Lobo from DC Comics: uhbrutal.cos / photo: @story_logic

Yes, it was Lobo! I decided on the character just alil bit after I first started cosplaying. I have only been for about a year and a half. Though I love his comics, another reason I chose him is because I am tryin to pick characters that showcase my natural hair. (I was rereading some one day and just had a brain blast to cosplay him)

I was alil underwhelmed by the response to him during Katsu. I will say I was lucky enough that some people who stopped me were just as big fans as I was or took some incredible photos I wouldn't have been able to. I think I was only underwhelmed because when I did Dr.Rockso from Metalocalypse my first convention, I was surprised how many people recognized him.

I think I have always known about cosplay? Just not the specific name itself til after high school. I always would see characters from tv shows, movies, or any other type of media and want to dress up as them from a young age. It took me awhile to actually get into it and I'm so glad I finally did

Captain America / Mr. Rogers : @booty_mk19 / photo: @story_logic

My origin story is my kids- I started taking them to cons maybe 12 or 13 years ago, and they wanted to cosplay. Trying to be a good Dad, I joined in with some simple stuff- Dr Who or Slenderman, things I could do with stuff in my closet already or spending less than $20 at Goodwill.

Then I found I enjoyed it- nothing makes my day more than being asked for a picture or a kid running up to excited because they recognize me.

My kids are adults now… but we still go to Katsucon, Otakon, and our local Dover Comic Con every year.

I tend to cosplay characters from older media- Gilligan from Gilligans Island, Robin from the 1960s Batman TV show, that sort of thing.

So when I saw a comic strip about Thor and Mr Rogers, the idea of Mr Rogers carrying Mjöllnir was born. From there, the Steve Rogers/Fred Rogers connection took over- and not just with me. There’s a fan theory that after Steve Rogers took back the Infinity Stones, he went into public television.

Cosplayer: @malithepenguiin / photo: @story_logic

When Frozen came out in 2013, I immediately related to Elsa. She’s essentially stuck being perfect and just wants to be independent and live her life. This cosplay was bought from ProCos and modified to fit my measurements! I also bedazzled a lot of it myself. The costume was very well received at katsu! so many people came to ask for pictures and complimented me. I had a lotttt of kids as well! 

I started cosplaying when I was about 14 to local conventions! I hand stitched all of my costumes because I was scared of sewing machines. I thrifted and modified a lot, and continue to do so with my cosplays! This is only my second Katsu, but I plan on coming back more and more! 

My advice would be to never be afraid to try new things. Also, practicing crafting and making things. Thrift all that you can too! All cosplay is valid and you’ll always look good so long as you put effort in and have fun!

Hu Tao from #GenshinImpact Cosplayer: @maridolcii Photo:@story_logic

Katsu is special because it's the very first con I ever attended. I've been going every year since 2011 (I was only 11 years old then!) So it's become a tradition for most of my life to go. I plan to attend for as many years as fate let's me. I've been able to step out of my shell and make so many friends there, it's such a magical experience for me to surround myself with people who are just like me. A bunch of nerds that need a space to nerd out

Back then anime was still niche. I remember my sister and I were considered the weird kids for liking anime. So being surrounded by so many people, adults no less, who kept their passion and brought their favorite characters to life was just surreal. I knew that young that I wanted to be a cosplayer too. And it's taken me some time to come out of my comfort zone but at 23 I've started doing it!

Favorite thing: I can express a different side of myself in a very creative and unique way. even if for just a couple hours a day, cosplay allows me to step away from reality and do something fun!

Mona Lisa @sonya_hamilton_333 / photo : @story_logic This is my third year coming bc I am a mom supporting my teenage daughter, who is a big Anime fan. But I am also a mom who likes to encourage by also participating! This Mona Lisa was my Halloween choice this past year and I knew it would be a hit at Convention. I’ve never had my picture taken so many times in one day in my life. So many fun interactions with such a creative community! I am converting over to an Anime fan!

