ComicCon Friday: swag free and exhausted in Ballroom 20

I spent the second full day (third for me) in Ballroom 20.  I got in line at 6am and got a nice spot up front. 

Up first was Torchwood Miracle day. The panel was hilarious and you can tell this cast really gets along.  A new trailer was shown, but there were no spoilers.   The most interesting thing I heard mentioned was the possibility that Jack would be written into the Doctor Who anniversary episode. The panel ended with John xx leading Ballroom 20 in a sing along of the Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow.  Surprisingly, there was no swag given out. 

As I watched the trailer, I realized that the plot of the show is very similar (if not identical) to my friend and co-creator, George O'connor's book Healed.  Healed is amazing by the way and you can get it at www.homelesscomics.com. 

The next panel was for Walking Dead,  a preview of the next season was shown.  (Season 2 will premiere on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 9/8c on AMC instead of Halloween). It looked awesome.  (See it at http://www.tvguide.com/News/Walking-Dead-Comic-Con-1035581.aspx)  Again, nothing really to report.  There was a couple of awkward moments.  First, was when Frank Darabont commented that this season they have writers that actually understand the Walking Dead.  Darabont mentioned that it was a change from last year. I'm going to tread lightly because of spoilers, but the other moment occurred when the moderator asked one of the cast members how long he has been in Atlanta and the actor got uncomfortable and said "you know I am not allowed to say anything." I wonder if this was a revelation that a major character would be dying.  Once again no swag.

The next panel was for the Big Bang Theory. Nothing major was revealed, but I laughed so hard that I cried.  Again, no swag. 

The afternoon was filled with the two Syfy channel shows, Eureka and Warehouse 13. I should also mention that, on Preview Night, I had dinner with Rob, "Animal Control" Anderson and Fred "Screenplay writer extraordinaire' Kim. Why is that cool, because we ate Cafe Diem. (If you don't know, what it is already you won't care).  I’m not sure if it was swag, but I got a coupon for $5.00 some syfy dvds. Here are some highlights:

• Wil Wheaton hosted the Eureka panel and Evil Wil Wheaton was in rare form and hilarious.
• The Eureka podcast commentaries will return
• Eureka will never go back to the original timeline
• Eureka announces this year's Christmas episode will be animated and will feature all styles of animation.
• Ballroom 20 sings Happy Birthday to Eureka's Colin Ferguson.
• The Warehouse 13 panel began with Eddie McClintock running a lap around BR 20
• Jack Kenny is in early stage of planning a Warehouse 13 spinoff with HG Wells called Warehouse 12.
• Warehouse 13 gets Kate Mulgrew for 4 episodes. Jeri Ryan and Steve Yunn is coming on as well.
• Eureka's Fargo to return to Warehouse 13 in video game episode (called “don't hate the player) where Alison Scagliotti sings and plays guitar. 
• Kinds of acting on Warehouse13: acting, schmacting (greenscreen), and facting (exposition). Eureka adds backting (when you have your back to the camera so that lines can be added in post production)

There was supposed to be a Bones panel, but it was cancelled for "personal reasons."  Interestingly, however, this panel had swag.  Of course they gave it out to the people in line and not in the Ballroom.

The True Blood panel was the last panel of the day. In that chess game known as
San Diego ComicCon, most people in the room all day were there for this panel.  As always, there was a lot of great moments and teases for the current season as well as Seasons 5 6.  Here is the trailer http://itsh.bo/o0UEiE I hope you are following my twitter feed for live updates.  Here are some of the tidbits.

• There will be a Sookie and Eric shower scene, but not like the book. Ball says it will be dirtier
• We will see how Eric made Pam in season 5.
• Later seasons won't necessarily be based on the corresponding book in the series.
• "even if we diverge from the books we keep true to the spirit of the books." --Alan Ball.
• Hooligans (the strip club in the book) may not have the same name but there will be a version in season 5
• Ball says we may see ghosts and voodoo demons and still more other creatures in S5.

I finished the night watching the sneak preview of Batman Year One.  As an added bonus, several cast members and creators came and talked about making the film.. 

So that was my day in a nutshell.  Here are some pictures.

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