[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.
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.
The story of me attending the 2025 DFW G.I. Joe and Action Figure show begins in September of 2023 when I went to JoeLanta, which you can read all about elsewhere on this blog. Greg Brown helped run that show, was friendly, and one of several people who asked if I was attending “the next show.” Not the following year’s JoeLanta, but the next G.I. Joe convention in an informal circuit of smaller regional shows, like Kentuckiana, ToyLanta, or DFW, whatever that acronym meant. I was already committed to two other annual G.I. Joe conventions, plus a film festival every September. Trips are great and I never regret attending a con because there are always book people to meet or catch up with, but trips add up and can be tiring. Every flight or drive to a hotel is a weekend I’m not at home working on immediate projects, or at my store.
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.)
In Part One, Tim flew to Augusta and started having a great time at JoeFest ’24. Then, in Part Two, he continued that trend, despite dropping an amazing chocolate ice cream sandwich on the sidewalk! Read on for Part Three…
You may be at a G.I. Joe convention if you see this outside:
This was my second year in a row at JoeFest, and the city of Augusta, Georgia, is similar to how I described it in last year’s report. With that in mind, I’m skipping all the descriptions — murals and storefronts — but you may wish to read my ’23 intro here to get a taste.
A little context: There is no longer an official G.I. Joe convention, “JoeCon,” licensed and attended by Hasbro. Whereas JoeCon moved locations each year, JoeFest is always in Augusta, Georgia, and has aptly filled the gap for a major summer Joe show. Last year’s attendance was 7,500. This year’s I’m told topped 10,000. It was in the same space as last year, now just imagine more people. Here’s JoeFest 2024, or two-thirds of it: –[Click all photos to enlarge]–