’s prior life. But there may be more to this story, or it may be a different story altogether. With the help of allies found on the fringes of society, Eric embarks on an edge-of-your-seat journey to uncover the truth about himself and to escape the predatory forces that threaten to consume him.

I think 12 should be good for now! I certainly have more though, if you want them!!

Bonus, Currently Reading: The Library at Mount Char - Scott HawkinsGenre: Contemporary Fantasy, Horror, Dark FantasyI don’t have a whole lot to say about this yet since I’m not very far into it, but so far it’s been extremely intriguing, and Hawkins’ writing is truly beautiful.

A missing God. A library with the secrets to the universe. A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away. Carolyn’s not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas sweater over the gold bicycle shorts. After all, she was a normal American herself once. That was a long time ago, of course. Before her parents died. Before she and the others were taken in by the man they called Father.

Bonus 2, Up Next to Read: Dark Matter: A Ghost Story - Michelle PaverGenre: Horror

January 1937. Clouds of war are gathering over a fogbound London. Twenty-eight year old Jack is poor, lonely, and desperate to change his life, so when he’s offered the chance to join an Arctic expedition, he jumps at it. Spirits are high as the ship leaves Norway: five men and eight huskies, crossing the Barents Sea by the light of the midnight sun. At last they reach the remote, uninhabited bay where they will camp for the next year, Gruhuken, but the Arctic summer is brief. As night returns to claim the land, Jack feels a creeping unease. One by one, his companions are forced to leave. He faces a stark choice: stay or go. Soon he will see the last of the sun, as the polar night engulfs the camp in months of darkness. Soon he will reach the point of no return–when the sea will freeze, making escape impossible. Gruhuken is not uninhabited. Jack is not alone. Something walks there in the dark…

(also if any of y’all have read these, i’d love to hear YOUR thoughts on them too)

#books #book recs #science fiction #horror #book recommendations #long post #dogwithblogs

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mister-wagner · 6 years

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Comic Legends: The Racy Wolverine Cover That Got Past Marvel Editorial

Today’s CBR article by Brian Cronin

“The sixth issue of the Wolverine ongoing that launched in 2003 was a great issue. Written by Greg Rucka and drawn by Darick Robertson and Tom Palmer, it showed Wolverine sharing a drink with his old friend, Nightcrawler, in the wake of the traumatic experience that Wolverine went through in the opening arc of Rucka and Robertson’s series. It’s a touching examination of the power of friendship. Top notch work from Rucka and Robertson. Here’s the funny thing, though. Check out the cover by superstar comic book painter Esab Ribic (who drew Secret Wars in 2015), who had only begun to work for Marvel in 2001 when he filled in for Paul Smith on the back-end of Joe Casey’s X-Men: Children of the Atom.”

“Recently, I did a list about 15 comic book covers that surprisingly made it past the censors. This cover would definitely belong along those other covers featured.

Now, you might say, “Okay, Brian, I get it, the beer bottle is an erection. However, are you sure you’re not just reading into this cover?” That’s a fair question to ask. A couple of years back, Allie from Maxmioffed posted the cover image in question and wrote,

“Kurt’s clearly naked Logan’s glaring at his dick Classic porn cover poses @Esad Ribic explain yourself please”

The great Jill Pantozzi then re-posted it and added,

“when what when”

Greg Rucka then re-posted Jill’s re-post and added the following,

“Also please note the placement of the beer bottle. I once was at a show where I asked Esad about this cover. Esad is a big, cheerful, man with a wicked sense of humor. He just looked at me. And then he smiled. And the smile got bigger. And bigger. And he said, “And nobody at Marvel noticed!” And then he couldn’t stop laughing.” That’s hilarious.

So, yeah, it was intentional. That’s awesome. I love that Axel Alonso (editor on the series) approved the cover.

