Heroine TV Goes to San Diego Comic-Con: Year Two

Another year, another Comic-Con. Heroine TV will be on the scene in San Diego again, for the second year in a row. My sister Francesca will be accompanying me again as well, keeping me company in line and providing valuable seat ninja and food magician skills. Our first SDCC experience was pretty magical, and we had ridiculous good luck that we are aware probably can’t last for a second year. (We were able to purchase 4-day badges with preview night a few weeks before the event, made pretty much every panel we aimed for, and spent no more than an hour or two in line each day. We also made it to the second row for the Joss Whedon panel, and won free tickets to the Castle signing. I even lost my iPad in a panel, only to have it returned to me by a benevolent stranger. And we discovered amazing sushi. I know, right? I hate us too.) Unfortunately, this year we were unable to score the elusive preview night tickets, and I wasn’t able to get Francesca a pass for Thursday. Badge pick-up is going to be a lot trickier this year, but we will persevere. I’ve been strategizing for weeks, and I think we have some good plans for how to do more than survive. I’m not sure that anyone had a better Comic-Con experience last year, and we aim to repeat the experience.

If you plan on attending Comic-Con, or just want to follow along online (which is super fun because people will be live-tweeting and posting video), I have gathered a selection of notable panels below. All information is from the official Comic-Con website, unless otherwise indicated. If I could clone myself, I would go to all of these, but as it is, we will have to make some tough choices regarding priorities.

Thursday, July 12^th, 2012:

Since Frani doesn’t have a badge for Thursday, I’m going to brave it alone to the Battlestar: So Say We All panel from10:30-11:30a.m. Located in Room 6BCF, I don’t anticipate that the line will be too bad. Hopefully people will be so busy trying to get into Hall H and Ballroom 20 that I’ll be able to get in. Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek, Capt. Apollo) is set to host this 35th anniversary panel and fan discussion of the Battlestar universe. Jane Espenson (producer/writer on Battlestar and Caprica, my idol, etc.), Lili Bordan (actress, Blood and Chrome), Toni Graphia (Battlestar producer/ writer), and Dr. Kevin Grazier (science consultant for BSG and Defiance). The official description also hints at some surprise guests. So say we all.

Then at noon, Francesca and I will head to Nerd HQ for a Chuck panel. This event will be followed by a signing an hour later, so we’ll probably hang around Nerd HQ for a bit. We didn’t check out Nerd HQ last year, so this year we will be able to rectify that mistake.

In the afternoon, I plan to take part in a Nikita press room on behalf of The Televixen, and the actual Nikita panel is scheduled from 6:00-7:00p.m. in Room 6BCF. Other afternoon TV panels include Beauty and the Beast from 3:30-4:35p.m. in Ballroom 20: “Stars Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) and Jay Ryan (Terra Nova), along with executive producers Jennifer Levin (Without a Trace) and Sherri Cooper (Brothers and Sisters), will discuss the new CW fall show: a modern adaptation of the beloved fairy tale.”

From 5:00-6:00p.m., you can catch The Most Dangerous Women at Comic-Con in Room 7AB: “Actresses, stuntwomen, creative cosplayers, outspoken bloggers, and groundbreaking comic book creators-which women are the movers and shakers on the convention scene? Who are the innovators breaking barriers in the world of fandom? To discuss these game changers, Action Flick Chick Katrina Hill (Geek Nation, MTV Geek) has assembled a team of women dangerous in their own right: Leah Cevoli (Robot Chicken), Holly Conrad (Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope), Adrianne Curry (Stan Lee’s World of Heroes), Abbie Heppe (Respawn Entertainment), Clare Kramer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Kristen Nedopak (Skyrim: To Lydia with Love), Milynn Sarley (Geek Nation’s Lairs), Stephanie Thorpe (Elf Quest: A Fan Imagining), and Patricia Tallman (Night of the Living Dead, Babylon 5). With moderator Bonnie Burton (SFX Magazine).” I don’t know if the timing will work out for me, but this panel sounds awesome.

Finally, there’s a Dexter panel from 6:00-7:15p.m. in Ballroom 20. There’s sure to be news about the upcoming seventh season, and hopefully some new footage. Moderator Ralph Garman (KROQ Entertainment reporter) will preside over a Q&A session with Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, special guest star Yvonne Strahovski (Hanna), and executive producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Scott Buck, and Manny Coto. According to the official description, the panel will also include the world premiere trailer for Homeland season two. Nice. 

Friday, July 13^th, 2012:

On Friday, Ballroom 20 will be our home. The main event of the day will be the Firefly 10-Year Anniversary Reunion from 12:30-1:30p.m. I’ve been freaking out about this shininess since news first broke. Panelists will include Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, and more. I’m uncertain whether Goddess Gina Torres will be there, as she was originally on the list, but no longer. Unfortunately, Jewel Staite and Morena Baccarin have both tweeted that they are unable to attend. Sad face for all the missing Firefly ladies. I haven’t heard anything about Ron Glass. The panel will be hosted by the Science Channel and the network will apparently offer some giveaways.

