“It is our sacred duty to defend the world. And it is what I’m going to do.”

The long-awaited and critically acclaimed Wonder Woman film hits theaters tonight. We’ve been celebrating with Wonder Woman cosplay all week and have found perhaps the most accurate Wonder Woman movie cosplay to date courtesy of the lovely Tahnee Harrison:

Straight Outta Themiscyra With @jrulison

A post shared by Tahnee Harrison (@tahneeharrison) on May 21, 2017 at 2:36pm PDT

It's too bad @jrulison and I had such an awful time at our shoot today. #WonderWomanBeatbox

A post shared by Tahnee Harrison (@tahneeharrison) on May 20, 2017 at 9:38pm PDT

Facebook: Tahnee Harrison

Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.

Genji recently entered the Nexus as one of the newest members of Heroes of the Storm, so there are now two places to get extremely frustrated by him. Far less frustrating is checking out Blondiee’s impressive cosplay:

Twitter: @blondieecosplay

Or: Check out more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.

Are you attending E3 2017, billed as the “world’s premier event for computer, video and mobile games and related products”? If not, then maybe you’ll enjoy this brief look at the first day of E3 2017 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

All photos by Mitchell Lampert.

We love unique costume play ideas here at AiPT! and this Spider-Gwen/Miles Morales amalgam from Tampa, Florida based cosplayer Alexis Victorious certainly fits the bill:

Instagram: @alexisvictorious

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Megan Coffey is one of our favorites here at AiPT! and this Zero Suit Samus Aran that she recently wore at the C2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo) flaunts her cosplaying abilities quite well:

More: Check out other Megan Coffey cosplay galleries.

2006’s Tomb Raider: Legend saw a return to the original spirit of the Tomb Raider franchise. Italian cosplayer Eilaire brings to life the heart and essence of series protagonist Lara Croft, seen here in her standard expedition gear, quite well in the following set:

Facebook: EilaireCosplay

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What’s a gal to do when she’s not flying around in her combat armor, launching high-explosive rockets? Cami Cosplayer shows us exactly what Fareeha Amari, AKA Pharah does when she’s not busy protecting the innocent in the following set:

Facebook: Cami Cosplayer

Photography: Ronaldo Ichi

Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.

The recent Ghost in the Shell (2017) film starring Scarlett Johansson might not have captured all the emotional and intellectual beats that the vaunted Japanese manga/anime did, but one can’t deny its captivating aesthetic, which cosplayer Elena Samko (as Major Motoko Kusanagi) embodies in the following set:

DeviantArt: Elena Samko

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Today at MASSive Comic Con I was fortunate enough to speak with the extremely talented and lovely Abby Darkstar. She and her husband/cosplay partner Keith Zen were in attendance as Archer characters Kreiger and his Virtual Girlfriend. They were nice enough to take time to speak with me about food, World of Warcraft, the influence of social media on our society and of course, cosplay.

AiPT!: When you arrive at a convention, whether it’s a big one like San Diego or a smaller con such as this, what’s your favorite thing to do right off the bat?

Abby Darkstar: I usually seek out good food. A unique restaurant that’s highly recommended by locals. I love good food laughs

AiPT!: Did you guys find anything good in the area?

Darkstar: Armsby Abbey. It’s a very nice restaurant that does farm to table and had great cocktails.

Keith Zen: Although there was a disconcerting moment with a story about the pig we were about to eat. I felt guilt that if I didn’t order it, I wasn’t honoring its sacrifice. laughs

AiPT!: You’ve traveled across the country and the world through cosplay and met countless people. What’s the strangest or most surreal situation you’ve found yourself in through cosplaying?

Darkstar: That’s a really good question–I like your question, sir! I think it was when we were in Australia for Oz Comic Con. We were there for two weeks and all the guests were kept together the entire time–the actors, voice actors, artist, cosplayers all a bus together. We’re going to wine tours, the zoo, and drinking with cast members from all these different shows while singing to songs on the radio. Moments like that have me saying “what even is this? Okay, I just dress up for fun and here I am in this situation.”

