Scenes From Comic-Con 2019: 'Superstore,' 'DuckTales' and More

It was a quicker than usual Comic-Con for me, as I spent most of my time down in San Diego focused on moderating two panels: NBC's "Superstore," in its first time at SDCC; and Disney Channel's "DuckTales," a fan favorite with quite a few funny people in its voice cast.

Yes, that included getting to meet Lin-Manuel Miranda (who plays Gizmoduck/Fenton on "DuckTales") for the first time, and even taking an embarrassingly blurry selfie. I later had a wild sit-down video interview with the rest of the cast in town — Bobby Moynihan, Ben Schwartz, Kate Micucci and Paget Brewster — that involved a discussion of aliens and Area 51. (I'll post the video when it goes live.)

The "Superstore" panel was a huge treat, as the show's producers and stars visited Comic-Con for the first time and were overwhelmed by the fan response. That video is forthcoming as well. Check out some pics from the long weekend below:

Neil DeGrasse Tyson Plays Jenga, Purge City Opens, and More Scenes from Comic-Con 2017

Every year I wonder if I really want to head back to the craziness of Comic-Con -- the headache of getting down there, navigating crowds, running around to do a million different things. And then I end up at a party and watch astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson playing (and losing!) Jenga, while sampling various beers and wines, and I'm reminded that my Fear Of Missing Out will forever trump my dreams of a quiet weekend.

This was actually a pretty successful San Diego Comic-Con -- particularly because of my "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" panel (more on that in a separate post). I feel like I didn't overdo it, but did enjoy a bit more this year the parties I attended, the activations (particularly Purge City, as seen below), and covering some decent panels. Oh, and it didn't help that I lucked out with the hotel lotto this year and landed at the Marriott Marquis, right next to the convention center. That makes a huge difference.

Now, some sights from this year's SDCC:

Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston at the "Breaking Bad" reunion panel. Read more about it here.

Aaron Paul brought out his baby to kick off the "Breaking Bad" panel.

An army of male Marges.

To promote the new USA/Syfy series "The Purge," the networks created "Purge City" — a play on the Party City stores. In this case, you were given $25 in Purge Dollars to buy some supplies -- t-shirts, bumper stickers and other things. It was a well-done activation, featuring actors playing clerks asking, "How will you be spending your Purge Night?"

"Born to Purge"

Purge gear that sadly wasn't actually on sale.

Purge cake demonstration.

Purge City advertisement.

The cast of "Fear the Walking Dead."

View of the San Diego marina.

Thanos keeps guard at the Lego booth.

"Cord Cutters Only" at the Amazon Fire activation.

Creepy Marvin the Martian.

Love this cosplay: Grimace, Jollibee and Panda Express with Iron Man.

More Jenga. I think NDT pulled the piece that collapsed the structure because he was kinda done.

"The Good Place" clowns.

Rate-A-Restaurant #360: Blue Fire Grill (Carlsbad)

Restaurant: Blue Fire Grill

Location: 2100 Costa Del Mar Road (Carlsbad)

Type of restaurant: American

We stipulated: Waiting for our hotel room to be ready (it was 8 pm, yet not put together yet), we decided to eat dinner at the hotel's Blue Fire Grill.



They stipulated: "Our executive chef’s focus on ingredients harvested from the surrounding area means that every bite bursts with the cleanest flavors; diners literally taste the beauty of Carlsbad, California, and the surrounding areas. As the seasons change, so do the menus, which only entice guests to come back again and again to sample the in-season ingredients. Fresh coastal seafood and fine meats are perfectly paired with our wine list, or you can sample artisanal cocktails prepared in the lounge area."



What we ordered: Roasted Half Shelton Farms Chicken (braised fennel, shishito pepper broth, marble potatoes) ($26); Short Rib Bourguignon (bacon lardon, wild foraged mushroom, calcot onion, Yukon Gold potato gratin) ($34); Mac and cheese ($12)

High point:  We could walk to our room, now ready, after dinner.



Low point:  Where to begin. Quite an awful experience. The kids' meal's fruit cup was disappointment for kids -- no strawberry as promised, just melon; so we switched it to fries. Instead of substituting, they charged us more. Plus we were then charged for gourmet garlic fries when they were just plan side order of kids fries. Also, we ordered bread, it never came. Even the wine by the glass was expensive and unimpressive.



Overall impression: Blue Fire Grill is what gives hotel restaurants a bad name.

Will we return: No.

Scenes from Comic-Con 2015: Doctor Who, Josh Holloway, Sharknado, Lego Chris Pratt and More!

It's hard to believe, but Comic-Con 2015 was already a week ago. Equally hard to believe: This was already my fifth in a row with TV Guide Magazine, and the fifth year we parked a yacht behind the San Diego Convention Center for talent, producers and executives. It was a busy five-day marathon, and once again I moderated four panels this year. (Details to come in a separate post).

As a bonus, the family came down on Saturday evening to see the craziness upclose, and also watch me moderate our "Farewell to Phineas and Ferb" panel on Sunday. Here are some images from another 'Con.


Checking into the W Hotel, greeted by chocolate Stormtroopers, Darth Vader and Spider-Man.


Wednesday night: Opening night madness!


Candid Polaroids from the TV Guide Magazine/TV Insider Yacht!


Doctor Who on the yacht!


BLING.


Conan Bingo was indeed a thing.


Back on the yacht: Josh Holloway, Sarah Wayne Callies and Peter Jacobson from USA's Colony.


My colleague Damian Holbrook shows off his Sharknado 3 cover story to Ian Ziering on the yacht.


This was surreal: We ran into megaproducer Chuck Lorre and The Big Bang Theory exec producer Steven Molaro on the way to the Warner Bros. party, and along the way fans recognized Chuck -- and asked for a photo!


Lego Chris Pratt


Now that is luggage!


Christy borrows a cosplayer's tail. I think she wants to keep it.


I'm inside Rick and Morty!


On the floor


The convention floor was still a madhouse on Sunday, but the Blogger Boys did gravitate to the video games, of course!


Phineas and Ferb signing session


Spidey!