Fandom Chronicle: 2008

The history of the Supernatural fandom on Livejournal See also:

• Fandom Chronicle: 2005
• Fandom Chronicle: 2006
• Fandom Chronicle: 2007

2008

January

• early January - WinchesterConUk announces its schedule for 2008 - March, 7-9 at Milton Keynes.^Source
• 1.04 - EyeCon confirms Steve Carlson. ^Source
• 1.05 - The community abouttwoboys starts its rom-com challenge, with sign-ups for romantic comedy adaptions.
• 1.05/1.06 - Several sources (among them Variety) report that the CW show Reaper will move into the Supernatural timeslot on Thursday 9 p.m. after all the remaining Supernatural episodes already shot have aired. Point of concern for Supernatural fans is that Supernatural won't be on repeats for the remainder of the WGA Strike, meaning it won't get any airtime at all for months. Season 3 will therefore be a very short season, with only 12 episodes. Understandably, fans are even more concerned that Supernatural will not return for a fourth season, given these circumstances.^Source
• 1.07 - On January 7, estrella30 announced the second SPN J2 Big Bang Challenge, with sign-ups for writers ending February 1, final drafts finished on May 1, and a posting deadline of June, 1.
• 1.10 - The TV Addict blog picks up the concerns of Supernatural fandom about the schedule change: "(...)Leaving SUPERNATURAL exiled to a fate far worse than hell — Sunday night. Where all CW shows go to die."
• 1.13 - Supernatural wins in the e!online poll determining the favorite tv-shows of e!online readers. Kirsten gushes about second place One Tree Hill, giving OTH fans lots of credit for being so enthusiastic.
• 1.20 - Promax and The CW initiate the second "Making the Cut" promo competition.^Source
• 1.20 - Smart Pop Supernatural Essay Contest is announced.
• 1.24 - CW's Communication executive Paul McGuire announces that while the CW removed Supernatural from the schedule, they still are very supportive of the show, which has proven to be a "veteran." ^Source
• end of January - The No Stairway Anthology community (nostairway) is founded by maygra, winterlive and traveller. It should produce a series of anthologies offering "classic examples of literary fiction", "an anthology of work that values both style and substance". No Stairways comes with a huge staff of administrative team, technical supervisors and editors and manages to attract controversy immediately due to the literary criticism of the submission process. The discussion carries on well through February.

February

• early to mid February: Jensen spends some time on a very extended promotion tour in Australia - reports of appearances come in daily, while Jared does a slightly more modest press stint in GB.
• 2.11: The WGA Negotioning Committee recommended the acceptance of a deal with the AMPTP.
• 2.13: The WGA Strike ends. ^{Source: Variety}
• 2.14: Supernatural Postcard Campaigns issues another postcard campaign to welcome back writers, cast and crew after the end of the WGA Strike. ^Source
• 2.14: Supernatural: Bone Key is available for pre-order at amazon.com. ^Source
• 2.15: It is announced that the CW Upfronts are held as usual on May 15 in Madison Square Garden, despite the writer's strike. ^Source

- ca. 2.21/22: The episode 3.12 Jus in Bello once more brings part of the fandom to discuss misogyny and racism on the show, fuelled by the characters of [[Lilith] (evil in female form), Special Agent Victor Henriksen (black character, died), Bela Talbot (Dean repeatedly calls her a bitch) and the virgin-character Nancy Fitzgerald. See discussions e.g. here, here and here.

• 2.22: Eric Kripke signs for Creation Con.^Source
• 2.29: keepaofthecheez and affectingly start the Supernatural Fangirl Experience to get over the hiatus.

March

• 03.03: The Futon Critic and several other websites report a CW press release, in which the CW renews 6 series for fall season, among them Supernatural. ^Source Supernatural fans are ecstatic. With a fourth season, Supernatural is able to go into syndication afterwards, meaning its prior seasons can be broadcasted off-network. The fans, naturally, are excited.
• 03.04: A fan gets a tattoo matching the ones of Sam and Dean revealed in episode 3.12 Jus in Bello. According to Sera Gamble Supernatural is now a "cult-hit".
• 03.06: Creation Con brings out two new t-shirts.]
• 03.08: Jim Beaver and Kenneth Smith (EyeCon Promoter) are on Winchester Radio. Winchester Radio is WinchesterBros.com's podcast. Originally, it was announced that Jared Padalecki would be a guest on the podcast as well. ^Source
• early March - The Legacy, a sub-site of Repro goes online, delivering regular picture updates of never before seen promo shoots. ^{The Legacy}
• mid March - Power Star Collectibles have a new t-shirt on sale: here. Interstingly enough, potthead claims that she designes the very logo for Operation Winchester.
• 03.29-03.30 - The Salute to Supernatural L.A. 2008 convention takes places - another Creation Entertainment Con.
• 03.29: Supernatural Gleeweek announces their mini-hiatus schedule. ^Source

