Many panels start with a five-minute “WOO!” from the crowd, but only for Archer is that “WOO!” canonically required. The eponymous spy of this animated TV show has a habit of celebrating with that line, whether he’s playing lacrosse with Malaysian pirates or shooting sharks in the face. This Dragon*Con audience shrieked with equal excitement at the appearance of Archer voice talents Amber Celeste Nash and Lucky Yates, who were thrilled themselves. “This is the best day of my life,” Nash gushed. We could certainly agree, especially when Yates introduced the Archer animators sitting in the front row.
Attention for this Georgia-made show has grown by leaps and bounds since last year. The panel, held at 8:30PM on Saturday, moved from the Hyatt’s Dunwoody conference room to the International Ballroom North—and once that room was full, the waiting line still led all the way outside the hotel. When Nash asked Archer cosplayers to stand up, dozens answered the call. Yates expressed pure delight at everyone who impersonated his character, Krieger, the spy agency’s resident genius and possible genetic clone of Hitler. Nash’s character, Pam, Human Resources director and part-time Yakuza car racer, took human form in one female cosplayer. The actors deemed her the best they’d seen since comic book artist Adam Hughes dressed as Pam at Dragon*Con 2011.
Perhaps the most apt description of Archer came from Nash. Asked when she realized she was playing the most awesome character ever, she answered, “When my mom called and said, ‘Amber, I don’t like this.'” Nash’s mother—whose disapproving tone apparently inspired Pam’s voice—might be the only one not yelling “WOO!” when the fourth season of this wicked, wild show finally begins on FX on September 15th.
