Step aside, Trekkies. Move out the way, Trubies. Stand down, Browncoats. There is a new fan base in town and we are the hardest of hardcore. That’s right, Vulture has ranked the top 25 most devoted fan bases, and guess who topped the list? Game of Thrones fans! Vulture has this to say about the Thrones and, by extension, A Song of Ice & Fire fan base:
Star Wars may have wider anthropological permanence, more cottage industries, and a wider age range of fans. Twilight may induce more screams and tears. And Harry Potter may be a new rite of passage for children everywhere. But Game of Thrones has the most devoted fanbase of all because of the sheer surging might and immediacy of its readers (and viewers’) obsessiveness over a story that is still in the midst of unfolding. The main arcs behind the other giant franchises have been told, even if fans are still immersed in the movie follow-throughs or ancillary side mythologies. But GoT fans feel like they are in the midst of the adventure; they are as anxious for the coming of winter as the series’ characters.
In addition, Vulture is asking fans to share a story about the most extreme thing they ever did in the name of their fandom. Leave a comment on this post detailing your act of devotion and you may get featured on Vulture next week.
Winter Is Coming: We’re number one! We’re number one! We’re number one! As a side note, Vulture also pegged WinterIsComing.net as one of the main hangouts for Thrones fans. We’re honored and thrilled to have such passionate and dedicated readers! So pour yourself a glass of Arbor Red and treat yourself to a second lemoncake, it’s time to celebrate!
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66 Comments
YES, we are #1!!!!! Everyone I know who is a fan is seriously passionate about the books and about George himself. Thank you George, for raising the standard of storytelling. No one else even comes close.
angelQuote Reply
I sort of don’t trust this article.
I’ve never heard of any of these names besides BWB, and I can’t imagine TV viewers calling themselves by the name of a group they haven’t encountered yet.
Regardless, it’s still great to see Thrones getting publicity, and hopefully this will inspire more people to give the show a chance.
BrianQuote Reply
The Bookwalkers and Unsullied names come from the TV Without Pity boards. They run a very strict TV-viewers-only thread and they call themselves the Unsullied and those who have read the books, Bookwalkers. The GRRuMblers are the fans over at Is Winter Coming? and Finish the Book, George.
Winter Is ComingQuote Reply
This is crap, I love the show, and have loved the books for a long time, BUT Firefly is fucking awesome. Like way more awesome.
The DudeQuote Reply
Winter Is Coming,
is there a name for all fan base (bookreaders and tv viewers) – “thronies” ?
sounds lame
nerdism is high , we are on top.
bosnian fan
senyQuote Reply
The dude :
Firefly ?
What the hell is firefly ?
Nobody has even heard of Firefly where I live ..
People here follow GOT so much .. Everyone talk/discuss GOT ..
This article I think focuses the fanbases all around the world
And firefly stands no chance against GOT
Ahmed HassanQuote Reply
No its not! Its meh. I watched the frist and only season. The story and the characters are ok, but not awesome.
SerenaQuote Reply
they’re talking about fandoms as they are now. as someone involved in the HP fandom as well as asoiaf, i can say, at it’s hight HP was definitely crazier – but we’ve mellowed. Who knows, maybe asoiaf will get to those same levels in a few years, but we’re not there yet. :D
Ashley ManwoodyQuote Reply
Fans will be fans, there is no need to be hating on one over the other. I myself is a Brown Coat and a Bookwalker (and many others). But it is a testament to the appeal of GoT that fans devote such love/hate/discussion/time to the materials. Congrats on being number one and enjoy the Fandom and share the love, not the hate.
Book NaziQuote Reply
Our fandom definately has a lot of room for play. Sometimes I’m a Grumbler, sometimes I wear my serious Westeros hat, other times I just want to fangirl here on WiC. TWoP is great too for the unsullied thread. One thing all of those sites have in common is that the level of excitement and interest (or in Is Winter Coming’s case, detractorism) is always astronomically high.
MegQuote Reply
firefly was a brilliant show and the fandom will always be high when something is harshly cut down in its prime
glennQuote Reply
Firefly is a wickedly awesome, witty, wildly entertaining mashup of science fiction, comic books and westerns. It was sometimes an action movie, sometimes a drama and almost always a comedy. Unfortunately, it only lasted 13 episodes and a movie that is kind of a two hour version of probably what would have been multiple seasons, if not the whole darn story.
You’re right that ASOIF has a much more international fanbase, and I’m sure much larger and much more fervent. And I think Firefly does benefit from never really having the chance to disappoint — we were still learning the characters and discovering the world. There was no chance for repetition or for it to disappoint.
