assignment 4

The genre I have chosen is superhero fiction. I enjoy superhero fiction because of the atmosphere that is created before films are released. Superhero fiction creates mass active spectator ship. Active spectatorship is when the audience is active and respond to the films they see. Audiences that are fans of superhero fiction and dedicate huge amounts of time to collecting or researching superhero fiction tend to emulate the characters.

The fans do this out of pleasure, they watch superhero fiction and wonder what it would be like to be the characters within the film. This is where Comic – con comes into play. Comic con is an event where all the superhero enthusiasts get to together all dressed up as their favourite characters from superhero movies. The films effects the audience in such a way that fans dedicate their time to appreciate the genre and hold an event in its name.

 In my opinion Fandom is a great way for audiences to release their passion for the genre. Fandom is where fans form subcultural groups through social network sites and attend gatherings such as Cosplay events. Fandom influences their personality and often shapes the creativity of themselves. Social Networking is a huge way for an audience to connect and react together over the superhero fiction genre. Blogs and pages can be created via Facebook which allow fans to “hype” about past films and films that are yet to be released. Within the social network, fans tend to create their own language that only they understand. When I say language I don’t mean Spanish, French or English. The way in which they communicate will include generic conventions about the film that people outside of the genre would not understand. This further enhances the love for superhero fiction.

When thinking about superhero fiction the most important thing is not the films, it is the audience themselves. The audience’s experiences, background, beliefs and circumstances are revealed through watching superhero fiction. The fact that most superhero fiction movies are shown in the cinema creates the feel of an important event taking place. To some going to the cinema is what they do when they are bored, to superhero fiction enthusiasts going to the cinema to see a new film under this genre is a huge thing. Due to months of anticipation for the film to be released, the audience will be excited and treat the cinema in a completely different way.