Code Name Iowa’s Assembled Required 2013 is This Weekend!

code name iowa assembly required 2013

There are myriad reasons to live in the Midwest: changing seasons, friendly people, good regional food, and more G.I. Joe gatherings than you can shake a stick at!  Earlier this year, Midwestern fans were able to attend Coil Con IV in Kokomo, IN and this weekend they’ll be able to attend Code Name: Iowa’s annual Assembly Required gathering in Des Moines!

In it’s third year this event has grown to such an extent that it requires a brand new location!  Join fans from around the nation in attending panels, checking out dealer tables, and mingling with some very special guests.  It promises to be a fantastic free event that will be fun for collectors of all ages!

Special guests at this year’s event include:

  • Ron Wagner – comic artist from Marvel/IDW
  • Matt Brandenburg – former Hasbro prototype painter
  • Joe:Declassified exhibit – the premiere “behind the scenes” exhibit of rare prototypes, design sketches and more will be on hand featuring G.I. Joe archivists Gary “Goggles” Head and Chris “Topson” Murray

In addition, fantastic door prizes include a set of 20 G.I. Joe Retaliation Night Vipers and a MISB Killer W.H.A.L.E. hovercraft!  That’s right Joe Fans– two lucky individuals are walking away with prizes that will make even the most hardened Cobra loyalist green with envy!   However, as the game show hosts are fond of saying “But wait… there’s more!”

This year marks the debut of the next series of incredible minimalist art prints featuring the 1985 line-up!  Plus, two special minimalist prints will be given away as prizes– Flint and Lady Jaye signed by Bill Ratner and Mary McDonald-Lewis herself!  So, what are you waiting for– a signed invitation for Serpentor himself?!!  Make plans to hit the road this Saturday and join in on the fun! The Code Name Iowa Assembly Required event is THE place to be!

The event is free to the public. For more information visit CodeNameIowa.com or follow them on Facebook at Code Name: Iowa!  (Oh yeah, and tell ’em JBL sent you!)

2013 JoeCon: Sunday voice actor panel with Bill Ratner and Mary McDonald-Lewis

Wow– one of the single greatest events of JoeCon 2013?  That would be the Sunday voice actor panel with two of the greatest stars of the Sunbow G.I. Joe animated series– Bill Ratner and Mary McDonald-Lewis.  That’s right, the voices of the original Flint and Lady Jaye were on stage together and they didn’t disappoint!

To open the Sunday panel, Bill and Mary took the stage and performed an impromptu script reading with a little help of Fun Publication’s own Pete Sinclair.  The story was entitled “Flint & Lady Jaye Have a Baby” and detailed the events of a G.I. Joe mission in which Lady Jaye reveals that she’s expecting.  After foiling the efforts of Cobra and returning to headquarters, they decide upon a name for their daughter– Marissa.  It was a nice homage to both the Sunbow G.I. Joe and Transformers animated series and marked the first time that the two had performed their respective signature characters since production on the original series ended.  Honestly– it was a fan written script performed at a convention and it still caused me to grin from ear-to-ear when two of my favorite animated characters seemingly returned to life in an auditorium in Indianapolis.  In many ways, it was like being a kid again and rushing home from school to catch the animated adventures of Flint and Lady Jaye each weekday afternoon.

Following the performance, the two took audience questions and related a number of anecdotes about the production of the original Sunbow series.  (Who knew Michael Bell carried a “man purse” or that Chris Latta was always late coming back from lunch?) Mary Mac and Bill both discussed the differences between voice acting and stage acting as well as their fondness for the days of radio performances.  In the end, the hour went by far too quickly  and the audience gave these two a standing ovation.  2013 marks the first ever JoeCon appearance for either of them and it would be fantastic to see their return in the future.

To catch-up on what these two talented voice actors are working on currently, visiting the following links:

Check out a few images from the panel below:

G.I. Joe Con 2013: Bill Ratner joins the guest list!

Bill Ratner

If you’re a fan of the Sunbow G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series you’ll want to be at this year’s G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention!  Just added to the guest list is Bill Ratner- better know as the voice of Flint, the team’s premiere warrant officer!  Ratner will be joining Mary McDonald-Lewis (Lady Jaye) for what is sure to make for some exciting panels and fan interaction!  I mean– who didn’t like Flint?  (Plus, some of us remember Mr. Ratner from the Variety Arts Radio Network productions of The Adventures of Doc Savage!)

Check out the official announcement from the Club below:

01/28/2013 – We are thrilled to announce an additional guest to the GIJoeCon line-up. On hand for the entire weekend will be Bill Ratner, voice of Flint from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Heroanimated series!

Check out our special guest showcase and read their project bio’s…Click here! All will be scheduled for discussion panels and autograph sessions over the convention weekend.

Mr. Ratner was a guest on the popular What’s On Joe Mind podcast– featured in Episode #70!

For more information, visit GIJoeCon.com!