Fandom culture of today functions as so much more than just physical media. Fandoms have become communities; safe spaces that provide friendship, common interests and a collective voice. For many, fandom is about nostalgia. That movie, television show, album, comic book or sports team that meant everything during adolescence means even more now. One of those safe spaces are comic and pop culture conventions, and someone who understands how fandom is best represented there is Jason Marsden.

Marsden has always been immersed in fandom culture, with his introduction into the convention circuit being a Quantum Leap-focused event. Leap Con began in the early 1990s in Southern California, and one year Marsden and a friend spent the day there meeting screenwriters, editors, costume designers and actors from the show.

His first guest appearance at a convention came after his episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Trekkies have been gathering since the 1970s, making a significant impact on show-specific conventions. He heard they were a fun experience and really wanted to be a part of it.

Since then, he has become a regular guest at various conventions throughout the country. He admits that he loves being the center of attention, and weekends spent among fans is the ideal place for it.

“In a convention situation, for the most part, you are receiving love and praise from people,” he said. “As an actor, that’s something that we don’t get a lot of. In the theatrical world, in the auditioning world, it's a lot of ‘hurry up and wait’. It's a lot of rejection. To get validation from people is also very fulfilling.”

Marsden’s extensive resume attracts generations of fans, many who use the phrase, “You were my childhood.” Whether it was his recurring characters on Full House, Boy Meets World and Step By Step or his voice in A Goofy Movie, Hocus Pocus and Spirited Away, his roles have made an impact on its audiences.

In particular, he participates in many heartfelt conversations surrounding the storyline of A Goofy Movie. The collective emotion of having watched that movie with a parent and finding a shared love for it, no matter the parent-child relationship, become meaningful moments that stick with him long after the conversation ends.

“I have had many people come up to me and, with tears, say, ‘I lost my parent’ or ‘I lost my grandparent, but we love this movie so much.’ That's when you go from an actor making an appearance to maybe a little bit of therapist. I don't mind it; I can handle it. I'm ready to be present for people when they are in those emotions. It's humbling. The silly thing that I do, doing cartoons, and how it hits people that hard in the feels… It creates an extra layer of responsibility when I make these appearances.”

Although he spends much of his time on the receiving end of admiration, he understands the fan perspective. He, too, is a fan of many things, and has been lucky enough to share that fandom with those he admires.

He has the luxury of sharing spaces with fellow guests at conventions, and says that he is starstruck constantly. A few years ago, he was a guest at a convention alongside Marisa Tomei, Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. Recently, he got to meet Sam Raimi and Mr. T.

“I interact with actors who make me feel the same way,” he said. “It was my childhood, you know? These are icons. We’re all in the green room together, but still, am I allowed to talk to them? I've made a fool of myself many a time in front of an actor that I admire.”

When he isn’t signing autographs or taking photos, you might find him teaching a voice over workshop or two over a convention weekend. He refers to it as a “lips-on” workshop, taking a boot camp approach to showcase how challenging voice acting can be.

“I'm giving everyone a taste of what it's like,” he said. “I'm trying to recreate the moments that I've experienced.”

The concept of fandom has multiple meanings for Jason Marsden. He has an impressive Batman collection. He has said things out loud to his childhood heroes that hopefully weren’t as embarrassing as he thought it sounded. He has signed a significant amount of glossy photos of a talking black cat. He has given hugs to many tearful people as they share how significant his work has been. He is one of the many reasons why fandom culture has become a community.