Cosplayer @echo_cosplay / photo: @story_logic

I was cosplaying Tobirama Senju, the second hokage in Naruto. My friend mentioned that he had been interested in cosplaying the first hokage when we were at MAGFest. We decided to make it into a group cosplay for Katsucon. The response to the cosplay was really great. I got a lot of positive feedback which was awesome.This was my first EVA foam armor build and I was honestly surprised at how well the costume turned out for a first attempt.

Cosplay has had such a powerful impact on my life. It is such a fun creative outlet and has allowed me to connect my love of art with my interest in anime and videogames. It’s something that has pushed me to constantly be learning and growing and improving. I’ve gained so much confidence in myself and my abilities. Not only that, but the community has made my life so much better. There is so much positivity and encouragement in the cosplay community. I’ve met so many amazing friends and had so many wonderful experiences because of cosplay (for example, my husband proposed during the One Piece meetup at DragonCon last year).

I have only been cosplaying for about two years now, so I still consider myself newbie. My advice for other new cosplayers would be not to be afraid to ask for advice or help. During this build I spent a lot of time on YouTube (Kamui Cosplay is an absolute life saver) and I reached out to my more seasoned cosplay friends for advice and tips a lot. If you have a friend who excels at something specific (wig styling, sewing, EVA foam, ect) ask them for tips, it can save you a lot of time and energy.

My other advice would be to remember to enjoy your hobby! Take things at a pace that works with your schedule, don’t compare yourself to others, and take the time to look back and see how much you’ve grown as a cosplayer. Cosplay is supposed to be fun, so do it in a way that brings you joy!

Roux Louka from Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ

Costume made and worn by me. Photo taken by mizfitpeep on IG at Anime NebrasKon 2023.

Roux is a character who I had thought about cosplaying for quite a while, and I even bought the wig a couple of years before I ended up doing it. In 2023, I wanted a costume that I could comfortably wear while driving home from a con, and Roux ended up being perfect for that. Until then, Gundam was probably my favorite long-running anime franchise that I had never cosplayed, so it was cool to finally cover it.

This was a very simple costume that didn't take long for me to construct. I bought the unitard and wore it unaltered aside from sewing a snap to the shoulder to hold up the sash. The rest I made using leftover materials from other projects. The wig is an Arda Venus in Ice Violet that didn't require much styling outside of cutting the bangs. I bought and wore earrings, though they were usually obscured by the hair.

by Anna-Neko

Before all the endless online, digital everything, before FB and Insta, the “don’t u know how many followers…” & influencers nonsense, there was this man!

Kevin would take your photo, make small-talk & drop encouraging comments and make you feel a star! A former cosplay partner still fondly remembers how he would always know what she was cosplaying as! No matter how obscure! If he didn’t know the cosplay – he would ask about it! The interest always genuine. He seemed to remember everyone from con to con, and in later years when instead of running around he would set up a corner with a backdrop and do photos this way – he would jot down file numbers & email me full-size images after the event if asked.

So just a quick scene setting up. It is very easy to forget, but back then (1999 to maybe 2002~ish) there was waaaaay less conventions. There wasn’t an event happening every weekend, much less multiple events at same time! Digital cameras were not a thing. Well, obviously they existed, but your average otaku heading to an anime con might bring a cheap 35mm disposable camera (or maybe 3, if CVS had a multi-pack sale!).

Kevin’s FansView website was THE cosplay/cons site. He updated multiple times throughout the event, 2 or 3 times each day! There weren’t just photos of “hot people”, he tirelessly took photos of regular attendees, cosplayers of various ages and skill levels, guest & panel highlights…. If you weren’t lucky enough to be at the convention itself, seeing all his photos was the next best thing! In a few years we’d have con report galleries on Cosplay.com, Geocities and LinusLam …. but all these were _after the fact_, not during. Not quite the same, ya know?)

Even my mom knew his website, and during cons I’d call home during the weekend and she would excitedly tell me she was just on Kevin’s site and saw my photo!

Like, seriously…. we’d joke a con wasn’t a con until you either a) saw House of Anime truck in the parking lot, or b) ran into Mr Lillard.

