2010 was a big year for us around here, made especially big as we waived goodbye to our initial “Beta” site design and re-launched with the site you see now. But that wasn’t all we did. Along the way we introduced our Cage Matches, talked about writing and editing, destroyed the world and discussed how we’d survive in the aftermath and a whole lot more.
Here’s a quick run-down of some of our most popular stuff from 2010.
January
What I Learned This Week: Why I Say No
Betsy Mitchell reviewed the number of manuscripts she received, rejected, made an offer for, and the reasons behind each in this popular post that kicked off our 2010.
Interview: Michael Terracciano’s Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire
Maggie MacAlpine’s interview with Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire creator Michael Terracciano was a hit. It’s also a fantastic interview, so if you’re one of the few who hasn’t read it yet, here’s your chance. It rocked our December/January article rankings.
The Top 10 Horror Movies of 2008
Matt Schwartz’s rundown of the top horror offerings of 2008 was, is, and will likely remain a hit with our readers. Matt’s knowledge of the horror genre is without compare and his list shows his discerning taste. Need a horror movie recommendation? This list never goes out of style.
February
Writers reminisce about Dungeons & Dragons
Matt Staggs spoke to several authors about their experiences playing Dungeons & Dragons and the effects it had upon their writing and creativity.
Blogger Interview: George R. R. Martin
Shawn Speakman spoke with other bloggers to discuss George R. R. Martin (his works and work habits) in a round-table meets interview discussion.
March
Cage Match
The Cage Match didn’t just dominate the rankings for March, they pretty much dominated the rankings for the rest of the year. That’s how big this event became. We saw mentions in places that don’t normally speculate on whether or not Hermione would best Jaime Lannister and you showed up and voted, and voted, and voted. But it was the discussions in the comments that made this event so worth while (and why we had so much fun). Want to relive that original? The bracket with all the matches can be found here.
Top Ten Most Awkward, Strange and Hilarious PSAs Featuring Super Heroes, Sci-Fi and Fantasy Characters
Matt Staggs took a strange and occasionally cringe-worth trip down memory lane with this remembrance of some truly odd PSAs from Saturday morning cartoons. Sometimes, you can’t make this stuff up…
April
Disaster A Day with Robert Brockway
Author Robert Brockway shared a number of disasters (both natural and man made) that could crumble civilization as we know it. Perhaps we’re all a little interested in post apocalyptic scenarios, because this series kicked off a rather destructive Spring thaw on the site. Happy Spring…!?
Escape from Earth Day & The Day After Earth Day
We took a slightly different approach to Earth Day in 2010: imagining the world’s demise. That was the premise behind Escape from Earth Day. Then, we presented The Day After Earth Day to investigate the aftermath. If you love apocalyptic fiction and scenarios, then April was your month on the site. You can still find all the wreckage here.
We also have updated tag sites for both event here:
26 Days of Wonder Woman
Before yet another uniform change rocked Wonder Woman and her fans, we celebrated the publication of the Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia by offering up 26 Days of Wonder Woman. We gave out a free entry each day (one letter per day) for the month of April.
May
What Does an Author Website Need?
Shawn Speakman asked the question and you wrote in with answers. So what do you think an author website needs? Check out this article and the comments to find out.
AFTER LOST: Thank God for DVR
While ABC was airing its mega-show LOST, our resident LOST expert Rhea wrote show-by-show reviews and op-eds. She used humor and survey questions to capture your attention (where have you gone, Rhea?) and became, for some, a “must-read” after each episode. Here, Rhea gives some parting thoughts after the LOST finale.
June
Do First-Person Shooters Really Need All of That Shooting?
Matt Staggs wonders if we’re starting to cross a line between art, gaming, and violence. What do you think: do first-person shooters really need all of that shooting? Check out the comments section for answers and gaming suggestions.
25 Years of Spectra Celebration
Spectra turns 25 and we celebrated by highlighting major books from each year of their existence. A really cool retrospective and celebration put together by real, live Spectra people.
