As thousands of happy fans arrive for FanX's fall 2019 edition, let's talk about toxic fandom

The first week of September means it’s again time for FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, which will draw some 100,000 lovers of fantasy, horror, science fiction and superheroes to the Salt Palace Convention Center to see celebrities, buy stuff, cosplay as their beloved characters, and commune with their tribe of like-minded geeks.

But what’s a party without a pooper. The fan world finds itself dealing with a small subset of fans who are toxic, who spew hate at the people who create the things these fans say they love.

I talked to some astute observers of fan culture about toxic fandom, and what might be done to reduce its effects. Please enjoy the article — and there’s a reward if you make it to the end: A full list of the celebrities scheduled to come to FanX this week.