Zen: Abbey was wearing this exact outfit and there was a moment with Billie Piper, where she came up and said “Do you think I could do this? Do you think I’d look good in this wig?”

AiPT!: You have a Tumblr, DeviantART, Twitch, Facebook…a lot of social media, a lot of ways to interact with people. Out of all those platforms, what’s your favorite way to interact with your fans and talk to people?

Darkstar: I think my favorite is Twitch or even Facebook Live. It’s very reactionary; you know, instant conversation and silliness. I could drop something or make a funny sound and then Twitch chat has me laughing and making these instant connections with people. I love that because that’s what our community is about. It’s about sharing; a comic book story or a costume tip. That sharing builds this positive environment and that’s why I love it.

AiPT!: As I’m sure you’ve both heard, recently at Phoenix Comic Con a man was arrested for showing up with several real guns and threatening police officers. In response, the con organizers banned all weapons. Do you think this was the right move and do you foresee other big conventions like San Diego, New York and Boston banning all weapons because of this? Do you think it’s going to influence the community?

Darkstar: I do think that they larger conventions will exact the same ruling or much stricter rules around prop weapons. Unfortunately, the way things have been lately in the news I think that it’s warranted. It’s sad and it sucks but no prop costume is worth someone’s life. If I had been the reason that someone like that got in, because I had a similar weapon, I would feel like shit.

I really hope that what happens is training for the people who’re screening prop weapons, that way we can build a better environment that includes them. I hope costumers and cosplayers support these things instead of becoming angry douches about it. We have a right to be angry because something is being taken away from us. But it’s being taken away from us for a very very good reason.

I think if we come to the security and police officers at cons and say “How can I help? What can I do to show that this isn’t a real weapon?” and step up and show that we’re a good community and that we care about protecting each other, I think that it will improve. We need to take a positive stand before we resort to complaining. Shit or get off the pot.

AiPT!: I saw on your Facebook page that you’re a historian. As a fellow history buff I’d love to hear more about that!

Darkstar: I got my degree in British and Medieval history with a minor in Japanese Cultural history. I had an amazing history teacher when I was in school; he was a storyteller. The way he would explain history to us was through stories as opposed to quoting dates and blandly stating facts. It helped me understand how these events influenced our future.

There are so many things we can learn from history that apply to our future. A lot of the time it helps us understand people. We’re all different, we all have baggage, we all have damage, we all have reasons behind why we do things. If we can understand someone, we can effectively communicate with them. History is a way to understand people and the whys of what they are.

I especially enjoy British and Medieval history because that’s one of the real building blocks of civilization. Japanese cultural history is so unique, respected and relevant. The Japanese method of preserving their culture is phenomenal to me.

AiPT!: As a fellow World of Warcraft player, I’d love to know what you think about Legion. Specifically, what’re your thoughts on artifact weapons, class halls and the addition of the demon hunter class?

Darkstar: I really like Legion. So often when a new expansion comes out it’s, okay boom boom boom, max level done! Alright I guess I’ll work on my professions now? After that I guess I’ll go level another character?

I wasn’t a fan of WoD, especially garrisons. I didn’t want to be stuck by myself in this thing. So when class halls came out I was worried it would be another garrison all over again. But I was wrong and I love it. I have the app on my phone. There’s story quests, world quests, outdoor boss fights and so much more to the game now. I especially like all the ties to past lore, it reminds me of all the things I love about this game and I really think they did a great job with Legion.

AiPT!: Social media is a huge part of our society. Nearly every individual, business and even government office participates. With its massive role in our day-to-day lives, it has a strong influence on children and how they view the world. Given the exploding cosplay scene and its place in commercial media spotlight, especially female cosplayers, do you worry that young girls and women could be receiving the wrong message about cosplay? That they could receive the wrong message about how to dress and what to post pictures of to get followers and have people like them?

