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Can We Cut The Elitism Out Of The Horror Community?

Comic book guy. Record store guy. Bike shop guy. Fitness guy. It seems like every imaginable hobby out there has room for at least one elitist, all knowing douche nozzle. I've been scoffed at by more than one particularly vocal comic book guy for reading a title as layman as the Amazing Spider-Man. I've been chuckled at by record store guy for buying a Green Day record. Bike shop guy sneers at my old mountain bike, and pretty much anything less than two thousand dollars that rolls into the shop. Now, I'm a pretty thick skinned fellow, but I have seen my fair share of newbie castration in various hobbies of mine, and folks, it ain't right. It has always bothered me that there seems to develop this "king of the hill" syndrome for some superficial credibility... And god help you if you stumble into one or more of these "guys" ill prepared. However, I digress. It breaks my heart more than anything to experience the wrath of "HORROR GUY". He's just like any of us horror obsessed misfits, drooling over and scrutinizing clascs, new releases, and everything in between. He has shelf loads of licensed and fan made props, masks, and countless other forms of paraphernalia. He attends the conventions, collects the autographs, and is an all around encyclopedia of things that go bump in the night. Sounds like any of us, right? Oh, I forgot to mention that he/she (let's not forget that ladies can be that "guy" too) is a big, brown asshole. (If you didn't catch the "IT" reference, for instance, he/she might just foam at the mouth waiting to attack your dedication to the hobby.) We get it. You know everything. About everything. The problem is that it appears that you amass all of this knowledge so that you can dump on the first clueless sap to ask you a question. Now, don't get me wrong. There are plenty of wonderful, knowledgeable, friendly and helpful people in this horror community. We were all "newbs"once, and I've had plenty of help from plenty of great people over the years. This article refers to a dark corner of superiority that lurks like a spring loaded trap, waiting to bite into the flesh of the guy who stumbles in and asks "does anyone know where I can get a really good Freddy mask?""THERE'SASEARCHBUTTONFORAREASONANDTHEREAREMANYPOSTSABOUTHISALREADYBLAHBLAHBLAHGETACLUE..." Guys... relax. Don't you remember the first time that you saw something that wasn't some sad looking Rubies deal and thought to yourself, "Wow... how do you get THAT? You mean I could make something like that myself?? HOW? This is awesome!!!" It IS awesome. Let's not forget that. At the end of the day, someone who loves the Saw or Scream series and has never seen the Original Dawn of the Dead or heard of Bruce Campbell is not your ENEMY. Maybe one day they will get around to watching, loving, and appreciating all of the obscure and nutty horror related things that you do. (Also, if there is indeed a malevolent "horror guy" reading this, please don't "flame" me for calling Dawn of the Dead or Bruce Campbell obscure. If you felt the urge to, you have fallen for my trap, and this article was intended for you.

) The most glaring contradiction with these holier than thou's is this: horror fans are by and large a group of outcasts. There are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but imagine a pale, skinny kid in his favorite Rosemary's Baby t-shirt getting picked on by the football team's quarterback. Don't become the quarterback, figuratively speaking. Oh, anybody know where I can get a really good Freddy mask?