About twelve years ago the Legendary Heroes World Order first appeared online. In its earliest incarnation it was a fansite dedicated to “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”, “Xena: Warrior Princess” and “The Adventures of Sinbad”. In time it would grow to cover other action and adventure shows. Most recently it expanded into a second site called Far, Far Away which covers recent shows “Legend of the Seeker” and the BBC’s “Merlin”.
Webmaster and founder Kent Simmons recently sat down with his third in command, Tracy Viader, to have a virtual discussion about the history and growth of the fansite. This is the log of their wonderful, informative and at times (hopefully) amusing conversation.
Tracy: It’s been over 10 years since the Legendary Heroes World Order started. My how it’s grown and gotten better.
Kent: It’s developed. We started at the bottom but got closer to the top. I don’t know if it’ll ever get any higher. But I’m proud of what we have all accomplished with this place.
Tracy: Did you ever expect to go beyond Herc, Sinbad and Xena?
Kent: I always knew “Young Hercules” would be covered. I actually had one of the first sites for it and one of the, if not the largest fan forum for that show. Beyond that I hadn’t planned to expand until, at least, the shows it covered had their sections completed. But it did expand a little before.
Tracy: For those that don’t know - why do you call this collection of sites the Legendary Heroes World Order?
Kent: In 1996 there was a professional wrestling stable called the New World Order, or for short the nWo. I sort of thought, hey that would be cool to turn that idea into a fansite for fantasy shows. Hercules and Xena would have there own World Orders, and Sinbad since he has a crew on his boat could have a Pack, like the spinoff nWo faction The Wolf Pack. So The Sinbad Pack was born.
I kept the concept alive with the other older sections. But for Legend of the Seeker and Merlin - I sort of ended it. You could say it’s sort of a passing of the age thing. The older fantasy show site names reflect an era they were from, the same era in which the nWo was popular for wrestling. Now the new sections for new fantasy shows at the Far, Far Away site are no longer World Orders or Packs since that age has passed.
Tracy: As a webmaster do you think it’s easier or harder today to promote your work?
Kent: Harder. Back in the day you could e-mail people the link to post on their site. In return you posted their link on your site. People appreciated everyone’s hard work. It was a wonderful environment. Even though it still is wonderful today in most cases, the way many people want content has changed. Now you have stuff like Live Journal communities, My Space, Twitter, Facebook and blogs.
In addition, a lot of people can afford nicer hosts for their sites where you can find professional layouts and galleries to make navigation easier on the visitor. In some ways the classic fansite is no longer wanted or appreciated by many people. Why visit someone’s website when you can have a bunch of Live Journals connected to yours with everything you want, and easier to get? I can’t say I blame people that feel that way. There's nothing wrong with it. It's a nice, easy way to deliver content.
But to switch the way in which all the content from this website is made available would take forever. I just have to hope some people still want to come to this fansite and find it useful for something. I’ve actually debated starting a Live Journal community for the site, to get some publicity and make it feel more community centric. Maybe it’s something we need to look into.
Tracy: Maybe! I think I will.
Kent: In the long run it’s always good for there to be more fansites because this way there will be a lasting memory of a show on the internet. Someday some of the websites will vanquish. But as long as there are still some around, people will always be able to learn about or reminisce about their favorites shows, characters and performers.
Tracy: You had told me you had big plans for the Bridget Regan and Jessica Marais Temples in the Legend of the Seeker section.
Kent: I developed those with growth and expansion in mind. There aren’t any Jessica Marais sites out there at the moment, so I’ve debated if to get a domain and start one. But I don’t know if that will happen. The only other Bridget Regan related site is also sort of a section of a greater fansite that covers Legend of the Seeker, so I’ve debated if to get a domain and start another Bridget site. It’s a possibility but I don’t know if it’ll happen. Once they get a bit more famous it’ll be easier to get photos from premiere events they attend, and all. I’ll see how things go and perhaps expand the sites from there.
Tracy: I remember years back you showed me the e-mails you got from a couple New Zealand actors about your website. And the one from Sinbad too. How did you feel when you heard from them?