Darkstar: It’s a hard to question to answer. While yes more revealing cosplay does get a lot of attention, if you look at it statistically, there are more cosplay photos out there of Star Wars characters and armor than ever before. So, some could draw similar conclusions and say “Oh I guess I have to dress up in armor or Star Wars cosplay to be successful”.

For myself and I’ve always had this point of view, I do not feel that sexy is a negative. I feel like it’s a way to embrace yourself, your sexuality and your confidence. I was raised in a very strict, very Christian household where you didn’t even wear spaghetti straps. The fact that I can put myself out there with my sexier costumes is me owning my power. It’s me saying “I am a woman. I am proud of my body. I am not afraid of my body.” I think there are levels of appropriateness and as women in this community we have the responsibility to put out the message, do what you are comfortable with, but is age appropriate.

If there is a young woman and she’s embracing herself and being positive about her body, who the hell is anybody to tell her to go cover up? We shouldn’t be telling people what they can and can’t do if they’re behaving safely and making wise decisions. We need to look out for each other, be kind to each other and realize that we don’t all have the same reasons for the decisions we make.

AiPT!: What’s your favorite piece of geek clothing that you own?

Darkstar: My very good friend Jesse Thaxton won the Her Universe competition at San Diego Comic Con–her and my friend Hannah and two additional ladies. They each created two pieces for the Wonder Woman line and one of them is the Daughters of Themyscira tanktop. It has Wonder Woman’s sword embroidered into the back.

The other would be my friend Hannah’s motorcycle jacket but Wonder Woman themed. Those are my two go-to pieces of my wardrobe. I wear them so much that I must remind myself that I can’t wear the same thing two days in a row.

AiPT!: What’re you most looking forward to this year?

Darkstar: That’s another good question. Honestly, I’m most looking forward to the holidays because that’s when I don’t do anything. Sweatpants and Netflix! I can catch up on my games. I don’t have to leave the house. I can become a house potato. A little fungi in the dark.

Here’s where you can find Abby online:

Twitter: @abbydarkstar
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/KeAbtium/videos
Tumblr: abbydarkstar.tumblr.com
DeviantART: abbydark-star.deviantart.com
Instagram: @abbydarkstar
Twitch: twitch.tv/abbydarkstar
Zen and Abby: facebook.com/keabtium

www.keabtium.com / www.abbydarkstar.com

Rehabilitating baby squirrels, founding her own charity organization and being cast on a show about cosplay, Riki "Ridd1e" Lecotey has had quite the journey in the world of cosplay. I caught up with Ridd1e this weekend at MASSive Comic Con and talked cooking, cosplay, gaming and underwear rules.

AiPT!: When you get to a convention, time permitting of course, what’s the first thing you like to do?

Ridd1e: Find a park with some squirrels. laughs It’s actually turning into a thing. I like to look up a good place to eat, maybe check out a local comic store, any kind of major sight seeing. Especially with international conventions, I try to stay a few extra days.

AiPT!: How did you end up in the world of baby squirrel rehabilitation? Do you work with any other animals?

Ridd1e: A friend of mine ended up finding what they thought was a baby squirrel, might have been a rat, they weren’t too sure. It was on their lawn and they were leaving the next day, so they asked me if I wanted to take care of it. I said “Oh yes! Yes I do!”

So, as I’m driving out to pick this thing up, I’m doing all this research because I don’t know how things survive in the wild, there’s so much that goes into taking care of a baby squirrel. I got the squirrel, I got all these things and at one point I thought I had killed it. You can do something when feeding them where they aspirate and get pneumonia. I ended up contacting a local wildlife rehabber and told her that I thought I may have killed the squirrel and I was so upset. She was so nice and told me that I had done fine and that squirrels are social animals when they’re babies so I had to get another one, so I’m like “Yes please!” Since this woman was a licensed rehabber, I could get another squirrel and raise them together and it just sort of exploded from there.