Over the years there’s been all sorts of amazing run-ins with him. He would always make some jokes, and go above and beyond helping a fellow nerd – like the time my brand~new digital camera (in 2000! quite the expense!) suddenly died (6 AA batteries the monster ate) and he kindly tried to help me with both fresh batteries and advice, and when it looked like the camera wasn’t coming back he straight up took out his FILM CAMERA (again, this man was a pro! He always had a backup) and took photos of my cosplay and friends’, and handed me the finished roll

OR that other time my memory card was already full within literally first few hours of the convention (circa 2000, CompactFlash. Gigs? ha! Your PC might have 2 gigs hard drive and be a luxury. Memory cards ran in the Megabites) and this SAINT of a man helped by using HIS LAPTOP to let me clear out the card, email the zip file to myself then and there, and thus have memory space to take another 30~40 photos

or this Other OTHER time we were talking about shitty hotel hallway lights… And asked if he would mind popping with us outside real quick? He took the time to go! Outdoors into the sunshine! On the lawns by the hotel for a good 30 minutes! Thus giving us our first ‘proper’ cosplay photoshoot no less!! (freakin 2001, people!! pro~photoshoots or sheduling time-slots with an online-famous photog was not a thing. Not yet, not for another few years)

He made all us awkward weebs feel welcome from the get~go! Nobody had internet once left the house. No cellphones. Especially not a phone that could double as a hi-res camera. You came to the convention with a cheap disposable film camera, or none at all – hoping your friends brought one. Conventions didn’t have photo suites, no staff photogs… it was not a thing yet.

The other joke used to be “oh you’re at so-and-so con? Did you run into Kevin yet??” or “no no no, don’t change yet! We need to find Kevin!! You must be documented” (and if you had insane luck, you may even see that photo as convention cosplay coverage in an issue of Animerica months later!) For some of us, the only photos of those early costumes only exist because Kevin was there to take it.

#cosplayhistory

by Zippy

After visiting my first anime convention in my final months of college in March 2007, DaigaCon in Bowling Green, Kentucky, I knew I needed to seek out more conventions to feed my burgeoning love of anime and the fan community. This led me to wake up my sister super early on September 22nd, 2007 to take the nearly two hour drive down from Chattanooga to the Cobb Galleria, where I’d participate in my first, but certainly not last, Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA). At the time AWA was celebrating its 13th year, with a “mere” 10,000 attendees, a third of what was estimated to have attended in 2022. 

For my eyes though, entering Anime Weekend Atlanta was like discovering a bustling Otaku metropolis full of strange sights, sounds, and perhaps smells too. I planned a full schedule of panels including one featuring some of my favorite podcasters Anime World Order, which I found had Otaku Generation members in attendance as well – I fanboyed hard over all of them. I also ensured we would meet some of the guests, and specifically my sister and I both wanted to meet Greg Ayres who then, and everytime I’ve met him since, has been an absolute treasure. Of course we also marveled at all the cosplays too, and to this day my sister and I still recall some of our favorite cosplays we saw that year including a fancy deer cosplayer who bowed upon meeting us! After exhausting ourselves with panels, events, and running around, with the tiredness leading to some sibling squabbles, we took a break and relaxed in line outside the door for the concerts of the evening featuring Peelander-Z, The Emeralds, and The Captains. After rocking alongside the bands, in the late PM early AM hours, we drove back where I summarily had my first post-AWA sleep and recovery. This day still is treasured in my heart and my memories.

Since my trek down to my first AWA, my love of the con, as well as its importance in my life, has grown year after year. As a member of the press in attendance for many years, I had the pleasure to interview some incredible people including the author Helen McCarthy, music artist and producer Taku Takahashi, Otaku USA founder Patrick Macias, and DJ/producer TeddyLoid to name a few. I’ve also made many lifelong friendships, which makes AWA feel as much like a reunion as it does a convention. I’ve even had my share of heartbreak connected to the con, with friends who used to attend with me passing away, and also missed moments and lost connections over the years. All in all it has added up to the con becoming an incredible part of my life, which I think is why I was especially feeling emotional leading into this final year at the Cobb Galleria.

