The liminality of the line and the place of fans at Comic-Con. (1st June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hanna, Erin
• Is Part Of: Journal of fandom studies. Volume 5:Number 2(2017)
• Page Start: 209
• Page End: 227
• Publication Date: 2017-06-01
• Subjects: Fans (Persons) -- Periodicals; Subculture -- Periodicals; Popular culture -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 306.1
• DOI: 10.1386/jfs.5.2.209_1
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-6692

Abstract

Focusing on the lines for the San Diego Comic-Con's largest promotional space, Hall H, this article draws on participant observation and mediated discourses in order to locate the place of fans at an event that has long been shaped and influenced by the promotional presence of the media industries. At Comic-Con, waiting in line suggests a divide between inside and outside, both in the literal sense of gaining entry and as a signifier of the exclusivity of the event and its attendees. But the line itself is a liminal space, neither inside nor outside. This article argues that the Hall H line at Comic-Con operates as hierarchized space in which fans follow rules and self-regulate in order to maintain their position. But the act of waiting in line also constitutes a form of labour, producing a heightened aura of exclusivity, increased publicity and surplus value around Hollywood promotion at Comic-Con. While a quotidian activity like waiting in line might be viewed much in the same way as media consumption – something one does with their 'free' time – this article argues that the prominence and proliferation of lines at Comic-Con make the work of being a consumer significantly more visible.