DemiCon: Outpost 37

Des Moines' 37th Annual Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Gaming Convention

Holiday Inn & Suites Des Moines–Northwest, Iowa

May 1–3, 2026

Special Guests

Author Mur Lafferty

Author Mur Lafferty

Mur Lafferty is a podcaster, author, and editor. She began podcasting in 2004 and in 2005 she launched the still-running podcast “I Should Be Writing," a podcast aimed at aspiring writers. She also currently co-hosts the show “Ditch Diggers,” the Hugo Award winning podcast that is focused on career concerns for established authors.

After writing several novellas and self publishing them via podcast, her first book was released from Orbit in 2013: The Shambling Guide to New York City which won the Manly Wade Wellman Award. Her book Six Wakes, a science fiction mystery, came out a few years later and was nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, Philip K. Dick, and Manly Wade Wellman awards. Her current series, the Midsolar Murders, features murder mysteries aboard a sentient space station. The series has two books, the most recent being Chaos Terminal, published in November 2023. Book three, Infinite Archive, will be published in July 2025.  

Mur has also been the recipient of the Astounding Award for Best New Writer in 2013 and was inducted into the Podcast Academy Hall of Fame in 2015.

She co-edits (with Valerie Valdes) the Hugo-nominated science fiction podcast magazine, Escape Pod. She has been nominated for the Best Editor (Short Form) Hugo twice.

She lives in Durham, NC with her family.

Artist Alyssa Winans

Artist Alyssa Winans

Alyssa Winans grew up in Illinois, where she spent much of her time at the library, surrounded by science fiction and fantasy books. She learned to love art through drawing and making up characters with her childhood friend and went on to study Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her early career involved concept and production art for game companies. She later transitioned to corporate and book illustration work, and has been working on book covers since 2018. She is a four-time Hugo Finalist, and her work can be seen covering Nghi Vo’s Singing Hills Cycle and Moses Ose Utomi’s The Forever Desert series. Some hallmarks of her art are bright palettes, graphic compositions, and textured mark-making.

She currently works as an illustrator in the San Francisco Bay Area. When she’s not drawing, she spends time experimenting with fruit-based recipes and looking at cookbooks. Her newest hobby is trying to grow purple sweet potatoes from grocery store potatoes.

Fan Eric Larson

I started my voyage into sci-fi fandom back in the mid sixties. I would sit in my fathers lap and we would watch Star Trek together. I then started watching things like Bewitched, and other shows with special effects. My entire life I was lead to shows and films that fed my imagination and filled me with dreams of flying- in space.

In 1977 I was 14, and I found out about a new film coming out that May. It sounded great. A farm bit goes into space and saves the galaxy. Sure why not, I lived in rural Madison, WI. I could relate. Well  almost 50 years later- I still do. Because of the films Star Wars I received two degree’s in adverting and design, and with some luck and hard work ended up working on the rerelease of the films in ’97 and Episode one in ’99. I also had the chance to work on Toy Story, Batman Man and the Live action 101 Dalmatians.

I created hundreds of campaigns from lenticular cards for the fans to the first dead Obi-Wan figure that was a giveaway from Frito-Lay.

Going back to my youth, I started with a convention in Madison called Wis-Con. A feminist Sci-fi convention. They allowed me to do talks on Star Wars and films in the genre in general. As I became more comfortable with audiences I expanded. Doing talks up to 500 people at a time.

By the time I returned to Wisconsin in the late 90’s I wanted to finally have my own convention.

I had already worked on over 20 cons, all over the US. From Head of Art Show, to managing dealer’s rooms, to nuts and bolts. I shortly started FilmCon a film making convection for Sci-fi fans. We introduced people who made their own films with 720 video, and invited guests from the genre to speak. We had many guests but some notable ones were Ian McCaig (Who designed Darth Maul), and Charley Montoya who ran and took care of the black Pearl as well as was a set dresser for three of the films. In all we had over 30 guests for 16 conventions. The idea was to show people HOW films were made.

