Phoenix Comicon 2013: Michael Rooker Q&A panel

You know and love him from AMC's The Walking Dead, where he played the redneck wild-man Merle Dixon. From films like Cliffhanger, Mallrats and Tombstone. The one and only Michael Rooker was loud and proud at Phoenix Comicon 2013.

When I sat down to transcribe this panel, I quickly realized anyone who reads it would never be able to get all the nuances of his energetic personality. Case in point, see below.

With that in mind, I decided to attach the amazing video shot during the charismatic panel. 

Great Quotes from Michael:

"Rooker, go run through those woods and pick up about 50 ticks then let us burn them off you with a torch!" 

"Little Merle don't do yard work. If you step on to my yard, perhaps."

"Waa waa, meow, ruff ruff, hoo-hoo."

"Give me a real gun, I want a horse that likes me and I want dancing girls!" 

"I never have any plans, that's my life story."

Phoenix Comicon 2013 - Giveaway!

We had so much fun at this years Comicon and even more sharing it with all of you. A huge THANK YOU to our girl Bunni Darling for flying from Ohio - Phoenix to snap all the snazzy photos. 

If you know us, and most of you do, you know we truly love to hook everyone up with goodies! Just because you missed the party doesn't mean you miss out on the free stuff! 

Swag anyone? You know you want it....

Prize Pack

3- movie posters (World War Z, Pacific Rim and Superman Man of Steel) 

1- Arizona American Red Cross t-shirt (size large) Help out those in need, donate plasma! 

1- Water Wiz t-shirt (size X-large) 

Signed bookmarks by the following: Melissa Marr, Kelly Armstrong, Kevin Hearne, Delilah Dawson, Mike Mignola, Janni Lee Simner, Mike Norton

Redbubble stickers 

2- comics 

1 pack of sexy playing cards

Stickers, various cover flats, rubber bracelets 

Surprise author goodies 

Sheep Swag! 

[Honestly, there is so much I can't get it all in 1 picture!]

This is a US ONLY contest 

Fill out the Raffledude to enter! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Phoenix Comicon 2013: Timothy Zahn and Michael Stackpole Interview + Giveaway

During Phoenix Comicon 2013 we had the opportunity to sit down and chat with the two authors holding the big guns in the SciFi and Fantasy universe, Timothy Zahn and Michael Stackpole. They took some time out of their busy convention day to answer a few question. 

Timothy Zahn is the author of the Blackcollar trilogy and the Cobra series (six novels so far), ten Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including seven novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn duology, Outbound Flight, and Choices of One.

Michael A. Stackpole science fiction and fantasy author best known for his Star Wars and BattleTech books.

Fun Facts: 

Tim likes the color black, until he can find something darker. 

Mike loves green, until her can find something luckier. 

Question: Hi Michael and Timothy, why don't you tell us a little bit about your books? 

Michael: I write all sorts of different things and I think the book that's selling the most here is I, Jedi which was a Star Wars book that I did many millions of years ago. The other thing I had, which a lot of people are interested in, is I'm doing a brand new World of Warcraft novel called Shadows of the Horde which comes out in July(2013). 

Timothy: I write Star Wars books, I have 10 of them out. The big project I'm working on is a three book collaboration with David Weber in his Honorverse universe. So, that should be very interesting. 

Question: Did you know you wanted to be a writer very early on? 

Michael: Only in about sixth grade. Actually, when I was six years old, the first piece of mail I got addressed to me was a rejection slip. I had done a poem in first grade and my mother sent it off, so the first adult mail I got was a rejection slip. So since I was six years old I've fought to prove them wrong. 

Timothy: I was in grad school before I found out I wanted to be a writer, and I found out because I watched a very bad TV show and thought to myself "I can writer better then that". 

Question: Ok, what was the TV show? 

Timothy: It was the Invisible Man, short lived series, with David McCallum. I liked David McCallum but he's got to have something to work with. I found out how much fun writing was, it started out as a hobby, eventually sold a couple of stories and went on from there. 

Question: Since zombies are huge, with shows like the Walking Dead, zombie apocalypse happens what real or fictional character would you want to have your back?

Michael: Tim. 

Timothy: Because Mike runs faster then I do. 

*Both laugh* 

Michael: You're smart! I'll be hitting things with axes and you'll be like "We can get out over here!". Thank you. 

Timothy: As long as we're talking fictional stuff, I'll take Obi wan Kenobi. 

Michael: Very good choice. Because I'm safe, I've got you and Obi wan. 

