Reporting From the ‘Walking Dead’ Panel at NYCC

So there’s this little show returning Sunday night called ‘The Walking Dead.’  You may have heard of it. By this point, with season 3 set to debut on Sunday night, you’d think we’d already heard everything there is to hear...but why stop there?  Much of the cast and crew were on hand at New York Comic-Con 2012 to preview the new season, take fan questions and talk about their characters!

We’ll be on hand to review the premiere and talk about some of the changes from the books to the series, but in the meantime, here’s what we learned at NYCC:

• Daryl, just about everyone’s fan favorite (though it’s debatable who got more fan love, Norman Reedus or Chandler Riggs) will certainly have lots of changes in store this season given the return of his brother Merle, which will find him reverting to the “little bro” role a bit.  As for his relationship with Carol, Reedus joked that Daryl has no game and someone else would certainly have to make the first move.
• Daryl isn’t the only one with romance on the brain, as Carl seems ot have developed a crush on Beth (you know, seeing as Sophia’s dead, and all).  Riggs pointed out that Beth is 17, and Carl 13, which wouldn’t be as icky as it sounds...
• Ricktatorship!  Andrew Lincoln spoke of how much he enjoyed going to the dark side, and going a bit crazy in his new role as the unquestioned group leader.  Of course, Rick never seemed so changed as when Andrew Lincoln went into the crowd to check out a fan’s ‘Walking Dead’ leg tattoo…
• Series creator Robert Kirkman preferred not to answer exactly how Sophia became a walker in season 2, given that the logistics are there somewhere and some bits are best left to fan’s imaginations.  Kirkman and Gale Ann Hurd also specified that Greg Nicotero’s webisodes are a separate entity, even if they take place in the same universe
• Weapon choices in the zombie apocalypse!  Andrew Lincoln would take a flamethrower, while Chandler Riggs prefers the ‘Gears of War’ Lancer.  Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker both joked about bazookas, and Danai Gurira about getting another sword.  As for David Morrissey?  He’d pick Michael Rooker.
• Yes, ‘The Walking Dead’ still isn’t available on DISH!

That’s all for now, but be sure to watch the season 3 premiere of ‘The Walking Dead’ tomorrow night on AMC and check back here for our full roster of coverage!