Comic-Con 2013 Day 4: I have a real feeling of Serenity

Hey! Thanks to the miracle of wireless technology here on Amtrak, the Sunday update will actually be on Sunday.

Last night we went over to Petco Park for the outdoor screening of Serenity put on by Nerd HQ. It was very fun and festive as there were no seats, just people sitting on the grass with blankets and enjoying the movie. Zachary Levi came out before the show and danced about enthusiastically, giving high-fives all along the front row (yes, I got a high five), then Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk came out to introduce the film and give a bit of MST3K-type riffing for the first ten minutes or so. I'd never seen the film on a big screen and the whole event was fun and very special - I really hope these movies out on the grass become a tradition, as they really reinforce the whole notion behind Comic-con of communal enjoyment of the arts. On the way out we spotted Nathan on a balcony above the grass - he waved and called out to us and at one point joked that he was going to crowd-surf (he was a good forty feet above us).

The next morning we slept in, sort of. Packed up, had breakfast, checked out, and left our bags with the front desk. Then we headed down to Nerd HQ for our 12:30 panel with Nathan. As we got there a bit early, we loitered around Nerd HQ, playing some games and generally enjoying the laid-back atmosphere. When the panel time came, Karen and I were delighted to find ourselves in the second row, very close to the stage. Woohoo! And to add to our luck, the panel was not just Nathan but Alan as well (it turns out that folks like Nathan and Alan had been doing some host duties throughout the weekend as Zachary Levi's voice was giving out and he has a Broadway play to get back to). This was all good, as Nathan and Alan play off each other like a pro comedy team and the session - part Q&A and part auction for charity - was lots of fun.

After the panel we headed over to the convention center. And here's where my luck began to run out. While I was having a snack in line, one of my crowns came off. Guess I'll be going to the dentist Monday. And the panel we were lining up for, Neil Gaiman, filled up before we could get in. Oh well, such is the way of things at Comic-Con.

We met up with some friends to say goodbye and then headed back to our hotel to get our bags, grab some takeout for dinner and then head to the train. Which is where I am now, heading north. I'll do one final update tomorrow with some photos and thoughts on the con overall (plus I'm running out of laptop battery and the angle on this tray is very awkward). But to sum up - it was a fun and really lovely time.

Let's hope 2014 is as much fun!