This year’s Heroes and Villains Fanfest (HVFF) swept into the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey this past weekend. Guests included stars of DC and Marvel superhero TV series like Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Gotham, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. While Stephen Amell, the star of CW’s Arrow, was the featured attraction, a guest that drew some of the biggest crowds was John Barrowman. The man has literally done it all: Broadway, recorded albums, published books, and oh yeah, he’s a geek icon. Barrowman is a double threat to the super-geek crowd, playing the villain/anti-hero Malcolm Merlyn on Arrow since 2012 while also known to many as Captain Jack Harkness from Doctor Who and starring in its spinoff series Torchwood from 2006-2011. On Saturday afternoon, the actor packed the Exposition Center’s panel stage and kept the audience enthralled and laughing non-stop for an hour.

Legends Of Tomorrow
Season 2 Episode 16: “Doomworld”
Directed by Mairzee Almas
Written by Ray Utarnachitt & Sarah Hernandez
Starring Arthur Darvill, Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz, Franz Drameh, Dominic Purcell, Nick Zano, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Wentworth Miller, Neal McDonough, John Barrowman, Matt Letscher
Created by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Marc Guggenheim, Phil Klemmer, Sarah Schechter
The CW
Air Date: Tuesday, March 28th, 2017, 9:00pm

Last week on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, The Legends headed to World War I where J.R.R.Tolkien (yes, that one) could point them to the Blood of Christ, needed to destroy the Spear of Destiny, which was now whole and whispering to them. They got the blood but lose the spear via Leonard Snart (not in Mick’s head). Mick (Dominic Purcell), sick of being on the outside, joined the Legion of Doom, and changed the fabric of reality. Many Lord of the Rings references splashed throughout this episode, including a speech by Rip (Arthur Darvill) clearly meant to inspire Tolkien.

Spoilers below.

The DCTV universe took over San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, and the mother show gave us a new video reel and some panel reveals for what’s in store for Arrow Season 5 premiering this October. Stephen Amell (Green Arrow), Willa Holland (Thea Queen), Paul Blackthorne (Quentin Lance), Echo Kellum (Curtis Holt), John Barrowman (Malcolm Merlyn), Emily Bett Rickards (Felicity Smoak), David Ramsey (John Diggle), and producer Wendy Mericle revealed what fans could expect.

Check out the first look video here below.

Between my full time day job, my children (aka the best kids in America), and the lack of extra spending money, I don’t get to go to conventions that often. I go to NYCC, but end up planting myself in a hall that doesn’t clear out after each panel (damn you main stage), furiously writing and posting everything I can for Geeks of Doom. My husband got us VIP tickets for Heroes and Villains Fan Fest in Secaucus, NJ this weekend, and I didn’t know what to expect. I knew the event was more focused, targeting a specific fan – lovers of comic books and comic-based shows. Even more specific – fans of The CW’s hit show Arrow, with Gotham, Heroes, The Flash, Comic Book Men, Agent Carter, Legends of Tomorrow, and wrestling mixed in.

More below.

Arrow
Season 4 Episode 23: “Schism”
Directed by John Behring
Written by Wendy Mericle and Marc Guggenheim
Created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
Starring Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, John Barrowman, Paul Blackthorne
The CW
Air Date: Wednesday, May 25th, 2016, 8:00pm

Last week on Arrow, Felicity and her long lost dad (Emily Bett Rickards and guest Tom Amandes) fought to keep Rubicon offline, and got some help from Curtis (Echo Kellum), while upset Donna (Charlotte Ross) stood by. Merlyn (John Barrowman) drugged Thea (Willa Holland) into fighting Oliver (Stephen Amell), as he and Diggle (David Ramsey) tried to rescue her. She shook it off pretty quickly though. Anarky was running around the H.I.V.E. ark ready to get revenge on Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough), and started by killing Ruvé Darhk (Janet Kidder). The heroes saved the little girl, and the geeks saved the world by shutting Darhk down.

Spoilers below.

