Comic-Con 2012: Mission accomplished, baby!

So, Comic-Con 2012 is over and done with, and all that's left is catching up on the panels/interviews I missed there and reading recaps of the ones I did see. I will say this: That previous post about my Plan A? Totally checked 'em all off my list, and then some. I couldn't ask for a better (last?) Con. I won't go through it day by day because that's boring, so here's a long list of superlatives:

A teary-eyed "Firefly" reunion: Nathan Fillion, Joss Whedon,
Summer Glau, Sean Maher. (Credit: Me)

Best panel: The "Firefly" 10th anniversary panel was worth getting in line at 5 a.m. In fact we should've gotten there earlier, because Joss Whedon came out to see fans and we missed it and I don't want to talk about it. I'm fine. I'm FINE. Anyway, the panel itself was fantastic: teary, funny, sweet. After all these years, the cast members still have chemistry. The SDCC folks seriously must've underestimated interest in this panel the line was unbelievably long -- and deservedly so. 


Most revelatory panel: Psych at Nerd HQ. (Click the link to watch the full panel.) I didn't realize it last year, but in an intimate setting this year, it seemed like Dule Hill was the funny one and James Roday was the straight man, when it's the other way around on the show. 


Most feel-good panel: Nathan Fillion at Nerd HQ. (Click the link to watch the full panel.) He brought up Adam Baldwin to join him, and the two were obviously enjoying themselves. Also seeing them kiss Zachary Levi for $1,000 donation to Operation Smile was pretty funny too. (Side note: Had my sister not been there, I might've coughed up the money to kiss Zac, too. Cooler heads prevailed.)

RUN!!! (Credit: Me)

Scariest moment: I hate heights, so at Petco Park during the Walking Dead Escape obstacle course, the rope net we had to climb down while watching for zombies below was not fun. Not. Fun. At. All. ...


Superhero moment: ... However, the rest of the obstacle course was pretty awesome. I can say that now that I'm not wheezing my way through it. Seriously hard, folks. Seriously. But I did surprise myself by vaulting -- vaulting! -- over a zombie's hands to escape contamination. Watching the video it's not all that superheroic, but it was in my head.

Rockin' the Fringe swag.
 (Credit: Joy)

Coolest swag: At the final "Fringe" panel (the show ends this season), they gave out pretty sweet gray fedoras like the ones the show's creepy Observers wear. Neato!


Coolest souvenir bought: Tie. A super cute limited-edition Comic-Con Domo T-shirt. Also an equally super cute limited-edition canvas Nerd messenger bag at Nerd HQ. 


Biggest regret: See first item about missing Joss Whedon. I'm FINE.

My boyfriend Richard Armitage. (Credit: Me)

My Beatles moment: Seeing Richard Armitage on stage for the Hobbit panel. Not only is he handsome (DUH), but I'm so happy he'll be getting more press in America in the coming months. Comic-Con is just the start, y'all. Get on board.


Cutest guy (besides Richard Armitage): Zachary Levi (see last item below). Runner-up: Henry Cavill is quite a looker, and I'm psyched to see "Man of Steel." 


Coolest panel: No one could top the rock-star entrance by Robert Downey Jr., who IS Tony Stark at this point. And the Marvel presentation in general -- in which they announced film titles and dates for "Thor: The Dark World," "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "Guardians of the Galaxy" -- made me geek out completely.

Me and Colin Ferguson. (Credit: I honestly
can't remember if it was Joy or
Erika, I was so excited.)

Best random celeb moment: Seeing Colin Ferguson chillin' out, checking his phone outside Rock Bottom Brewery. So I calmly introduced myself and told him how much I love "Eureka" and will miss it. And then he graciously offered to take a photo with me. And I squeed quietly to myself inside. I did not chase him like the fangirls who ran after Misha Collins from "Supernatural" (FF to 3:03 to see the silliness).


Best food: If you're in San Diego, please partake of the breakfast items at Richard Walker's Pancake House. Also their coffee. Which is THE BEST EVER. I'm serious. THE BEST EVER.


Worst food: I am so over granola bars right now.


Best moderator: It's so funny, I follow so many entertainment journalists/personalities on Twitter that seeing them mod a panel is as exciting as seeing the cast. The best mod by far was Chris Hardwick (aka the Nerdist guy of podcast/geek fame). Funny, charming, knowledgeable about the subject matter, he's really engaging. Now if he could drop his sidekicks on his podcast, I'd love him even more.

Ladies and gentlemen, the King of the Con for the second year
in a row -- at least for me: Zachary Levi. (Credit: Me)

King of the Con: Drumrolllllllllllll. Zachary Levi! And his Nerd HQ. My raison d'etre for going to Comic-Con was Richard Armitage, and I did and it was amazing. But the biggest highlight was sitting in the front row for three Nerd HQ panels and having Zachary Levi right there in front too (and high-fiving me!!! And Scott Porter showing up! And Aisha Tyler!). I know actors are good at acting nice, but I want to believe that Zac is as genuinely down-to-earth and sweet as he seems. And I can't not love a guy who says he loves my color-coded Comic-Con schedule! 

Said color-coded schedule and "Tangled"
DVD -- both signed! Squee! (Credit: Me)

Okay, that's it for Comic-Con 2012. Now I've got to back into the swing of real life. On the bright side: Hopefully less geeky posts in the future.