Entry 1: An Introduction

     Harry Potter has become a huge phenomenon all around the world, no doubt about it. Surely even if you don’t partake, you’ve more than likely heard about it. It started as a series of books written by J.K. Rowling, and has since expanded into several other areas of media, including movies, video games, card games, and much more. In this blog, I’m going to discuss Harry Potter within these many types of media and talk about how they’re different, how they may attract different audiences, the involvement of different people within multiple types of these media, it really is a huge subject to look at.

     For a little bit of insight, I’ve been with this series myself since I was about 8 years old, when about three of the seven books were released. I had just finished the first book in the series and was starting the second when trailers for the first movie started coming out, so I was getting into the series at a golden time when merchandise started flooding the local Walmarts, and kids that didn’t read as much as I did were still able to talk and get excited about the series with me at the release of the movie. A book I was reading that seemed like a secret to me within my class at first became the next big thing at the release of the film, which was honestly very exciting to be able to talk to my peers about. There were a few though whose parents were very religious, and regarded Harry Potter as satanic, something I couldn’t really grasp as a young boy. These were the same children who opted out of Halloween activities in school and went to other rooms during these times. Because of this, there was a short period where the administration didn’t seem to know what to do, and we weren’t allowed to have the books at school. This didn’t last long though, as the next school year I remember watching the first film on VHS at our class Christmas party, and again those who didn’t wish to watch were free to go.

     My experience with the series does go far back into my childhood, and was certainly affecting the world around me, as well as others who didn’t even have the slightest interest in it. I personally still enjoy the series, watching the movies again from time to time and every few years rereading the books. I plan to get all of my thoughts out regarding the different mediums of this I’ve experienced, and whether you’re a fan or not, I hope you can still find some aspects of this interesting.