April

• 04.01- 04.03 - At Salute to Supernatural L.A. 2008 Jason Manns sold a cd of him and Jensen singing Jason's song "Crazy Love" for ten bucks. A few hours later the CD find its way online - for free. Jason posts to his myspace to ask people to buy his single and not share it over the internet (he's sending out the CDs for ten dollars + shipping costs). Controversy ensues - some people feel that Jason is ripping them off by demanding 10 dollars for a single song (which he has recorded previously on his own), some feel that Jason is absolutely right in demanding that people buy his single, not matter for what amount of money.
• 04.04 - SPN on Fandom Wank: You guys are mean - we want our Jensen pics - SPN Media manages to irritate again.
• 04.05 - 04.06 - EyeCon takes places in Florida, Orlando. Jared Padalecki, Jim Beaver, Samantha Ferris, Chad Lindberg, Sandy McCoy, Gabriel Tigerman and Alona Tal all attend. Winchester Radio records a podcast with Chad, Gabriel, Alona and organisator Kenneth Smith. ^Source
• 04.06 - Jason Manns updates on the Crazy Love single, explaining how he is now putting up the single for free on his myspace, only wishing people to download it from there. Those who want a "keepsake" still have the possibility to buy it. ^{Source: Jason Mann's blog}
• 04.20 - SPN on Fandom Wank: Wincest and RPF writers are disgusting-wank
• 04.22 - tvm starts The Accidental Schmoop Meme - the result is about 59 schmoopy mimi-ficlets.
• 04.23: Supernatural: Rising Son issue 1 is released.
• 04.24: The Supernatural Postcard Campaigns receive new pictures of the postcard wall in the SPN office: here.

May

• 05.01 - amothea opens the Ebook Library, an archive featuring a lot of Supernatural fan fiction to download onto your mobile reading device of choice.
• 05.07: Kristin from E!onlin interviews Eric Kripke - and people don't get the joke in Eric's answer:
  

  "And then about the finale, "No Rest for the Wicked," I assume Jensen Ackles' character dies and that's the last we'll see of him on the show? - Eric: Yes, Jensen wanted to focus on movies, and he wouldn't give me the 25 percent salary kickback I demanded, so he's leaving the series. Chad Michael Murray is joining the cast to replace him, and next year will be like that season on Dukes of Hazzard where it was Vance and Coy instead of Bo and Luke. Everything's gonna be a little bit off, but it'll be good...I think you'll like it.

• 05.09 - 05.11: Asylum 2008 lures a lot of fans and cast to Birmingham, UK. Jared, who was announced to attend, had to cancel because of his summer film commitment to Friday the 13th.
• 05.15: The season finale 3.16 No Rest for the Wicked leaves the fandom in a state of collective shock and awe.
• 05.13 - 16: With the CW presenting its Upfronts and fall schedule, several media sources report on the CWs struggles and its likelyhood to shut down soon. 2008/2009 doesn't looke like it's going to be a good year for the CW - only two new shows (remake of "90210" + a reality show), and with "Smallville", their strongest drama losing two of its lead characters and subsequently only getting a 13 episodes order. Supernatural fans, too, feel that the CW is making wrong choices with scheduling and advertising.
• 05.20: SPN on Fandom Wank: Another big Misogyny Wank shakes the Supernatural Fandom.
• - mid to end May - Ugly rumors about Jared and his relationship to Sandra McCoy surface first on the IMDB-boards, then are reposted on Oh-no-they-didn't! The poster later apologizes for spreading false rumors - the bad taste stays.

June

• beginning of June: Sandra McCoy sends a letter to her fan-site in which she states that she and Jared broke up and asks the fans to refrain from asking him about it at the upcoming Dallas con. Wisely, Jared addresses the break-up himself, stating that they still love each other very much, but decided to go seperate ways in what he calls a very "adult decision". Due to both of their a-priori intervention they manage to stay out of the yellow press - the expected fandom wank doesn't happen either. Fandom seems to collectivly feel bad for them.
• 06.05 - 06.06: A Salute to Supernatural Dallas 2008 Convention takes place in Dallas - Jared, Jim Beaver, Chad Lindberg, Fred Lehne, Gabriel Tigerman and Alona Tal attend - Steve Carlson performs.
• 06.08: SPN on Fandom Wank: Trimming down troll secrets at Fandom Secrets
• 06.13: lj-user janglyjewels and friends start the Jared Photobook Project, a leatherbound kind of scrap-book that holds pictures of Jared with fans.
• 06.16: Jensen is up for Emmy nominations.
• 06.17: The CW Sourcies giving out by blog CW Source start with the category: Men in Suits. The year before, Supernatural won the most awards.
• 06.17 - Supernatural isn't nominated for the Teen Choice award, a fact that doesn't really leave anyone in the fanbase sad and desperate.
• 06.19: Fans at spnematography tell their story of how they got hooked on Supernatural.
• 06.21 - 22: Jared appears at Supanova Sydney 2008.
• 06.25 - Mini-Wank: The same girl who started the Wincest and RPF writers you disgust me-wank will probably host panels at EyeCon dealing with slash and wincest. People point out the irony.
• 06.27 - ckll posts to dean_sam about arranging a fic collection she wants to send to TPTB - fandom cries out in collective fear. Her post is later deleted.