This year was my 16th trip to the convention, which I’ve attended consecutively (excluding the year of the Covid cancellation) since that first trip down in 2007. (This was also Anime Weekend Atlanta’s 29th year in existence.) My place in fandom has certainly evolved since then, as I’m now the former president of an anime club, former radio host of an J-Pop/J-Rock/anime college radio show, and former director for an anime con that ran for seven years. My time spent watching anime has dropped significantly too, less due to lack of interest and more time obligations, and so though my love of anime, anime cons, and the culture therein has never waned, I’ve seen myself go from a young upstart to becoming a somewhat elder statesmen looking on as new generations take their own paths into the fandom. I caveat that all to say that coming into this year’s Anime Weekend Atlanta was emotional at the onset, as the rumor mill had predicted – correctly so – a move from the Cobb Galleria, AWA’s home for the last twenty years, to the future home of the con the Georgia World Congress Center.

Many of us undoubtedly had and have mixed feelings about the move, though as a past con runner myself I certainly understand many of the pressures and the reasoning for the move, but without yet thinking too much on the future we all wanted to focus on the time and present and to enjoy this convention to its fullest. Thanks to a combination of wonderful weather, an incredible array of guests, panels, vendors, and artists, nearly everyone I encountered was able to do just that and seemed to really enjoy their AWA experience to the fullest.

Certainly there were some changes: the hotel introduced wristbands for the lobby, the main path of flow between the Cobb Galleria and the Renaissance Waverly was reversed (I eventually got used to it), and registration was in the old theater, which feels like it should’ve been used from the start. Yet what remained the same spoke to the success of the con over the years and presented a positive outlook for its future. I’m specifically speaking of things like the packed, yet fun if you got inside, Super Happy Fun Sell. I’m also including the many incredible music performances such as the rave, highlighted by the inclusion of TeddyLoid and Taku Takahashi of M-Flo. I of course have to shout out the full array of guests, who drew folks to their panels and to the back of the dealer’s hall for autographs in droves. Likewise the panels were awesome as always, including Dave Merrill’s Anime Hell, a panel whose presence over the years has been like a steady anchor in the everchanging schedule. (Merrill helped create Anime Weekend Atlanta, and previously served as con chairman.) Lastly and most importantly everywhere in the con there were fans of all ages, some in cosplays which is always incredible to see, who through their presence and participation in the con showed their love for the fandom and for each other by helping to create this place for us all to just geek out for a weekend.

It’s important I think to remember that the fans are the rock of conventions like Anime Weekend Atlanta. Merrill in his opening for Anime Hell highlighted the work of every fan at the con, and in the American anime community at large, who through our presence and support not only helped make Anime Weekend Atlanta happen all these years, but also helped build the anime fandom that now flourishes in America. “We did that”, Merrill emphasized, giving credit to fans over companies. That’s an incredibly resonant point and a reminder that while AWA may change in various ways over the years, as long as fans remain, and as long as it’s a welcome home for this community, no matter where the convention will take place it’ll have a lasting life for present and future anime fans for many years to come.

Zippy is a contributor to Cosplay in America as well as editor of Last Looks

 Corey Paul of @bebopbountybigband

 I was immediately drawn to Cowboy Bebop the first time I heard the theme song play on Toonami in the mid-2000s. As a young band geek and anime lover, I was instantly captivated. You could say I fell in love with the soundtrack before I ever even watched the show, but wow. It’s not often all the elements come together to create a magnificent piece of art and storytelling with unique and exciting music interwoven with equally unique and exciting story lines. The characters and dialogue are every bit as poetic and thrilling as the music written to accompany them.

