Fanbase Press, if you have heard of this publisher/news site, you probably think of some things. Coming-of-Age, podcasts, and interviewing anything out of the less corporate fandoms. When I first saw this comic publisher on (Pre-Amazon) Comixology, I had to see how far it went. Got my wish with a Hoopla Binge Pass years later. Even more than that, I got the surprise sighting of its beginning, Fanboy Comics. Ever since I had to wonder, how does a comic publisher/news website start off like this. It felt a bit too familiar.
Angsty Fanboys
These old days have a heavy atmosphere just about everywhere. Something Animal, Identity Thief, and The Arcs all deal with the idea of losing your sense of self. Whether that’s because of trauma, running away from your past, or trying to correct a crisis. These were all steeped in the attitudes of the early 2000s.
Everything from 9/11, the financial crisis, and losing faith in what kept the world turning is felt on all of these pages. No one could escape it thanks to growing popularity of post-grunge from the likes of Evanescence or Nickelback. All of the paranoia and pain as a purpose probably influenced Fanboy Comics’ creation in the 2010s.
Problem is, it all came out more like awkward adolescence. Personally speaking, I went through these same events in my life. Or at least the effects of it, to the point of how it ended up taking place in my first try at a comic.
Ironically, another pre-Fanbase title Penguins vs. Possums probably put things into a better perspective. In layman, making big deals out of basically nothing.
Fanbase Press: Celebrate Fans to Make Your Own
So now with proper communications set up, the Fanboys decide to take a new direction. The maker of Penguins vs. Possums showed how with Quince. This coming-of-age story is practically the transition from angst to starting the journey to become a real adult. Same with Fanbase Press, not just making comics but being open about what’s really important to everyone on board.
Looking into The Gamma Gals and The Margins, you see the layers of taking a new direction. There are still the awkward moments and emotional turmoil, to the point of escaping into a new world. But the hard work put into those worlds can be a real pain, especially on people’s relationships with others. Setting boundaries and taking time for everything else is practically a cornerstone of this publisher.
Of course, the past and the paranoia that comes with it still stick around. Just look at The Sequels and Nuclear Power. What happens when the height of your life isn’t at all what it was hyped up to be? Better yet, what happens when people take advantage of that? Even with a new direction, Fanbase Press wants to live with its past, not in it. That way, it turns into a springboard for new ideas and perspectives.
Fans Make The World
Just look at Ripple Effects and Four-Color Heroes. There are plenty of things people still don’t talk about unless they’re trending. But the more people you meet and interact with creates a richer world and a better understanding of the one you’re living in.
It’s not just about representatives for certain groups, but the layers of interacting with people and putting it onto a page. Four-Color Heroes is practically a way of showing even places far away from where you live still have a lot to say before it’s mainstream. A way into fandoms just has better odds of making a more welcoming environment.
Will You Be On Fanbase Press?
No one person’s way into comics or fandoms will be the cleanest. It can be messy, frustrating, and aimless. But that doesn’t have to stay a bad thing. It’s still part of the bigger journey’s process to go beyond your limits. The more you interact with people who can help bring out your best, the bigger the horizons. Who knows; maybe you’ll be ahead of the curve of events.
