[Part One] [Part Two]
In our last exciting episode, Tim moderated a panel, bought a few toys, took a bunch of photos, and solved all six Assault on Cobra Island puzzles! What’s inside the locked metal safe? Read on to find out and click on any photo to enlarge.
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In our last exciting episode [PART ONE], Tim surprisingly made it to Des Moines without incident! He saw friends, played games, ate food, and more! [Or skip to PART THREE!]
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INTRO—–
I’ll assume you’re familiar with Assembly Required from my 2022, 2023, and 2024 con reviews. If not, it’s run by Codename: Iowa, which is about six people, it’s a great convention, and it’s very small. Last year’s attendance was I believe 300. To use a boxing analogy, it’s greatly punching above its weight.
[Skip ahead to PART TWO or PART THREE]
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This deserves its own post here at A Real American Book!. On November 9th, I moderated the “Living Legends: Larry Hama & Ron Wagner” panel at Assembly Required, a great G.I. Joe convention held annually in Des Moines, Iowa. These two guys are smart and funny, and it was a pleasure to run the chat.
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Jump back to [Part One/Thursday] [Part Two/Friday] [Part Three/Saturday]
SUNDAY – – – – –
In the lobby I saw Sam Damon heading to the sliding glass door with his suitcase, and we said goodbye. I met Larry Hama in the Hilton’s restaurant for breakfast. We talked about his young adult graphic novel trilogy for Abrams’ new YA imprint. (Hama has been talking about these for awhile. Their titles haven’t yet been announced, but 10 months back Abrams issued a press release for the rollout.)
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Jump back to [Part One/Thursday] [Part Two/Friday] Jump ahead to [Part Four/Sunday]
SATURDAY – – – – –
Once again, I woke up earlier than I’d planned. Foolishly, I missed the 9am Cartoons and Cereal block. This takes place in the panel room, with a video projection of four G.I. Joe episodes. Past years have mixed ’80s Sunbow, ’90s DIC, and even 2010’s Renegades. I regret missing this, but between exercise, needing a meal that would sustain me longer, and doing a little prep for my panel, I kinda forgot. Maybe the milk and cereal would be still be out an hour later and I could have second breakfast? I don’t know what episodes played, but with the Iron Grenadiers theme of the convention, I was thinking of Destro-centric animated half-hours. Maybe “Sins of our Fathers,” with Destro’s ancestral home? (I’m going to jump ahead for this next photo, that 90 minutes later, after the first panel, I checked. While the milk was still out, the cereal had all been gobbled up.) Click to enlarge all photos in this report.
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Jump back to [Part One/Thursday] Jump ahead to [Part Three/Saturday] or [Part Four/Wrap-up]
FRIDAY – – – – –
A nice reminder that morning light and sunset are different colors, even to my not-great camera phone. This would be the first of three days in a row that I woke up long before my alarm, a combination of timezone shifts, the end of Daylight Savings a week prior, the phenomenon of the hotel/different bed, and general convention excitement and anxiety — don’t sleep in or you’ll miss something! (Click all photos to enlarge.)
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If you’d like to read about airports or Des Moines’ skyway system, check out my 2022 and 2023 reports. For the 2024 report, I’m jumping right in, minus this sign on the way from the airport to the hotel. Why, yes, that meatball is a spear-wielding Centurion. (It wasn’t dark out, my camera was just exposing for either the illuminated sign or the restaurant exterior, and can’t do both.) Jump ahead to Friday/Part Two] [Saturday/Part 3] or [Wrap-Up/Part 4]. Click all photos to enlarge.
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In Part One, Tim flew to Des Moines and saw friends, and in Part Two, Tim talked with people. Then, in Part Three, he talked with more people! Read on for Part Four, and click to enlarge photos!
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In Part One, Tim flew to Iowa, chatted, dined, and played a game, while in Part Two, Tim interviewed and co-interviewed, plus some repeats like chatting, dining and game-playing. Read on for Part Three, and click to enlarge photos! [Skip ahead to Part Four here]
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