SAN DIEGO – Fans attending Friday’s panel for “The Walking Dead” at Comic-Con got to see the first trailer for season five.

The new episodes stick largely to the comic-book version created by Robert Kirkman, and producers say it will get even darker in tone.

“The Walking Dead” stars Andrew Lincoln as a sheriff deputy who awakens from a coma to find flesh-eating zombies now roam the world around him.

Lincoln told the audience his preparation for scenes was a quiet process, prompting moderator Chris Hardwick to show a video montage of the actor shouting and pounding his fists to pump himself up on set.

“It’s so normal for all of us to be so weird now,” explained co-star Lauren Cohan. “We’re really performing the craziest tasks on the show, so you have to be a little bit crazy.”

The appearance marked the first Comic-Con visit for Chandler Riggs, who plays Lincoln’s son.

Lincoln said of Riggs, now 15: “When I first met him, he was barely the size of his action figure. He looked like a cuddly, little Ewok. In season two, I was able to carry him. I nearly put my back out doing it. In season five, I’m hoping that he will carry me.”

“The Walking Dead” returns to AMC Oct. 12 at 9 p.m. EDT.

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Online:

http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead