Superheroes coming to Iowa for Des Moines Con
Des Moines Con opens Friday at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines. It's a celebration of comics, TV, movies, video games, cosplay, and generally all things nerdy.
Golf greats aim at record lows while Principal Charity Classic hopes for record high in giving
Some big names are making an appearance at the event. That includes Daredevil – Charlie Cox, Luke Cage – Mike Colter, and Iowa's own Superman, Brandon Routh.
The owners of a Minnesota-based anime store say conventions like these make a world of difference for their small business.
'It's everything. It's like, where can you go where you have so many like-minded people in one spot, and it's honestly, we do it because it's a lot of hard work in the beginning. It's a lot of chaos in the beginning. But, as soon as the door is open, everyone is so happy,' said Cristina Perez of Tenshi Toys.
As part of Des Moines Con, you can participate in a video game tournament and a cosplay contest.
It all starts at noon on Friday and runs through Sunday. You can find more information on who will be there and the schedule of events here.
Superheroes coming to Iowa for Des Moines Con
Golf greats aim at record lows while Principal Charity Classic hopes for record high in giving
Supportive housing Monarch Apartments has positive impact in first few months after opening
Iowa lawmaker wants 'stiffer penalties' for online grooming after missing child reunites with family
Golfers get practice in pro-am before Principal Charity Classic Round 1 begins Friday
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Elle
an hour ago
- Elle
Leggings-Under-Dresses Is This Year's Most Divisive Trend. Here's How To Wear It
The cyclical nature of the fashion industry is of news to nobody. We all know that what goes around comes around and that fashion trends have a lifecycle of around 20 years. What this means for 2025 is that those pieces that shaped 2005 — YouTube's launch year, when Arctic Monkeys released 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor', and when Tom Cruise jumped on Oprah's sofa — are ripe for renewal. And this very much includes leggings, and especially the styling choice of styling them under a skirt or dress. Unlike other trends that altogether disappear between their moments in the sun, leggings haven't so much gone away as have become big business for those that have embraced the post-pandemic Park Run towards athleisurewear. Choosing a pair of leggings has become commonplace and, whether you love them or loathe them, are among the defining items of this era's sartorial legacy. Yet, returning to the idea of layering leggings under a dress or skirt is enough to give any millennial who wore the trend two decades ago a little cause for concern. As with many questionable noughties looks, the pairing feels so utterly nostalgic to our tween or teenage choices that it's even perhaps incomprehensible that we'd want to attempt it again now. (It's also worth noting that 2005 came 20 years after 1985, when leggings were also the style du jour – think Madonna's movie Desperately Seeking Susan. So, despite us thinking we were innovators then, we certainly were not.) So, just on time, in 2025 a pervasive argument for their return arrives spearheaded by a cohort of designers: all of them millennials, most of them women and presumed wearers of the style pairing back in the mid 2000s. In her latest lookbook for a collection of pieces sold exclusively at Dover Street Market, Molly Goddard chose to style her voluminous tulle dresses with just-below-the-knee leggings and pointed shoes. The styling choice gives Goddard's familiar silhouette a refresh that feels at once nostalgic as it does future-facing. It raised my suspicions that a full-blown leggings redux could be bubbling on the horizon. But also, if I was going to try my Molly dresses with leggings, I might just need a little more convincing. Flicking through the AW25 collections, I quickly found other designers on the same page as Goddard. NY-based Sandy Liang is renowned for her girlish collections that centre around feminine details and sweet colour palettes and she put forward countless looks completed with leggings. Liang's were styled to be worn under skirts, sometimes clashing, sometimes matching with the patterns of the other pieces. It added to the new route to sportswear she seemed to steer for the season. Another designer on board is one of my favourite emerging stars: Lucila Safdie. The Central Saint Martins graduate has made leggings — even those with frilled buttocks — a central tenet of her sweet-cute aesthetic. 'I love them so much because you can have fun with them,' Safdie tells me. 'I like that they can be all different colours, prints, sheernesses – they can be worn by themselves or styled in so many ways, like with a dress, skirt or even a pair of shorts on top.' For Safdie, the perfect way to wear the look now is with 'a sheer dress and printed leggings,' affirming the ideas also put forward by Goddard and Liang. 'Cuteness!' she adds. Of course, cuteness isn't on everyone's sartorial agenda. At 16Arlington, Marco Capaldo has given the illusion of leggings a more sophisticated edge through solid black options worn with voluminous eveningwear. Here, they bring a directional edge that is easy to add to any pre-existing wardrobe favourite. It's these that have perhaps tempted me most as, like many, I can be more inclined to experiment when it comes to what I wear in the evening. The return of leggings might be in its infancy, but with them being so easy-to-wear, easy-to-access and probably already in all of our wardrobes, it's likely that, 20 (or 40!) years after we first fell in love with them, it might just be time to reconsider them outside of the Pilates class and worn under your favourite dress. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Freelancer
3 hours ago
One of the world's most polluted cities has banned single-use plastics
LAGOS, Nigeria -- LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian shop manager Olarewanju Ogunbona says he uses Styrofoam and plastic packs at least five times a day — nothing unusual in the megacity of Lagos, one of the world's most plastics-polluted urban areas. The city's over 20 million people contributed 870,000 tons of the world's 57 million tons of plastic waste in 2024. Lagos state authorities last month imposed a ban on single-use plastics, but residents say weak enforcement and the absence of alternatives have weakened its effectiveness. Under the law that kicked off on July 1, the use of single-use plastics such as cutlery, plates and straws is banned and offenders risk their businesses being shut down. However, other forms of plastics, which make up a smaller percentage of the city's waste, are still in use. The ban is far from being fully implemented, as some shops still display Styrofoam packs on their shelves. 'Sellers are still using it very well,' said Ogunbona, who continues to buy his Styrofoam-packed meals. In Geneva this week, countries including Nigeria are negotiating a treaty to end plastic pollution. Such talks broke down last year, with oil-producing countries opposed to any limits on plastic production. In large part, plastics are made from fossil fuels like oil and gas. Lagos generates at least 13,000 tons of waste daily, almost a fifth of which is plastics, officials have said. In the absence of a proper waste management system, most of it ends up in waterways, clogging canals, polluting beaches and contributing to devastating floods. Although the state government has promoted the ban on single-use plastics as a major step, watchdogs are skeptical. 'Its effectiveness is limited without strong enforcement, affordable alternatives for low-income vendors and meaningful improvements in the city's overwhelmed waste management systems,' Olumide Idowu, a Lagos-based environmental activist, told The Associated Press. The Lagos state government did not respond to a request for comment. With the quest for a better life driving millions of Nigerians to Lagos, some in the city are finding ways to manage the pollution. Recent years have seen a rise of private waste managers and sustainability groups helping to tackle the crisis. At a sorting site in Obalende, a bustling commercial suburb adjacent to the upscale Ikoyi neighborhood, two women with razor blades scraped labels from plastic soft drink bottles. They uncapped the bottles and threw them into different nets, ready to be compressed and sold for recycling. Competition has become tougher as more people join the work, the women said. The informal network of waste collectors sell to, or sort for, private waste management companies. They can make around around 5,000 naira ($3.26) a day. But far more work is needed. Manufacturers have a key role to play in tackling the plastic waste problem, according to Omoh Alokwe, co-founder of the Street Waste Company that operates in Obalende. 'They need to ... ensure that the plastics being produced into the environment are collected back and recycled,' Alokwe said. Experts also call for a behavioral change among residents for the law banning single-use plastics to be effective. Lagos residents need alternatives to plastics, shop owner Ogunbona said. Otherwise, 'we will keep using them."
