Credit: Gage Skidmore / FlickrGeorge R.R. Martin, the mastermind behind the hit fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” certainly knows a little something about fan criticism. Still, that didn’t prepare the legendary novelist for the sheer amount of hatred that would be spewed at film and television shows — in particular, Marvel — in 2023, leading him to pen a powerful message blaming “anti-fans” for the destruction of “rational discourse.”
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We may never know when “The Winds of Winter” — the seventh installment in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series — will be completed. Until then, however, author George R.R. Martin is voicing his opinions about the grim state of media discourse on his personal blog, where he recently decried the “toxic” nature of online fandoms.
In a post titled “Dark Days,” Martin reflected on 2023, a year he considered to be a “nightmare” both personally and professionally. And according to him, so far, “2024 looks to be even worse.” The legendary scribe wrote:
In years past, I would often do a Not A Blog post on or about New Year’s, looking back over the year that was ending and ahead to the year to come. This year, though, as I reflected on the year we had just lived through, I found I had no appetite for living through any of that again. 2023 was a nightmare of a year, for the world and the nation and for me and mine, both professionally and personally. I am very glad that it is over. Unfortunately, so far 2024 looks to be even worse.
Before delving into his pop culture analysis, Martin examined the current political climate, accurately noting that “there is war everywhere,” while domestically, the United States “grows more polarized every day.” He went on to add that “the era of rational discourse seems to have ended,” pointing to the January 6 insurrection, among other things.
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Amid his “anger” and “depression,” Martin, much like anyone else, admitted that he “take[s] solace where [he] can,” which, in most cases, means sitting down to enjoy a book, movie, or TV show. Sadly, even the discussions surrounding these programs that have historically brought viewers comfort have become radicalized thanks to social media discourse, with the author noting that “toxicity is growing” in online spaces:
Well, I take solace where I can. In chocolate thrones, if nowhere else. In books. In films and television shows… though even there, toxicity is growing. It used to be fun talking about our favorite books and films, and having spirited debates with fans who saw things different… but somehow in this age of social media, it is no longer enough to say “I did not like book X or film Y, and here’s why.” Now social media is ruled by anti-fans who would rather talk about the stuff they hate than the stuff they love, and delight in dancing on the graves of anyone whose film has flopped.
Suffice it to say, many can likely relate to Martin’s remarks — in particular, fans of Marvel and Star Wars — as 2023 proved to be an especially turbulent year for sci-fi and superhero franchises. While not listing specific titles by name, Martin, who is an outspoken fan of the MCU, is likely referring to blockbusters like The Marvels (2023) here, which made history as the lowest-grossing Marvel movie of all time.
Many celebrated The Marvels’ box office bomb, as Carol Danvers actress Brie Larson has borne the brunt of fans’ criticisms since her franchise debut in 2019. Considering that Captain Marvel was the first female superhero to receive a solo outing in the MCU, she unsurprisingly ruffled feathers with the more toxic side of the fanbase that resents this “woke” approach to diverse storytelling.
Martin isn’t the only author to come out in defense of The Marvels, either. Horror novelist Stephen King also spoke out against backlash to the film last year, writing on X, “I find this barely masked gloating over the low box office for THE MARVELS very unpleasant. Why gloat over failure?”
As mentioned, Martin is no stranger to toxic fans, as the enormous wave of backlash surrounding HBO’s Game of Thrones finale brought out a particularly ugly side of the internet. While he wasn’t directly involved in penning the scripts for the show’s final season, he has also been blamed for not completing the fantasy series it’s based on in a timely matter — something he’s joked about in the past.
Ultimately, it’s impossible to say if this uptick in social media “toxicity” is simply the result of a very vocal few or if the tides really are changing online, bringing forth increased tensions and an angrier side of online fandoms as the media landscape continues to evolve. Either way, George R.R. Martin’s latest message should serve as a cautionary tale to those “anti-fans” who “would rather talk about the stuff they hate than the stuff they love,” as there might not be anything left to discuss if it continues.
Do you agree with George R.R. Martin, or is any fan criticism — no matter how harsh — valid? Share your thoughts in the comments below!