Rabid Fans

Fans are a weird bunch. They can get very wrapped up in their readings--behaving clearly as if this fictional world is their reality. And at the same time, they acknowledge the responsibility of the author in sustaining that reality. And they get highly angry with this person when he or she does something they don't like to a beloved character.

My brother and a friend of his, who writes for Marvel Comics, were down in San Diego for the Comic Convention last weekend. It was business for both of them--my brother works at Nintendo, which sees the Con as a huge advertising venue, and his friend, Brian, was sitting on a couple of writer's panels for the comic he works on.

Sadly, much of Brian's panel was spent fending off fans. One rabid woman apparently stood up and spewed, "I'm just so angry about what you've done to She-Hulk!"

Angry? She-Hulk? I mean, I'm not entirely sure what Brian did to Miss Hulk, but I'm fairly certain nonetheless that we all have more troubling things to be worrying about?

Which brings me to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who had it much worse. Apparently he wasn't very interested in his great detective, Sherlock Holmes, and even got so tired of the character at some point that he made an attempt to do away with the series by killing Sherlock off. That would be the famous scene where Sherlock goes over the waterfall during a wrestling match with Moriarty.

Even his own mother was peeved at him about that one. And then there were the fans, some of whose death threats pretty much ensured Sherlock's return. So I guess Brian should be grateful that all he got was a screech.

Of course, I think the Wrath of Mom may possibly be harder to deal with.

I'll bet that's really what made Doyle bring Sherlock back.