Eh, it's really a "gateway" thing for me, too --98% of the time I do go on to acquire the canon. I just find it by getting into the fandom first. (HP happened to me that way!)
About the only outstanding examples I can think of are (for years) From Eroica With Love, which wasn't available in English when I discovered the fandom; X-Men: First Class which I never managed to see (but may still someday rent), and Homestuck (mostly I was just overwhelmed at the sheer size of it and the impossibility of catching up without devoting like a month I don't have to the endeavor).
Canon's pretty integral to my involvement in the long run; I can't write or meta for a fandom I don't have the canon for, so anything I stay strictly on the fandom side of is going to be restricted to "read-only" -- I devour all the fic, and maybe rec a few for their premises or stylistic awesomeness, but never get beyond that because I cannot comment on characterisation or canonicity, etc. (Which, y'know, most people look for in fic!) One of the best things about Loveless fandom was the amazing group of discussion-minded fen I found (we were a little sea of sanity in a roiling flood of cluelessness!) and bonded with, and we talked about everything from fic to possible authorial intent regarding catboy tropes and yaoi dynamics!
my post was what made you decide to check out the comic itself (that's what you're saying, right?). That's cool to know!
Well, it all started with a condescending Fandom Secret; but your post is definitely making me think I should push my intended reading date back to, oh, say, "now". *grins* Or at least next week...
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About the only outstanding examples I can think of are (for years) From Eroica With Love, which wasn't available in English when I discovered the fandom; X-Men: First Class which I never managed to see (but may still someday rent), and Homestuck (mostly I was just overwhelmed at the sheer size of it and the impossibility of catching up without devoting like a month I don't have to the endeavor).
Canon's pretty integral to my involvement in the long run; I can't write or meta for a fandom I don't have the canon for, so anything I stay strictly on the fandom side of is going to be restricted to "read-only" -- I devour all the fic, and maybe rec a few for their premises or stylistic awesomeness, but never get beyond that because I cannot comment on characterisation or canonicity, etc. (Which, y'know, most people look for in fic!) One of the best things about Loveless fandom was the amazing group of discussion-minded fen I found (we were a little sea of sanity in a roiling flood of cluelessness!) and bonded with, and we talked about everything from fic to possible authorial intent regarding catboy tropes and yaoi dynamics!
my post was what made you decide to check out the comic itself (that's what you're saying, right?). That's cool to know!
Well, it all started with a condescending Fandom Secret; but your post is definitely making me think I should push my intended reading date back to, oh, say, "now". *grins* Or at least next week...