There’s so much I’m still learning and at the beginning I was making it up as I went along! The music transcription was a long process of sitting down with these recordings and painstakingly listening for each and every note that the band plays so that I could write it down and recreate it. Thankfully, it was such a joy to get intimately familiar with Yoko Kanno’s writing. She’s such a genius! Putting it together was the easy part. I’ve played professionally in Florida for many years now and I have a lot of world-class musicians that aren’t just my close friends, but are absolutely perfect for the band. Each member has been hand picked for their unique skills and style to put together the best show possible! In terms of finance and marketing, at first it was super confusing. I’m a musician first <B>after all! Luckily, I now have a wonderful administrative team that helps me with the non-music stuff.

The members I chose to make up the band include the greatest musicians I’ve had the pleasure of playing with. Much of the band is made up of pros from the Jazz at Lincoln Center franchise, the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Walt Disney Company, and solo artists with followings of their own. Most of the band became Cowboy Bebop fans after joining the band and playing the music. Others, like myself, have been long time fans. Now we all mutually love the series and all that it has to offer!

We have 2 tours currently announced and a lot more on the way! Our first tour ever is coming up starting on November 30th in Atlanta and we are all super excited to show what we’ve made to people all over the country. Eventually, even the world! We have some more awesome shows involving new cities and new conventions that we’re getting ready to announce soon for Cowboy Bebop LIVE! 

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Bebop Bunty Big Band o tour currently

Cowboybeboplive.com

Hobgoblin from Spiderman : thehobgoblin238

I decided to do The Hobgoblin because I loved the dynamic of his character and how long it actually took in the comics to reveal his identity. I've always seen the more popular characters from Spider Man being cosplayed and I wanted to do something different and original. I'm kinda shy so being a villain really brings out the creative side in me and allows me to be more outgoing and really have fun with something outside of my normal personality. Plus I like to think of him as the Joker of the Marvel Universe.

The process was very long. I started simple with cloth and learning how to sew. I used bed sheets and various materials around the house to create this since I was new to crafts and the cosplay world. I eventually got better at sewing, found better material along with the help of my friends at ShapeShifterZ to come up with a great pattern, comfortable fit and the look I was going for. It was challenging learning how to sew leather, it's expensive and you only get one shot at it. I first used makeup for my face but I couldn't get it to look menacing enough. I tried a pumpkin masks I got from a Halloween store and eventually partnered with CFX to have them make a custom mask that moves with my face and mouth.

Once I felt confident and satisfied with the outfit, I knew I needed to complete the entire ensemble and really make The Hobgoblin who he is, his glider. I watched a lot of YouTube videos, asked other cosplay friends for advice and eventually came up with the simple design you see me rolling around cons with. The one you see today is the fourth version because the others were not stable enough and fell apart. The entire costume took a couple of years to put together but it was a lot of trial and error, testing it out at cons and feedback from friends.

Everyone seems to love the originality of the costume and how it looks like it jumped off the page of a comic book. I couldn't ask for a better response. I carry around extra pumpkin bombs for the kids, who aren't afraid of me, to take cool and interesting pictures with them. They seem to get a kick out of it and I usually tell them to stay evil and the parents get a good laugh out of it. One of the things I find funny at cons besides telling kids to stay evil, is when I notice people video taping me or asking me to ride around so they can get video. I usually throw a pumpkin bomb at their camera/phone. Don't worry it's a plush toy and very soft. They seem to enjoy it and it makes for a really fun and cool video.

The biggest compliment I ever got was from John Romita Jr. He was behind his booth and came out from around the table and the first words out of his mouth were "Wow, this is amazing! Better than anything I could have imagined in real life." He gave me a big hug and just admired my version of bringing his character to life. He gave me once piece of advice and he said I needed to add a big red eye and a small red eye. He stressed that that was a distinct characteristic of The Hobgoblin and the next time he sees me I better have that. I told him, no problem "Dad" I'll get it done. He had a good chuckle, signed a few items for me and told me I did a great job. I think getting compliments like those from the original artists are the best compliments a cosplayer can get. I've gotten similar reactions from Stan Lee, Tom Holland and Jacob Batalon. But Ill save those stories for another time.

