LA Weekly had a story about the anti-Twilight sentiment at Comicon this year. The story took on a post-feminist take when they ventured into the possibility that women aren’t allowed to follow something as rabidly as men, for fear of being marked as squealing banshees. This is an instance where outsiders are making judgment on a culture they don’t understand.

For the past few years, ever since Hollywood became a driving force at the convention, there have been incidences where the hardcore comic book fan had to face outsider elements and that reaction is always emotional because it focuses on the main complaint Comicon gets every year; it is losing touch with its heart and base.

Years ago, and I was there to witness it, someone like Stan Lee, Kevin Eastman or other high end creators would have a mob around them at the convention. They would be the ones in the huge halls, having rapt command of thousands of people. When Hollywood came in, and I would give this time from Star Wars to the last Lord of the Rings, the Hollywood link was still genre and outside the mainstream. Hollywood was there but they played by the rules, if you will.

LOST and HEROES changed things. These were shows that got buzz from Comicon. The shows had geek cred, but from a number of interviews some creators voiced how they have never been to a convention or had gone through the trenches. While convention people liked that they were given an opportunity to see product, the grumbling at the time was Hollywood was using the SF angle for a built in pent up fan base, not really doing something for the fans.

If you look at the last few conventions, comic book artists could walk the floors and no one would recognize them. People have started looking for ‘real’ stars; the ones they see on film and TV. With more coverage coming to the convention, more ‘outsiders’ are showing up not for the convention but for the stars.

The LA Weekly story reinforces the concerns many have. The article focused on a possible sexist reasoning for the anti-Twilight showing. The sentiment for signs saying “Twilight ruined Comicon” came from verified reports that the Twilight people, yes as organized as they were, showed up for the convention just for it and nothing else. Information came out of them filling H hall and being rude or openly hostile to presentations not related to Twilight. This was fed by the press, who needed something to latch onto and took the obvious route and followed all things Twilight or Megan Fox, ignoring controversies, revelations and other happenings at the convention.

Years ago LOST was the big show and there was resentment by some convention goers. When HEROES was the big show resentment was made. This year Twilight was the boogie man and next year another show will be the flavor of the week. It’s not sexist revolution but fans who have been to the convention for years suddenly seeing things change and they don’t like the changes. There isn’t a need to make this more than it is.