2008: A Year in Review, Leaky and the Fandom

Dec 30, 2008

Posted by: SueTLC

Uncategorized

Time for the second year in review report, this focusing on events and moments for us here at Leaky and the Harry Potter fandom.

JANUARY

A new year brought a new poll on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter website, and reports claimed a December 2009 opening is possible.

The Ace of Cakes met PotterCast as the Food Network star Duff joined John and Sue to talk about the very special cake he made for the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix premiere last summer in Los Angeles. Audio and video of this are online. January 22 saw an announcement about the Wizard Rock EP of the Month for charity and the Harry Potter Alliance.

FEBRUARY

The month starts off great with news that Scribbulus, our premiere essay collection,
was updated and part of our continuing site redesign. Also we present THE LEAKY LOGIN: the one, all-purpose login you need around Leaky and our forums ’ one login gives you access to post on our forum, Leaky Lounge, in our image, video and fan art galleries, and much more in the future.

More conference updates brought word of a Wrock contest for Terminus. On February 11 Construction begans on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida.

February 12: Big News as we announce our first ever convention: LeakyCon 2009 in Boston, MA, Memorial Day Weekend, May 21-24,
a benefit for the charities Book Aid International and HP Alliance. (More info available at LeakyCon.com.) We also opened LeakyCon Facebook and LiveJournal groups.

The Lounge got lovely with a Valentine’s Celebration, and the OotP Book Club also opened. Finally registration for the big Wizard Rock gathering, Wrockstock 08, opened.


MARCH

The month opened with the 22nd issue of Scribbulus online. Canadian band Wyrd Sisters continue a legal claim against WB, despite an unsuccessful copyright claim against WB in 2005, now seeking destruction of DVDs, compact discs, video games and other paraphernalia” mentioning fictional wizarding band in things such as trading cards scene it games etc

Wizrocklopedia announced winners, two found on Jingle Spells our CD for charity issued in December of 2007. On the convention front, we learned US audio book narrator Jim Dale would be speaking at Portus, the Harry Potter gathering due in Dallas, and Terminus announced their keynote speakers, with Cheryl Klein, continuity editor of the Harry Potter books from Scholastic to speak along with author Tamora Pierce.

In a fun bit of news, Harry Potter Puppet Pals were big winners at the YouTube Awards. We made some additions to our Leaky Lounge, and made an announcement about the Floo Network. Media focus on Harry Potter continued, with features on CNN regarding Potter in Academia, and others feature college Quidditch. Finally rumors of early auditions to take place for characters at the Harry Potter theme park begin to surface.

APRIL

Frankie “Frak” Franco permanently joins PotterCast, and on April 1st, we hire an unusual editor, Sybill Trelawney. Mayhem and odd reports surface regarding possible breakups of Harry and the Potters, and that Dan Radcliffe is to perform Equus fully clothed. Sadly, the end of the day sees Sybill sacked…again. Scribbulus also joins in the April Fools fun as well.

Jo’s Book Club reads Pride and Prejudice. The TLC crafters started monthly crafting events, and the We are Wizards Documentary screening and wrock show was set for Boston.

MAY

This month, we openeded the LeakyCon forums. We also launch our Fallen Heroes tribute contest, and PotterCast pays tribute to our unsung (unvoiced?) heroes: the Transcript Elves! PotterCast was live down in Florida with some actors from the Harry Potter films, and the Wizard Rockumentary screened in the sunshine state as well. Our reading groups rediscovered Sorcerer’s Stone, and Keynote speakers were announced for Convention Alley

JUNE

The season of many conventions was upon us this month, and we updated on these, as TLC also launched its two part Riddle contest. June 13: The Quibbler, TLC’s newest online magazine with the focus on fun and creativity from and for Harry Potter fans, arrives. We wants the precious, as our book club delved into J.R.R. Tolkein’s classic The Hobbit, and our crafters make Hogwarts house friendship bracelets

June 19: HPA launche Wrock the Vote,
as the AP focuses on the efforts of the charity group of Harry Potter fans. Summer solstice marked five years since the release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and we remember and celebrate the life of Dobby the House Elf. June 28 sees the third year anniversary of The Chamber of Chat, the unique interactive chat for fans.