Francesca in front of Ballroom 20 last year. We will try to keep up the energy again this year.

Before Firefly, if we make it into the room in time, we will also attend the Community panel from 10:00-11:00a.m. and Nickelodeon’s Legend of Korra from 11:15a.m.-12:15p.m. After Firefly, we will stay put in Ballroom 20 for Bones (1:45-2:45p.m.), Arrow (3:00-4:00p.m.), and Entertainment Weekly: Powerful Women in Pop Culture (4:15-5:15p.m.). The latter will feature Kristin Bauer van Straten (True Blood), Sarah Wayne Callies (Walking Dead), Kristin Kreuk (Beauty and the Beast), Nikki Reed (Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2), and Anna Torv (Fringe). Then we will cap off our insane day of awesomeness with the man himself, Joss Whedon, who is once again presiding over a solo Dark Horse panel (5:30-6:30p.m.) Are you tired yet? What a day.

If there weren’t so much Whedony goodness going on in Ballroom 20, we would try to make the Cult Pilot Screening and Q&A, 11:30-12:30 in Room 6BCF. Matt Davis’s new thriller is on my must-see list this fall, but looks like I’ll have to wait a bit. Creator and executive producer Rockne S. O’Bannon (Farscape) and series stars Matt Davis (The Vampire Diaries), Jessica Lucas (Psych), Alona Tal (Supernatural), and Robert Knepper (Heroes) are set to appear. Another notable TV panel is the 666 Park Avenue Pilot Screening and Q&A, 12:45-1:45 in Room 6BCF. Panelists will include series stars Terry O’Quinn (Lost), Vanessa Williams (Desperate Housewives), Rachael Taylor (Charlie’s Angels), and Dave Annable (Brothers & Sisters), along with executive producers Matthew Miller (Chuck) and David Wilcox (Fringe).

The panel that I’m saddest to miss is Game of Thrones, 2:45-3:45p.m. in Hall H. Like last year, George R.R. Martin will moderate, helped out this time by executive producer Carolyn Strauss. The cast who are scheduled to appear are Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark), Rose Leslie (Ygritte), and Richard Madden (Robb Stark). Kit Harington injured his ankle and is unable to attend , while Lena Headey also had to bow out. I look forward to watching this adorable cast talk on a loop once video is posted. Don’t let me down, people.

Other afternoon TV panels that I will probably miss (but I wish I could make) include Falling Skies, (4:30-5:30p.m. in Room 6BCF), Girls Gone Genre (6:00-7:00p.m. in Room 7AB), And Then What Happened? Serialized Shows That Ended Too Soon (7:00-8:00p.m. in Room 7AB). “Girls Gone Genre” will feature Marti Noxon, Jane Espenson, Karyn Kusama (Jennifer’s Body), and Angela Robinson (True Blood). “And Then What Happened? Serialized Shows That Ended Too Soon” will feature Andrew Chambliss (Once Upon a Time), Scott M. Gimple (The Walking Dead), Ian Goldberg (Once Upon a Time), Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost), and Jose Molina (The Vampire Diaries). These writer/procucers will “talk about the stories that weren’t to be on such shows as Dollhouse, Flash Forward, Firefly, and The Middleman.”

Saturday, July 14^th, 2012:

On Saturday, we’re going to try to make it to the Once Upon a Time panel at 11:00-11:45a.m. in Ballroom 20. Scheduled to attend are co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, along with Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas, Emilie de Ravin, and Meghan Ory. If we want to make it to The Vampire Diaries Screening and Q&A in that same room at 3:30-4:15p.m., we’ll probably have to stay put. Scheduled to appear at the TVD panel are executive producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, along with stars Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Michael Trevino, and Zach Roerig. Stick around in Ballroom 20 a little longer, and we could watch the True Blood Panel and Q&A session from 4:30-5:15p.m.

Another strategy would be to head to the Indigo Ballroom for alternate geeky offerings. First up, the Geek & Sundry panel will take place from 11:00-12:00. The official description reads: “Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog), Wil Wheaton (The Guild, Big Bang Theory, Eureka), director Daniel Strange (Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis), and the cast of The Guild—Vince Caso, Jeff Lewis, Amy Okuda, Sandeep Parkih, and Robin Thorsen—make some big announcements and offer an exclusive sneak peek at what’s to come. Moderated by Kim Evey (producer, Geek & Sundry).” This is fittingly followed by Nerdist Channel, featuring Chris Hardwick, from 12:00-1:00 in the same room. TVGuide Magazine’s Fan Favorites panel will follow from 1:00-2:00. According to the official description, panelists are subject to change, but so far they will include Nathan Fillion (favorite!), David Giuntoli (Grimm), Joel McHale (Community), Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf), Maggie Q (Nikita), and Matt Smith (Doctor Who).

