‘Supergirl,’ ‘The Boys,’ ‘Chicago P.D.’ & More Stars Unite for SDCC@Home Fan Favorites Panel (VIDEO)

For the second year in a row, San Diego’s Comic-Con International event is happening virtually and while it’s a bummer not to be in person, lined up for Hall H or trying to find that one damn Funko Pop! you’ve been coveting, there is an upside: Because participation wasn’t contingent on actors actually being in town for SDCC, TV Guide Magazine was able to stock its annual Fan Favorites panel with talent from shows that might not normally have a presence at the five-day pop-culture festival.

That means that, on top of the usual genre-TV staples of superheroes and nerd-fare, there were some welcome newbies added to the mix, and honestly, none of them disappointed.

For almost an hour, Shawn Ashmore (The Rookie, The Boys), Lesley-Ann Brandt (Lucifer), Leah Lewis (Nancy Drew), Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny), Brec Bassinger (Stargirl), Jesse Lee Soffer (Chicago PD), Mädchen Amick (Riverdale), Camrus Johnson (Batwoman), Roselyn Sanchez (Fantasy Island) and Nicole Maines (Supergirl) swapped stories and shared tales of fan encounters, while also gushing about their own favorite stars. (On a personal note, these are some of the sweetest humans in the biz, so it was the ultimate honor to moderate the conversation.)

The panel was filmed back in June literally hours after Johnson’s Batwing costume design was revealed, so excitement was high, as was the love for a certain barkeep from Philadelphia. Amick was able to compare her experience on the secrecy-shrouded Twin Peaks with the challenge of keeping Riverdale twists under wraps in the age of social media, while Ashmore looked back on the lasting impact of playing Bobby Drake in the X-Men movies. In addition, he, Johnson, Maines, and Bassinger each had accounts of their super-costumes’ trickier aspects.

Several of the panelists, including Sanchez, Lewis, and Brandt, opened up about the importance of representation onscreen. Plus, Sanchez and Amick traded notes on their respective Fantasy Island connections, and Soffer not only learned a new phrase but also wowed us all with a real-life act of heroism. Oh, and a video-game date may already be on the books for a few of the guests.

Overall, it was once again an absolute joy to see stars from all over the fan map come together and, fingers crossed, we’ll all do it again — and in person — next year!