Thanks to my pal Jude D. for suggesting this one! Rich Johnston wrote about this in the past. (BleedingCool: Esad Ribic’s Gay Porn Wolverine Cover That Marvel Never Noticed)” CBR

@maxximoffed your post is still famous :D And I can’t believe that the writer himself confirmed it! :’DDD

#Comic Legends #Wolverine #Nightcrawler #kurt wagner #Greg Rucka #Esab Ribic #cover #maxximoffed #logurt #my post

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joysmercer · 6 years

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Grey’s Anatomy 14x14 Final Thoughts

My brain is split into two right now: “I hate Grey’s and how DARE they do this I’m never watching again” and “that episode!”

Let’s ignore the first half for now, and we’ll get back to it later. I have a LOT to say, don’t worry.

The episode opens with Amelia feeling really horny. Kind of random and out-of-the-blue, but unlike other unexpected decisions from this show recently, I didn’t mind this one. I loved seeing this cute, spunky side of Amelia, one we really haven’t seen since…Derek died, really. Aside from this new side of her, Amelia was also really dishing out the sass today, from telling Bello to get her head out of her ass (and hopefully leaving Deluca/Sam out of the picture for a while) to putting Koracick in her place, and I liked it :) Overall, it was a much-needed upward trend for this girl, and I really hope it continues.

Over to Owen, this dude was also dishing out sass. Thank goodness he put those boys in their places before they took out someone’s nose or something. It’s been a while since we saw “Major Hunt” being all commandeering and such, and it’s nice to see that side of him again.

Apparently, being sassy together translates to being sexy together as well (sorry, that was bad phrasing, but idc).I just knew something would happen from the opening elevator scene, and was almost certain it would be in this episode from the ER conversation (“I like a man with authority”/“me too”). And her blurting out her feelings as soon as she saw Owen is classic Amelia. Her “sex speech” followed by Owen’s ““I want you to use me in any way you can think of” will forever have a place in my heart <3 <3 <3 Omelia Will Rise Again! Maybe a double wedding with Jolex at the end of the season?

Aside from the Bello situation, Deluca was not really as intolerable as he was the last episode. This was the first time since Carina’s introduction that we really saw the two of them act like siblings, and I really want more of them interacting!!

But Koracick. Oh my god. This guy got even more sleazy, if that’s even possible. I’m not going to say much more on that subject, except that he’s apparently going to help April next episode and I really hope he doesn’t screw up. April’s leaving, but it better be on terms true to her character, not because some ass screwed her up for good.

Speaking of April. Grey’s anatomy told the entire Domestic Abuse storyline in 2 episodes, but they’re taking their own sweet time solving this Crisis of hers. I was initially glad Hunt sent her home early, because even though the Ear thing was not her fault, this girl really needs to get her act together. But, I said initially happy because apparently, she decided to go home and get drunk instead. Which, y’know, wouldn’t have happened if Arizona (or literally anyone) was paying the slightest attention to her.

Instead, her best friend was off trying to solve the issue of maternal mortality rates (granted, a super important study) but not really making any headway except to accuse her friend of being a bad doctor. great move. On a side note, did anyone else catch that chemistry between Arizona and the OB? Or am I just making it up?

And onto the second (and “ugh”-est) huge development of this episode. Jaggie. WHY SHONDA WHY? Both of them were sooo awkward at Game Night that I wanted to throw my phone at the TV. Okay, I admit Jackson being protective of Maggie was cute, but in a more brotherly way (like Meredith and Alex, except obviously not as deep). But even when they kissed, I just couldn’t see it. No chemistry whatsoever. They’re better as friends. BUT I was super surprised that “perfect” Clive turned out to be married (”you must be the woman who’s been screwing my husband” flashbacks, anyone?). Maggie doesn’t need Jackson, but she certainly deserves much better than a pathological liar. But anyway, apparently these two are canon now, so I’ll be fast-forwarding a lot of scenes in the future :/

And finally, Meredith and Jo’s story. I’m going to ignore the fact that these two have been getting wayy more screen time for their project than any other doctor so far, and just talk about their current positions. It turned out that the old guy died, and the polymer now belongs to - surprise! - Meredith’s family friend! Who, unfortunately, refuses to sell Mer the patent until she saw proof that it worked, which was a risky move on the doctor’s parts, especially with later developments: Marie was not Ellis’s best friend, and they apparently had a huge feud over something. So Meredith just admitted to stealing, to the person she stole from, and gave away her ground-breaking surgical plans, and I just feel really bad for her and Jo. The one good thing about this, though, is that she interrupted Jaggie in her quest for her mother’s journals. I really, really hope that whatever caused Ellis’s and Marie’s fight won’t impact the project, although knowing Grey’s, it probably will.

