That the words canon and cannon are homophones doesn't seem entirely a coincidence. I doubt I am the only person reading this who finds that idioms like "cannon warfare" and "loose cannon" could just as easily drop the second n and apply to Tolkien fandom. While canon is sometimes a delight—inspiring deep discussions and thoughtful fanworks, serving as the shared ideal around which communities and friendships form—it has also provoked its share of conflicts across the decades of the Tolkien fandom's history.

Over the next several months, our Cultus Dispatches column on Tolkien fandom history and culture will consider the concept of canon: how fans define it, use it, and build communities and friendships around it.

First, if you've thought about how to define canon, we are collecting responses to that question for the next iteration of our Fandom Voices project. Fandom Voices is part of Cultus Dispatches and exists as a means for Tolkien fans to share their experiences, views, and memories on questions related to the fandom. If you'd like to share your views on how to define canon, you can do so here. All Tolkien fans are welcome to participate, not just fanworks creators and readers/viewers (though there is a special section on fanworks and canon).

Next, this month's Cultus column is about canon and authority. Who gets to say what is canon and what is not? Using Tolkien Fanfiction Survey from the 2020 survey, this month's article spotlights three groups of fanwriters: those who disregard Tolkien's authority, those who embrace Peter Jackson's, and those who write based on The Silmarillion but not the films. The similarities and differences between these three groups of authors reveal how complex the question of canon and authority can be. You can read "Who Gets to Say? Canon and Authority" here.

Finally, if you know of a creator or a group with an interesting approach to the canon, or if you have a fandom-related memory related to canon, hit reply and let us know!