An Ode to Fandoms

Okay, this isn't exactly an "ode" per say, but fandoms are very important to the success of any form of media. In fact, they are so important that creators have to come up with strategies specifically built to ensure fandoms will grow around the media they create. In "Spreadable Media" they talk about two main forms of transmedia engagement: spreadable and drillable. Spreadable content has large backstories that cannot be easily summarized and create an immersive fictional universe. Drillable content has enough complexity to warrant revisits of the same content or creation of content based on the original.
However, sometimes the creators of the original content will make other content based on the original such as sequels, behinds, spin-offs, etc. The book warns against this citing Virginia Heffernan, "Heffernan highlights a danger that many creatives feel as companies seek to engage viewers online: storytelling might fall by the wayside amid a promotional blitz of extensions." I think the creators of the DC movies should really take these words seriously. They've only been sustained by the antithesis of the "cult" audience who read or have read the comics.
Cult audiences have a taste in media and culture that is against what is considered the mainstream. Those who are apart of cult audiences are the bridge to making something that was once considered niche mainstream. They are important enough for creators of shows or books to promote at Comic-con in order to directly interact with their cult audience.
The board game fansite and facebook page are a good example of the content and promotion involved with cult audiences. Though the audience is small there are still people who take these things seriously and take the time to comment on games and even follow the games on social media. I'll end on my favorite part of a comment left on the board game website: " Everyone knows one of the key joys of the genre is finding an eclectic array of junk in dank caves and lugging it all to some one-eyed merchant to exchange for coin."