1. Indiana Jones
TheRaider.net
Launch Date May 2000
What You'll Find This Indiana Jones site is as deep as it gets: synopses for every film, book, TV episode, and videogame — along with production info, goofs, trivia, you name it. When you get to the Indy timeline, which follows his life from precocious child to adventuring adult, you'll find some of the really embarrassing stuff — before Henry Jones Jr. came of age, he was a mini-Forrest Gump, rubbing elbows with everyone from Mata Hari and Eliot Ness to Charles de Gaulle and T.E. Lawrence, which is just patently ridiculous. But that's the mark of a great fansite: posting material even if it makes your subject look silly. A true fan loves the subject, warts and all.
Why It's Essential Even if you're not a serious devotee — and don't feel like trawling message boards or contributing to the fan-fiction database ("Raiders of the Corner Pharmacy," indeed) — you'll find something of interest. Want the latest set updates from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? Done. Seeking new shots of Indiana (Harrison Ford, looking rather spry) and his youthful ward (Shia LaBeouf)? At the click of your fingertip. Have you been craving that Temple of Doom action figure since you were 12? Well, you won't find it here...but you will find a picture of the packaging, so you know what to look for on eBay. Indiana Jones, the man, is all about the hunt for lost treasure. TheRaider.net is like the warehouse at the end of Raiders itself: Everything you could want is just down the next aisle, waiting to be rediscovered. All you have to do is get your hands a little dirty.
Official Site indianajones.com
While Indy's official home is prettier, many features — like games and community hubs — aren't currently live. And when it is completely online (probably early '08, in advance of Indy 4), it'll actually feel a bit like TheRaider.net. Imagine that. — Marc Bernardin
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