July

• 07.01: Twizzle Me, a huge Jensen/Jared site opens and immediately gets spammed with comments calling the site maintainer names, all from the same IP address. This is the second attack, a month before the site maintainer was confronted with a fandom-secrets postcard in which she was depicted as crazy stalker.
• 07.09: Repro's SPN Media has to close down because of too many visitors. A new server is needed - SPN Media collects donations.
• 07.10: In July 2008 Fandom Rocks started their third campaign, collecting money for WriteGirl and InvisibleChildren (suggested by Sera Gamble) in form of an e-bay auction of fan goodies in August 2008. More about the campagin can be found here.
• 07.27: Supernatural Panel with Eric Kripke, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Ben Edlund, Peter Johnson and Sera Gamble at Comic Con 2008 in San Diego. Surprise visit by Ghostfacers Travis Wester and A.J. Buckley.
• 07.28 The maintainer of the satirical group People for the Ethical treatment of Jensen Ackles receives a legal request requesting the removal of all material from their lj comm spn_petja and website Jensenvention.
• 07.30: SPN on Fandom Wank: "I am disappointed in Jensen Ackles" - the fandom reacts to the PETJA C&D action and expectantly splits in two over the issue - does Jensen have no sense of humor at all or is PETJA simply not as hilarious as they thought they were?

August

• early August: Jensen and Jared win the TV Guide's Sexiest Sci-Fi Stars Poll - Jared on 2nd place, Jensen on 1st.
• 08.04.: FanLib, the controversial fan-archive that sells fans out by providing marketing stats and viral marketing for businesses, shuts down its site without giving an official reason. Source
• 08.24: Supernatural on Fandom Wank: The Story of Thursdaywench & Co. - in which a couple of girls go up to Vancouver to stalk the boys and end up not being talked to, therefore proclaiming that Jensen and Jared are banned from their livejournals!
• 08.27 - Rising Son 6 is released, and has a special comic written by Eric Kripke called The Beast With Two Backs, in which the Ghostfacers Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spengler defeat their arch-nemesises, Sam and Dean, who appear as a beast with two backs (definitely one of Eric's amused nods to Wincest).

September

• The Jared Padalecki Photobook was finished, and has raised $4002.72 to donate to The Animal Rescue Site to vaccinate dogs against kennel cough. ^Source
• 09.07 - The Red Bull Soap Box Derby was held in Vancouver. As part of the event there were celebrity races. Jared and Jensen were among the competitors. For the record - Jared beat Jensen. He donated his $1000 prize to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital and Jensen donated his $500 to Doctors Without Borders.
• 09.09 - Buddy TV reports from the set of Supernatural, and reveals that the boys live together. So far, the rumor isn't confirmed by any other source, but the fans are still loving those kind of news.^Source
• 09.11 - Support Supernatural surpasses its goal to raise $500 each for The Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in the name of Jared and his dogs - the fundraiser continues until November 2008. A second fundraiser is started, aiming to raise money on behalf of Jensen for Doctors Without Borders and St. Jude Children's Hospital.
• 09.17 - The first issue of the Journal of Transformative Works and Culture has an article on Wincest: The Epic Love Story of Sam and Dean by Catherine Tosenberger.
• 09.17 - Supernatural on Fandom Wank: CWRPS Tinhats v. Miss Special Snowflake 2008 - Loustat posts a meme to a J2 community. People ask her to keep those things to her personal journal. She continues to make posts to the community in which she complains that people are mean. Wank ensues.
• 09.18 - 4.01 Lazarus Rising airs and manages to pull in 3.96 million viewers, a rise of 33 percent. Fandom reviews can be found here.
• 09.22 - Jensen, who was nominated for an Emmy Award 2008, but didn't receive one, won Entertainment Weekly's EWwy for best actor in a drama.
• 09.26 - 09.28 - EyeCon September 2008 takes place in Florida. Confirmed guests are: Jared Padalecki, Jim Beaver, Nicki Aycox (Meg), Chad Lindberg ((Ash) and Fred Lehne (Azazel). There will be concerts by Steve Carlson and Jason Manns.

(October - December 2008 will be added)

Go to Fandom Chronicle: 2009