This week, Major Spoilers turned six years old! As Major Spoilers celebrates its sixth year as a source for pop culture and comic book information, I sit back and look at where we were, and though it should be a happy time, I find myself so very frustrated.
Six years ago this week, I sat at my then kitchen table and on a lark registered the domain and set up WordPress on a small partition of server space given to me by a colleague I was working with at the time. Over time, Major Spoilers has moved to three different servers, began serving over one million unique visitors, launched four podcasts, spun off one new site, and found a cadre of people who have embraced the Major Spoilers Experience.
That’s certainly a lot of accomplishments from any perspective, but two kids, a new mortgage, an additional 50 pounds, a new real world job title and all the headaches that go with that, and 10,000 lost follicles later, I sit, knowing what Major Spoilers has planned for the year ahead, and its killing me that I can’t tell you about it right now.
“Why not?” you ask, “This site is called Major Spoilers!”
Well, Dear Reader, I do get the irony, but to be fair to all, if I spoiled everything now, you wouldn’t have between now and this time next year to ponder, wonder, and speculate what is to come.
Of course there is that little thing called Time that is holding most of what we are doing at Major Spoilers back, but hopefully, with growing support from the Major Spoilers community, more of that precious commodity will be available so we can continue to improve what we’ve been doing.
Year Five was filled with some really great moments that I think were wonderful, and that will continue as we move through Year Six.
MAJOR SPOILERS
The site has had its ups and downs, but this year we had the opportunity to move to a brand new server that appears to be faster and more stable than ever before. And that’s a good thing because a strong server is the backbone for what is coming in Year Six. Traffic has increased, and I hope that more of you will help spread the word and send our numbers over the top during the next twelve months.
PODCASTS
If you haven’t notice, I love talking about comics and pop culture stuffs, and this year, our podcasts once again surpassed my expectations.
The Major Spoilers Podcast – Launched during Major Spoilers: Year Two, the Major Spoilers Podcast continues to bring in new listeners who are interested in the comic book and and pop culture industries. This year saw a huge jump in interviews and special guests, and we’ve reviewed more books than every before.
Critical HIt – With a great story by Rodrigo, and an expanded Dungeons and Dragons experience whipped up by D&D Brian, Matthew, Adriana, and Rob, Critical Hit: A Major Spoilers Dungeons and Dragons Podcast, which launched during the Major Spoilers: Year Four celebration, has become a real hit on iTunes, hitting the number one podcast in the Other Games category for most of the year.
Top Five – What started out as part of the Major Spoilers: Year Five Celebration, Top Five turned into a show in demand, and spun off a whole new bi-weekly series, that spawns a lot of discussion by our listeners.
Munchkin Land – During Nerdtacular 2012, I became enthralled with the Steve Jackson Games Munchkin. If you at the Nerdtacular 2012 Podcast Producers panel, I even hinted at a Munchkin podcast. What initially started as a show to celebrate Major Spoilers: Year Six, Munchkin Land is now its own show with new episodes arriving on a monthly basis.
The Morning Stream – Because I can’t shut-up, you may have heard me Monday morning on Scott Johnson and Brian Ibbott’s The Morning Stream, where I dish on comic book and movie news that you are dying to learn about. These appearances are a lot of fun, and I thank Scott and Brian for having me on each week. It gives me a chance to gab, plus it brings new readers (like some of you) to the site time and time again.
MINOR SPOILERS
If you didn’t hear the news, there’s a brand new site in the Major Spoilers Experience. We’ve been posting so much on Major Spoilers over the last year, that many stories and many publishers get lost in the avalanche of news. I’ve mentioned many times on the Major Spoilers Podcast that since the launch of Major Spoilers, I’ve been reading more and more titles from smaller publishers. Unfortunately, the smaller publishers seem to be the ones lost in the shuffle, and in order to help get them more exposure, Minor Spoilers features news, reviews, and interviews from only those publishers. Don’t worry, the small publisher news will still appear on Major Spoilers, it just has a longer “shelf life” at Minor Spoilers.
MAJOR SPOILERS FORUMS
Yes, the forums are still there, why aren’t you there talking it up with other members?
@MAJORSPOILERS
If you don’t follow Major Spoilers on Twitter, you really should. You can get a lot of inside information about the goings on at the site (and in my life), and each Friday afternoon (time permitting), I host a round of Ask Major Spoilers, where you can ask me anything, and I’ll give you an answer. Granted, it may not be the answer you want, but it is an entertaining time for all.
Thanks to changes in the WordPress structure, we’ve been able to update the Major Spoilers FaceBook page once again.
