Fanboy

Fanboy is a term used to describe any 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. A very essential and very common for a fanboy is to become aggressive or violent to discuss the amateur for whom it is dedicated, often leaving behind the taste of others or even underestimated.

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. [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fanboy fanboy. (2008)] . In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved July 7, 2008.]

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 Monty Python sketch in which an Elizabethan era character reads what she claims to be a new Shakespeare work called "Gay Boys in Bondage". [ [http://www.byrnerobotics.com/FAQ/listing.asp?ID=7&T1=Miscellaneous+Questions#154 Byrne Robotics: FAQ ] ] 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 [ [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] ] Failed verification|date=September 2008, and as electronic entertainment gained popularity, the term became increasingly applied to computers 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 shows; movies; music; anime; comic books; cars; sirens; video game consoles, video games and MMORPGs; and computer operating systems, hardware and software, sports teams (such as Ferrari's Tifosi and Manchester United) —and more recently politics. [ [http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/11/whos-nuttier-ap.html "Who's Nuttier, Apple Fanatics or Ron Paul Enthusiasts?", Wired Magazine] ] "Fanboy" was added to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary in 2008. [ [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]

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"'s Fan Boy

Radio/podcasts

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

Movies

* "Fanboys" (2003 film), a New Zealand short film
* "Fanboys" (2008 film), an American comedy film

ee also

* Addiction
* Cyberstalking
* Editor war
* Anorak
* Astroturfing
* Otaku
* Obsession

References

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.