Media-related news and notes from Comic-Con Day 2:
– It isn’t Comic-Con without manatees: Seth McFarlane had a panel featuring Family Guy and its new spinoff, The Cleveland Show.
MacFarlane talked about Family Guy’s upcoming season – a Sliders take off, another episode where Brian and Stewie travel back to 1939 Poland – and accidentally drag Mort Goldman with them – and one where Peter repeatedly sings the 1950’s hit “Surfin’ Bird” – and Brian and Stewie snatch the single smash it up – parodying the printer scene in Office Space (a movie I saw first in theaters by the way), complete with hip-hop music.
The Cleveland Show was also screened at the panel, and it’s confirnmed Cleveland leaves Quahog, and moves back to his hometown of Stoll Bend, Virginia.
– Showtime’s controversial Dexter had a preview of its’ third season opener, which airs on Sept. 28, and the serial killer has a new best friend played by Jimmy Smits. Watch out, Jimmy!
– CBS’ Big Bang Theory is having a returning guest star: former Roseanne star Sara Gilbert is returning for “multiple episodes” according to creator Chuck Lorre, who had a panel at Comic-Con.
– Gamers’ paradise: More and more videogame makers are making their presence known at Comic-Con, with Electronic Arts, Sony, Capcom, and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 at the convention. Sony, in fact is using the show to promote DC Universe Online with DC Comics.
– The hottest thing at Comic-Con seems to be Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog, with current How I Met Your Mother and Old Spice commercial star Neil Patrick Harris. So much so, a screening at one of the ballrooms was overbooked. Yeah, you got to pay four bucks to see it online, but that’s still better than watching I Survived A Japanese Game Show on TV for free.
More coming up tomorrow, with Simpsons and Futurama panels scheduled. Look for an update late tomorrow evening.