Two women having a picnic on a blanket in a garden with large green plants. They are sharing a plate of sliced citrus fruits and other snacks, with a basket and a small orange bag nearby. One woman has long brown hair and wears a blue top and pink pants, while the other has blue hair and wears a pink dress with white polka dots. An orange tote bag and a teapot are also on the blanket. The text above reads 'This week in fandom history' in orange and pink font.

Fandom 101 Primer Playlist

New to fandom, or wondering which events in fandom history are “must-know” touchstones? This playlist on Spotify will help you get caught up on the lingo, the inside jokes, and the moments of major cringe — in chronological order!

Star Trek The Original Series: K/S

January 1967: The First Star Trek Zine Is Distributed

Star Wars Rebel Base Bunk

April 1979: "Bunkies" Introduces Everyone's Favorite Trope

Drawing of two young men facing each other with a woman in the background and two steaming bowls in the foreground.

June 2001: Cassandra Claire Sends Shockwaves Through Harry Potter Fandom

Screenshot of a social media post by a user named barakb25, dated May 31, 2007, discussing a mistake made in the handling of journals that violated policies for minors, with a list of what was done wrong and how it will be fixed.

May 29, 2007: Strikethrough

Two men sitting on a couch in a living room, one holding a violin, surrounded by various objects including a bowl of apples, a small photo frame, and papers.

January 7, 2014: The JohnLock Conspiracy Begins

Casa Susannah

BONUS! Trans Fans Have Always Been Here

Starsky & Hutch

February 1983: Groundhog Day Stories Published, Helping Create Slash As We Know It

Page from a story titled 'Five Things That Aren't True', containing dialogue and narrative text about characters Lex, Lana, and others in a castle, with scenes in a bathroom and an airplane.

January 21, 2002: The First Time Someone Posted A Five Times Story

A circular arrow icon in maroon with a pointed arrowhead at the top, enclosed within a circle.

September 5, 2007: The Organization for Transformative Works is Filed as a Nonprofit

An inflatable ball pit filled with colorful plastic balls inside a large, empty room with wooden walls.

July 11-13, 2014: DashCon, with Special Guest Lauren Shippen

Mary Sue

December 1973: The World Meets Mary Sue

Batman: A Death in the Family

August-November 1988: "A Death in the Family" Divides Batman Fandom

Word 'vullertype' written in ice or snow with a black background.

November 2003: The First Yuletide Exchange Opens

Close-up of a hardcover book titled 'Sixteenth Child' by Patricia C. Wrede, with a decorative cover design.

February-March 2009: Racefail '09 Continues, with Guest @bossymarmalade

Text about a person named Ebony Darkness, describing her appearance, personality, interests, and background, including her hair, eye color, skin tone, school, style, and accessories.

September 1, 2017: The Handbook For (My) Immortals: Or, Two Literary Frauds!

The Star Trek August Party (1975)

August 1975: The August Party Becomes the First Fan Con

Comic book superhero with a muscular build, wearing a green mask and gloves, opening a refrigerator.

August 1994: Green Lantern's Girlfriend Is Fridged

Two young men with dark hair and long blond hair holding hands in a magical, autumnal forest setting with a castle in the background, and the text 'Big Bang II' at the bottom.

August 2005: The First-Ever Big Bang Explodes the Fanfiction Universe

Design with the words 'Alpha Beta Omega' in red cursive font at the top, two stylized nose drawings on either side, and a large heart shape in the center.

November 8, 2010: The Omegaverse Is Born

A young man with short black hair and serious expression, wearing a brown jacket, in a landscape with ruined trees and hills, holding a glowing blue lightsaber.

December 30-31, 2019: John Boyega Is Attacked by Reylos (Again)

Star Trek: Kirk/Spock

October 1976: The First Slash Fic Is Released and We All Benefit

Cover of the book titled 'Interview with the Vampire,' featuring vintage-style clothing and decorative objects on a lace cloth.

April 7, 2000: Anne Rice's Anti-Fanfiction Screed

Screenshot of a text list with references to various fandoms and a small image of a person at the bottom.

February 19, 2007: Tumblr Founded

Two women smiling and laughing, one giving the other a piggyback ride at a social event.

September 16, 2012: The Bullshit Tweet

Two men having a serious conversation, one man has a distressed expression, and the other looks concerned.

November 5, 2020: November 5! With Special Guest, SPN Writer Meghan Fitzmartin