On Tuesday evening, when someone asked what I was most excited to experience at this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego, I flatly replied, “That moment on Sunday when I hear my homeward-bound airplane’s pilot say, ‘Flight attendants, please prepare the cabin for departure.’”

Just kidding. Well, sort of. Understand, this is the statement of a person who is coming out of the thirteen day marathon of the Television Critics Assocation’s Summer Press Tour in Los Angeles, only to plunge straight into a four-day long sprint between Hall H, Ballroom 20 and everything in between. But one would truly have to be Lady Stoneheart to be immune to the magic and fun of San Diego Comic-Con. Between Wednesday, July 23rd and Sunday, July 27th, my partner in crime Michelle Bryant (@IMDbMichelle) and I (@IMDbMelanie) will get a chance to geek out with the casts, producers and fans of some of our favorite shows. That only scratches the surface of what Comic-Con promises.

At last year’s Comic-Con, I got a chance to witness firsthand the passion and devotion of “Vikings” fans. They are smart, funny, inquisitive and rowdy — exactly the kind of people you’d want to hang out with. This year I’ll have the unique opportunity to talk to the cast about what’s on deck for season three, which reportedly take Ragnar Lothbrok and his fierce warriors to raid in France. Indeed, as tired as I am, I let out a joyful whoop each time I received notice that I’d been cleared for press rooms like this one, although the panels are where the joy of Comic-Con really becomes electric.

Among the ones that won’t be missed this year: “Game of Thrones“, where Jason Momoa brought the house down last year by dropping in unannounced to plant a kiss on his Khaleesi. This year, although I know it’s wrong, I kinda hope George R.R. Martin flips us the bird — playfully and lovingly, of course. “The Walking Dead” and “The Big Bang Theory” are on my list, as are panels on shows featuring two kinds of vampires: the disgusting ones on “The Strain,” which has just arrived on FX, and the sexy if purple-veined posse on “True Blood“, currently in the midst of its last season on HBO.

Then there’s the stuff outside of the panels that adds to Comic-Con’s good times. Yes, there will be a BBQ courtesy of “The Walking Dead”. No, I don’t know whether the meat is people; AMC would neither confirm nor deny it when I asked. (Yes, I actually asked.)

“Gotham” is sponsoring a zipline  between the Convention Center and the Hilton Bayfront, which will be fun to witness.  And in the Petco Interactive Zone, Comic-Con goers can participate in the “Sleepy Hollow” Virtual Experience, in which Oculus Rift virtual reality headsets are supposed to frighten the bejeezus out of people.

Of course there are parties, like Thursday night’s “Penny Dreadful” shindig sponsored by Showtime, along with an event tied to Sin City and other after-hours fun. That’s all fine and good, but really, the best part of Comic-Con is the cosplay watching. The creativity on display is always astounding, and we’ll be taking plenty of pictures to share with you. So be sure to follow our live coverage on Facebook, as well as @IMDbLive  and @IMDbTV on Twitter, for photos and event updates. And of course,  check out our special Comic-Con section at http://imdb.com/comic-con/ for trailers, clips, newly released posters, blog posts and much more.

San Diego, here we come!