Arrow
Season 4 Episode 22: “Lost In The Flood”
Directed by Glen Winter
Written by Oscar Balderrama & Brian Ford Sullivan
Created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
Starring Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, John Barrowman, Paul Blackthorne
The CW
Air Date: Wednesday, May 18th, 2016, 8:00pm

Last week on Arrow, nuclear weapons started readying for a strike, seemingly on their own. Rubicon had started “Genesis.” Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) realized she needed her father Noah (Tom Amandes), the Calculator, to hack into the unhackable system. Darhk (Neal McDonough) realized that too, and it was a race for him. Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity (Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, and Rickards) won, and the computer geniuses were able to stop all but one missile for a 24-hour period (after Felicity got fired and they stole stuff – in that order). Lance (Paul Blackthorne) will also probably get fired for being honest about the Black Canary. Lonnie Machim (Alexander Calvert) showed up at the ark for revenge against Darhk. He tried to get Thea (Willa Holland) to stop being a follower. She kicked his ass (to Alex’s detriment).

Spoilers below.

Arrow
Season 4 Episode 20: “Genesis”
Directed by Gregory Smith
Written by Oscar Balderrama & Emilio Ortega Aldrich
Created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
Starring Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, John Barrowman, Paul Blackthorne
The CW
Air Date: Wednesday, May 4th, 2016, 8:00pm

Last week on Arrow, the team was reeling from the loss of Laurel (Katie Cassidy) – Diggle (David Ramsey) blamed himself, Lance (Paul Blackthorne) was in severe denial, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) blamed herself too, and Oliver (Stephen Amell) was stoic, but sensible. He is not going to let Darhk (Neal Macdonough) off the hook though. A fake Black Canary was running around town, marring Laurel’s work, but they stopped her easily. Oliver then announced Laurel’s superhero identity at her funeral to protect her legacy.

Spoilers below.

Arrow
Season 4 Episode 19: “Canary Cry”
Directed by Laura Belsey
Written by Wendy Mericle & Beth Schwartz
Created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
Starring Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, John Barrowman, Paul Blackthorne
The CW
Air Date: Wednesday, April 27th, 2016, 8:00pm

Last time on Arrow, the gang got wind of Damien Darhk’s (Neal McDonough) impending escape and go to stop him. Andy turned on them at the last minute, not surprising to Oliver (Stephen Amell), but devastatingly surprising to Diggle (David Ramsey). Darhk finally got his revenge for Lance’s (Paul Blackthorne) betrayal by stabbing Laurel (Katie Cassidy) with one of The Green Arrow’s arrows. She seemed to be doing fine in the hospital, and had a raw heart to heart with Ollie telling him she loved him, and telling him a secret. She passed unexpectedly.

Spoilers below.

Arrow
Season 4 Episode 15: “Taken”
Directed by Gregory Smith
Written by Keto Shimizu & Brian Ford Sullivan
Created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
Starring Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, John Barrowman, Paul Blackthorne
The CW
Air Date: Wednesday, February 24th, 2016, 8:00pm

Last week on Arrow, Felicity’s mom went expectedly overboard with wedding preparations. Merlyn (John Barrowman) is on Damian Darhk’s (Neal McDonough) team now, confirming that Lance (Paul Blackthorne) was the mole. Darhk sets a trap. His wife ambushes the Arrow gang who thought they were being so stealthy. Thea (Willa Holland) figures out Oliver (Stephen Amell) has a son. Curtis (Echo Kellum) designed an implant that would get Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) to walk again.

Spoilers below.

Arrow
Season 4 Episode 14: “Code of Silence”
Directed by James Bamford
Written by Wendy Mericle & Oscar Balderrama
Created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
Starring Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, John Barrowman, Paul Blackthorne
The CW
Air Date: Wednesday, February 17th, 2016, 8:00pm

Last week on Arrow, Oliver (Stephen Amell) tried to end the blood feud between Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman) and Oliver’s “wife” Nyssa al Ghul (Katrina Law). Nyssa wanted Oliver to kill Merlyn in exchange for Thea’s (Willa Holland) cure. Oliver tried a diplomatic approach, but that did not work. Merlyn attacked, so Oliver cut off his hand and gave Nyssa the ring. Nyssa, proving her to be the better person, melted the ring to get rid of the bad legacy. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) realized her dad was the foe from the previous week, and wanted to trust him, but tested it first. He failed.

Spoilers below.