It has become a yearly tradition to head to Farleycon, and this year is no different. However, this time I ended up attending for the entire weekend, as one of the benefits of going to fewer events is the ability to splurge on the ones I want to keep going to year after year. This year, Farleycon became JoeNooga and was a massive celebration of all things G.I. Joe.

The guest list included a large array of voice actors from the G.I. Joe franchise as well as several writers and artists in the comic book industry, including Mark Spears. The list also included voice actors from the original Transformers series, Mortal Kombat, as well as a few wrestlers. The guest list was primarily focused on the theme of the event this year, but if it falls within something you love, then you’re sure to leave happy. The guests were separated into their own section that left plenty of room to walk around and meet them. Lines were rarely long, and it was very easy to meet anyone and everyone by the time the event ended.

The vendors were equally easy to walk around. I never had any issues getting from place to place. The selection in many ways mimics the guest list. It has a focus on comics and action figures, as there were plenty to find from all kinds of franchises. This made up the bulk of the vendors, but I was also able to find many with 3D-printed products, wooden trading cards, a Super Mario Hot Wheels car; my wife found an author selling some books, and we got custom badges themed from franchises we love. The only thing I noticed was the lack of vendors selling art this year. You had plenty of comic book artists on the guest list selling art, but few solely as vendors. It was still really cool to have a lot of options to get commissions from some of the guests, as quite a few of them had them available.

Because the venue is more on the smaller size it took very little time to see all of the vendors, but that also meant I had an easier time looking at each one carefully and seeing what they had to offer. I even had plenty of time to stop and chat with multiple vendors for a considerable amount of time and still managed to see everything the event had to offer.

The panels were also fun, as they featured cosplay events and several Q and A panels from the guests. Most of them were also focused on G.I. Joe-related events, but since most of the guests were from the franchise, it made perfect sense. The room is very easy to get to from the vendors, and every time I went, it always had seats available, so it was never a challenge to catch a panel even if you didn’t get there right when it started.

Since I stayed for the weekend, I also took some time to enjoy the various board games in the gaming area. I got to try some new-to-me games and met some other board game fans in the process. To the side of the venue, you have three tables; one had a collection of games while the other two served as areas to play them in. This was a great way to pass some time when you need a break from shopping.

Overall, Farleycon was a fun time this year. With the theme focused on G.I. Joe, it is definitely an event more geared towards fans of the franchise. This meant that the guests, panels, and vendors all heavily revolved around the series. It was really cool seeing this approach, and I wonder if they’ll try it again but with a different franchise next year. With such a focused approach, though, I can also see this idea being very hit or miss depending on your own attachment to the theme. This weekend was an unforgettable event for G.I. Joe fans, but the decrease in variety meant less for those who primarily enjoy things outside of that. For example, I love the series but don’t collect merch from it, so I did spend less this year than last. Regardless of what theme they pick, or if they decide to do more of a variety next year, I’m still attending again in 2027.