Kent: I was very shocked, but also very touched when they wrote me and complimented me on my website. I don’t put much praise on myself for what I do here. Because I don’t consider my sites to be very impressive. I wanted this site to be a place for watermarkless screen captures of an assorted variety, not just ones based on certain characters or relationships on a show.
Because of this I had a lot of pics of minor characters, and got e-mails from a couple of the actors that portrayed them asking if they could use the screen captures on their respective websites. It was really cool to be able to speak to them, even though just briefly via e-mail. They work hard so we can enjoy great television and film, so if I could help them in some small way that was cool.
Tracy: Do you think anyone from Legend of the Seeker or Merlin have visited the new sites?
Kent: This one or others?
Tracy: Here.
Kent: It would be nice. But I wouldn’t hold my breath. Jose teased me that Bridget Regan sent me an e-mail about the Bridget Regan Temple on April 1st. He was obviously being silly. It would be nice if some of the actors or production people came here. Who knows. I’m sure they check fansites out. I bet the lawyers and legal people do! But for the actors and writers, I’m sure they lurk around to see what’s going on. But at which sites is the question.
Tracy: Covering Smallville was different territory. We were venturing into a primetime show with up and coming young adult stars. I have to admit I was surprised when you said the Smallville World Order was going into production.
Kent: I wanted to cover the show since it started. When it launched, the Smallville section, I thought we did a great job. But of all the sections, it’s the most “just another site for that show”, and doesn’t really have much to offer that others don’t offer better. But once again I don’t regret launching it. I’m very proud of it and think it’s a good Smallville site.
Tracy: At the end of the day how do you want the Legendary Heroes World Order to be remembered.
Kent: I don’t think it will ever be the best fansite. Or even the most loved fansite. But I want it to be a site that does it best and continues to strive to give people at least something. As long as it does that and can be a place, that whether now or down the line, will be useful to someone it’ll have served its purpose. I’m proud of what you, Jose and the rest of the team over the years have done. We’ve all accomplished something here, as with the Fan Fiction Seasons. I’m going to brag about it for a few minutes - except for the popups on Host Ultra. That is a vent!
Tracy: Word association time.
Kent: Shoot!
Tracy: Webmasters.
Kent: Hard working people that sometimes get mislabeled as obsessed freaks.
Tracy: Rob Tapert.
Kent: Respect - someone who has come along way in what he does.
Tracy: Chocolate labs.
Kent: The greatest dogs in the world.
Tracy: Ed Naha.
Kent: Talented, creative producer and writer whose show (Sinbad) deserved a longer run.
Tracy: John Glover.
Kent: Gave Smallville a level of maturity.
Tracy: Bridget Regan.
Kent: Every man’s dream, every woman’s nightmare.
Tracy: The Alpaca!
Kent: LOL. Only people that lurk at Internet Movie Database will get that one.
Tracy: Katie McGrath.
Kent: The Irish version of Bridget Regan.
Tracy: Lucy Griffiths.
Kent: Now I need a freakin cold shower! Lucy, Katie, Bridget. Please stop already.
Tracy: “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson.
Kent: THE MAN.
Tracy: Last one. Tracy Viader
Kent: Hard working person and great friend.
Tracy: Any advice to future webmasters?
Kent: Do your best and create it no matter what negative people tell you. Don’t let them keep you from creating and showing your appreciation for something, be it a show, videogame, movie, band, performer, or whatever. A good start - get it online as early as you can for a new tv show or movie. Be one of the first if not the first to have a site.
Consider devoting a section to an actor you like who doesn’t have a lot, if any sites. Post about your site at places like Internet Movie Database so fellow fans can find out about it. Promotion is the key. Content is great but people need to know it exists. Take advantage of My Space, Facebook and the like. It may take some time but promote your work. Your never going to build up a really large visitor base overnight.
Last but not least. Know your limits. It’s okay to build on something. Grand designs are good. But at the end do what you can, you can always come back and do more.