Browsing: Creators & Fan Culture

Recent rumors of impending NHL expansion are getting attention this summer. Prognosticators and league insiders seem to agree that Atlanta and either Houston or Austin are the likely frontrunners for new franchises. If a new club lands anywhere in Texas, that would put themsquarely in the Central Divisionalongside the Colorado Avalanche.

The Skim is back for another episode of pop culture chat – and this week, we’re delving deep into the world of fandoms and, of course, fangirls.

Eclipse week here in the UK, so I spent some time out of doors on Wednesday grumbling that I couldn’t see the pages of the issues ofZot!orMiraclemanthat I was trying to readwhile wearing the special protective glasses being handed out at the Royal Observatory, before being roundly booed out of Greenwich Park by hordes of…

Blind box culture is built on that little hit of surprise, but the real flex is when a character stops being something you collect and starts being something you live with. That is the shift POP MART is chasing as it expands its IP from shelves into experiences people can taste, share, and post.

When a fandom decides something is collectible, the product stops being “merch” or “apparel” and becomes proof you were there for the moment. That is the energy that powered Jung Kook’s Calvin Klein capsule: fast sell-outs, “haul” culture, and fans treating packaging like part of the drop.

WEBTOON is officially entering its microdrama era.Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/WEBTOON

There’s a very specific kind of summer confidence that shows up at the US Open: the outfit is part of the event, the heat is part of the story, and everyone is doing a little mental math about how they will look in photos after hours of sun, crowds, and cheering.

For some people, seeing a celebrity IRL is like seeing a shooting star. For comic artist Luke Healy, it’s an everyday occurrence… or is it?

N.Y. (WIVB) — With a concert at Buffalo’s Outer Harbor the evening of the Buffalo Bills preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, Canadian rock band Arkells are running a promotion with fellow Bills fans in mind

Kai Cenat is a defining creator of modern livestream culture. He’s Twitch’s biggest streamer, with millions of followers and an influence that extends far beyond just one channel. That includes TONE, the personal care brand on Shopify he co-founded alongside members of the AMP Creator Collective.