That said, Firefly was awesome, and I think it would have been the pinnacle of Joss Whedon’s career. He was more experienced than Buffy, but the audience hadn’t become used to or tired of him (see Aaron Sorkin — where a lot of people are seeing the same thing over and over).
It has great characters, a great cast and a whole universe to explore. There’s no reason to denigrate Firefly to make ASOIF better. It’s gone; it’ll never come back — but it was pretty awesome.
AlanQuote Reply
I’m a huge fan of Firefly
but I named my baby daughter Arya and not Inara.
GoT wins.
AnonQuote Reply
Winter Is Coming,
I think the Unspoiled Spec people on TWOP call themselves the Spitball Wall…they don’t use Unsullied to refer to themselves because they shouldn’t know what the Unsullied are.
Love that board though. Melisandre and the shadow baby pissed them off lol.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
It would win for me as well. I’m not on any Firefly sites. But there’s no reason to put it down.
AlanQuote Reply
Anon,
Actually your daughter wins because that is a great name to have.
But for the characters of Arya and Inara, the fans of both wins in that case.
Book NaziQuote Reply
Alan,
Just so.
But never say that Firefly will not come back. Just wait for them to create a Kickstarter on Firefly : The Animated Series. Kickstarter would probably go down due to the amount of fundings.
Kharn9Quote Reply
Hm, can’t quite say I agree with their list. I won’t deny GoT has a heavily invested, constantly expanding fanbase. But it also has an immediate upper hand in that there is both an ongoing book and TV series. Is it really fair to compare one series that’s in its prime, to another series that’s had its day? If you compare the GoT fanbase now, to the Harry Potter fanbase a couple of years ago, I think it’d be only right to say the HP fanbase was far larger and more crazed.
On the subject of Firefly, remember this list isn’t the quality of a series, but the dedication of its fans. And honestly, I struggle to think of fans more engrossed when you take into consideration how little they have to go on. Even now, 10 years on from the show’s one series cancellation, the Browncoats turn out in ridiculous numbers for conventions and the like. There have even been attempts for by the fans to buy back the rights and fund the show themselves. A large series of books with a TV/film adaptation is always going to gain a massive amount of fans, but I don’t think any of them will ever be more loyal than the ones that cling to Firefly.
J4yst3rQuote Reply
To settle this Firefly debate we should just get Nathon Fillon in GOT !
Al SwearengenQuote Reply
A splendid idea!
AnonQuote Reply
Most extreme things I have done in the name as a GOT fan, bear in mind I live in a country where geeks are not very big and cosplaying does not exist.
1) Got a female fan into bed just using my sheer knowledge of ASOIAF
2) Write literary essays about the character analysis of several ASOIAF characters and post them online.
3) Woke my non GOT fan room mate with a scream after I saw Cirian Hinds was Mance.
4) Planning to move to the US just so I can go to Comic Con and meet other Bannermen.
5) Started reading and bought the entire series of books before they were even on sale in South Africa.
6) Check this and other sites almost hourly for GOT updates.
More stories will follow once I reach the US shores.
Aegon the ConquerorQuote Reply
That’s awesome.
The Young WolfQuote Reply
We can all agree that Firefly is awesome, and that Game of Thrones is awesome – that must make this beyond awesome!
It hasn’t been updated in a few months, but is still hilarious :)
http://youcanttakethethronefromme.tumblr.com/
JamboQuote Reply
It looks quite surreal to me.
Only three years ago we were a small pack of wolves, and now we are recognized as number one force among the fandoms.
Amen!
The RabbitQuote Reply
Aegon the Conqueror,
Re: # 1. And so you slept on the floor like a gentleman right? Just kidding. I believe that is called “bagging the unicorn”.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Kharn9,
Actually there’s talk of an animated series already. The cast is into it because it won’t take up acting time as much as real acting. That way Fillion can play Mal and Castle simultaneously.
I have joked before of Fillion on Thrones but honestly, no he would not work it would be too meta.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Amazeballs, isn’t it ? Especially when you consider that a fair % began reading
ASOIAF during or after GoT aired. Other fan-bases are international too, but
ASOIAF/GoT surpasses Nerdism in most subjects, there is a Intelligence factor
that hasn’t been employed since Star Trek ( IMHO ).
WildSeedQuote Reply
Aegon the Conqueror,
You win, mate ! Yet I’m certain there are others quickly at your heels on all
points. At least you were the first to conquer the SA realm.
WildSeedQuote Reply
The Dude,
Firefly is the most overrated show in history, why do you think it got cancelled so quickly?
The mighty hodorQuote Reply
The mighty hodor,
So cancellation depicts how good a series is?
And whatever, I’m not saying Firefly is good, just that it’s awesome, and has the most devoted fanbase.