I ventured once into anime with NakamCon- that was also partly Steampunk. That give us the backing to create TeslaCon. TC has actually been around for 17 years, not 15. We started with a large Party ay WindyCon the year they did Steampunk, and it took off from there. We call 2020 the “Plague Year” the hic-cup. Or we would be on convention 16 already. We also had one Harry Potter convention where we bought in the actor who played Viktor Krum. Run like TeslaCon we had a full immersion experience for witches and wizards as well.

TeslaCon still the longest running, and largest Steampunk Convention in North America. While not like other cons doing more traditional themes, we do things with immersion and technology.  Everything from sound effects in the hallways, to large projection screens to full immersion films and actors bring the story to life.

This will be my 50th convention this year (2025), 31 I directly ran and created. In that time we pushed the limits of the fandom and of Steampunk itself.

I am  an avid film watcher, book collector of (art books and sci-fi art) and costume designer for fun.

My time in Hollywood working on large budget films only fueled my hunger to create more, but at a scale that could be affordable for fans to enjoy over a weekend. In the end I have met many people, gained many friends and I hope created worlds of fun for my guests.

Toastmaster Tadao Tomomatsu

Toastmaster Tadao Tomomatsu

Toastmaster Tadao Tomomatsu

Toastmaster Tadao Tomomatsu

Parts Made in Japan-Assembly in the USA

A WORK OF SCIENCE FICTION/Fantasy/Etc.?

Long ago, no no not that far away. An Origin Story?

Tadao was manufactured with parts from Japan and Assembly in the U.S.A.. the confusing part was the Apple OS in a PC system.. or was that the other way around?

Not so typically: Father- Renaissance Scientist of the ages

               Mother- Professor of Japanese/Culture/Professional Translator.

And that all blew up when the family in Japan took pity and sent Japanese toys before they became worldwide wonders.

Fascinated by Giant robots, Science Ninja’s super equipment fighting the aliens.

And growing up a bit of a TV head: Watching PBS, Dr.Who, Danny Kaye and John Wayne didn’t help.   May have confused people more in schools when the southern accent would pop out.  Or British... followed by Scottish... (don’t ask).

And theater was a downfall... or was it being a Radio DJ in Chicago that no one knew about?  “A great face for radio..”

Then California bound: Actor, Singer, dancer(sometimes) Stunts-various. Entertainer, MC, Impersonator, Props, sets, even a period of Director, Writer, Producer even a Comedian with weekly times at the Laugh Factory and the Comedy store back in the day.

With some of the strangest stories- ask sometime about:

How he was not Japanese enough for the movie Pearl Harbor. ONE of MANY… le sigh.

Some of the highlights in Hollyweird:

Mr.Shake-Hands Man – USA/2: For the British/American TV Show “BANZAI”. A game show of various segments.  Mr. Shake-Hands Man would shake hands with celebs on the Red Carpet and how long would he shake hands.  You had to guess.

Maybe even a Baby Septuplet on the Tonight Show.

A bewildered tourist in Inspector Gadget.

NYPD Translator in “HEROES” and yes oddly with the Speaking roles. Makes him BOTH a DC And Marvel Character and you can find his profile in the HEROES graphic novel.

And the least recognized. Was on CyberRadioTV.com.  The world’s first 24hr. Internet “Radio” station.  Groundbreaking and innovation provided and IDEAS from Tadao. Which was kind of a base for all other internet shows to eventually things like You Tube and other online productions.

Alas Not much credit.

On the Fannish side was a Con-Chair for Loscon in LA.  Even relaxacons for LASFS.  MC, Toastmaster, Auctioneer. Host or even Booth babe (it’s for Worldcon in Anaheim in 2026).

Working at Gallifrey One (yarp Dr.Who). and a “Guardian of the TARDIS”.  They were never clear Tho if it was the White or Black Guardian. Wait? Wrong show?? Um..

Or even working Labyrinth of Jarreth Masquerade (LOJ). Either, onstage with the vaudeville stylings of the Goblins. To Small Crafty service for the rest of the actors er I mean Elves, Sypher Royals, Mermaids, Elementals or even a Dragon or three.. or am I patching up the Knights? The Attendees??  Er never mind.

Mostly retired from Acting.

