Is Anyone Else Seeing Lots of New Trekkies?

[Frontier]

So...

I do not want this to be a debate on the 2009 J.J. Abrams Trek film. So lets not turn it into one. OK?

I just want to comment that...

...I've been seeing a whole boat load of new trekkies the past few months. From ages 13 to 35.

People who might not otherwise have been so, if not for... well... a lot of them seem to have been introduced to things by the 2009 film.

And a lot of them are now following through and watching TOS or TNG.

In just this past week, I've encouraged 5 strangers on Tumblr who where debating whether or not to dive into the huge fandom of Trek to do so.

They're just the latest batch of new fans I've seen popping up left and right.

It's kind of heartening.

Anyone else been seeing a lot of new trekkies lately? Am I alone on this?

 

[C.E. Evans]

I'm not seeing a whole lot myself these days. There was an undeniable surge of new Trekkies when Star Trek XI was released, but it's cooled off back to pre-movie levels by now (I think I'll see another surge with the next movie, IMO).

 

[Sector 7]

Yes, I have seen more Trekkies popping up since 2009. I have a life-size display in the living room [from the Burger King glassware promotion]. It has been a real conversation starter from nurses, aides, ambulance crews, etc. who come to see Mom. Many of them have gotten into the series since the 2009 movie. My own brother is one of them. He has even become a fan of ENT. "The one where they wear NASA uniforms."

 

[plynch]

Not a one. And I teach teenagers, and they know I like Trek (I use it in psych. class if there's time). Most have never seen any ep.

I have never cared if more people like what I like or not. If there are more Trekkies, ok. If not, ok.

Also, a great many of my students have never seen a star wars flick either. My son is always making new friends watch those.

 

[BillJ]

Also, a great many of my students have never seen a star wars flick either. My son is always making new friends watch those.

Good kid. Unless he's showing them the prequels, then he's probably getting beaten up alot.

 

[antiquityscion]

I'm not seeing a whole lot myself these days. There was an undeniable surge of new Trekkies when Star Trek XI was released, but it's cooled off back to pre-movie levels by now (I think I'll see another surge with the next movie, IMO).

Liking one movie does not a trekkie make.

I don't think you can count the new people who liked Trek XI as trekkies, unless they started getting into TOS TNG DS9 VOY or ENT as a result of the new movie. Until there is a whole series of films with the new crew and they like those, or until they start getting into other trek series or movies, the people who previously didn't like star trek, and still only like XI are just people who liked that movie.

 

[AdmiralScreed]

I'm a somewhat new Trekkie. I started with TNG at the end of summer in 2010, and since then I have watched all of TNG, all of DS9, some of TOS, all of the films, and I am currently on the 3rd season of Voyager. I did see the 2009 film when it was released, but upon my first viewing I didn't like it, so I don't count it as my original introduction to Trek because it wasn't until I watched TNG's Encounter at Farpoint that I got hooked on Trek.

 

[Therin of Andor]

...I've been seeing a whole boat load of new trekkies the past few months. From ages 13 to 35.

Yep. A big, local convention with Karl Urban as one of the guests. The previous few cons had attracted mainly "Twilight" and the anime/manga cosplay kids.

And the kids I teach at school. Still lots reading "Star Wars" YA novels and watching "Doctor Who", but a strong awareness of JJ's ST movie.

Liking one movie does not a trekkie make.

Umm, excuse me. I once resembled that remark. Immediately fell into ST fandom, in early 1980, having seen only one movie: ST:TMP. It became an all-consuming passion. The rest of ST propped up the interest, but I was a huge fan at only one movie, and feeling a bit bewildered that I'd missed out on so much previous stuff. If TMP had been only one movie, one novelization, one comic and one soundtrack, I coulda coped with that.

 

[Anji]

Out here in Chicago I have not see a single fan pop up from the new movies. Good to see its catching on someplace else.

 

[tomalak301]

I haven't noticed an influx of new Trek fans, but it's cool if it's happening. It's good to know that with Trek not really on TV or in the movies right now, it still has traction and the two oldest shows are still getting that traction. I also think the release of the blue ray TNG sets might help see some new fans too. Given that series was popular and is now given the HD treatment, I wouldn't be surprised if this turned into the year of TNG, not to mention it's celebrating 25 years.

 

[bbailey861]

I have not seen any outbreak of new fans - I am hoping the release of the second film will spark further interest. I'd also like to see a flock of nuTrek books out there as well - and marketed (displayed?) as prevalently as the Star Wars books I keep seeing at the local bookstores.

 

[Rush Limborg]

I've seen, at the very least, a boatload of folks who're more willing to take Trek seriously than before the film.