Business Wire
12 hours ago
- Business Wire
Funko Appoints Josh Simon Chief Executive Officer
EVERETT, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Funko, Inc. (Nasdaq: FNKO), a leading pop culture lifestyle brand, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Josh Simon as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2025. He succeeds Interim CEO, Mike Lunsford. Simon has also been appointed to the Funko Board of Directors, effective on the same date. 'Josh is an exceptional leader and his extensive experience in entertainment and consumer products is exactly what Funko needs in its next CEO,' said Charles Denson, Chairman of the Board of Funko. 'Moreover, he brings expertise in operations, licensing and strategy, gained while serving in senior leadership roles at such esteemed companies as Netflix, Nike, and The Walt Disney Company. We are delighted to have him as our CEO as we work to maximize the significant growth opportunities ahead.' On his appointment, Simon said, 'I am honored to join the team at Funko, an iconic company with a huge fan base that I admire and respect. Pop culture - and people's desire to connect with the lifestyle brands they love - is stronger today than ever. There are so many ways we can build on Funko's fandom and expand our business for the benefit of both customers and shareholders.' Simon joins Funko following more than five years at Netflix, where he served as Vice President, Consumer Products, overseeing its global merchandise business, live experiences, and the Roald Dahl Story Company. Simon built and scaled the division, creating a broad range of products for Netflix's biggest titles, such as Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Squid Game and dozens of other titles. He also launched its first e-commerce platform for consumer products and managed relationships with the world's largest retailers, including Walmart, Target, Primark and more. Additionally, Simon oversaw the growth of Netflix's Experiences business, launching more than 40 unique experiences across 300 cities around the world. Prior to Netflix, Simon held several senior management roles of increasing responsibility at Nike, most recently as the Vice President and Head of Global Strategy for product, design, merchandising and categories. Earlier, he held roles overseeing feature film production and development at The Walt Disney Company's Motion Picture Group and the DreamWorks-based Color Force Productions and in Disney's corporate strategy and development group. Simon holds a B.A. in economics from Harvard University. About Funko: Funko is a leading global pop culture lifestyle brand, with a diverse collection of brands, including Funko, Loungefly, and Mondo, and an industry-leading portfolio of licenses. Funko delivers industry-defining products that span vinyl figures, micro-collectibles, fashion accessories, apparel, action toys, high-end art, music collectibles, among others, many of which are at the forefront of the growing Kidult economy. Through these products, which include the iconic original Pop! line, Bitty Pop!, and Pop! Yourself, Funko inspires fans across the globe to express their passions, build community, and have fun. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Washington state, Funko has offices, retail locations, operations, and licensed partnerships in major consumer geographies across the globe. Learn more at and follow us on TikTok, X, and Instagram. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's growth opportunities, future financial results and strategy. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our ability to execute our business strategy; our ability to manage our inventories and growth; risks relating to our indebtedness, including our ability to comply with financial and negative covenants under our Credit Agreement, as amended, and our ability to continue as a going concern; our ability to maintain and realize the full value of our license agreements; impacts from economic downturns; changes in the retail industry and markets for our consumer products; our ability to maintain our relationships with retail customers and distributors; our ability to compete effectively; fluctuations in our gross margin and seasonal impacts; our dependence on content development and creation by third parties; the ongoing level of popularity of our products with consumers; our ability to develop and introduce products in a timely and cost-effective manner; our ability to obtain, maintain and protect our intellectual property rights or those of our licensors; potential violations of the intellectual property rights of others; risks associated with counterfeit versions of our products; our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and maintain our corporate culture; our use of third-party manufacturing; risks associated with climate change; increased attention to sustainability and environmental, social and governance initiatives; geographic concentration of our operations; risks associated with our international operations, including risks related to tariffs and trade restrictions; changes in effective tax rates or tax law; our dependence on vendors and outsourcers; risks relating to government regulation; risks relating to litigation, including products liability claims and securities class action litigation; any failure to successfully integrate or realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions or investments; future development and acceptance of blockchain networks; risks associated with receiving payments in digital assets; risk resulting from our e-commerce business and social media presence; our ability to successfully operate our information systems and implement new technology; our ability to secure additional financing on favorable terms or at all; the potential for our or our third-party providers' electronic data or the electronic data of our customers to be compromised; the influence of our significant stockholder, TCG, and the possibility that TCG's interests may conflict with the interests of our other stockholders; risks relating to our organizational structure; including the Tax Receivable Agreement ("TRA") which confers certain benefits upon the parties to the TRA ("TRA Parties") that will not benefit Class A common stockholders to the same extent as it will benefit the TRA Parties; volatility in the price of our Class A common stock; and risks associated with our internal control over financial reporting. These and other important factors discussed under the caption 'Risk Factors' in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
