Fan Phenomena: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Fan Phenomena

by Jennifer K. Stuller (Editor)

Few could have predicted the enduring affection inspired by Joss Whedon’s television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer . With its origins in a script Whedon wrote for a 1992 feature film of the same name, the series far outpaced its source material, gathering a devoted audience that remains loyal to the show more than a decade after it left the airwaves. Heralded for its use of smart, funny, and emotionally resonant narrative; subversive and feminist characterizations; and unique approaches to television as an art form, the show quickly developed its own unique fan community, who built on existing narratives through fan fiction, media manipulation, and performance.


Fan Buffy the Vampire Slayer explores how this continued devotion is internalized, celebrated, and critiqued. Featuring interviews with culture makers, academics, and creators of participatory fandom, the essays here are a window into the more personal and communal aspects of the fan experience. Essays from critical thinkers and scholars address how Buffy inspires the creation of, among other enduring artifacts of fandom, fan fiction, crafting, performance, cosplay, and sing-alongs.


As an accessible yet vigorous examination of a beloved character and her world, Fan Buffy the Vampire Slayer provokes a larger conversation about the relationship between cult properties and fandom, and how their interplay permeates the cultural consciousness, in effect contributing to culture through new narrative, academia, language, and political activism.

Genres: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Pop Culture, Nonfiction

164 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I have for I don't know how long exactly.

Recently, I was inspired to read essays on it. So I took this out from the library, and each of them were interesting. I highly recommend if you love the show as much as me!

[Alex Ehrenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you're a big buffy fan, it slaps. an easy read with interesting essays about pop culture influences that help inspired the series, praise and critique of feminism portrayed in the series, etc. it was the only book my library had on buffy, it was a little more fandom focused than i would have liked but still fun nonetheless.

[Alex Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should probably preface this review by pointing out that I am at least a mildly un-disinterested Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan – in that I watched all seven seasons in the space of a month during my Sophomore year of college. Taking that into account, I have to say that this book is likely uninteresting to anyone who’s never seen the show, but if you are lucky enough to have seen it, then this book represents a veritable treasure-trove of blissful nerdy introspection. Every essay in this book was written by some kind of academic professional (and fan), and while some of the essays were less interesting than others (the Etsy essay I could have done without), others more than make up the difference. I nearly started crying at my desk during the essay discussing the importance of Willow and Tara’s lesbian relationship, and had to fight the urge to go on YouTube and spend the rest of the working day watching compilations of their story arc. I had a blast.

Overall Rating: If you’ve seen the show, then jump right in. If not, go do your homework, then come do some more homework.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book and it had a lot of great info in it! However, the formatting of the paperback was so annoyingly distracting that it undermined the entire thing.
I highly reccomend!

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really intersting.

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent work. Gathered many different ways to express fandom and interviews some great people.

[Mills College Library]

791.4572 B9299 2013