Okay, onto some smaller plot points.

First of all, how stupid can interns be? They were never formally invited to anything and they still showed up? I’m glad Casey had nothing to do with it, and it was just the two most idiotic, Glasses and Hellmouth. But still. Instead of firing April and Arizona, get rid of these two instead. Also, uh, what the heck is going on with Jolex? I mean, Paul died and all of a sudden there’s a standstill. They didn’t even talk this episode, all we got was Jo smiling in a doorframe. Alex and Kimmy, on the other hand, were adorable and I’m so glad Alex advocated for her while addressing her Grandmother’s fears. Medical Marijuana can do so much good, and it’s a pity most states don’t allow it. Also, addressing what was, I’m assuming, supposed to be the “central theme” of this episode, what is going on with the lawsuit and everything? It just seemed really random and interjected in there just to get Kepner drunk. Which honestly, served no purpose except to make me fast-forward everytime April spoke. And speaking of “central themes,” that might have been the lamest Game Night ever. And Maggie’s sisters didn’t even show! wth grey’s, wth.

In all, this episode was so good at some points (Omelia! Ellis Grey Plot-Twist!) and so bad at others (Jaggie & the entire Game Night tbh). The promo for next week does confirm two things, one of which makes me (kinda) happy, and the other which makes me want to throw up: 1, Koracick and April (probably) didn’t sleep together; 2, we’re in for a lot more Jaggie, and Maggie is apparently spending more time with her boyfriend’s kid instead of her 2 nieces and nephew (seriously, did Zola, Bailey, and Ellis just…dissappear? Brief glimpses of them are not enough, people).

Alright. To today’s news.

I was talking it over with some friends before tonight’s episode, and we realized that both April and AZ have no real storylines, but both are in a position where there is real potential for some amazing plots. However, the writers needed to fire someone apparently, and since these two haven’t really had any development in forever, they were the first to go. Now, I love Maggie (like, a lot more than most people), but if they needed to shorten the main cast, she would be my first pick. Or, just promote Casey to attending (I mean, Jo’s residency is apparently 7 years long, so this won’t be that bad) and fire the rest of the interns. But don’t get rid of two phenomenal actresses who have been on the show, dedicated their lives to it, for more than a decade. And if they did it to get back at Pompeo for her pay rise, that’s just cruel. What’s even more cruel, though, is going after Ellen for somehow playing a part in this. Leave her alone! If ABC had said “Sorry, we can’t afford this, otherwise we’ll have to cut the main cast,” she probably would have reduced her price. I mean, she and JCap are super close. Just saying.

As I was watching the episode, I just kept thinking how absolutely central these two are to the rest of Grey’s. regardless of their lack of stories, nothing would function on the show without them -- we wouldn’t have a Fetal Surgeon, nor a main-character OB anymore, and God knows what will happen to the ER without April around.

I’m really going to miss these two. This was not fair to us, but it definitely wasn’t fair to Drew or JCap.

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rounaq-comm3p18-blog · 7 years

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Fandom Subculture

As we approach the end of the semester I have realized that there is a lot more to audience studies than I expected. In the past blog, I discussed how our world is constantly changing and evolving. As audiences, our experiences have seen a massive shift in our media environment that deviate from our traditional sources of media such as print and television. This shift brings many changes to the audience experience by allowing people to obtain more information and new forms of entertainment. These new forms of media provide audiences to interact amongst each other but as well as create or follow certain subcultures that are created purely by having similar interests. The internet offers a place where individuals can actively engage in conversation and share ideas and thoughts and a prime example of that is blogs. Writing these blogs in this course taught me how quickly culture changes. For example, some of the topics I discussed in my first blog post seem outdated in today’s fast-paced society. With the emergence of new media, issues started becoming less salient due to many other issues arising. In this blog post, I want to discuss fandom culture and how the digital age is responsible for creating and breaking trends. Also, the interactivity aspect of digital culture provides society with user-generated content.

