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Used to think gatekeeping was good for comics, but a convention panel changed my mind

I was at Phoenix Fan Fusion last month and sat in on a panel about new readers. This guy stood up and said 'I got into comics through the Marvel movies and people told me I wasn't a real fan.' Hit me hard because I've been that guy rolling my eyes at people who didn't know who Romita Jr. was. Made me realize I was pushing people away from a hobby I love. Anyone else had a moment where you caught yourself being that gatekeeper?
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3 Comments
sam_murphy39
Started calling out my own friends when they'd trash talk movie fans at the comic shop.
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jana_fox50
jana_fox5027d agoTop Commenter
That's a fair stance. Movie fans are what keep the industry alive, after all. Comic purists can get a little carried away with the gatekeeping sometimes.
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nancybailey
Did they actually listen when you called them out, or did they just brush it off? Curious if real friendships can survive that kind of direct confrontation or if it pushed some people away. What was the reaction from the group overall?
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