AiPT!: Cosplay for a Cause is a fantastic cause that has raised money for wonderful charities. You’ve been doing it for what, three years now?

Ridd1e: I started it in 2011–I believe it was when the Tsunami hit Japan. I try to do it every other year because I’m facilitating everything on my own. I always grateful when the girls and photographers donate their time to take the photos and help promote it. But I’m handling all the PR, coordinating the design and shipping everything myself. So, I get kind of burnt out. Plus I have my own calendar for myself and I’ve had to put that off for a year to release the Cosplay for a Cause calendar, which benefits the Wildlife Conservation Society.

I love doing charity in all forms. I did a maple syrup print to raise money for the Fort McMurray forest fire, since I lived in Canada and it was near where I lived. It’s me in a bikini pouring maple syrup on myself, it’s very tongue-in-cheek. After the conversion, I raised about nine thousand dollars.

AiPT!: What’re you reading for comics these days?

Ridd1e: I’m reading Jupiter’s Circle and Jupiter’s Legacy. It was recommended to me by a coworker. I’ve also been getting back into anime. I go through phases where I won’t watch anything and there I’ll get back into. Bizarrely I’ve been into this Netflix show called Terrace House; it’s like Real World with Japanese people. I call it Friend Zone House because so many people get put into the friend zone and it’s uncomfortable and hilarious at the same time.

AiPT!: I’ve read that you’re an avid cook. Being an avid cook myself, I’d love to know what your favorite tool in the kitchen is and your favorite dish to make.

Ridd1e: I feel really upset because I’ve been really wanting to embrace my sous-vide and I haven’t really used it. My favorite dish, that’s tough…anything with a puffed pastry. I go through phases. There’s a couple of slow cook things. I love this sweet potato, kale and Italian sausage soup I make, it’s great for the winter. I make a pretty good meatball, slow cooker meatball that’s stuffed with mozzarella. It’s a pork beer mixture and then you put the fresh buffalo mozzarella inside of it.

AiPT!: Wonder Woman surpassed all expectations and is breaking all sorts of records. It’s also a huge milestone for women in the comic book and film genre. As a woman who lives in the nerd/geek culture, what did this film mean to you?

Ridd1e: DC set the expectation pretty low. I went into it without giving it too much thought. Coming out of it I thought it was great and I can respect it from the point that now movie studios can say “hey we have a woman leading a movie”.

I’m going to admit, the last half I kind of checked out. Spoiler alert, Aries was too much. When she ran back to the village after the smoke I thought it was unnecessary, she didn’t even see any of the bodies. I thought it would have been cool given that she’s half god, that she had some adverse reaction to the smoke. It was essentially Captain America. It’s a period piece with a rag-tag team. Her team really didn’t really do anything; there’s the guy looking through the scope, the guy got them into one party and the other guy started a smoke fire. Chris Pine was amazing and charming, Gal Gadot looked amazing and I loved the first battle. I got my money’s worth.

AiPT!: Through cosplay you’ve been all over the world, founded your own charity, been featured in top magazines and blogs, was a cast member on Heroes for Cosplay, judged contests, the list goes on and on. Is there any accolade you’re still reaching for through your cosplay career or are you just enjoying the ride at this point?

Ridd1e: I’m enjoying the ride. I have a pattern with Simplicity, I’ve been on multiple cosplay magazine covers and the fact that I get to work on superhero films is kind of the greatest thing for me. If that was it, I’d be totally content. The thing is though I never know what’s going to come up next. Had you told me ten years ago I’d be on a TV show for cosplay or that I’d be on a Marvel comic book cover I’d be like “noooo”. I often have to sit back and think about all these awesome things that have happened because I get caught up in the next big thing and I’ll forget. I’ll think to myself “holy shit I was on the cover of a comic book.” I’m so fortunate.

AiPT!: You’re a cosplayer who’s widely recognized for skill in craftsmanship. If you could go back in time to when you were first starting out on your journey of building costumes and drop one piece of craftsmanship knowledge into your head, what would it be? What do you wish you had known earlier on about making costumes and props?