July
Suvudu Goes to San Diego Comic-Con
We do it every year. Each July we pack up our things, board a plane, and leave New York behind for San Diego and four days (or more) of comics, science fiction, fantasy, gaming, geeking out, and parties. The result of all of this is a slew of interviews and posts that nearly transforms this site into a live feed of Comic-Con from the Suvudu booth. You can relive the glory and the madness here while we start planning our 2011 Comic-Con excursion.
August
A Fan Asks After GRRM
Shawn Speakman has lead numerous discussions about George R. R. Martin, but this post captured your attention. Here, Shawn answers questions from GRRM fans, offering his opinion on the books and more, while also clarifying a few points of his own.
Terry Brooks & Peter V. Brett Chat
Terry Brooks and Peter Brett got together with Betsy Mitchell for a live chat on the site. You can read the results of this really cool chat (which features a picture of Terry on a camel) here.
September
Suvudu On Air: The Christopher Paolini Q&A Edition
During Comic-Con (San Diego), Christopher Paolini took some time out from his very busy schedule—we’re not sure he had time to eat, sleep, or relax while he was there—to answer some of your questions for this episode of Suvudu On Air (our podcast).
Banned Books Week
An issue that remains near-and-dear to my heart and a week we try to celebrate each year here on Suvudu. Naturally, we focused on science fiction, fantasy, and graphic novels; unfortunately, there’s plenty of titles to talk about here. Want to read a revolution? Check out our list of banned and challenged books and get reading.
A Glimpse of Darkness
What happens when you put several authors together in a room with no food or water for several weeks and force them to write making horrible predictions about the future? Okay, we didn’t find out the answer to that question, but we did ask some of our favorite authors to write a serialized novel, with each author alternating chapter-by-chapter. Would they play fair? Would the story arc make sense? And what if we asked you to decide where the story went after every chapter? A Glimpse of Darkness answered those questions. Read it all here.
R.I.P. Jennifer Rardin
September finished with some very sad news as Jennifer Rardin passed away suddenly. The news took us all by surprise and Shawn Speakman, who admits he had only met Jennifer once, wrote this piece about her passing and the impact she still managed to have on him.
October
You Choose the Next Star Wars Title!
Del Rey gave all you Star Wars fans an opportunity to pick the title of the next Star Wars novel. The voting was fierce and the comments were even more fierce. So which title won? Find out here.
Suvudu Goes to New York Comic-Con
It’s Comic-Con, New York style! We hit up the Con in our own backyard and brought you photos, interviews, videos, and more.
November
Cage Match: Villains
After the thrilling success of our first Cage Match, we thought, “Why not give the bad guys a shot?” And thus, Cage Match: Villains was born. Relive the battles here, read through the comments (which is arguably the best part of Cage Match), and watch as we pit Winner against Winner for an Ultimate Cage Match 2010 Champion.
Suvudu’s Top Turkeys: The Worst Films We’ve Ever Seen
Tukey for Thanksgiving and turkeys on the screen. The whole crew at Suvudu runs down a few “very special” movies that you should see…or is that avoid seeing? We’re not sure anymore.
Over is Over
Ari Marmell has a few words to say about declaring an end to a particular genre or sub-genre’s popularity and readership: “Seems to me that I’ve heard that before.” Well, he’s not buying any of what the pundits are selling. This article really struck a chord with a lot of you, making it one of our most viewed op-eds of the year.
December
Terry Brooks on Books: Top Picks of 2010
When Terry speaks, writes, or chats, everyone seems to listen. In this article, Terry runs down some of his favorite reads from 2010. Have you read them all?
Video: So You Want to Write a Novel?
Who says slumming around internet videos never paid off? We found this gem from Xtranormal and had to share.
Who’s Who Among Sci-Fi/Fantasy Writers on Twitter and Where to Find Them
We started the list; you finish it. Looking for an author on Twitter? This list might be a good place to start.
An Interview with Sean Yseult: White Zombie and Beyond
Matt Staggs closed out our year with this amazing interview with former White Zombie bassist Sean Yseult. If you’re in to metal bands or just want to know what it was like for the petite blonde female bassist in a heavy hitting metal mega-band, then this is an interview not to be missed.
And that’s it! On with 2011 and all the excitement it will bring.
