James Gunn Shuts Down Toxic Fandom After SDCC Threats
Following some disturbing behavior from a faction of SnyderVerse supporters during San Diego Comic-Con, James Gunn decided to speak out about the growing toxicity among certain corners of the DC fandom.
One fan, apparently angry about the direction of the new DC Cinematic Universe, claimed in a video that they had plans to confront Gunn during the Peacemaker Season 2 panel. According to them, they were going to “run up” on the DC Studios co-chair, painting it like some kind of confrontational protest.
Gunn initially brushed it off, pointing out how absurd it would be to try and intimidate someone in a packed Hall H filled with 6500 people. But the moment clearly stuck with him, and he later addressed it with a more thoughtful response, turning attention to the broader issue of online toxicity.
“If you see something toxic online, my advice would be, don’t interact with it. Attention only fans the flames of online toxicity. It’s one of the reasons I’m primarily on this platform.
“It isn’t because there are fewer toxic people here (although there seemingly are), it’s because it started as an online culture more willing to let the toxic personality in the back of the room shout himself hoarse and go away. When you shout back, you’re making that voice relevant.”
He didn’t stop there, and went on to say:
“You’re giving it a sounding board. You are the midwife helping to birth that toxic voice into the world. You’re helping to make a few thousand angry voices seem like millions.
“And, to be clear, when I’m talking about toxicity, I’m talking primarily about rage or cruelty. I’m not talking about not liking something or having reasonable arguments about things we like and don’t. Anyway, forgive the PSA, but it’s on my mind.”
Despite the noise and pushback Gunn’s had to deal with since taking over the reins of DC Studios, he still seems focused on moving forward and encouraging healthier fan interactions. Disagreeing with creative decisions is one thing, but weaponizing fandom to spread hate is something else entirely and its stupid.
At the end of the day, people just need to calm down. These stories and characters are supposed to be fun, not fuel for real-life conflict. Some fans just need to get back to enjoying the ride.