Well, it certainly can ruin all surprise.  If you let it.

Personally, I avoid spoiler sites like the plague, I don't read Wizard, and my online retailer sends me a text document of Previews every month, so I can pretty much avoid the major spoilers in there, too.

I do, however, rely on word of mouth among people who's opinions I trust, such as the Pull List thread on this very board.  I can get a general idea if I'm going to like a title based on what people here say, and most everyone is nice enough to announce their spoilers.

Agreed, Jeff - There's a Good and Dark side of the internet:

The Good - websites like this

The Bad - spoilage (and brain rot) galore

Even before the internet, you could pick up a spoiler magazine or trade.  If you don't like that stuff, or are surprised at how dull it is when you know everything in advance, just avoid it.  Today, that means clicking somewhere else.

Only if you chose to read those spoilers.  Like others here, I don't.  I don't go to their websites.  I don't buy Wizard (for a whole host of reasons, one of which is spoilers).  I don't buy Previews.  I try to enforce invso text or big spoiler warnings here on the board.  So, yeah, I'm still surprised by everything I read.

The biggest problem with the net and comics, as I see it, is that it's given voice to a small group of people.  It's empowered them...and both Marvel and DC listen to them as if they are the majority and not, in fact, the minority that they really are.