I turned to my wife yesterday, and told her that Major Spoilers turned ten years old this weekend.
Her reaction?
Though she is pretty laid back regarding everything that goes into the website and the podcasts, I could tell there was some shock and surprise in the revelation that probably sent her back to that day in 2006, where I sat on a laptop, very much like this one, secured the MajorSpoilers.com domain name, installed WordPress on server space borrowed from a friend, and posted the site’s first entry at ten o’clock that evening.
43,415 43,316 posts later, and Major Spoilers continues to tick away in a corner of the comic book blogosphere, attracting new followers, new friends, and new challenges each and every day.
UPS, DOWNS, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
It’s been an interesting ten years to say the least. There have been some definite ups, and some definite downs, and I know I have made more than a few mistakes and enemies along the way.
I won’t soon forget the day in May 2010, when the site went down, and while talking with our then-hosting provider, discovering that not only did the hard drive on the server go belly up, but the hosting company was storing the nightly site backups on that very same hard drive, resulting in the loss of nearly three months worth of posts. This continues to plague (and amuse) us today whenever I receive an email from a fan asking where combat photos from the Critical Hit podcasts have gone.
Nor will I forget the time that a certain comic book writer turned his publisher’s lawyers on us because we were spoiling his books for readers. It was an interesting case in that the publisher didn’t really mind what we did, but was only acting because of the request from the writer. It’s been seven years since that incident, and though I’ve (mostly) forgiven the writer, the publisher still refuses to send us issues for review.
And I loved the moment in 2014, when Major Spoilers was up for a Podcast Award (we didn’t win), but the love and outpouring from fans around the world was so much, that I knew I wanted to make Major Spoilers mine forever.
YOU'VE MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE...
I’ve also met some of the most fantastic people in the world. From the moment I was able to meet and make friends with comic writers and artists that I admire, to the weekly comic book conversations between Skrull Bryan, Rodrigo, and myself that lead to the creation of the Major Spoilers Podcast Network. (For those wondering, we had those conversations to keep an overbearing and totally irritating executive producer from bothering us as we set up for a weekly call-in medical show. We had so much fun that it seemed natural to put microphones in front of our faces and turn the recorder on.)
Most important of all are the fantastic fans that I, and everyone who works at Major Spoilers (past, present, and Hello, Future People), get to meet and interact with on a daily basis. Some of you are one time visitors, who stop by to read a post and share a comment, while others of you have become - to me - an extended member of the Major Spoilers Family. I would love to list everyone of you by name, but I know I would probably miss one of you by accident, and thus end up on yet another Enemy List.
So to You, I say, “Thank You.” You are the reason I do this each and every day. There isn’t a moment that goes by that I don’t think about You, creating content for You, and hoping that the content we create is worth the time that You spent coming to the site, downloading a podcast, or reading one of our posts or videos on our various social media outlets. No matter what happens in the next ten years, no matter if we drift away from each other over time, or not, I am grateful to the Universe that I have had You as a part of Major Spoilers - whether you are relatively new, or someone that has been around since the beginning.
THE UNIVERSE PROVIDES
It’s interesting what the Universe will send you, or do for you when you ask. When I launched Major Spoilers on that fateful day in 2006, I spent the next three months trying to track down Matthew Peterson - searching for someone on the Internet wasn’t as easy as it is today where all you have to do is enter your credit card number, and the last known address for the person you are looking for - you actually have to work for it. Between July and October I searched every Internet forum, and lurking in a dark corner of the Internet I found what might have been Matthew Peterson writing about Bad Muther-Fers. Of course there was no way to contact him, but I continued to search, and that message was sent out into the Universe. By happenstance, I walked into my then local comic shop (300 miles away), and there, behind the counter was Matthew, and the rest, you might say, is history… or at least infamy. I think the jury is still out on that one.
The Universe also sent me fantastic contributors to share their thoughts and experiences with you over the years. Some have gone on to become Internet Famous, while others were happy to start a new phase of their lives. I've seen contributors go from skinny kids sitting in a class that I've taught, to worthy contributors, to skinny grownups who have been able to make a name for themselves outside of Major Spoilers. I'm thankful every day that we have contributors, young and old, men and women, who make this site run, when it needs it the most. Again, I'd list them all here, but I'm sure I'd forget someone, and earn a lashing online.
As I write this, it is exactly 24 hours before that first post appeared on the site ten years ago. My kids and wife are asleep, and I’m sure they are dreaming of the coming festivities and activities we have planned for the rest of the weekend. I’m thankful the Universe sent them to me, and I can’t express how wonderful it is that all three of them have taken on some portion of my love for comic books and pop culture. The first time I went to the San Diego Comic-Con was because of my wife arranged it (yes,she really is that awesome). My oldest son continues to impress me with his wit and knowledge of current pop culture, and my youngest never ceases to amaze me with his tales of Superman and Iron Man working together to keep the bad guys from taking the Hulk away in their spaceship. If Major Spoilers is my life, then my wife, and two children are my heart, soul, and driving energy that makes it happen.
This turned a bit sappier than I planned, but when I sit back and think about all the wonderful things that have happened to Major Spoilers over the last ten years, I can only smile, and agree with my wife, when she said, “Wow. That is really a long time. It’s amazing.”
Yes, it really is amazing.
17 Comments
Wow, 10 years. I’m glad things worked out for Major Spoilers. Hopefully the next few years are even better!
