Mark Young, former Vice President of Sales and Trading for Morgan Stanley, announced October 5, 1999, the formation of Fandom, Inc. (www.fandom.com) -- created to serve the e-commerce, information and community needs of science fiction, horror and fantasy entertainment enthusiasts.

Venture capital firm RRE Investors agreed to finance Fandom in a first round of funding that also included angel investors.

Young, who will serve as Fandom's chief executive officer, said, "General merchandisers cannot adequately serve consumers of genre entertainment. Stores are poorly stocked and they lack reliable customer service. In contrast, the Fandom store will offer thousands of products ranging from t-shirts, toys, books and videos to exclusive and one-of-a-kind items, and will be staffed with customer service representatives who are very familiar with our merchandise."

"Fandom's core audience is comprised mainly of well-educated, affluent, early adapters who demonstrate a passion and loyalty for science fiction, horror and fantasy entertainment similar to that of sports fans," said Chip Meyers, president of Fandom. "They are fervent consumers and represent a lucrative e-commerce opportunity since they have the willingness and discretionary income to indulge their passions."

Fandom's Web site, is currently under development and will be officially launched on October 29. At launch, the site will feature news and information about the people and companies involved with the creation of the hottest and most enduring science fiction, horror and fantasy properties as well as individual "domains" -- sections created by the fan for the fan.

Posted October-7-1999