I used to be really introverted, to some extent I still am, but cosplaying has really allowed me to connect with people, have fun and really get out of my shell. I'm always excited to go to a new cons or cons I've been to before and show off my Hobgoblin and now The Klaw, another obscure marvel character. I really makes me feel good and happy to hear all the great compliments and how they've seen me at other cons and are excited to meet me. I do this for the love of cosplay and being around other creative artist. I don't have many followers, nor am I interested in getting a ton, but it's always great when I get recognized and people ask to have thier photo taken with me. Those smiles, laughter and good times make riding on that tiny hoverboard all day totally worth it.

If you ever see me at a con feel free to say hi, share stories and talk nerdy. Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Anime or anything in between, I love it all. I'm never in a hurry to go anywhere, even though I'm speeding down the aisle ways, so shout out "Hobgoblin" and I'm more than happy to stop, take a few photos and enjoy the con with you. Most importantly "If you got a problem, call Hobgoblin"

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Video : Parks and Cons

Cosplayer : @jerrmeehanjr

I’ve been going to comic con off and on for 10 years, even before The Walking Dead premiered on TV and you didn’t have to worry about it selling out the entire weekend. In all that time I have never actually cosplayed as anything when I went. One time I wore a Boba Fett helmet with a nice sweater but that doesn’t count. 

This year I went to comic con as myself. I make cartoons on YouTube and my character is based on me! I created a mask by printing out my cartoon face and gluing it to corrugated plastic. I then used an exacto knife to cut out the mask and painted in the hair, eyes, and tongue. I got velcro straps that I glued and taped down to the back and cut little eye holes out to see. 

As far as my experience goes cosplaying as my OC it was a lot of fun. I was nervous at first taking the train in, I'm not entirely sure why but it probably was me worrying about having diarrhea as usual. Once we got in I put the mask on and started handing out stickers. My wife came with me and it was her first comic con so I wanted her to be able to experience everything while we were there. I went on Thursday this year, which was packed! The only negative experience I had was I cut the holes to see out of too small so I had to shuffle everywhere while my wife guided me. Luckily I didn't trip over anyone but I did hit a few people in the head. Sorry. 

I had a lot of good reactions to my cosplay and was even noticed by 2 people which was crazy. That was my first time being noticed! It was funny because I couldn’t see anyone out of my mask and heard someone ask my wife “is that the guy from tik tok?” And she was like uh yes? And they asked to take a photo with me. Then while that was happening another person recognized me too and wanted a photo as well. It was a great feeling because I’m trying to grow my channel and to be spotted even by 1 person out of the packed comic con was cool. I handed out all my stickers and finally took my mask off to enjoy the rest of the day. It definitely made me appreciate cosplayers even more than I already did! 

LadyToxie - Audio

Cosplayer : @djcroft_ Photo : @mandragora_media

I've always wanted to be Lara Croft because of how strong, confident, bold, and how fun she is as a character . My cosplay journey started back in 2016 when I was inspired to do a genderbend Lara Croft cosplay. I started learning how to make costumes out from scratch by watching others online make their cosplay from scratch from different material.

My Lara Croft cosplay has dramatically increased from starting off with using cardboard to build the classic backpack and holsters to knowing how to work with eva foam, hand paint, other materials to make the backpack, holsters, boots, other accessories! I also have found new and better ways to build my costume pieces compared to the more simplistic why I used tk start out. Also from the character perspective my poses and facial expressions has evolved as well I pose better as Lara Croft now and have more of a variety of poses now compared to when I first started

Cosplay has taught me that it's okay to be myself and to love feeling like a badass in character. I used to get put down so much for simply being me and looking like me from my past and cosplay has shown me that I am awesome and I am good enough and I am not what happened to me in rhe past. 

My definition of being successful in cosplay is when you actually start to realize you enjoy what you do. It's not about the fame or followers count. It's about feeling free and happiness and content with what you put out there and to inspire someone else to do the same thing you are doing? That speaks volumes! That to me is success! Cosplay shouldn't feel like dreading work! It should feel like a fantasy world!