Timothy: You bet ya! 

***GIVEAWAY***

We have two signed bookmarks and sheep swag up for grabs. Leave the following in the comments below for a chance to win. 

1. Your Email Address 

2. Do you follow us? Let us know, double entries!

3. Worst TV show that you ever watched, but you wished had better writers? 

Contest Ends June 9th at midnight 

Open to everyone

Phoenix Comicon 2013: Photo Fun

I Smell Sheep had a blast at Phoenix Comicon 2013. We hope to see you there next year! Enjoy some fun moments from the event.

Baaart joins the zombie defense. 

Ariel sang a tune

So many amazing comics and artists 

Have to tour the dino park, a must on any convention list! 

There was a real man in this thing, I have no idea how. 

Sat in on the panel featuring NYT bestselling author Kelly Armstrong!

Baaart made some fun friends! 

Image Comics megastar Mike Mignola!

UF and Romance author Jordan Summers

Madhatter tea break

Mike Norton the man who brings us Battlepug comic! 

Stunning artwork

Best road trip, EVER! 

Farscape cast members Gigi Edgley and David Franklin chatted with the fans

The girls; Gini Koch and Marsheila Rockwell having some laughs. Love these ladies. 

The Sheep's own took part in the zombie walk!

Mini Tonto! 

We attended the book release party for Faerie After by Janni Lee Simner!

Going back in time

Phoenix Comicon 2013: Kristin Bauer van Straten panel

You know her and lover her as Pam from the hit HBO series True Blood. The undead goddess herself, Kristin Bauer, was at Phoenix Comicon 2013 and we made sure to park sheep tail for this lovely ladies Q&A. A portion of the panel is transcribed below. 

Question: Every year Pam's wit gets a little and a little quicker, do you have any role in this or is this all writers?
Kristin: That's 100% the writers. I have not changed one word. It's really a great position to be in where you're handed those lines. The wardrobe, the writing is really all those wonderful people. 

Question: In what way do you feel your character has developed the most of the series?
Kristin: I think that the big general arc has been to go from having no sentimentality or soft side at all to having deep venerability in moments. Manly with Eric, but that has been really amazing to have her underbelly exposed. 

Question: You work with a lot of attractive cast members, are there any funny cast moments you've had?
Kristin: We have endlessly funny moments, and then we are together again and we reminisce about them. Season 3, Bill and Pam had a fight, and then I silver him, and then I am on him. Sookie gets a chain around my neck and the stripper Yvetta gets ahold of me. And somehow, I am thrown across the room and somehow I am supposed to hit the stunt pole with my back. So the poor stunt girl had to run across the room, turn her back, fling herself through the air to hit the pole. We're watching on the monitor, and she kept missing the pole. 

*Audience laughs* 

So we'd see this person fly through the air and land "ugh!" She kept missing the pole. Take after take. To us, it became the- [laughing] just watching her fly. 

Question: What's your favorite color and is it the same as Pam?
Kristin: I really love pink as well and I don't even know if black is a color. I've gotten to like this black thing. Maybe it's easy or just goes with everything or looks cool on camera. 

Question: If you could have one change on the show, what difference would you change?
Kristin: First, it would have to be the name we could call it "The Pam Show". 

*Audience laughs* 

There's been things at times, I've loved everything but last year it was funny for me to not be in scenes with my buddies. So, I'm there in Fangtasia, getting to know Rutina (Tara) we actually had a lot of fun getting to know one another. But on my break I would go over to the Authority side. I would see them having a ball, laughing with each other. I would be like "Aww, do you guys miss me?" They would say [in dull voice] "Huh what, yeah yeah look you guys Kristin's here". 
So I would probably do every scene with people I know. Bill, Eric, Sookie, Pam and now Tara, I would throw in Jason and Jessica. So yeah, it would be the vampire show. With Sookie and Jason. 

Question: How do you feel about the show vs. the books?
Kristin: I haven't read all the books. When I got the role and realized after filming for a week or so I got the books, and I was reading as season one went I was reading the book. They were very similar with almost my dialog was the same, but subtly different and I thought "ya know, I am going to stop". I am just going to do the script because that's what I have to deliver. 
But when the show ends, in 14 years, I will sit down and read the books. I find that when I have a book I love, I am always disappointed with the tv show or movie. And vice-versa. Because you picture it a certain way. So I think it's nice that they are different. 