We don’t really have a solid plan for Saturday yet, because so many panels are scattered all over the place and overlapping. I’ll wait until Francesca gets here to finalize our plans. From 1:00-2:00p.m. is A Conversation with Bryan Fuller in Room 7AB. Television writer/executive producer Bryan Fuller has worked on such projects as Heroes, Pushing Daisies, Wonderfalls, and Dead Like Me. This week’s Q&A will also feature discussion for two of his upcoming projects, Hannibal and Mockingbird Lane. From 1:30-2:30 there’s a Spotlight on Gail Carriger panel in Room 5AB. I recently started reading Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate Series and it is delightful. According to the official description “and her literary agent Kristin Nelson (president and senior literary agent at Nelson Literary Agency) discuss breaking into publishing, converting a novel into a manga, writing steampunk, drinking tea, and the importance of octopuses. Followed by Q&A. Silly questions welcome.” Sounds fun.

Sadly conflicting with the TVD panel is Kevin Williamson’s new series, The Following Screening and Q&A from 4:00-5:00p.m. in Room 6BCF.  I’m not exactly sure how Comic-Con expects Williamson to be in two places at once. I guess that The Following panel will begin with a screening of the pilot, so Williamson will be able to show up once the audience has finished watching it. Sharing the stage with Williamson for the short Q&A after the screening will be stars Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy. This is one of the pilots I am most looking forward to, so it might be worth missing TVD for. We’ll see.

Two other TV panels that I’m interested in attending are Showtime’s Shameless from 4:00-5:00p.m. in the Indigo Ballroom and NBC’s Revolution Pilot Screening and Q&A from 6:00-7:00p.m. in Room 6BCF. The Revolution panel will screen the pilot, and then include a short Q&A with creator and executive producer Eric Kripke and series stars Billy Burke (Twilight films), Giancarlo Esposito (Once Upon a Time), and Tracy Spiridakos (Being Human).

If we’re not dead on our feet and starving at this point, we might try to make Comi-Kev: Q&A with Kevin Smith 7:15-9:15p.m. in Hall H. I’m a huge fan of Kevin Smith, but I think we might be in desperate need of cocktails at that point in the evening. Mr. Smith, I’ll probably watch your panel online, like I did last year.

Here’s hoping that this is what Francesca and I are doing by 7pm each night. I’m already exhausted. Bring on dinner and drinks!

 Sunday, July 15^th, 2012:

On the last day of the con, there are a lot of TV panels in super scary Hall H. Last year we avoided the biggest room until Sunday, and it was the only line that foiled us on our journey. With Dr. Who returning to Comic-Con, anyone who wants to make the Fringe Screening and Q&A from 10:00-11:00a.m. or Supernatural Screening and Q&A from 11:15-12:15 will have to get in line suuuuuuuuper super early. Those Dr. Who fans mean business and they will be in line before you. Yeah, waaaay before you. I’m not sure if Francesca and I want to try to get in again this year. We’ll see how optimistic we feel on Saturday night. Regardless, I will be covering the Supernatural press room for The Televixen, so I’ll have some news about the Winchesters and company for you over there.

Other TV panels include Merlin from 10:30-11:30a.m. in Room 6BCF. Francesca attended that one last year, and really enjoyed it. Colin Morgan (Merlin) and Katie McGrath (Morgana) are scheduled to appear, along with co-creators and executive producers Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy. Jenna Busch will moderate. Then from12:00-1:00p.m. Jane Espenson, writer extraordinaire, has her own panel in Room 7AB: Espenson: an Anagram for Openness. Make sure to follow news from that panel for news about Husbands and the Buffy comics.

Buffy Turns 20: Celebrating 20 Years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will take place in Room 6BCF from 2:15-3:15p.m. Scheduled panelists include Nicholas Brendon, Clare Kramer, Dark Horse editor Scott Allie, writer/producer Jane Espenson, illustrator Georges Jentry, and Kristy Swanson (star of the 1992 movie). I would love to go to this one, but it overlaps with Sons of Anarchy (2:45-3:45 in Hall H). I think Frani and I are going to have to make the excruciating decision of skipping Buffy for SoA. Creator Kurt Sutter and stars Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Ron Perlman, Maggie Siff, Kim Coates, Mark Boone Junior, Tommy Flanagan, Theo Rossi,Ryan Hurst, and Dayton Callie are scheduled to appear. If last year is any indication, Hall H has no real line by this point in the afternoon. Capping the con once again is Buffy the Musical “Once More with Feeling” from 3:30-4:30p.m. in Room 6BCF. We had a lot of fun singing along last year, but this time it conflicts with Sons of Anarchy, and takes place in a smaller room. But I can’t really complain, as this Comic-Con is an embarrassment in riches. Francesca flies in tomorrow and then we drive down to San Diego. I can’t wait!

Well, that’s it for now. I’ll be tweeting up a storm over the rest of the week, so if you want updates on my Comic-Con experience, follow me @heroine_tv. The panels are only half of it, as there is also the Exhibition Floor and offsite events, etc. Also, be sure to check back on the blog, as I’ll be posting convention reports and giveaways soon. Thanks for reading. Let me know which panels you’re most excited about in the comments.