Cosplayer : @scrappercostuming / media @making.with.megan

The Classic Batman TV series, to my memory was my first real exposure to superhero media- my parents were both the right age to watch the show growing up, and around the time I was 4 or 5 I remember knowing when Batman would air on TV land in the evenings. Even as a kid I remember loving how over-the-top the show was, even being amazed that the Batmobile had its own computer. I’d watch the movie very frequently on DVD on car rides, the Shark Repellant Bat-Spray and the bomb run scenes especially stuck with me (as I’m sure they do most people) I had watched all the movies that came after it, and though I thought they were great, Adam West always immediately came to mind whenever I’d think of Batman.

What I did NOT really expect though was the level of interaction that this character can evoke at conventions. The bomb was always a clear accessory choice to bring to conventions because of how famous that scene is, but I remember the first time I wore the costume this incredible thing happening where I decided to lift the bomb over my head and start running, and the crowds of people IMMEDIATELY recognized what was happening and parted to allow me through. In those moments, it felt like even more of my responsibility to bring the spirit of the Bright Knight as much as I could.

My absolute favorite part about wearing it, especially at New York Comic Con, is the discussions I get to have with people about the show. I don’t think i really understood just how special this version of Batman was to so many people beforehand. Getting to talk wit people about fond memories of their childhood watching the show as it released, perhaps people recalling being introduced to the show by their own parents, and parents explaining who Adam West and his Batman were always bring a smile to my face, knowing that all sorts of extremely different people share similar fond memories as I do with the character makes me happy to have brought the suit out and been able to put a nostalgic smile on their face. At this year’s NYCC when I wore it, perhaps my favorite memory in it was a father asking me to take a photo with his young son, who was dressed in a Pattinson style batman outfit- there was just some symbolism present there that reminded me of how crazy this incredible cross-generational impact of Batman as a character is, and makes me think about how much of that wouldn’t have happened had Adam West never put on the cowl.

Cosplayer: @gata_fiera_cosplay

It was my first time going to NYCC so I didn’t know what to expect. I was especially concerned how my 9 month old son would react. A friend who is an OG at the con suggested we go Thursday or Sunday since those are the slower days. We went Thursday, the opening of NYCC. My son and I cosplayed as Chi Chi and little Gohan since I’m a huge fan of DBZ. I also made sure to choose easy comfortable cosplays so I could focus on the baby, unlike most I have that would typically require a handler.

His Gohan outfit made so many people happy. Especially at the Dragon Ball booths. He ended up taking a nap at the Dragon Ball panel. He was squealing and jumping at the new Daima trailer and then suddenly knocked out a minute later. I guess he wasn’t impressed lol. We would make sure to take plenty of breaks to get him out of the stroller. Otherwise, he would get fussy.

The show area had several booths that were carpeted which was perfect so we would just sit in a corner for a bit to rest. He almost crawled for the first time during one of those breaks! NYCC also has a designated spot on the first floor for kids activities. It was a very convenient area to rest and feed him. My son also wears a helmet so we put a Captain America decal wrap over it. The extra day we took him, he was Captain America to meet Chris Evans at his photo op. Chris loved his outfit! Overall it was one of my favorite cons. Seeing my son have so much fun even at 9 months old created unforgettable memories for me.

Cosplayer: kuruvata / Photo @drewcoremas

Toad is a timeless character. Both young and old love them, Toad was such a scene stealer in the almost recent Super Mario Bros Movie, and is one of the best characters to play/interact with in the game.

The costume is mostly made out of foam padding and felt fabric. Two materials I had never worked with before. The most challenging part is trying to glue everything down, make it stick, and keep its shape!

Almost everyone recognized Toad at New York Comic Con. I could barely get a few feet forward before getting asked for pictures. It was quite challenging and the inside does get hot despite the two fans I had inside.

My cosplay origin story started back in 2015 when a close friend invited me to my very first New York Comic Con. I had built a Bane costume out of cardboard and tubing. After seeing all the intricate cosplayers in attendance, I was inspired to also build my own.