Ridd1e: Ridd1e 1.0? Goodness. I would say work more with people. Early on I got super frustrated and discouraged. I didn’t have anybody to teach me so I was learning on my own. I have a mom but she doesn’t sew.

One, always wear underwear, on that I learned my lesson.

Have pride in what you make and spend a little extra time so that it lasts. Try to take good photos that showcase your work. I have to say I’m pretty happy with my cosplay journey so far. When I first started there was no marketing aspect, so that’s something I’ve stumbled on and had to learn. There’s some amazing girls who are fantastic at marketing themselves and it’s definitely not my strong suit. I’m more worried about top stitching stuff. I’m very slow as well; some girls can sew and market, I’m one or the other. I’m really grateful that people still follow me and are still getting excited by things that I do.

AiPT!: Do you think Ryan Gosling stands a chance of dethroning Harrison Ford as king of the Blade Runners?

Ridd1e: I don’t think so. I think Blade Runner has such a soft spot in people’s hearts. You can only add to the mythology, you can’t replace it. I have high hopes for it.

I’m skeptical about about Valerian, but I love Luc Besson and the Professional, Lucy not so much. Atomic Blonde looks absolutely fantastic.

AiPT!: What’re you most looking forward to this year?

Ridd1e: Sleeping. Getting to sleep in and getting back to the gym. When I’m on set I’m a grazer. When they have catering I eat non-stop. Any time I have downtime or I’m feeling a little sluggish, I walk over and eat. Two hours later I’m having a big lunch, a few hours later I’m having cookies and chocolate.

There are a couple of big costumes I want to make, Edward Scissorhands and Linkle from Hyrule Warriors. I’m really excited for the re-release of Shadow of Colossus.

Here’s where you can find Ridd1e online:

Twitter: @Ridd1e
Instagram: @Ridd1e
Facebook: facebook.com/Riddlesmessywardrobe
Email: ridd1e@yahoo.com
ridd1e.bigcartel.com

This weekend, I was fortunate enough to spend a day at MASSive Comic Con with AiPT!’s editor-in-chief in tow. Our first time attending was last year and I’m happy to report that this little con has grown substantially over the past year. In addition to more booths, panels, artists and activities, there were also more cosplayers! We ran into so many talented, amazing and friendly cosplayers at MASSive Comic Con. Here’s a gallery of some of the folks we met.

Abby Darkstar and Keith Zen as Archer’s Krieger and Virtual Girlfriend.

Tony Stark on the look out for Whiplash.

The cutest little Mom and Daughter DC heroes we ever did see.

Thor came to the convention to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and she’s all out of bubblegum.

Rebel Alliance pilot combined with Tankgirl. One of the most original and creative cosplays I’ve ever seen.

Squirrel Girl was cute and super friendly.

Hilarious Sonic the Hedgehog cosplayer.

This guy’s Mandalorian costume was so impressive – even had a voice changer.

Breaking records at the box office, fighting in a galactic civil war and battling the god of war is all in a day’s work.

Dark, mysterious and beautiful.

This DC/Marvel crossover looked amazing.

This was probably my favorite group of cosplayers. The entire family put in a ridiculous amount of attention to detail. I was so impressed by the Powers Family Cozplay.

Mink the Satyr was hands down one of the nicest people I met all day. Her cosplay was beautifully done, yet I’m ashamed to say I don’t know the name of her Pokémon…

Mercy kept asking if someone needed healing, but we were OK.

Yet another ridiculously detailed and impressive cosplay. I know everyone hates Hanzo mains, but this guy was amazing. Symmetra costume was equally amazing and I give her a ton of credit for wearing that body paint all day.

I told him his cosplay was awesome, he said “I know.”

I asked him for a photo, but all he wanted to do was bargain.

These two troublemakers were about to start cutting limbs until I offered up the location of Green Arrow and pictures of Powergirl.

Avengers Assemble!

