At Comic-Con last week, fans buzzed about The Vampire Diaries.

In the wake of Twilight and True Blood, there's no mystery why this show is earning so much publicity this summer.

It's a topic Ian Somerhalder and the show's producers tackled at the annual festival. Watch an interview with them below:

On the pilot episode of The Vampire Diaries, Elena bonds with the new, blood-sucking boy at school.

Meanwhile, a classmate gets attacked by... something!

The CW has released spoiler pics from the opening installment of the upcoming drama, as both the images below reveal something about the series. First:

Elena and Stefan make their first public appearance together. The rest of school is left pretty much speechless.

Near the end of the episode, Vicki's body is discovered, bloody and mangled. Was this the result of an animal attack? Or, as she later whispers to her brother, the work of a vampire?

Major spoiler alert:

We've seen the pilot episode of The Vampire Diaries - and it's fantastic!

Combining intrigue with action, suspense and some damn good-looking blood suckers, this series is sure to be a hit for The CW in the fall.

Want an early peek at the opening hour? Read our detailed episode guide now!

Below, we've listed a few of our favorite Vampire Diaries quotes from the pilot:

Stefan: Stay away from Elena.
Damon: I take that as an invitation. | permalink

Stefan: You won't be sad forever, Elena. | permalink

Jenna: His name is Stefan Salvatore. He's a Gemini and his favorite color is blue.
Bonnie: You got all that in one day?
Jenna: Please. I got all that between third and fourth period. | permalink

Stefan: I shouldn't have come home, but I have no choice... I have to know her. | permalink

The CW has released an extended promo for The Vampire Diaries that depicts numerous scenes from the show's pilot and reveals a number of introductory storylines.

If you wanna watch the September 10 series premiere with a completely fresh outlook, stop reading now.

But if you wanna see Stefan's initial interaction with Elena; learn his motivation for returning to Mystic Falls; and discover what makes Elena so very sad, check out the following video...

In the latest promotional photo for The Vampire Diaries, Elena is properly situation between the Salvatore brothers.

Considering the fact that one (Stefan) wants to embrace her, while the other (Damon) wants to kill her, this seems appropriate.

Also pictured below, a black crow and a pair of rings on the siblings that play a key role on the show's pilot episode. Keep your eyes and ears open for why.