A #Droughtlaner Oasis at SDCC 2017! Novel Strumpet Wins and Fails.

We’re so close to the end of this #Droughtlander but still so far away!  Thankfully for those of us lucky enough to attend SDCC 2017 Starz was back with our favorite Romantic Time Travelling Tale.

Speaking of which, was it just a coincidence that the Outlander Starz booth was right next to the BBC America booth which was sporting a giant Dalek?  Hmmm… 😒

Exterminate!

The booth (for lack of a better term b/c it was so much more than a simple booth) was a replica of a certain print shop we all know and love (or will love)…

Of course the kilted men & ladies were back:

 

 

Also, how have I missed them outside the Con every year Outlander is there?!?!?!  Ugh.

The booth had giveaways which you would draw from a bag.

So you could draw a mini poster:

 

Tote:

 

A t-shirt which they printed for you there after you chose from one of the available designs:

 

And before Saturday – a ticket to the signing!!!

Alas, Erica was working at another booth this year so we didn’t get to do any stalking visiting the booth together, but I had another friend at the Con and she and I headed over there Preview night…and realized it was going to be a challenge to get to their booth that night so we decided to attack some other booths and head back on Thursday morning first thing.

Erica and I discussed how the fandom has grown and were prepared for it to be a little harder and a little crazier, but for good and bad it far exceeded my expectations.  So, Thursday morning the booth was already capped by the time we got into the Con 15 minutes after it opened so my friend and I headed to the overflow line which was also capped.  So we patiently kept checking back until finally – two hours later – we got a ticket to get in line.  Yeesh!

I visited the booth only two more times and one of those was for the signing.  Say what?!?!?!  We’ll get to that.

FRIDAY

…was the Outlander Panel in Ballroom 20 at 5pm, so I drug my friend up there hours earlier so we could get in.  I was excited for the Brave New Warriors panel because our verra own Roger Wakefield (Richard Rankin) was on the panel.  Ok, and Rodrigo Santoro who I may have been keen on seeing as well.

The panel was hysterical and in some ways a mini therapy session for them all.

Yes, that is Richard getting a bro-hug from Ricky Whittle. He he he…

There were a couple of other panels which I’ll share in a SDCC recap, but let’s just get to it.

OUTLANDER!!!

So after moving between panels I wound up on the extreme right side of the room, so really bad angle for pics everyone.  Sorry.  Novel Strumpet #fail #1.

This year Jenna Dewan Tatum hosted.

So here is #fail #1.  I never could get a really good shot of Caitriona that wasn’t from the jumbo screen in front of me.  I mean here’s her thumb:

Ok and I got her profile when she sat forward one time:

Plus the microphones gave everyone mustaches (see Diana Gabaldon above) or just cut off their heads somehow.  I mean my camera has super zoom but it can’t fix angles.

Richard Rankin, Sophie Skelton

 

Ron Moore, Maril Davis, Richard Rankin

Tobias Menzies

I was honestly so caught up in the joy of having Outlander back, that I sort of spaced out as far as the questions, although I do remember a game and if you didn’t want to answer you had to dance.  Which it seems the entire panel chose:

Caitriona Balfe takes a bow

Sam Heguhan gives Jenna Dewan Tatum a twirl

Richard Rankin waltzes Jenna Dewan Tatum

Sophie Skelton trips the light fantastic with Jenna Dewan Tatum

They talked about what it was like shooting this season, especially now that Jamie and Claire are no longer in the same century.  What we’ll expect from this season and then suddenly there was a bit of stunned shock and none other than Graham McTavish totally panel bombed – and it. Was. Glorious!

Everyone looked surprised but happy to see him and invited him to take a seat (even though Dougal is no longer with us).  They even got him to dance for us:

But suddenly the panel was wrapping up and I was thinking – wow that was the quickest hour I ever sat through – but oh no.  We weren’t done.  The panel may be over, but the FIRST EPISODE OF SEASON THREE WAS JUST STARTING!!!!!

I admit it.  I was really caught up in the vibe of the room and the moment they announced we were going to watch the episode and it started, I teared up a little.  That’s right.  Tears streamed a wee bit and I’m not ashamed.

I’m not going to say anything about the episode except – WOW!  Strong start to Season 3.

Then the episode was over 🙁

 

SATURDAY

…was signing day at the Starz Outlander booth.  Erica was lucky enough to win a ticket but then discovered she had to work, so couldn’t go.  I bravely stepped in and made the sacrifice to go for her ;P

I won’t go into what a cluster f**k it was as far as lining up, etc.  but all that was forgotten the moment I heard my mating call – aka – BAGPIPES!

So you can’t really see anything, but listen to those beauties!

And here was the epic #fail moment #2.

So I will say I get that they don’t want you taking a picture in the line b/c that would hold everything up, but what I don’t get is why they essentially stationed people all along the windows so no one could get a picture from the outside.  I mean Marvel has their signings on a stage so you can snap a quick picture as you walk by.  Same with Fox.  It was really odd to me they would not let you snap a quick pic.  They had big “guard” type guys at the entrance and exit who kind of blocked shots as well.  Just bizarre to me.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m happy I was able to say “hi” to everyone and got a poster signed (which was for Erica).  And like the complete spaz I am, totally said the silliest things to everyone while walking down the line.  Some real face palm moments.  One day I’ll be a charming and witty person.  That was not this day. Geez.

Yeah…behold the picture taking glory. LMFAO.

Anyhoooo, here was the poster:

*sigh* so pretty.  It had a strange smell, and I can’t tell if they were trying to make the rock between them smell like moss or if it was just the ink that they printed with.  LOL.

So no interviews, special tartan carpet premiers, etc. but there was a panel, I got to see Season 3 Ep. 1, and just walking the floor and seeing the booth as I passed it by – and maybe I made a point of it always being in my path – gave me warm fuzzies the entire Con.

But that was just a small respite, and now Droughtlander looms so much larger because the end is so near, but not near enough.

What about you Outlander fans out there?  What are you looking forward to this season?  Any others attend SDCC and if so what were your favorite moments?

I’ll leave you with a couple of Outlander Cosplay pics, one of an adorable Nesting Doll someone made and the one decent pic I got from the screen of Jamie and Claire (aka Sam and Caitriona):

Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan

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