Comic-Con: 'Spartacus' makes impressive debut at Comic-Con

'Spartacus' makes impressive debut at Comic-Con

Starz gave its upcoming swords-and-sandals series, "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," an impressive debut on Friday at San Diego Comic-Con.

After a panel of its creators and stars--including the big draw Lucy Lawless--hit the stage, Starz treated fans to the world premiere of the 13-part series based on the life of the slave-turned-gladiator-turned-rebel-against-Rome set to debut in January.

If you don't subscribe to Starz, you might want to do so before January. The cable network may be new to original programming, but after it brought us the hilarious "Party Down" and "Head Case," plus the drama "Crash," it's obvious the programming folks know what they're doing.

"I'm pretty sure you haven't seen anything like this before on TV," writer and exec producer Steven S. DeKnight told the crowd. (UPDATE: Starz orders 2nd season of "Spartacus.")

I'll say. Based on the "Spartacus" clip and what I heard from the show's cast Friday, viewers will be blown away. I certainly was. Disclaimer: I do love epic stories with scantily clad muscled men--and tough women--fighting for their lives with ancient weapons.

Lucy Lawless plays wealthy Roman slave owner Lucretia in "Spartacus: Blood and Sand." Starz photo

But the "Spartacus" panel promised much more than muscled fighting. Along with the brutality and gore, Lawless said it offers tension, intrigue and love. It appears to be "Rome" meets "300" meets "Gladiator."

Just don't expect Lawless, famous for playing the sword-wielding warrior princess Xena, to be jumping into the gladiator arena.

She plays the mean wife of the man who owns the camp where slaves are trained to become gladiators. Lawless said she is happy to leave Xena behind to play Lucretia, who does more than scheme.

"I get some action, buddy," she told a fan. Most of that action, however, is in the bedroom. "I don't like Spartacus, but I sure like the other gladiators," she said.

That means a lot of nude scenes for Lawless, who said they are the worst to shoot. Despite that drawback, she said "Spartacus" is the most exciting project she's worked on.

"It's hardcore, man."

I'll have more later from my interviews with panelists Lawless and DeKnight, as well as exec producer Rob Tapert and co-stars Peter Mensah and Erin Cummings.

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