Focal Point

(For others see Focal Point disambiguation)

In fanhistory, a focal point is a fanzine or group considered central to a particular fannish era. In particular, in a numbered fandom, the focal point is the zine that most exemplified and defined the period, the quintessential zine a fan had to read to be considered truly a part of the era. In post-numerical eras, conventions or online communities have sometimes been called "focal points," but this is a controversial usage.