In pure production value, Game of Thrones is way better. And I love a Game of Thrones to death anyhows.
The DudeQuote Reply
Every ASOIAF fan is who visits WIC.net is also welcome to join the TOTHraki horde at Tower of the Hand (www.towerofthehand.com), a site also mentioned in the article.
SaryaStoneQuote Reply
The mighty hodor,
Firefly was cancelled because the Fox Network botched every bit of promotion they could for the show. They aired the 2nd episode first instead of the pilot and only showed about seven of the thirteen episodes and placed it in the Friday night death slot. To add insult to injury as they say Fox aired the pilot episode after the show had been cancelled. Fox realizes the mistake they made with Firefly. It was made at the transitional period when television ratings as a barometer to a show’s financial swagger was in its transitional phase. The new world order being the advent of TV on DVD and PVR’s not entirely on its way. The very fact that Fringe managed five seasons is evident in their realization that the aired episode Nielsen ratings does not determine success. Not to mention that Fox was more into the reality tv fad at the time of Firefly’s release.
In my opinion Firefly was released 5 years too early. If it was released even three years ago it would have been huge.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
When i found this site allll those years ago, back when i just heard wind that there was these two guys making aSoIaF on HBO, this place became my one place to find everything thats unfolding. From casting speculations, to downright PICKING actors for D&D (Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage). This used to be a freakin blog! One that was given 100 doses of rare candy that emerged into this amazing site for whatever u need to know thrones related
Thank you guys so much for keeping this up for all these years, it’s really paid off for you XD
Dave BrownellQuote Reply
Sorry people, but this is just plain fact IMHO. I love ASoIaF, but I equally love LotR, Star Wars, Firefly, Buffy, etc. You can’t just call one fanbase the most devoted. Every fandom has people completely hopelessly (and at times quite annoyingly or insanely) in love with “their” book/movie/show/whatever. Since when can love or devotion be measured? You don’t have to do crazy stuff or be loudest or most obnoxious online or whatever just because you love something. There is NÖ need to prove it. Since when is this a competition?
Bad DogQuote Reply
Not to whatever but my daughter’s name is Khaleesi. FTW.
Tim GradyQuote Reply
Shiney!
puzzlnutQuote Reply
Our plan for wedding reception is ASOIAF. Head table is Starks (us) all other tables are other great houses with sigil & house words.
AshQuote Reply
WildSeed,
Gerhard, the original ASOIAF Fan, way back before it became cool, yes that’s me!
Aegon the ConquerorQuote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
Just that.
Also, it was very successful in Europe, not to mention the DVD sales.
Bad DogQuote Reply
There is a woman at work whose last name is “Elia” and every time I see the name in an email, I think of Elia of Dorne. And, other times when I see her name, I have Roy Dotrice’s voice going through my head saying, “You raped her. You murdered her. You killed her children!”
NewJeffCTQuote Reply
I hope there isn’t a certain color them to your wedding.
NewJeffCTQuote Reply
YEahhhhh boooyyyyyyyy!!! Better recognize, “Game Of Thrones”/”ASOIF” is in the hizzaouse!
loco73Quote Reply
First, I want to preface this by saying I adore Firefly. I have the whole series and Serenity. I think what Wheadon has accomplished on dedicated fans alone (not to mention careers he’s launched) is nothing short of miraculous.
This said however, ASOIAF is quite simply a larger, more comprehensive enterprise, whose fandom is not only obsessive, but jealously guards what they know about both the television series and the novels, so as to try as best they can to allow new fans to experience what they did during all those heart rending moments. While this may not make them completely unique, from what I’ve seen, there are few pop culture forces right now that exhibit that kind of fanatical drive to preserve the integrity of the story.
Lannister AccountantQuote Reply
Proud! Celebration time :)
Hear Me RoarQuote Reply
Just FYI, this article’s mention of Joss Whedon is not just of Firefly (myself, I like Buffy just a smidge better), but the guy Himself, and all of His works.
As a follower of both Whedon and ASoIaF for 10+ years, I’d have a hard time choosing one or the other, but purely on my observations from lurking on the fansites (which isn’t much, I know, I know), I’d really have to say it would be more accurate if it was the other way around between the two.
That isn’t to say of course that this fanbase is nothing to sneeze at, but yeesh… the man has achieved god status to many.
*cough*
…In Joss We Trust.
JonathanQuote Reply
My hair is currently the same color of Ygritte’s and should fade to Sansa’s in about a month. Devoted fan? I think yes.
Freyja RoseQuote Reply
Freyja Rose,
are you trying to make your own luck by dying your hair that way? cheater.
