This is the introductory chapter I created for the comic Rebuilding Fandom.

For me, the transition from an ordinary fan to a passionate one has always been closely tied to the act of creating. The urge to rewrite, reimagine, and build upon existing works stems from a mix of complex emotions—but at the core, it's a need to be seen and to connect. There's something deeply fulfilling about discussing potential plot developments, hidden relationships between characters, or imagining them living in entirely different worlds—with others who understand a work as deeply as you do.

Yet while the emotional drive may remain the same, fan creators from different generations face very different challenges due to changes in technology and the cultural landscape. This comic was created to explore and express this shared yet divergent journey.

I've personally experienced the evolution of China’s fan communities over the past 25 years—from around 2000 to 2025. In this time, the community has gone through three major phases: the era of self-published print works, the age of internet forums, and the current age of social media. Each stage brought its own technological constraints and shifting relationships between fan creators and the public. Resourceful creators have always found ways to navigate these challenges, building unique environments and communication methods reflective of their time.

This comic is meant to provide a window for those unfamiliar with fan creation—to offer an accessible starting point for understanding what fan creators think about and struggle with in the context of their time.

Originally designed as a vertical webcomic for mobile viewing, the layout is divided into three vertical columns. Each column tells the story of a character living in a different era, showing their transformation from an ordinary fan to a fan creator.