Geekdom Is Threatened!
Webcomics aren’t just for geeks anymore.
I’m working at Michigan State’s sports camps this summer, and I’ve seen more than one kid come in wearing webcomic merch. These kids were generally under the age of 12.
I know parents are letting their kids onto the internet in droves, but I seriously doubt that a middle schooler has the patience or know-how to get through the entire archive of Megatokyo. They’re more likely to be playing Runescape.
Does this mean that webcomics are becoming more mainstream? We are talking about serious syndication, we are talking about books and merchandise. But do webcomics have what it takes to become Homestar Runner? I’ve seen more Homestar Runner shirts than anything else. Everyone I knew threatened to turn in an Englilsh Paper.
I don’t have much evidence for this, but I have a feeling it’s become kosher to talk about internet obsessions – many people, who claim to be normal, might just share them.
You underestimate the intelligence of 12-year-olds. Maybe you haven’t been around real kids lately, but they can be pretty clever. I was obsessed with Douglas Adams (and understood his wry humor quite capably) when I was 12; certainly Megatokyo is within the bounds of reason. Much more likely is that nerds are nerds in any era, and the badges of nerd-dom are simply shifting with the times.
By yuhana on 06.28.06 1:52 am
Homestar Runner is still around?!
By Kristofer Straub on 06.28.06 2:19 am
Yeah, I see it as perfectly plausible that a 12 year old could simply be a fan of the comics.
I mean, I didn’t get into webcomics till college – but given how many webcomics are now out there, and how easy it would generally be for kids to get online, I can certainly see them delving into a variety of webcomics.
As Yuhana says – nerds are nerds. When I was 12 I was reading Dragonlance – if I had been born 10 years later, it might have been Order of the Stick instead. So it goes.
By Mr. Myth on 06.28.06 8:47 am
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By www.iglink.com on 07.08.06 10:55 am
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