He has taken over his father’s works.  As Dr. Hideo Tomomatsu and Prof. Yuko Tomomatsu had many scientific works since their passings.

So now very Science Adjacent.

Happily finds LosCon to be one of his Home Conventions and happy to have some chosen family time.

And Thanks everyone for their time, efforts, support for putting up with me or at least keeping science fiction and fantasy alive and well.. 😊

Toastmaster Tadao Tomomatsu

Professional Guests

We have many local, regional, and national professionals that attend DemiCon. They contribute to many areas of the convention, such as the art show, the music venue, and programming.

If you would like to be considered as a professional guest, or if you know a professional that we should invite to DemiCon 36, please fill out this form to let us know.

DemiCon Hall of Fame

At DemiCon 15 we wanted a way to extend special acknowledgement those who have helped make DemiCon what is today. The DemiCon Hall of Fame was created to recognize those particularly influential individuals.

Rusty “James” Hevelin

At DemiCon 15, Rusty Hevelin was our first inductee to DemiCon Hall of Fame. Rusty had started as our Fan Guest of Honor at DC 1, but somewhere before our first convention came around, he was named Toastmaster. From that day forth, he was our Toastmaster. When Rusty became a member of the DemiCon Hall of Fame, he was given the title of Toastmaster Emeritus, but he did not rest on his laurels and has been at every DemiCon until DC22 when health problems kept him away. Rusty passed away in 2011.

To learn more about Rusty, follow this link to the Hevelin Collection at the University of Iowa.

Joe and Gay Haldeman

Gay and Joe had an intricate part in growing the love of science fiction in those who created DemiCon when they were members of Science Fiction League of Iowa Students (which Joe created) and running ICON. Gay and Joe have been dubbed by those that were under their tutelage as the “Grandparents” of DemiCon.

Joe Haldeman is a multiple Hugo and Nebula award winning author. For his spectacular career in writing science fiction and fantasy, he was given the honor of SFWA Grand Master. Joe has been our Author GOH for DC 2 and DC 20 where the Haldemans were inducted into the DemiCon Hall of Fame.

Gay Haldeman was our Fan Guest of Honor at DC 2 and was a regular guest, besides Rusty Hevelins’ travel buddy through the many years. Mary Gay Potter Haldeman (a name familiar to those who read The Forever War) has a Master’s Degree in Spanish Literature and another in Linguistics. Joe and Gay are retired in Florida after many years of teaching at MIT . But, Joe is not the only one with an award or two. Gay shared a Skylark Award with Joe in 1996, and in 2011 was given the Big Heart Award at the World SF Convention in Reno, Nevada. Both Gay and Joe have thespian talents and have graced our stage as TICC performers, as well.

Glen Cook

Glen was made a member at DemiCon 25. Glen Cook Author guest of honor for DemiCon 5, known for his stellar The Black Company military fantasy series and so much more, told DemiCon this: I was born and am still under foot. Hit the ground in NYC in 1944, lived there, Indiana, and California growing up. Served in the Navy, attended U of Missouri, worked for General Motors and retired therefrom. Began writing with intent to commit publication late 1960s and have since produced 51 published books (#51, Working God’s Mischief, will come out between now and the convention), some short fiction, some articles and some essays. I have three sons, an Army officer, an architect, and a symphony musician, plus numerous grandchildren, all but one of whom seem determined to be female. And I have an amazing wife who has been with me for almost 45 years. These days I am, extremely slowly, working on expanding the Black Company chronicles by two novels and a story collection. I have become a victim of Ambition Deficit Disorder, which is what has put the slow in slowly.

Glen has been at almost every DemiCon selling books to all who love the joy of reading. Signing his and making DemiCon even more special. Thanks Glen.

Carol Eis and Karen Eis

Carol and Karen Eis are the unsung heroes of the Art Show. Lovingly known to all as the Eis Sisters, these two showed up on a DemiCon of many years past to volunteer and stayed. Coming in to help behind the scenes for both show and auction, they make sure all runs smoothly. The Eis Sisters have even helped train some of our art show department heads on the little tricks of the trade. DemiCon is fortunate to have Carol and Karen as volunteers throughout the years.