Justice League assemble! Is that how it goes?

If your photograph was posted and you’d like us to tag or link to your social media page, please leave a comment with your information.

South Korean cosplayer Pion Kim already impressed the hell out of us with her Overwatch Sombra cosplay and now she’s back at it again with a Mai Shiranui so realistic that… well, just look at the following set and insert your own description so we don’t say something as silly as “We sure wish we were Andy from Fatal Fury/King of Fighters right now.” (Even though we do.)

Browse: More AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.

“Rendez-vous avec la mort.”

A meeting with Death has never been as tantalizing as one with cosplayer CutiePieSensei, seen here in her impressive Widowmaker cosplay. CutiePie crafted the Overwatch sniper’s getup on her own, complete with real glowing helmet thanks to some clever 3D printing skills.

Facebook: CutiePieSensei

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Chinese cosplayer Lestatuti built this Wonder Woman cosplay herself — which makes the fact that she embodies the valor and power of Diana Prince so masterfully all the more impressive:

DeviantArt: Lestatuti

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Cosplayer Stella Chuu already impressed us with her League of Legends‘ Master Yi cosplay and her rendition of World of Warcraft‘s premier mage and leader of the Kirin Tor is just as striking and then some.

Patreon: Stella Chuu

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All that Photon Projecting and Shield Barrier generating takes its toll on an Overwatch hero. One can spend most of their time on the battlefield, but not all of their time — which is why this bikini-clad Symmetra rendition by cosplayer Momo Kuruni is a perfect representation of what the support hero does on her days off.

Patreon: Momo Kurumi

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Having recently graduated from college with a mission to become the greatest costume designer in all the land, Dolly Fallon is turning heads across the cosplay scene where she mixes her hobby and career aspirations. AiPT! sat down with this Boston resident to talk gaming, crafting and, of course, cosplay!

AiPT!: Let’s start out by learning about where you’re from and how you spend your time when you aren’t cosplaying or working on a new project.

Dolly Fallon: I was born in Sydney, Australia, and moved to America when I was four, so no accent! Came right to America and out the window it went. [laughs] In my spare time, I’m usually working on my fashion design brand. Dollilicious is not only my cosplay name, it’s also the name of my fashion design brand. My primary focus is currently athletic wear. I have my own site, dollilicious.com, and I have a store that I’m working on getting connected with my site.

AiPT!: Why athletic wear?

DF: I work out every day at 6 a.m. Waking up in the morning is the best time to work out, you’re so much more awake for the rest of the day. I participated in athletics all throughout high school, slowed down in college and then got back into it for health reasons. There’s a lot of frustration with gym clothing and the lack of fudging pockets! There’s a lot of secret pockets in my designs so you don’t have to get a locker for your stuff.

AiPT!: Growing up, were you always a nerd or is that something that developed later for you?

DF: Oh my god, I’ve always been so freaking weird. [laughs] I grew up as a huge cartoon kid. You may notice that a lot of my work is based off of shows from the early ’90s and 2000s. It’s what I grew up on, and since I didn’t have a lot of friends, I spent a lot of my time watching TV. In middle school, I wasn’t the biggest reader, I liked things with pictures, so that’s why I was immediately drawn to manga. My Mom was happy I was at least reading something and then my uncle helped get me into comics.

AiPT!: When I was growing up, being a nerd wasn’t something that I could advertise. I had to hide it until I got older and met like-minded friends. Would you say your social experience was similar? Did you keep it to yourself or put it out there regardless of what people thought?

DF: When I was in middle school, people called me “emo” and “scene” and I didn’t care. I put it out there. I was loud AF. I had weeb written all over me and advertised what I was into. My hair was really loud and people called me the girl with the bleeding hair. I was angry as shit looking. [laughs]

AiPT!: Tell me about your first exposure to cosplay. What was your initial reaction? How did you come to understand this was different than Halloween or a themed event? How long did it take for you to decide this was something you wanted to be a part of?