ArithineQuote Reply
Yes! We are the best #1
But there again, we all knew it…………
GrijnwaaldQuote Reply
NewJeffCT,
No!!!!! Haha
AshQuote Reply
Jonathan,
I concur that Whedon is his own fandom alone. Both series have a huge cult following.
Love that your name is ‘Jonathan’ by the way. Of course it would be!
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
You know what, i’ve changed my mind. When the asoiaf fandom creates a charity organization that’s raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various humanitarian issues and has multiple chapters around the world. Puts on multiple fan conventions, can host concert events, puts together the quidditch world cup, attended by teams across america and drawing thousands… Then the HP fandom may renounce its crown.
the media stopped paying attention to the HP fandom and many people left, but the hardcore fans are out there keeping these events going out of their own time and pocket money.
Ashley ManwoodyQuote Reply
Firefly
I would not compare Firefly with GoT, though. Both are excellent in their own rights. I am guessing for the article, that Firefly was lumped under Joss Whedon. Firefly has a pretty large following, which is what I think “The Dude” was referring to.
Tyrion4LyfeQuote Reply
For me GOT will always win, it is the only book I read like 5 or 6 times, the only series I follow the series production, it was the most expensive book I ever paid for (like 300 Euro for one of the limited edition), the only sword replica I own is needle and so on. I saw firefly and liked ist, I even was part of an online Harry Potter Fanclub and read lord of the rings quite some times, too. but I definitly spent the most time an money and thoughts on GOT.
AbendsternQuote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
Yup, I have actually read about it. The idea did not just pop in my mind ^^
And I am truly thinking that if the last thing they need to start the whole thing is funding, they should try a Kickstarter. It would work for sure.
Kharn9Quote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
The honco in charge of Fox at the time Firefly was greenlighted had left the network after production began, but before the show aired. It was said honcho’s pet project, but the love was not shared by the dude that replaced him. So, the horrible things that were outlined in the original post occurred because the guy that really believed in Firefly was no longer there to protect and champion the show. Had he stayed at Fox, the show might have gotten better treatment and time to gain a following.
Now I’m sad. I’ve kept my love of Firefly going by reading the Dark Horse comic series. That said, I love ASoIaF and Firefly/Serenity. Go geekdom :-)
Salty DornishmanQuote Reply
Congratulations WiC on your shout-out and overall success! A woman is proud to be a part of such a devoted fandom.
Mrs. H’gharQuote Reply
I reported this to WiC as soon as I saw it, glad they shared. Love the fact they put this #1. I don’t think its about who’s better or not, but I understand the “following”. To me the culture of the series as well as the GRRM following goes pretty deep. I also think we took the #1 spot because we are the active community right now. Sure Firefly, LoTR, SW, all of those have great fans, but all of those shows are done. We’re (hopefully) just getting started!
Dan JohnsonQuote Reply
Salty Dornishman,
Rothman, who is also guilty of screwing the X Men over. Disney should buy the rights back from Fox. The Marvel film universe is expanding and the Mutants are missing! I did read though that Scarlett Witch can still be in the Avengers sequels but she can’t be a mutant or Magneto’s daughter in them. Such are the legal constraints concerning copyright.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
Fox, proudly screwing up all your favourites…
In a perfect world, the 10th season of Firefly would be airing by now… and GRRM would be about done with Book 6 :)
Bad DogQuote Reply
Ha, were you at that panel, too?
Delta1212Quote Reply
Brian,
I’ve definitely heard all of these monikers around the interwebs before. Various people who haven’t seen the show but read the books, or vice versa.
The craziest thing me and my husband did was start a 5-days-a-week podcast were we review every chapter of every book, plus the show episodes, PLUS side projects like Dunk an Egg and A Feast of Ice And Fire. It’s been an insane amount of work, but I’ve read the books and my husband hasn’t so it’s worth it to introduce him to this world. We have been going since January and are about 1/3 of the way through ASOS, and needless to say I’m starting to get really REALLY excited
UNspoiled! PodcastQuote Reply
I guess we are the Most Devout…
King DBCQuote Reply
Aegon the Conqueror,
Hahah, pretty cool to see a fellow (insanely) dedicated South African fan…
King DBCQuote Reply
The rolling stone writer I believe came up with Nedheads to describe ourselves. But it never went anywhere
SuperdeluxeQuote Reply
Also game of thrones has awesome mash tumblr sites such as arrestedwesteros and Stormofswansons
SuperdeluxeQuote Reply
Glad to be a part of it for years and years. Awesome.
I’m also happy to not be one of those fans who starts hating what they loved when it gets popular. All fans old and new alike are welcome to me.
Tyler L. MetcalfeQuote Reply