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Fanboys are devoted to a specific interest and can be narrow-minded, forming a vocal minority on enthusiast websites. The term originated with comic book fans but has evolved to include fans of various subjects. They collect related items and attend events, but can be critical of creators. Fanboys are often teased and encouraged to broaden their interests.
A fanboy is someone who is extremely devoted to a very specific and often limited topic of interest. Fanboys may focus their attentions on comic books, television series, computer platforms, video games, movies, and a wide variety of other subjects, and are often extremely steadfast in their devotion. They are also notorious for being quite narrow-minded, rejecting opinions and ideas that are contrary to their own, and can form a small but very vocal minority on websites designed for enthusiasts of various subjects, much to the frustration of more casual users.
While many people consider the fanboy to be a late 20th century phenomenon, in fact, the word first surfaced in the 20th century, referring to fanatical comic book followers. Fanboys obsessively collected all issues of comics featuring their favorite characters or their favorite creators, exchanging information, ideas and discussions on their topic of interest with other fanboys. Over time, the word began to evolve to be used more generally to refer to passionate male fans, typically young male fans, of everything from movie stars to Linux; the term is also spelled fanboi.
Typical fanboys collect anything related to the subject of their obsessions, no matter how esoteric. For example, a fanboy following a certain television series would purchase the seasons as they came out on DVD, along with companion books, comics, and other promotional materials. He or she may also attend conferences and events that have featured the series, its creators or its actors. Plus, fanboys infest the internet to quote their obsession, from throwaway random comments on forums to sites filled with people with similar interests.
Creators often have a hard time with fanboys, because fans can have very specific ideas about how they think things should be done. In the above example of a fanboy obsessed with a television series, the fanboy might get angry about events in the series, things a character has done, or actors who have decided to leave the show. Creators often find themselves criticized within hours of widespread public disclosure of a controversial decision, and some fanboys have even gone so far as to threaten creative talent beyond simply being against creative decisions.
The fanboy is often a figure of derision and derision in the community at large, due to the notion that fanboys are particularly nerdy or geeky. Often, fanboys are teased about living at home or no longer active, and are often encouraged to develop a wider range of interests. Psychologically, being a fanboy can be somewhat harmful, as it tends to create a narrow view of the world; different interests are, as a rule, healthier.
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