Fandom Category Guidance

[cantarina]

Some fandoms - especially expanded/cinematic universes or stories with multiple adaptations - have flexible boundaries, so we’re here’s a guide to how-to categorize some of the most common ones.




MARVEL: We’re counting all Marvel Cinematic Universe movies as “MCU”. All television shows that fall under the MCU umbrella are counted as their own fandom under the title of the show. Marvel movies that do not fall under the MCU umbrella (Venom, Blade, X-Men) are their own fandoms. You’re on the honours system for the comics fandoms: if it’s generally treated and understood as its own fandom, you can claim it.

DCU: Live action TV shows each count as their own fandom (Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, etc) The cinematic universe is one fandom. You’re on the honours system for the comics fandoms: if it’s generally treated and understood as its own fandom, you can claim it.

ANY MUSIC RPF: Each band counts as its own fandom.

ANY SPORTS RPF: Each sport is its own fandom

DOCTOR WHO:
* Classic Doctor Who
* New Who
* Torchwood
* The Sarah Jane Adventures
* Class
* Big Finish/BFA

STAR WARS:
* Originals
* Prequels (including Clone Wars)
* Sequels
* Rogue One
* Solo
* Rebels
* EU
* Legends
* Resistance
* The Mandalorian

STAR TREK:
* The Original Series
* Alternate Original Series (2009 movies)
* The Next Generation
* Deep Space Nine
* Voyager
* Enterprise
* Discovery
* Picard

LORD OF THE RINGS:
* LotR trilogy of books and movies
* The Hobbit book + movies
* The Silmarillion

HARRY POTTER:
* The core 7 books/8 movies
* Cursed Child (if you love it enough to claim it, we’ll give you the points for it)
* Fantastic Beasts movies

JAMES BOND: Each “Bond” era is its own fandom

SHERLOCK HOLMES: Each adaptation seems to differentiate itself as its own fandom so we will too

RPG PODCASTS WITH MULTIPLE CAMPAIGNS: Even if they have multiple campaigns, all of these podcasts count as one fandom, unless fandom usually treats them otherwise.



There are a lot of canons that started as books and got TV or movie adaptations, or otherwise moved from one format to another, or was reboots or remade. We can’t make a comprehensive list! Like for comics-verses, you’re on the honours system, please put them down as one fandom if that’s how fandom usually treats them, and list them separately if that’s how they’re generally understood by fandom.

(If this reminds you of #ITPE’s rules, good eye! Voiceteam shares a mod with #ITPE [hi, it me, cantarina] and we’ve adapted that list for this.)