Wanna be in League with 'Dr. Horrible'?

At the second day of the San Diego Comic Con, writer/creator/director/lord of nerds Joss Whedon chose to share the stage with the stars (Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day and Simon Helberg) and writers (Jed Whedon, Zack Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen) of the runaway hit Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog during his first panel of the weekend. And, at said panel, it was announced that you too can petition to join the Evil League of Evil.

According to Jed, there will be a contest in which people can submit a three-minute maximum video to a yet-to-be-determined place and the top ten submissions will be included on the "Dr. Horrible" DVD. While there was no specific date mentioned for the duration of the contest or the DVD release, it was confirmed that "Commentary! The Musical" will indeed be a special feature and many of the songs are already written.

In more delightful news, Joss added that the soundtrack will be available on iTunes "in a few weeks." Oh, and you know how the ending felt a little...open? How a lot of people were complaining that the supposed abrupt change in theme was jarring? That's because they're planning on making an Act IV. Further details weren't revealed but as long as I get to hear the "Bad Horse Theme" again, it's all good.

The panel was as madcap as one would expect considering everyone who was present. Consider this exchange:

An incredulous Neil to Nathan after he answered a question: "You're still Captain Hammer."
Joss: "You thought that was acting?"
Nathan: "It's actually shaped like a little hammer. Well, little for a hammer."
*Neil shakes his head and pantomimes See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil*

In general, the fans were a little loopier than usual as many asked questions that didn't quite come out making as much sense as they'd probably planned. Were they flustered from excitement or just stricken by hunger? Either way, it was all good because seeing the panelists reactions was well worth it.

Highlights & Tidbits:

• Neil dropping the f-bomb three times while reenacting the process of learning "Laundry Day" and later apologizing for it. He got all excited and where he was and the fact that it's a "family show" didn't sink in until the end of the hour.
• Speaking of Neil, he's the one that came up with "The Shoulder Dance" - the scene felt static to him so he introduced the whole MTV Cribs style motion to it. Genius.
• At yesterday's Torchwood panel, someone asked if Russell T. Davies had thought of doing a musical episode. Well, that same someone asked if Joss would approach Russell to do a "Once More With Feeling" Torchwood. Though Joss "would like to approach Russell anyway for a big wet sloppy [kiss]," he'll leave Russell to it as "he's doing fine without me."
• The character of Fray lives on and Joss loves her, but there are no current plans for her beyond the current Buffy comic arc she's appearing in.
• Speaking of Buffy Season 8, Oz will be returning sometime soon.
• The inevitable questions of whether Sarah Michelle Geller was an undercover extra in Dr. Horrible came up...and the answer is no. "It was Nicholas Brendan. That man is a chameleon," Joss jokingly added.
• Joss is cool with all the "answers" the audience shouts at "Once More With Feeling"...with the exception of "Shut up Dawn!" He thinks it's mean and unnecessary.
• When asked what made Joss think Nathan could play Captain Hammer, he stated that he's a sweetheart of a man...right before putting a hand on Nathan shoulder and saying, "This is the smarmiest mother f-er I've ever met." He doesn't know what it is, but when Nathan has to turn on that switch, he really turns it on.