THE SUPERMAN WEBMASTERS: STEVE YOUNIS (SUPERMAN HOMEPAGE)

NOTA DE JAVIER OLIVARES: Por cortesía para los lectores angloparlantes de Steve, de manera excepcional publico este post también en inglés.

Steve Younis is the owner and Editor-in-Chief of the Superman Homepage. A Graphic Designer/Web Designer by profession, Steve runs the No. 1 Superman fan site in the world from his home in Sydney, Australia. Let's know a little more about him and his website.

When did the idea of create a Superman website born and why?

The Superman Homepage website was created in 1994 by an American guy called Andrew J Gould. Andrew and I quickly became friends via email, discussing the latest Superman comics, TV show episodes, etc... It wasn't till mid-1996 that Andrew told me that he was ill... in fact dying. Andrew suffered from a rare genetic skin disease, dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, which causes the skin to blister and scar in response to minor injuries, and predisposed him to skin cancer. Sadly Andrew passed away in November 1996 but leading up to his death the two of us organised for Andrew's computer files to be transferred to me so I could continue on his work at the Superman Homepage.

How many people visits your website?

At the moment (June 2012) round 9,000 people visit the Superman Homepage each day on average. We expect that to go well over 10,000 as the new movie gets closer.

How much time do you spend in the Superman Homepage daily?

Running the website has become a full-time job. I work on it as I would a normal 9am-5pm job.

Do you have a staff or all the work is yours?

While I am the “Web Master” who controls everything, the Superman Homepage has up to 10 contributing writers who submit reviews and articles for comic books, TV episodes, etc…

What’s the best thing that your website has reported to you?

Being able to visit the set of “Superman Returns” in 2005, see the cast and crew, interview the actors, and see the actually getting to walk around the sets, was probably the best thing the website has been invited to. It’s also been great to be able to have reporters attend movie premieres to do red carpet interviews, attend press conferences and Q&A panels.

And the worst?

The worst thing about running the Superman Homepage is some of the hate that gets directed towards you from people who are either jealous or just like to tear down other people for their own enjoyment. It’s sad that they feel the need to attack you for doing something you and many others enjoy.

Tell me an anecdote.

One of the most amazing experiences I’ve had was attending the 2008 Superman Celebration in Metropolos, Illinois. It was amazing how many people came up to me to talk to me about my website, and have photos with me. It was so nice to have people recognize the hard work you do.

What can we find in your website that can’t be found in any other?

The Superman Homepage really is your one-stop Superman destination. I don’t think there’s any other website that offers the same amount of information while also offering the community interaction through so many different avenues. We not only offer fans the opportunity to interact with each other through comment boards and message boards, but we’ve also incorporated Facebook connectivity, we do weekly live internet radio shows, weekly video news reports, monthly podcasts, and so much more.

What are you preparing in the future for your site?

We’re always looking to expand and incorporate new technologies and the latest trends. With the “Man of Steel” movie just a year away, we’re really looking forward to the next 12 months and beyond…

Of what Superman are you a biggest fan? Comic books’, movies’, TV series’…?

It’s hard to pick just one medium. I’m really a fan of all aspects of Superman. I read the comic books weekly, I watch all the TV shows and cartoons, I read all the books and novels, listen to all the radio and audio programs, buy all the DVDs and CDs, and have seen all the movies. I’m a fan of them all.

What do you think about the future of the character?

It’s an interesting time to be a fan of Superman. It’s definitely a period of change, with DC Comics and Warner Bros. changing his appearance/costume. But then Superman has always changed and adapted with the times. This is nothing new really, and I’m sure Superman will be around far longer than you and I, and anyone else reading this. After all, it is a never-ending battle…

What do you expect from the next movie, Man of Steel?

I’m really looking forward to “Man of Steel”. The more I see of Henry Cavill, the more I’m impressed. He seems to be the right man for the job. I’m sure the visuals will be extremely impressive, and I think Zack Snyder will deliver on that front. I guess my only concern is the story line. I’m hoping they stick true to who Superman is and what he represents.

And the last question is a hard one for a Superman webmaster: what is your favourite Superman website?

Is that a trick question? While I do visit other Superman fan sites to see what other webmasters are doing and reporting on, I’m obviously very partial to my own website. If it wasn’t my favorite Superman website, then I wouldn’t be doing my job properly.

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