Pre-JJ, I'd had to deal with fellow Millennials poking fun at me for being a Trekkie. After the film came out--to great acclaim--I remember a fellow coming up to me and all but apologizing for the snide attitude he'd thrown at my love of Trek.

Needless to say...JJ made Trek cool again--or at least, palatable to the "cool" crowd....

 

[C.E. Evans]

I'm not seeing a whole lot myself these days. There was an undeniable surge of new Trekkies when Star Trek XI was released, but it's cooled off back to pre-movie levels by now (I think I'll see another surge with the next movie, IMO).

Liking one movie does not a trekkie make.

I don't think you can count the new people who liked Trek XI as trekkies, unless they started getting into TOS TNG DS9 VOY or ENT as a result of the new movie. Until there is a whole series of films with the new crew and they like those, or until they start getting into other trek series or movies, the people who previously didn't like star trek, and still only like XI are just people who liked that movie.

There are different kinds of Trekkies out there, with some much more involved than others, IMO. I think if you liked Star Trek XI and would like to see the second one, I believe that counts. I don't think it's mandatory to see previous stuff (just for an example, we have fans here who are passionate about TNG, but have never seen a single episode of TOS).

 

[USS Excelsior]

Yea they now come in all forms....


Not Safe For Work Image

http://i.imgur.com/jAdAs.jpg

 

[Captain Mike]

I'm not seeing a whole lot myself these days. There was an undeniable surge of new Trekkies when Star Trek XI was released, but it's cooled off back to pre-movie levels by now (I think I'll see another surge with the next movie, IMO).

Liking one movie does not a trekkie make.

I don't think you can count the new people who liked Trek XI as trekkies, unless they started getting into TOS TNG DS9 VOY or ENT as a result of the new movie. Until there is a whole series of films with the new crew and they like those, or until they start getting into other trek series or movies, the people who previously didn't like star trek, and still only like XI are just people who liked that movie.

I TOTALLY agree with that assessment. I find it hard to call people who liked 2009 "FANS" after seeing it and not watching either one or more of the other series set in the PRIME universe.

I've seen, at the very least, a boatload of folks who're more willing to take Trek seriously than before the film.

Pre-JJ, I'd had to deal with fellow Millennials poking fun at me for being a Trekkie. After the film came out--to great acclaim--I remember a fellow coming up to me and all but apologizing for the snide attitude he'd thrown at my love of Trek.

Needless to say...JJ made Trek cool again--or at least, palatable to the "cool" crowd....

Abrams didn't make TREK cool "again", He made a Sci-Fi film with the Title "Star Trek" that was aesthetically pleasing for the general movie goer of today. Oh, which also made a boatload of money due to that fact.
EVERYONE in my circles of friends from school chums to past and present fellow co-workers all know my affinity for this franchise. Not one has ever told me they like it now or even if they have seen the movie.
I even started a conversation with one older lady that insistently was talking about Star Wars, calling it Star Trek.....and yes she was talking about 2009, at least I think so....

 

[Therin of Andor]

Abrams didn't make TREK cool "again", He made a Sci-Fi film with the Title "Star Trek" that was aesthetically pleasing for the general movie goer of today. Oh, which also made a boatload of money due to that fact.

CBS reported that boxed sets of DVDs - of all Trek varieties - were selling gangbusters in stores in the months following JJ's movie. Without a doubt it made "Star Trek" the franchise cool again. Not only was the new movie "aesthetically pleasing for the general movie goer of today", it was hugely popular with lots of jaded old ST fans, too.

EVERYONE in my circles of friends from school chums to past and present fellow co-workers all know my affinity for this franchise. Not one has ever told me they like it now or even if they have seen the movie.

Then you hang with the wrong crowd. It seemed to me that everyone I know - work colleagues, online, family, friends, kids I teach, etc - was asking me if I'd seen the new movie yet. And many of them had seen it, and liked it, as well.

 

[Rush Limborg]

^Bingo.

 

[Amaris]

Same. Many of my friends, who had no interest in Star Trek before, were eager to see this movie, and wanted me to see it with them (me being the resident fan). If you like the 2009 movie and consider yourself a Trek fan, no one has any right to say you're not. You are a Trek fan. You're just a fan of the updated Star Trek. That counts, much to the chagrin of those who dislike the movie.

 

[ArcherFanForever]

Yes, I've been seeing more Trekkies at Comic Cons, at Conventions, and on message boards. Very nice indeed!

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

I even started a conversation with one older lady that insistently was talking about Star Wars, calling it Star Trek.....and yes she was talking about 2009, at least I think so....

Yeah, people have been mixing that up for decades, since way before JJ's Trek came out.