DF: When I was little, I thought I wanted to be an artist, so I took a manga class in middle school and I ended up becoming friends with a girl who introduced me to conventions. I was like, “wait there are conventions for these things?!” This girl told me that people dressed up at conventions and my idea of dress up was a fudging schoolgirl outfit. Going into it, I was shocked, I expected to see Japanese schoolgirls but instead I saw a guy streaking in a trench coat at Anime Boston. I thought to myself, “sweet I saw a penis!” at my very first con. [laughs] So after that, I started going to Anime Boston every year.

It wasn’t until sophomore year of high school that I made my first legitimate cosplay, which was Rikku. But the first cosplay I ever did was Souseiseki from Rosen Maiden. I bought the outfit and my boyfriend made me a big suitcase that I could walk around with, since the characters are dolls that sleep in suitcases.

AiPT!: What is cosplay to you? A hobby, something you’d like to turn into a full-time career or a launching pad to reach another goal?

DF: Cosplay for me is low-key, a hobby, but also a career. My goal is to be a full-time costume designer. Costume design as a career is almost always freelancing, unless you work for one of the bigger companies that can afford to keep you on staff. It’s all about trying to get as many jobs as possible. So cosplay is something that I do to self-advertise my work, but it’s also something I thoroughly enjoy. I love dressing up and it’s a good way to show what I can do for other people with my skills.

AiPT!: A quick skim through your Instagram page reveals an impressive number of different characters and outfits over a span of just six months. How do you manage to create so many different quality cosplays so quickly?

DF: I’m a very schedule-orientated person. My day is very structured and planned out. It’s kind of like exercising in a way, if you want to get something done you have to make time for it. It takes organization and focus but you also have to be realistic with yourself about what you can get done in a day. Even if you set aside just an hour a day, it really adds up and suddenly you can say to yourself, “oh wow, my cosplay is finished!”

I have to say, Patreon really helped me a lot. I don’t think I would have been able to do as many cosplays as I have without it. Money is something I’ve always struggled with and you know stupid loans are so fun to pay. But ultimately, if this is something you’re passionate about and it’s important to you, you have to make time for yourself. For example I only game 8-10, I get up at 6 a.m. for the gym every day and the rest of my time is devoted to work and whatever comes.

AiPT!: I know that you’ve got a lot of experience with crafting and costume creation. Is there a crafting skill you’ve little to no experience with that you’re looking to jump into?

DF: Armor! Katarina was my first low-key armor and prop cosplay and it was my first time using worbla. There’s a makers space in Lowell, Massachusetts, called Lowell Makes, that has a ton of cosplays using the area. It’s fantastic because I have this big open area to work, they even have spray booths. So lately, I’ve started getting into armor, I’m using EVA foam right now.

AiPT!: To play a bit off of the previous question, is there a cosplay you’d like to make but you feel is a bit out of your wheelhouse now?

DF: The comic book version of Blackfire from the New 52. NOT the Teen Titans version from TV. I’ve just started her and I’d like to get her done for Boston Comic Con, but it’s going to require a lot of body paint and it’s really hot there, so maybe I’ll save it for a different con. [laughs]

AiPT!: Tell me about the best experience you’ve had through cosplaying.

DF: Oh boy. I was at Katsucon as Cindy Aurum from Final Fantasy and it was actually my friend Danielle’s cosplay. So a few friends and I walked down to this big hand sculpture that a lot of people hang out at by the beach. There was a group of cosplayers I didn’t know doing a photoshoot and I noticed them eyeing me, so they came up to me with the desire to praise my butt. It was so funny, they came up and said, “hey we didn’t know if this would be rude to ask, but could we do the praise the booty photo with you?” and I said, “Oh, of course, go ahead!” and then other people who weren’t even a part of the photoshoot came over and asked the same thing. I had a good 15 different people asking me if they could praise the booty.

