Shoutout to the guy at the comic shop who called me out for gatekeeping

I was at my local shop, Cosmic Comics, picking up my pulls last week. A kid, maybe 12, was asking the clerk about a Miles Morales comic, and I made some offhand comment like 'you should really start with the original Ultimate run to get it right.' This older dude, just browsing the back issues, turned and said, 'Man, let him enjoy the character. The door's wide open, you don't need a map to walk through it.' That hit me hard, lol. I realized I was being that guy, the one who makes new fans feel like they're doing it wrong if they don't know every single detail. I've been collecting for 15 years, and I guess I got too comfortable with my own 'right way' to be a fan. That one sentence totally flipped my view. How do you all make sure you're being welcoming instead of turning into a lore gatekeeper?

2 comments

2 Comments

terry_barnes17d ago

Honestly, sometimes you need that map. If someone wants to really get a character, a little guidance from a long time fan is a good thing, not gatekeeping.

alex_king16d ago

A little guidance" is fine, @terry_barnes, but a map sounds like a strict path you can't leave. That just kills the fun of finding things out for yourself.