Question: Pam is now a vampire mommy, how do you think it has changed her and how do you think she feels?
Kristin: I think that Pam probably never wanted to be a mother and tried to just birth her and drop her off at the street corner. Put her in a basket and send her down the river "Good luck!" But, it really took holding Eric over her head to get her to do it. You repair my friendship with Eric and I'll save your friend. I think it was fun for Rutina (Tara) and I to find the subtlety of; I don't want you but now I am stuck with you but I can empathize with you. Because they are very similar characters actually. That was fun for us.
Then of course, it went from I hate you, I want to kill you to now I'm stuck with you to...your kind of hot. 

Question: What's the grossest scene you've had to film.
Kristin: It's always pretty fun too shoot that stuff. It's not as gross in person, it's funny actually. There's been a couple moments where it gets gross. In the first season when we had to stake Longshadow, he just vomited blood for minutes on Sookie. They put a hose up one side of his body and shot it from the other-side and Anna is such a trooper she just had to take it. The director said, that first shot I need you to take it with your eyes open. 

*Audience groans*

So, she knew what was coming and was like, OK. If you looked at it from your living room it looked gross. For us, you see a hose running over to a ladder, to the top of a ladder with two large men poring gallons of blood into a funnel. It's not gross. 

Question: Where do you draw from the complexity of the relationship between you and Eric? 
Kristin: I always approach things as; I read the scene and I get an initial feeling of what it should be and for me that's usually the one I go with. I find the more I think about it, it doesn't necessarily get better. I try to pay attention to that immediate impulse. What can I put in that Pam is feeling and what can I barrow that Kristin is feeling. What do I have to make up, and what exists. 
I got really lucky that Alex (Eric) and I really get along. If I have a scene where I am worried he might die, I think about Alex dying. Not Alex dying- 

*Audience laughs* 

But instantly I'm sad, I'm emotional about it. Then there are the areas where I have to make it up. Also, it feels like over the years the scenes we shot before are in there still. So if they are adding a layer, I'm good I've done it for a year. 

Question: Would you ever date Count Dracula? 
Kristin: There's been so many Count Dracula's, I feel like we need to discuss which Count Dracula. Like, is there a new one? 

[Audience shouts out Jonathan Meyers] 

What?! OMG. See what I mean, I'm out saving elephants I have no idea. Yesterday I found out there was a new Superman. 

*Audience laughs* 

He seems like he would be complicated. [Meyers] I like my men a little simpler. Wasn't Gary Oldman...right? Hmm, I wouldn't date him BUT if I was the love of his life and he proposed...sure. 

*Audience claps* 

And then, of course, I would totally date Count Chocula.

Question: What do you think of Twilight?
Kristin: I mean, I like...you know twilight's a nice time of day. Sometimes-

*Audience laughs and claps* 

The lights really pretty. Or when you're at the dentist and they give you that twilight, you feel kind of good. 

"Maybe I smile too much, maybe I wear too much pink. But please remember I can rip your throat out if I need to." 

Phoenix Comicon 2013: D.O.Z.D

Zombie apocalypse got you down? Feel like you don't know how to defend your loved ones from the biters? Fear not! The D.O.Z.D (Department of Zombie defense) are here to save the day! 

"An elite organization dedicated to the eradication of zombies and defending the human race...one bullet at a time."  

The D.O.Z.D hosted many panels at this years Phoenix Comicon 2013, we had the chance to sit in on a few and share some knowledge with you. 

During the adult bootcamp, these highly trained men and women got hands on with convention goers. Giving tactical advise and up-close training to anyone brave enough to enter the room. I'll point out that we did not join in but merely watched and took notes. Thank the undead gods because these folks are no joke! And frankly, I am out of shape. Someone had me a moonpie please. 

The crowd broke up into various small groups and spent about 15-20 minuets learning some life saving skills at each station. 

How to carry your firearm is key, knowing who to shoot and how to move out of the way. Never want zombies to get a hold of you, shoot to kill and aim for the head! 

Hands on training for close combat, how to punch and kick properly when the action comes your way. Fear is not an option! 

Life saving basic CPR that everyone should know. How to check for breathing and beginner resuscitation that can be administered in a crisis situation. 

Knowing when to move and how to function as a group can save lives! About face! 

The kids even got a chance to have some fun with a brain eating contest. (Jell-o of course) 

[That's my gangsta sheep pose. Be scared.]

In all honestly, zombies or not, these skills can get you prepared for any disastor. We highly recommend checking these folks out and learning everything they have to teach. The nicest people you will ever meet can be found at D.O.Z.D and Facebook HERE. 

