T Dog Media’s Comic-Con Notepad, Vol. 2

While July 23’s San Diego Comic-Con featured a rebirth of Mystery Science Theater 3000, it is the end of the line for CW’s The Vampire Diaries, as producers of the show announced at the gathering they are ending the show after eight seasons. Riding on the wave of the “vampire craze” (Twilight, etc.) six years ago, declining ratings and a move to Friday put the nails in the coffin (pun intended.)

Kevin Williamson, who co-created the show with Julie Plec, announced to the crowd he is returning to Vampire to help write the final season.

Announced in October 2014, the new Captain Marvel movie finally has a lead – and her name is Brie Lawson. The reveal came during Marvel’s presentation at Comic-Con – one of only two film studios to make the trip. Introduced to comic readers in 1977, Captain Marvel (a.k.a Carol Danvers) gained superpowers from an explosion.

This continues a trend in female-superhero product, with DC Comics debuting a theatrical featuring Wonder Woman next year and currently, Supergirl on the small screen. But if you want to see Captain Marvel, you have to wait – the movie isn’t due for release until November 2018.

Believe it or not, there is a DC Comics version of “Captain Marvel”. But he mostly goes by the name of “Shazam”.

For a first time in a few years, there was television coverage of Comic-Con on two fronts: newly launched streaming channel Comic-Con HQ and SyFy’s nightly one-hour recap from just outside the San Diego Comic-Con in a traditional talk-show format.

Comic-Con HQ had a large booth outside of the San Diego Convention Center so stars can stop by and chat. Those who did includes Yvette Nicole Brown, Con Man’s Nathan Fillion, and Nichelle Nichols, and the casts of Teen Wolf (whose creator announced the final season at Comic-Con) and Con Man, which is streamed on Comic-Con HQ. The interviews and presentation were relaxed and fun,

On the other hand, the three-night Live From Comic-Con show hosted by Will Arnett with a liquor-upped crowd was a bit of a joke and was completely lame. Aside from a few cast members of AMC’s The Walking Dead and a Star Trek: Beyond feature, the three-night extravaganza was nothing but a never-ending plug for NBC Universal product, including – as noted here – the upcoming Sharknado 4 movie on SyFy July 31 (where a man actually won a car for answering way-too easy questions on the movie.) SyFy’s website even screwed up on what night Tara Reid would be on, saying she would be on Friday (July 22) when she was on Saturday night (July 23). Spoiler Alert – she lives in the movie – but you knew that already…

As for Will Arnett’s hosting and interviewing skills, let’s just say we’re glad CBS went with Stephen Colbert for the Late Show gig. Interesting to note in a game played with fellow Arrested Development cast member Tony Hale (now of Veep) about the former characters they played, Arnett’s Nathan character in The Millers never came up. For that, we should all be thankful.

Speaking of Con Man, can anyone explain to me how a crowd-funded web series managed to hold its Comic-Con panel in the humongous Hall H  while many other TV shows such as The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, and others (with more viewers) had to settle for the smaller Ballroom 20 venue? Well, the series starring Castle alum Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk, happens to run on Comic-Con HQ, the streaming service which Comic-Con International and Lionsgate are partners in. Con Man moved from Vimeo, where the first season premiered last September. The second season premieres this fall on HQ.

Somehow, Con Man drew 7,000 fans to its presentation – not bad for a series no one watches.

So in theory, The Chicago Way can even extend out to San Diego and into Comic-Con. Nice going, boys. And besides the series also has Wil Wheaton in it, so it makes it not worth watching.