Fandom culture has existed throughout different decades and through the evolution of media, the fandom culture has progressed as well. In the early 1900’s audiences idolized people in power such as the president or the queen of England. As forms of entertainment began to rise and the view shifted to athletes, musicians, performers and artists. In today’s society, we begin to see the shift from television celebrities to online stars such as Instagram models, social influencers and more where they do not necessarily have a background in acting or sports but are there to influence consumers and are seen as “trendsetters”. But how did they get in that position to do so and where can I apply to be an Instagram star. Well, John Fiske noted that fandom is “associated with the cultural tastes of subordinated formations of the people, particularly those disempowered by any combination of gender, age, class, and race” (Sullivan, 2013). Basically, these individuals have a cultural advantage by being from a certain lifestyle and culture where they are viewed as idols. When I think of a modern-day online celebrity, Kim Kardashian’s name instantly comes to mind. One day I was watching television with my cousin and Keeping up with the Kardashians was on and it got me thinking why are Kim and her family famous, do they have a successful business or are they movie stars? I was beyond disappointed when I did some research and found out that she gained her fame through another television celebrity Paris Hilton. By being a certain lifestyle and social status Kim Kardashian utilized that to earn money and influence her “fans” into the Kardashian culture.

To be fair not every celebrity in the digital age has gotten famous by being friends with a “celebrity”. There are many emerging performers that are getting international recognition by uploading their personal content such as vlogs (video logs), product reviews, comedy skits and much more. One of my personal favourite YouTuber is Casey Neistat, a filmmaker from New York City who started “vlogging” but utilizing film and camera techniques to make them look cinematic. Prior to Casey Neistat “vlogging” was quite popular in the YouTube scene due to its ability to allow everyday individuals to share their experience with a broad audience. This style emerged from the freedom of speech of blogging but by using video as the medium allowed people from all over the world to watch and it ultimately created a subculture within the YouTube subculture. Neistat’s distinct style lead me to be one of the most popular Youtuber’s and his fan base is constantly growing. By having millions of subscribers Neistat is able to create social change and influence within the community. Neistat often crowdfunds campaigns that he feels needs attention. Paul Booth mentioned that “by following a crowdfunding campaign from opening video to the funded project, one could theoretically see the birth of a new form of creative product” (Booth, 2015). Therefore, fans are able to assist in new projects by donating monetary funds and an example of this in real life was Casey Neistat’s GoFundMe page for Somalians. In March of 2017, a “Viner” named Jerome Jarre took to YouTube to help fund the Somalian food crisis. It was not until Casey posted a video discussing the issue where fans gathered instantaneously to help fund the project. This crowdfunding campaign raised over 1 million dollars in the span of 19 hours. This act highlighted the influence of participatory culture within digital media. Similarly, as Booth highlights, “that fan studies and technology studies can integrate in order to demonstrate changing paradigms of audience involvement in the media process” (Booth, 2015). Thus, it was the fandom culture that contributed to the success of the campaign and bringing exposure from international markets.