Phoenix Comicon 2013: Dean Cain panel

What does one do when they can't play professional football? Become Superman of course! Dean Cain talks all things cape, and more, at Phoenix Comicon 2013. A portion of his panel is transcribed below. 

Question: You had the first Clark Kent we could believe Lois would fall in love with.
Dean: Yes, he was a little nerdy. He looks like a complete different person with the glasses on, or the glasses off. We just sort of said, you have to by that or you're not going to by anything else about the show. We sort of just glossed over that, but my Clark Kent character was based much more on the way George Reeves portrayed his charater. I thought that was much more of a regular guy. That was the most fun for me, to play Clark. 

Question: Of all the villains on Lois and Clark, which was your favorite to fight and the most weird? 
Dean: I would say you have to go with Lex Luthor as the ultimate villain, they were the most evenly paired. The weird ones, man, they were just all weird. We got some pretty whacky ones out there. 

Question: What was your feeling when you were approached to get a guest star role on Smallville? 
Dean: You know it's funny, we had spoken a number of times about guesting on Smallville, and since they ran for 900 years we had plenty of time. 

*audience laughs* 

Christopher Reeves had gone on and once he did, pretty much anyone that was involved in the Superman mythos, had an obligation. I wanted to be a part of it, it was Christopher Reeves he was my Superman. Once he was on, we were just looking for the right time and the right storyline and finally they gave it to me and we came on and did it. It was a lot of fun. I was happy to be a part of it. 

Question: Lois and Clark got a lot of great guest stars, Howie Mandel and Bruce Campbell, who was your favioret to work with? 
Dean: I had trouble working with Bruce Campbell because every-time I looked him in the eye, like to be serious, I start laughing. He is the funniest guy.

*audience laughs* 

I don't even know if he does anything to me, he just has this glint in his eye and I start giggling. He knows that he owns me, so I can't do anything with Bruce. He was a lot of fun. We had great guest stars, it was like Hollywood royalty. Wow. 

Question: What was your favorite excuse to leave Lois Lane?
Dean: The great thing about being Superman/Clark Kent was any excuse will do. Literally. You're having a conversation; "Oh look, an elephant" wooosh! We had a lot of fun with making ridiculous excuses, the more ridiculous the better. 

Question: Are you planning on doing any directing? 
Dean: I love directing it's fun but being the son of a director, it will take a year to get that thing up and running. Then after that it's a year of production then another of post production. About 2 to 3 years every single time on a film. I can make 12 films in that period of time and not have to do any sort of work after it's over. As an actor, it's so much easier to come in and go out. 
I'm a single father of a son who's almost 13 years old, so I can lock him in a closet very soon, I've just had to always balance my time between being a present father and going to do a film. Some of these films are 14-16 weeks in Australia and I don't want to uproot my son or be away from him. I just wont do that, it's not happening. 

*Audience claps* 

Thank you. I just couldn't do it. But I would love to direct, it would have to be when he's older and I have more time to direct. I don't want to be an absentee father. 

Question: Had you known the show was ending, would you have changed anything?
Dean: Well, if I had known the show was the ending, the first thing I would have done was steal one or two of the costumes. No question. 

*Audience laughs* 

Seriously, I would have done that. 

*More laughter* 

I was hoping, had we done a season five, I would have loved to see Lois and Clark have a child. Then start to see that child go through as a young man that's starting to have those powers. 

Question: Who is your favorite superhero?
Dean: My favorite superhero happens to be, Superman. It's true. When I was growing up I used to watch the Justice League on television. First it was Aquaman, cause I thought he was cool, then when I realized he could talk to fish that was kind of it. That Superman guy can do everything else, that was when I switched to Superman. 

Question: What was it like playing a real life villain, Scott Peterson? 
Dean: When you're playing a real character that's a whole different ball of wax. That we try to be very careful. I use that for my barometer for meeting women by the way. If they go "I saw you in the Laci Peterson story where you played Scott Peterson, that was so great!" I go, oh- I am stepping away from you. But if they say "I hated you in that", then we can actually talk. 
When we started shooting that show it was first day of the pretrial hearings, so we were really trying to make sure we didn't convict him before he convicted himself. So we were very, very careful with that and wanted to be careful. When you have someones real story there's more weight to it, it's somebody's real life and you don't want to mess that up. 

Dean also took a moment to make these gals very happy with a picture. A true gentleman all around and we look forward to watching him in upcoming television and films!