The Road to SDCC - Pt. 2

This weekend is the godfather of all entertainment conventions, San Diego Comic Con International.

Like many of you, we can't be there in person, but there a TON of ways to see (and hear) live or almost live events online. All week we will be previewing ways to partake in the epic con fun with out the crowds and con crud!

Today, your digital way in to the SDCC fun is through "Conversations For a Cause" at Nerd HQ. Founded by Zach Levi (Chuck, Tangled, Thor: The Dark World and Heroes: Reborn), Nerd Machine hosts an adjoining event in San Diego (that is not officially part of SDCC) that takes advantage of having big fandom celebrities on on hand for charity.

This year's the event (previously held at PetCo Park), which includes gaming rooms, epic dance parties, celebrity photo ops and a series of small up-close-and-personal Q&A panels with some of the biggest stars in the 'verse, is going to take place at The New Children's Museum.

The event is FREE, but you can buy tickets for panels (only $22) and/or $10 "Smiles for Smiles" photo ops with the money going to Operation Smile, a charity that provides free cleft lip/palate surgeries to children in third-world nations worldwide.

Every year, they stream the "Conversations for a Cause" panels live on their YouTube Channel. The panels are small (about 200 people), and generally un-moderated Q&As with the audience. You get great stories and hilariously spontaneous moments with some of your favorite stars and casts. You can find this year's schedule here.

I'm most looking forward to The Con Man panel with Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk, Stephen Amell, and the casts of Orphan Black (who were amazing last year), Supernatural, Falling Skies, and SHIELD/Agent Carter. There are always surprises, with at least one Mystery Guest Panel and my new favorite, The Badass Women panel - you never know who will show up!

All of the past years live online in their archive and they are well worth the watch.