Culture is based on the lives of individuals residing in a location or sharing similarities. Cultures surpass space and time by providing individuals with concepts, ideas and ways of life. Most cultures are rooted in religious beliefs. For example, in the Jewish culture food has to be Kosher. This way of preparing food is known within the religion but also culturally. Individuals who many necessarily are of Jewish decent can participate in the Kosher tradition and learn and adapt to it. Therefore, culture is much more than religious practices but a way of life. Over the past decade, Ontario has seen a huge cultural shift through Toronto. Growing up just outside of Toronto allowed me to see the cultural changes surrounding the city. I was always a fan of hip-hop and R&B music and growing up I would listen to these artists from America who was bringing exposure to their hometowns by discussing them on the latest track. I always wondered even though Toronto does have a massive population, why are there no big artists emerging that represent the city in international markets. As I grew older, artists like Justin Bieber, Drake and the Weeknd found success in international markets. But it was Drake who actively talked about what the city has to offer and provide exposure to the Canadian culture to make it popular. In chapter 8 Sullivan discusses fan culture and I believe the artist Drake embodies the “two aspects of media fandom have emerged as central to theorists in this tradition. The first element is the social aspect, where media fans band together in either informal or more formally structured groups (such as fan clubs) to share their mutual interest with others. Second, fans act as interpreters and producers of media content, which we will call the interpretive aspect of media fandom.” (Sullivan, 2013). Due to his music fans merged together to appreciate his music which creates a social aspect and through utilizing “Toronto slang” and similar clothing, fans propagate the culture engages in the interactive aspect of media fandom.

As I was reading the article by Kihan Kim, Yunjae Cheong, and Hyuksoo Kim titled “The Influences of Sports Viewing Conditions on Enjoyment from Watching Televised Sports: An Analysis of the FIFA World Cup Audiences in Theater vs. Home” I thought my experiences of watching a sports game live vs. at home. It is pretty clear that once you are in the arena the atmosphere is totally different with fans wearing jerseys, cheering and actively engaging in participatory culture. But with the advancement of digital media, the presence of being at the game vs. watching on a television or through streaming has closed the gap between the two. Kim et al. elaborate by stating “Presence refers to the phenomenon in which an individual develops a sense of being physically present at a remote location through interaction with media”. A prime example of actively engaging remotely is through Twitter and Facebook. Using hashtags such as #wethenorth that promotes active participation from fans in a different area. In chapter 7 Sullivan discusses that “In his 1990 book The Consequences of Modernity, Giddens argued that one of the hallmarks of modern societies is the breakdown in the traditional notion of ‘place’ as a specific physical location—something he called ‘time-space distanciation’” (Sullivan 2013). This absence of time and space within fandom cultures provides people with a sense of belonging even if they are not from the same area or culture. Taking Raptors as an example, a team that was always seen as the underdogs in the NBA due to their further distance from all of the American teams. With the Wethenorth campaign, it allowed raptors fans from all over the world to engage is fan culture even if they had never visited the city before.

The convergence of digital media also brings downsides to factual information. In Ben S. Wasike’s article titled “Framing News in 140 Characters: How Social Media Editors Frame the News and Interact with Audiences via Twitter” discussing the issue of framing news by social media editors. The study found that most journalists tend to focus on news that deals with war/terrorism, man-made disasters and natural disasters. Ultimately news that would “sell” across multiple platforms rather than political or social issues. When I surf the web for news my main platforms of use tend to be Facebook and Instagram because it provides me with the social aspect and interactivity amongst real worlds news and social events that my friends post. News channels have a tendency to post the same news and even in some cases the titles and the contents are the same. This convergence of news events provides a narrow insight into world issues that deviate individuals from important issues occurring internationally.

Digital media is expanding rapidly and due to the advancement, many platforms are taking advantage trying to create applications through multiple devices. Audience culture has benefited as well as had a few setback due to the digital shift. This shift has allowed subcultures to flourish and fandom culture is going to continue to grow due to the ease of connectivity throughout the subcultures. For example, Star Trek or “trekies” fans are really devoted to the show even though the show has been off the air for years now. This continuation provides the show to be timeless and passed on from generation to generation creating many subcultures.

Sources Booth, P. (2105). Crowdfunding: A spimatic application of digital fandom. New Media and Society, 17(2), 149-166.

Kim, K., Cheong, Y., & Kim, H. (2016). The influences of sports viewing conditions on enjoyment from watching televised sports: An analysis of the FIFA World Cup audiences in theater vs. home. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 60(3), 389–409.

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