Chad Coleman talks new project and "The Walking Dead" panel on dying and the show, at Motor City Comic-Con

Interviewing Chad Coleman at Motor City Comic-Con 2015.

After "The Walking Dead" panel where the actors of deceased characters discuss the show and answer fan questions, Chad Coleman (Tyreese on the show), the delightful person he is, was open to an interview. He took me, Nichelle and Eric backstage where I had the pleasure of interviewing him about his new project "Treadwater," a sci-fi show about private peace-keeping organization. It doesn't seem like it'll be very peaceful, though. 

Coleman said the con is “just a big love fest” and that he’s having fun. 

“People dig the show and they just want to share that,” Coleman said. “It’s good to give the fans an opportunity to express themselves.”

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The actor said he doesn’t have too many weird fan interactions, but people like to hang around his booth and stare. “People just cry or they come up and they just stare at me,” Coleman said. “It feels more like family atmosphere for the most part.”

For now, he’s done running from zombies. Instead, he’s going to run around with a briefcase-arm that can turn into any weapon.

Coleman plays an arms dealer in his latest project “Treadwater,” a science-fiction dystopian about a private group trying to keep peace in a world full of chaos after the euro crashes.

“He’s a business man but if you cross him, it’s problematic. One of my arms is lost in a tragic accident so now I carry around a briefcase. I put my hand in that briefcase and it can become any weapon I choose,” Coleman said. He described “Treadwater” as really dark and graphic.

“It takes place 15 years in the future. It’s kind of like every country for itself and a lot of chaos,” Coleman said. “A private group is funded to keep the peace and that’s ‘Treadwater.’”

He said it has an interwoven backstory type of storytelling like “Lost,” and characters who are operatives like Batman.

“A wide range of different people represented. It’s the type of thing that we want to appeal to that operative in everyone,” Coleman said.

They’re planning to push the project in July.

“We’ve gotten a lot of traction with comic book stores all around the country,” Coleman said. “We have a promotion that’s gonna really kick off in July where you can pre-order the graphic novel and you’ll get a signed poster of me and the character I’ll be playing in the show.” He was generous and kind, traits not all celebrities possess.

The panel "Meet the Dead of the Dead with Daniel Bonjour, Chad Coleman, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., E. Roger Mitchell, and Scott Wilson" was packed, hilarious, and really insightful. 

I took some video, but it's shaky and choppy because my arm got tired :( my bionic arm hasn't come in the mail yet, unfortunately. Also, people kept getting my way. Enjoy, though!

My favorite moments from "The Walking Dead" Panel:

1:32 "Trust me, it wasn't that interesting anyway," said Scott. Chad's laugh is infectious. 

3:07 Chad: "One of the most heartbreaking death's for me was Scott Wilson's...when I got the phone call I was like 'fuck' and he was like 'Chad, you okay?' and I was like 'no, I'm not.'"

6:29 The entire talk about alcohol was golden. "The two alcoholics lost their legs." "The real problem started in the writer's room."

9:30 "His vision is flawless," Chad said of Scott Gimple's writing of Tyreese's death. "It was an homage to the man. Kind of 'how should this man go out?' He honored the man."

13:08 "I also want to work with Melissa more. She's also gorgeous," Chad said. 

15:30 "I'm gonna' give you a little inside scoop."

17:06 "Oh shit" moments. 

19:00 "When we first did the scene, we were like can we show that on TV?"

Also, I didn't get it on camera, but Scott Wilson started coughing a lot while answering a question, and pretended to suffocate and die. You get 10/10 for acting, Scott, and 11/10 for the hilarity and irony.