THE MAJOR SPOILERS COSTUME CONTEST
Last year we had more entries and more visitors voting than ever before. I wonder if it is because we gave away an iPad? I also wonder how we are going to top that in 2012?
Wow. That’s a lot of stuff, and though I tend to work on Major Spoilers until the wee hours of the morning, Major Spoilers’ success isn’t mine alone.
THE MAJOR SPOILERS CREW
We’ve had a number of writers come and go this past year, but this year we’ve grown the regular staff of writers to an all time high. I really want to thank Matthew, Rodrigo, Jimmy, Zach, Shane, George, Brian, Adriana, and Rob for their hard work throughout the year. Without them, you wouldn’t have the plethora of reviews and commentary you’ve been enjoying on a daily basis. Though I don’t tell them often enough, I’m thankful for all they do.
WHY THE FRUSTRATION
If Major Spoilers has done so much this year, why am I still frustrated? Because I know we can do more for you. There are more stories, more reviews, more commentary, more podcasts, more… well, you get the idea. There is so much more we could be doing if 1) We had more time 2) had the proper funding, and 3) if Kevin Smith would stop ninja looting our ideas weeks before we launch. I kid on part three, but it is odd that this has happened three different times over the last year. And because of the first two, we’re unable to do everything all at once. And that is where the frustration comes in. The good news is, we’ve come this far and done so much, with so little, that it wouldn’t surprise me if we surprise you (and ourselves) as we hit Major Spoilers: Year Seven.
This year you can expect to see the return of many things you’ve been missing, new things you didn’t know you were going to miss, and a few Major Spoilers…
But what else is there? That’s where you tell me. Shoot me an email, use the comment section, or hit me up on Twitter and let me know.
I can’t wait until this time next year to see how we’ve trumped ourselves.
Thanks so much for being a part of Major Spoilers and the Major Spoilers Experience!
13 Comments
GO STEPHEN, GO!!!!
Congratulations! Here’s to all the great work everyone has done!
*cheers all around* I really love the Minor Spoilers idea – you can believe it’s one I’m going to frequent. You are putting out quality news and entertainment – I don’t think it’s going to be long before this is your full time gig. *cheers again*
Way to go, Stephen and crew, here’s a toast to Six more years and many many more.
Congratulation! Cheers! Thank you for everything you do everyday. So much quality, good content and Fun is unique. Cheers again!
Gtz on the ding.
Been with you since you started Critical Hit, and you are a natural part of my everyday – like breathing :)
Congratu-bloody-lations!
You and your team do marvellous work and the result is my favourite podcast six years running.
“We the unwilling, led by the unknowing are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much for so long, with so little, that we can now do anything with nothing.” -Mother Teresa
Major Spoilers Inc. is the best thing on the internets. Looking forward to another six years, guys.
Congratulations on six years. It’s been an amazing ride. I love reading the summary of changes every year. It is an impressive list; all the more so because I try to imagine what could be next and every time you guys way exceed any expectations I have.
Although sometimes my mileage does vary, it’s always for the best.
This year’s crew has been amazing. It shows.
Congratulations on a sixth year. I started following the site somewhere between the fourth and fifth year, mainly due to your excellent podcasts. I hope for many more years of top quality content from you guys, and I really hope you get the time and funding you need to do this full time, or at least put out a hit on Kevin Smith…
I had a recurring donation until recently, and as soon as I wrestle my finances under control, I will again. Thanks for everything you guys do, and a special thanks for the MSP and Critical Hit crew, who have got me through far too many long commutes and nights at work.
Major Spoilers has become the corner stone of my internet life. I’m posting on the site frequently, and this is the only site I comment on. IT is the only place where there is such great quality content, a feeling of tight-knew community, manners, and a sense that my opinions are heard and valued as well. You guys have been in my ears for (5?) years now, and I’ve listened to your podcast during six moves, countless road trips, pre-dawn drives to work, in the dressing room at my wedding, and here in October I’ll probably be catching up on critical hit at the hospital while awaiting my first child. It sounds corny, but major spoilers holds a special place for me, one that has fostered aspects of myself that too often get ignored. Seeing how hard you guys work has even inspired me to follow my own ambitions, and now I’m writing a book! (Shameless plug- http://www.gwendolyngray.blogspot.com)
Congratulations Major Spoilers. You are hands down the best pop-culture site on the web. There’s a lot of stuff I get for free when I should buy it, but you are the only free thing that I pay money for. And that says a lot right there.
I want to thank you guys so much for all that you do. Not only are you entertaining, but I see you all as an inspiration. Here’s to many years of Major Spoilers.
Thanks for being a part of Major Spoilers!