JULY

The holiday weekend features the Corner Booth movie night as we chat and watch Sorcerer’s Stone online together. The chef from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park gives a new interview, detailing and tempting us with some of the goodies we may find when the park opens. July 9 Portus 2009 is set to take place over the weekend in Dallas, Texas. July 12: LeakyCon announces a very special wizard rock concerts and dance parties to be held during the Terminus convention in Chicago next month, all to benefit the con and the charities. July 14 we saw construction photos updates and new signs appearing at Wizarding World in Orlando. The next day we learn Wizarding fans affect UN Security Council with HPA Initiative

In other news, PotterCast and Leaky will feature at Comic Con in San Diego, and Dr. Horrible learned his evil ways from Voldemort.
The 19th we open registration for Leaky Con and hotel reservations also open. The Balmoral hotel in Scotland also opened the J.K. Rowling suite where she completed Deathly Hallows, as on the 21st we marked one year since the release of the final Harry Potter novel.

July 23 we present Leaky Blogs written by staff and readers of the Leaky Cauldron, and a few days later we announced PotterCast’s Summer tour 08, as we hit the road with The Remus Lupins, The Whomping Willows and the Mudbloods. First online: Boston stop! The month ends on a high note as Melissa announced her big book project: Harry, A History would be published this fall on November 4.

AUGUST

Universal Orlando released new concept art, this of the Three Broomsticks pub for the Harry Potter theme park. Summer is a great time to catch up on some reading as the Harry Potter book club started Prisoner of Azkaban, and the book nook reads “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Terminus took place in Chicago, and MTV later runs piece on the convention and wizard rock.

August 14, the HPA aired a special podcast One World, One Dream focusing on Olympic/Triwizard goals of unity. The third issue of the Quibbler went live, then on August 16, TLC’s updated Half-Blood Prince countdown was made available. PotterCast hit the Big Apple and Detroit with great wizard rock music, and new details regarding the progress at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter appeared online.

SEPTEMBER

New photos from the theme park showed the first snow covered shop in Hogsmeade, where signs will later read “revealed in 2010.”
Audio of PotterCast at Comic Con is up, and we also air the special podcast taped live at Terminus, part one and part two.

MTV featured week long coverage of Harry Potter, starting with an article on the Wizard Rockumentary. Our own Melissa Anelli was the subject of a second piece, focusing on her new book Harry, A History. A final article featured various celebs weighing in on why they are Harry Potter fans. A unique display on Harry Potter was featured at the National Library of Medicine, and Wizard Rock the Vote went online. The month ends as Leaky reaffirmed our support of Harry Potter and Banned Books week.

OCTOBER

As Banned Book Week continued, Witches Wrock to support Breast Cancer. Opal unveiled completed socks made with new special Harry Potter themed yarn; we like to think Dumbledore would approve. The Noble Collection also revealed new HBP products
including Slytherin’s ring, and the locket from the cave. A UK marketing professor said a study proves only Hufflepuffs are loyal to Harry in terms of rereading the book, and following the fandom. October 22 saw a new rumor claiming Hogwarts Castle will not only serve as the center of the Harry Potter theme park, but also house a giant ride. We reminded fans of open registrations for the Harry Potter conventions for next year: LeakyCon 2009, and Azkatraz 2009. PC held a live call out show for debut of new HBP trailer and the Halloween edition of the Quibbler goes live at the end of the month.

NOVEMBER

Fans heard from Melissa as she held the first reading since publication of “Harry, A History,” answers questions about her new book, her interview with Jo and more in New York City. Later Melissa held an event with the We are Wizards theatrical screening. Harry, A History later debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list at number 18, and was featured on the front page of USA Today

Mid November, LeakyCon 2009 opened calls for proposals, and a third trailer hit for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Fans react via PotterCast. PC also puts out call for editors. Things are hopping on the lounge with HBP book club readings, crafting for Christmas Ornaments, and winners of a Harry Potter Halloween costume contest we revealed.

November 23 TLC launched our seventh Get a Clue charity fundraiser drive, as Jingle Spells 2 is now available, and nearly 60 percent gone a few days later.

DECEMBER

We are Wizards was released on DVD and Leaky and PotterCast released its Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban DVD Fan Commentary.

Our image galleries team unveiled the 2008 Holiday Image calendar for fans, and the 25th issue of Scribbulus went online. The HP Alliance urged those to Standfast for Darfur, complete with a live call-in program. Leaky and PotterCast announced plans for a Beedle the Bard event in NYC, and a Beedle the Bard book club opened on the Leaky Lounge.

A new poll opened on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the first date for the traveling Harry Potter exhibition is revealed: April 30 in Chicago, Illinois. LeakyCon announced our three day lineup of great Wizard rock.

TLC issued a call for programmers, and Jingle Spells 2 became available on iTunes and Amazon. Harry, A History had a holiday event at the Yule Ball in Boston, and the holiday edition of the Quibbler went live.

~*~

Written by Sue Upton with assistance from Edward Drogos and Melissa Anelli





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.