Marvel star Sebastian Stan makes last-minute stop in Houston

Merly the Cosplay Dog Merly the Cosplay Dog Photo: Photo By Andrew Dansby Photo: Photo By Andrew Dansby Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Marvel star Sebastian Stan makes last-minute stop in Houston 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Like Bucky Barnes, the resilient character he plays in a variety of Marvel fimls, actor Sebastian Stan seemed gone, but then he made a surprise return.

Stan was scheduled to appear at the Houston stop on the Fandemic Tour -- a new roving fan convention -- in September. Then the actor's work got in the way, prompting a cancellation a week ago.

But Fandemic organizers swiftly worked to salvage the appearance. Rather than simply scratch the actor from the fan convention event, Fandemic brought Stan in for a one day appearance. In the morning. On a Thursday. Despite an appearance in the middle of a work day, fans found Stan anyway. A few thousand enthusiasts of the Marvel world visited NRG Center Thursday for the chance to meet the guy who plays Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier/White Wolf.

The event started with alarm: moments after the NRG doors opened, a fire drill cleared out the building. But by mid morning Stan was doing the photo and autograph thing for the gathered crowd, many donning Bucky shirts and the metallic sleeves in Winter Soldier costumes.

Among those in Winter Soldier gear was Merly, a border collie mix Amanda Vanderbeek adopted from the Houston SPCA. According to Vanderbeek, Merly dons one of her 40-plus costumes to 15 or 16 conventions each year.

Merly was ready for this mini-Fandemic event with her mask, plastic rifle and a silver sleeve to represent the Winter Warrior's bionic arm.

Stan's impromptu appearance is a prelude to next month's Fandemic, which brings several fan favorites to town including Norman Reedus and Jeffrey Dean Morgan from "The Walking Dead."

Organizer John Macaluso says Houston, despite having a big established fan fest in Comicpalooza, is a big enough market to accommodate another.

"There are so many people in Houston," he said. "Comicpalooza does a great job. But I think the city is so big there's plenty of room for both of us."