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By Don Kaye
Special to MSN TV
Sunday is the final day of Comic-Con and for many here it's probably both a little of a relief and a disappointment. Relief because the sheer size and intensity of the show will leave even the hardiest soul exhausted after four grueling days, but disappointment that come Sunday afternoon everyone has to return to everyday normality.
Still, the convention floor is buzzing and there are still lots of panels and presentations happening. Sunday is "Kids Day" at the Con, so what better way to start the day than a brief sit-down with Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, the delightful creators of "Phineas and Ferb." The top-rated Disney program is deep into its second season, with a third all but guaranteed. Povenmire and Marsh are clearly relishing the show's success, and while it's clearly aimed at kids, it has enough sophistication to it that adults can appreciate the duo's adventures as well. Plus Povenmire spent time as a writer on "Family Guy," which makes him golden in my book.
Marsh tells me that it brings tears to his eyes whenever he sees kids wearing "Phineas" T-shirts because it makes him realize just how many young eyes are watching the program now: "I always think, 'I don't even know that kid! That's not my nephew!'" Povenmire agrees, recounting how he was coming back from visiting family in Venezuela and a little Venezuelan girl in the airport was doing her best "Perry the Platypus" imitation. The two men are genuine, warm and funny, and ultimately think the show has done so well because "we never talk down to the kids."
Meanwhile, back in the "adult" world, the big event this morning is the "Doctor Who" panel, where the 10th Doctor, the very popular David Tennant, is making his first trip to Comic-Con -- just as his tenure as the Doctor is ending. Although there have been rumors flying about his future -- that he will star in a "Doctor Who" movie or that he's landed the role of Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit" -- Tennant has been telling reporters that he's really just here to push his last four "Doctor Who" specials and to finally thank in person the fans who have made him a star over the last five years (as a side note, some websites are also reporting that "Who" spinoff "Torchwood" -- which has its panel later in the day -- has been renewed for a fourth season).
"Smallville" seems to be the little show that keeps on trucking along -- there's a large contingent out there who think it jumped the shark a while back, but an apparently larger contingent is watching enough that the CW has renewed it for a ninth season. The ominous news, however, is that the show is moving to Fridays at 8:00 p.m., with the premiere airing on September 25th. Friday night is where TV programs go to die, so those "Smallville" fans have to step up now.
The 5,000 or so in Ballroom 6 certainly seem up to the task, since they begin going wild as soon as the lights go down and a sneak preview montage plays on the video screens. It looks dark and epic, with lots of Superman-style action (we see Tom Welling as Clark holding up what looks like a train at least once). Favorite canon characters Green Arrow, Aquaman, Black Canary, Zatanna, Impulse, Cyborg and the Legion of Superheroes are all given brief introductions, but the biggest applause is reserved for the introduction of Clark's legendary arch-nemesis Zod (played by Callum Blue). We also see Clark flashing his "reporter" card for the Daily Planet, donning the traditional glasses and suit, and then at the very end, there's a brief, shadowy glimpse of him on a roof in what looks like some version of the classic Superman costume.
It's been rumored that, with the show getting on in years, Clark will begin to make his final transition into his full Superman identity, and speculation has been rampant that an early iteration of his costume will show up this year. In fact, the other story making the rounds is that the costume is being displayed in a secret room at the Con, with CW reps pulling people off the floor and taking them for a look. At least one fan site has gotten an alleged eyewitness report.
Video over, panel moderator and acclaimed comic book and former "Smallville" writer Jeph Loeb introduces panel members Allison Mack (Chloe), Erica Durance (Lois Lane), Cassidy Freeman (Tess Mercer), Justin Hartley (Oliver Queen/Green Arrow) and Callum Blue, plus executive producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson. But wait, there's one more person to introduce, and Clark Kent himself, Tom Welling, strides onstage in what is, incredibly, his first-ever appearance at Comic-Con in the eight years that "Smallville" has been on the air.
Welling is not in the Superman costume (another rumor), but the first question comes from a guy in a Batman get-up who asks, "When am I going to be on the show?" That gets an autograph and handshake from a clearly amused and somewhat flummoxed Welling, whose head must be spinning from the response he's gotten so far. The quality of questions from the floor doesn't get much better, although the best comes from a woman who asks Welling. "What's the most interesting thing that's ever happened to you on set, and can you make the answer long so you can keep looking at me? To tremendous laughter from the audience, Welling plays it for all its worth, taking long pauses for effect between his first few sentences.
Lots of fans ask if so-and-so will be back this season, or what will happen to this person, and it suddenly occurs to me: why do people ask these questions at events like this? The producers, writers and actors are not going to tell you! You're supposed to watch the show, guys, not know everything in advance!
Nonetheless, they do announce that the ninth season will feature a Justice Society story written by comics great Geoff Johns, the first two episodes will feature the villain Metallo, and supervillain Toyman will be back. As for a 10th season or even the much-rumored "Smallville" movie ... we'll know more at this same time next year.
Last year, "Smallville" and "Supernatural" held their panels back to back and this year is no different. The only problem is that, unlike last year, stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are too buried in production, as show creator Eric Kripke puts it, to be able to break away for the Con. So that leaves us with Kripke, supporting cast members Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer) and Misha Collins (Castiel), plus executive producers Ben Edlund and Sara Gamble, to talk about the show's fifth season, which premieres on the CW on Thursday, September 10th at 9:00 p.m.
Kripke apologizes for not showing the first five minutes of the season premiere, because they don't want to give away how last year's cliffhanger is resolved. Instead they show a five-minute chunk from later in the program, which is called "Sympathy for the Devil." In it, the brothers Winchester are looking for Castiel but are confronted by the angels, led by Zachariah (Kurt Fuller), who reiterates the plan that Dean (Ackles) must be the one to kill Lucifer in order to prevent the apocalypse. Dean wants no part of working with Zachariah, since the angel has deceived him once before, and makes the angels disappear by painting a blood spell.
The biggest question surrounding "Supernatural" right now -- and it is finally asked after all the usual queries about returning characters, etc. -- is whether this is the show's last season or not. Kripke has said for a while that he had always intended to make it a five-year franchise. But now on the panel he says half-jokingly that the only reason he did that was because his low self-esteem prevented him from ever thinking the show would actually last that long. He still maintains that it's too early to think about season six -- but admits it's not beyond the realm of possibility.
What that tells me is that there's a pretty good chance that I or someone like me will be back here again next year, in this same room, listening to Kripke muse about the possibility of season seven. And that also reminds me that, just like last year, "Supernatural" is the last panel I have to watch at Comic-Con 2009. There are still plenty of people here, and the exhibit hall is as crazed and congested as ever, but there is just starting to be a sense that things are winding down after four crazy days.
As for next year? There are those pesky rumors of Wednesday becoming a fifth full day, and stronger speculation than usual that Comic-Con might be headed to Los Angeles. Personally I think it should stay in San Diego. Although it needs to make a little more room for itself somehow, the convention center is so close to hotels, bars and restaurants that it really does feel like one gigantic party -- something I think the event would lose in L.A. In any case, Comic-Con 2009 is one for the books, and whatever happens next year, it -- and all us geeks -- will definitely be back.