Wow, ten years? I can’t say I’ve been here from the start, but I’ve been here for more than half of it, and really seen the site, and the podcast network, grow. Congratulations on this huge milestone, and here’s to the next ten years. A big thanks to all the contributors, past and present, too. This site has become a regular part of my daily schedule, and I hope you’re not going anywhere any time soon!
Congratulations, and thanks for 10 years of great content!
Holy carp! 10 years, what an amazing achievement.
I haven’t been listening from the very beginning but it has been a fair chunk of that time and Major spoilers and Critical Hit still go straight to the top of my podcast playlist when they drop each week.
Thanks to all the crew for their hard work and creativity.
I”ve only been following Major Spoilers for about 4 years, and I’ve been a VIP for about a year now, but I really enjoy everything you all do, and dang it, this post almost made me cry. I think that’s payback for getting you all choked up when you read one of my letters, I guess.
I stand by what I said then. You are good people, and you make the internet better with your presence. I’m excited to see what comes next from Major Spoilers, and congratulations on 10 amazing years!
One of my favorite things (even though it should actually count as about 11, as they put out so much content) is the podcast network from Major Spoilers. I’m a VIP and I’ll continue to support everything they do for a long time to come.
Thanks to Stephen and the entire gang at Major Spoilers, and here’s to ten more!
Thank you for everything you do. Living abroad can be a bit isolating and your podcasts really help me out. It’s like the entire MajorSpoilers crew is a friend of mine that I just haven’t met yet in person. Thanks again and here’s to another 10 years!!!!
Congratulations to Stephen and the whole crew! You’ve definitely been an influence to my comic reading! Found this website through randomly searching for a comic book review, and have stayed ever since!
I’m in the same metaphorical boat as Kirby here. I started digging through the MSP archives after getting back into comics. It was a strange time in my life because my dad had recently passed away and my daughter had just been born directly after. I’ve always appreciated comics and wanted to broaden my understanding as well as my collection. After listening to a couple of shows I started reading some of the comics that you guys reviewed, and have grown to love the banter. I’m just catching up to the archived episode #100 and I don’t plan on losing steam anytime soon.
Many times I find myself explaining to some people in my office why I’m laughing out loud so often. And I’m pretty sure my supervisor still thinks a Pitufo is a swear word in Spanish.
Long story short you guys renewed my faith and love for the industry and given me the inspiration to grind away until I can start trying to pitch my way into the industry in a marketing capacity. Because you guys know I love comics, and you do too. So I’ll raise my black elixir bottle in a toast to another 10 years of the show.
Happy anniversary you extra-ordinary gentlemen
Congratulations for 10 years! And thanks to each and every one of you, you have given me so much.
I have no idea when it was I first met Major Spoilers, probably like 8 or 9 years ago but whenever it was, I’m grateful it happened. Major Spoilers has provided me with countless hours of entertainment and hundreds, or thousands even, of conversation topics. I’m happy and proud to contribute to the MS cause and I hope it only keeps getting bigger and better. Thanks to everyone that is a part of this and congratulations for these 10 amazing years!
Congratulations to everyone in the Major Spoilers family! 10 years seems to fly by so quickly. The site seems to continue to grow and grow, and I am happy to have discovered it. Thanks for all the great content and all the hard work that everyone put in! Congrats, again, and here’s to many more years of amazingness!
Thanks Stephen, Matthew, Rodrigo, Zack, and everyone at Stately Spoilers Mansion. Your site, and podcast,brought me back to comics, and for that am grateful.
More importantly, you’ve given me so many hundreds of hours of joy. More like thousands of hours, on thinking about it. Listening, reading, even writing for a while…you’re an important part of my life,and I’m eternally grateful for that.
Bring on the next decade
Much Love, from your Irish friend.
Cathal
Congratulations on 10 years of great pop culture goodness to everyone who’s contributed to this great website. A thank you to Stephen who started this comic book website and podcasts that have given me hours of enjoyment.
Congrats on ten years! Can’t wait to see what’s next!
Congratulations, Major Spoilers, and thank you for all of the wonderful entertainment you’ve provided me over the years. While I discovered the main site and podcast by stumbling upon Critical Hit on iTunes, I’ve been listening to it, and all of the companion podcasts for almost 6 years now. Your network has had a great influence on me, at least in regards to how I enjoy my idle time. Here are some of the things you’ve gotten me into in the past half-decade:
1. D&D (after a 20 year hiatus)
2. Comic Books (Rat Queens and Autumnlands for me, and Squirrel Girls, Lumberjanes, and Captain Marvel for my pre-teen girls)
3. Board and Card Games (Munchkin, Fluxx, Love Letter)
4. Old Movie (I’ve gone back to watch most of the movies on the list from the original format)
5. Lists (You’d be surprised at the variety of things that Top Five has indirectly turned me on to!)
6. Podcasts (Most importantly, the abundant and constant content that helps me through work every day, whether it’s a new episode, or an archived episode of Critical Hit, I don’t think I’d remain sane on my job without you guys!)
Thanks again for not only the content, but for everyone involved in the network being genuine and wonderful people. I’m proud and happy to be a VIP!
Congratulations on 10 years! I found Major Spoilers when I wanted an alternative to another genre site I lost interest in. I wanted a fun (and clean) site that reviewed comics and other genre.
Keep up the good work guys