San Diego , California ( CNN ) -- Launching a show at San Diego Comic-Con can be a risky business , but sometimes it pays off . `` Lost , '' `` Heroes '' and `` Glee '' all went on to spectacular first seasons after panels at Comic-Con . AMC 's `` The Walking Dead '' seems like it might benefit the most from Comic-Con , with an audience that already knows the show 's title from the comic book on which it 's based . An extremely creepy display promoting the series , with two bloody bodies and words scrawled on a wall in blood , greeted many Con-goers on the floor . This is the network 's way of letting fans know that they do n't intend to hold back on the violence and gore . It 's just one example of how this year , more than ever , the networks are hoping to build buzz around their new shows , as well as keep or grow the audience for established ones . To do that , they try to give the fans what they want . `` I think fans want to meet the cast and creators , and they want a bit of inside information , '' said Lisa Gregorian , chief marketing officer of Warner Bros. Television ( which is owned by Time Warner , owner of CNN ) . `` All fans are looking for a unique , fun experience with the shows they love . '' Warner certainly made its presence known , with free bags promoting many of their shows handed out to fans as they registered . USA Network , SyFy and Showtime were also ubiquitous . Shows such as `` Eureka '' and `` Burn Notice '' were being promoted in a variety of ways outside the convention , including a takeover of a nearby restaurant . Showtime plastered ads all over buses in San Diego . Inside , it held a panel for four of its shows , including `` Dexter , '' which is extremely popular at Comic-Con . One thing that ca n't miss at Comic-Con is free food , and Fox served up free burgers and soda on behalf of the upcoming animated series `` Bob 's Burgers . '' Then there 's the low-key approach ; of course , low-key at Comic-Con means driving through town with a bullhorn . HBO did this to promote the return of `` Eastbound and Down . '' `` No Ordinary Family , '' about a family given superhero powers , gave attendees the chance to `` lift '' a car themselves . Stars Julie Benz and Michael Chiklis showed the pilot as well , and Benz talked to the media about this change in tone after the extremely dark `` Dexter . '' `` For me , it 's just the perfect marriage of genres , and I 'm ready to explore more of the lighter side , '' she said . Chiklis , with his background as The Thing in the `` Fantastic Four '' movies , was asked about playing another superhero . `` I just think it 's a huge genre , there 's so much room to grow . Just look at Comic-Con , it 's like Vegas , '' he said . `` I 'm happy to do a show that blends genres . '' Of course , there are shows that are already perennial favorites at the convention , such as `` True Blood , '' which had ads plastered all over the convention center . And there 's `` Chuck , '' which once again wowed the fans with the fictional band from the show , Jeffster , doing a music video of Lady Gaga 's `` Bad Romance . '' The crowd also cheered at the announcement that Linda Hamilton would be playing Chuck 's mother . Stars Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez were in rare form talking to the media . They riffed on the power of the internet to keep `` Chuck '' on the air and the upcoming season . Levi said that much of what was said at the panel was a surprise to him. `` 'Old Spice Guy ' as a guest star ? News to me , '' he said . Nicole Richie who guest-starred in season one , will also reprise her character . Now that Chuck 's best friend , sister and brother-in-law are in on his spy secrets , what about Jeffster ? `` I kind of like that we kind of operate around the spy world , inadvertent , '' said Vik Sahay , who plays the Lester half of the duo . `` I 'd like to see more of us accidentally helping out . '' One show with something to prove was NBC 's `` The Event , '' which showed the pilot to an audience that came away seeming fairly impressed . Of course , even the meaning of the show 's title still remains a mystery . The producers and cast were n't able to provide many more clues , aside from what was presented in the pilot , which involves ( spoiler alert ! ) some mysterious detainees trying to win their freedom and a shocking ending . `` That moment at the end , I was like , 'what the heck was going on ? ' `` said actor Ian Anthony Dale . `` I just wanted the chance to read for it , and it was a dream come true . '' The mystery continues to build around the show , but the biggest mystery of all may be whether this show , like the other new offerings for the season , will catch on . If so , they can look forward to a triumphant return like `` Chuck '' and `` True Blood . ''
`` Lost , '' `` Heroes , '' `` Glee '' all went on to spectacular first seasons after panels at Comic-Con . Fox serves up free burgers , soda on behalf of upcoming animated series ` 'The Simpsons and the new season of " Family Guy " in San Diego this weekend ; ABC has a panel for its new show'' American Idol'' with judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson (