Just a few weeks ago, we endured condescending articles about how girls don't like Comic-Con. This week, we hear that the worst part of Comic-Con is going to be all the female fans of Twilight. Wait, what?
A few weeks ago, the Los Angeles Times printed a terrifyingly awful article trying to get women to come to the traditionally male-centric Comic-Con by writing about what girls can do at the Con. Apparently they can drool over hot men, and that's pretty much it. Then, to add insult to injury, popular blog IGN.com held a contest whose prize was a trip to Comic-Con. The kicker? The contest was open only to men. (Later, the site apologized and created a separate contest for women.) So basically, the message has been that women don't go to Comic-Con. Unless somehow we can trick them into it by dangling hunky actors in front of them.
Because of course, women don't like movies. Or comics. Or TV. Or videogames. They just like cute boys.
Now, at least among Comic-Con attendees, that tune is changing. It seems now that the biggest threat to Comic-Con are all the women who will be coming.
The opening salvo in this latest round of complaints came from /Film's Peter Sciretta, who grumbled about how the Twilight panel will be right after the Avatar panel. Apparently all the excited female fans will push out the "normal people":
Anyone who attended last year's Comic-Con can attest to how much of a cluster-fuck was caused by Twilight's presentation in Hall H. Hundreds of tweens and Twilight Moms/Dads camped overnight to be the first ones into Hall H. By the time the "normal people" began to line up hours before doors were set to open, thousands of Twilighters were already in line.
As Movieline notes:
Sciretta then pretty much admits that actually the most anticipated film is the Twilight sequel New Moon, which doesn't count because girls.
Sciretta goes on to say:
By placing the Summit panel (AKA The Twilight Saga: New Moon panel) as the third panel of the day, they are forcing thousands of movie fanatics out of Hall H. Unless you're willing to brave the crowds and show up 4-5 hours before HALL-H opens, the seats will be taken by Twilight fans. Twilight fans who probably aren't interested in Avatar. Many of those people who want to see previews of A Christmas Carol, Alice In Wonderland, Tron 2 and Avatar will be left out.
He worries that these Twilight girls will take ALL THE SEATS that should be saved for "movie fanatics" - because, apparently, people who like the Twilight movie don't count as movie fans. Nobody who likes that silly vampire movie New Moon, full of sparkly otherworldly creatures, would ever be sophisticated enough to like the silly space movie Avatar, full of sparkly otherworldly creatures.
Imagine if this New Moon panel were replaced by a panel devoted to a new Star Wars movie. Would people be screaming about all those "fanatical" Star Wars fans who would undoubtedly line up all night long just to get a glimpse of George Lucas and pals? Would there be complaining that Star Wars fans were taking up space and driving out all the "normal people" who came to see Alice and A Christmas Carol? Would people be suggesting that the Star Wars panel should be moved to another place, or another day? No. Because Star Wars fans, even though they are more fanatical than Twilight fans, are mostly boys. And therefore they are tolerated as "normal people" at Comic-Con while hordes of girl fans are not.
Tellingly, Sciretta begins his post by saying:
Unlike others, I don't feel threatened by the [Twilight] books, films, or insane fandom. Why should I?
Obviously, however, he is threatened. Twilight fans are stealing movie fandom away from him. They're stealing his seat for Avatar. And they're willing to get up even earlier than he is to get into an event they're excited about. I dunno, but it sounds to me like he's threatened because women are better, stronger, more devoted movie fanatics than he is.
OK, boys, it's time to step up your game if you're going to conquer Comic-Con.