NYCC Recap: MTV’s Shannara Chronicles Signing and Screening! Austin Butler! Manu Bennett!

In January, MTV will launch it’s biggest series yet, The Shannara Chronicles based on the books by Terry Brooks. That’s right —  MTV. MTV is going big with this sweeping fantasy epic. The stars and creators came out to New York Comic Con to meet the fans at a signing and a very special, private screening.

Del Rey held a couple of raffles to give out the tickets to this limited signing.  Luckily me, my sister and Big Apple Elisa (whom it was great to see again!) managed to snag winning tickets. Hurray!

As usual, we lined up early for the signing, but we weren’t the only ones who were early. Terry Brooks, the legendary science fiction author himself, was also early and decided to go down the line and mingle with the crowd.  Seriously! He wins the award for nicest guy at the con.

At the appointed time, Manu Bennett (Spartacus, Arrow, The Hobbit) and Poppy Drayton joined Terry at the table and the signing officially began!

The two actors signed individual character mini-posters while Terry signed copies of The Elfstones of Shannara with a special cover to tie-in with the show. There are nearly 30 books set in the world of Shannara so if you want to read up before the show starts, make sure you start with Elfstones!

Poppy was a perfect, proverbial English rose and was very relaxed and friendly even though this is the first time she’s done anything on this scale.

Manu normally sketches something related to his character when he autographs something.  He was still working out what goes with his role as Allanon, the last druid. He settled on a shooting star for me.

Terry was chatty and happy to pose for pictures as well. Such a nice guy!

But that wasn’t the end of our Shannara adventure! Randomly inserted into 15 books were tickets to an exclusive screening of the first episode. While Elisa and I struck out, my sister won a pair of tickets! Woo hoo!

The next night we headed to MTV headquarters to the private Paramount screening room. (Because that’s how we roll…)

This screening was actually quite init mate — just 50 fans with the cast and creators. Many of the crew were seeing the completed episode for the first time.

Pretty soon Terry Brooks, executive producers Al Gough and Miles Millar, director Jonathan Liebesman, Manu , Poppy and Austin Butler arrived to mingle with the crowds.

And then it was time for the screening!

Well, what can I say? No really, I am sort of asking since MTV will send the Dagda Mor or the killer from Scream

after me if I spoil anything from the episode!

Let’s say I enjoyed it, it looks gorgeous and I will be tuning in January 5th when it debuts.

Still too much of a tease?  Well, here’s the new trailer they debuted at NYCC and I interviewed some of the cast and creators so look for more info on The Shannara Chronicles shortly!

Stay tuned!

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