AiPT!: As you may have heard, a man was arrested a Phoenix Comic Con for threatening the police with real weapons. Along with that concerning incident, there’s a very real them verses us mentality in politics and the media right now. Do you worry about your safety at cons and do you think cons will need to change how they approach security and weapon props?

DF: As someone who experienced Anime Boston after the Boston marathon bombings, I can say that Massachusetts is probably one of the best states for convention security. They check every little thing. PAX East stands out in my mind especially. They were great with getting people in and out really fast, even with metal detectors, prop checks and bag checks. It sucks because people like the guy in Phoenix ruin it for everyone. But I’ve never felt unsafe or threatened at a convention.

AiPT!: You had mentioned gaming was something you spent a lot of time on. PC or console gamer and what type of games are you into?

DF: I would love to be a PC gamer. When I was in middle school I was in one of the top guilds in Guild Wars, I would game all night, every night. But in college I haven’t had the time or the money to get a proper gaming computer, so I’m playing on my dinky little laptop. Thankfully it will run League of Legends.

Currently I have an Xbox One that my boyfriend bought me. He wanted to be able to game together and he was nice enough to get one for me. Right now I’m playing a lot of Overwatch, that’s my main game.

AiPT!: Off the top of your head, if I asked you for your top three all-time favorite games, what do you pick?

DF: It would have to be Overwatch, League of Legends and uhhhhh probably Sims. I hated the Sims after three but leading up to that it’s a game that I cherish in my heart. They should have stayed at three, four was a joke! Overwatch is probably my favorite game that has come out in a long time. Mercy is my favorite and I’ve logged over 160 hours on her.

AiPT!: What’re you most looking forward to in 2017?

DF: All the cosplays I’m about to pump out. I don’t know why but 2016 was the year of me starting a ton of cosplays and not finishing them. I hate having a dirty room, so I’ve purposely ripped them all out of my cosplay and dumped them on my floor. They’re going to stare me in the face until I’ve finished them and put them on hangers in my closet.

Here’s where you can find Dolly online:

Twitter: @_dollilicious_
Instagram: @doliiliciouscosplay
Facebook: facebook.com/dolliliciouscosplay
Twitch: @doliiliciouscosplay
Patreon: patreon.com/dollilicious
Email: dollilicious.f@gmail.com

Valeera Sanguinar is an important character in Blizzard lore, playing integral roles in World of Warcraft, Heroes of the Storm and Hearthstone. Cosplayer Kinpatsu brings that eminence to the Blood Elf rogue’s cosplay representation as well, with this detailed costume made from “90% EVA foam and 10% black worbla with resin cast gems. The swords are also cast in clear resin!”

Patreon: Kinpatsu Cosplay

Browse: More Kinpatsu cosplay galleries on AiPT!

Garona Halforcen has received new life in Legion as a member of the Uncrowned, the rogue class order. We can never get enough of the legendary assassin, though, so let’s get our fill with this awesome cosplay by Lynx:

Instagram: Mrs.Halforcen

Browse: More AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.

Annjela Saet hit the ground running with cosplay. Within a year of her debut on the scene she’d already been featured on MTV.com and won first place in a costume contest. AiPT! caught up with the stunningly beautiful and incredibly talented cosplayer to talk about her passion for the art, how she got started, what helps motivate her and her arch nemesis, green candy!

AiPT!: Let’s start out by finding out where you’re from and how you spend your time when you aren’t cosplaying.

AS: I’m from the Southern California area, but I’m originally from Vancouver, Canada. I moved to the area as someone who was very new to cosplay. I started cosplay maybe around a year or so ago. Ever since then things have really taken off on Instagram and things like that.

I graduated from Art Center College of Design. I majored in entertainment design, I was very much an art student and spent a lot of time drawing. Since graduating I’ve been working as a makeup artist for the brand Bare Minerals.

AiPT!: Tell me about the experience where you were first exposed to cosplay. What lead to you wanting to try it for yourself?

AS: I love telling this story! In high school I had two best friends and we’d dress up together every year for the Halloween contest. We’d go all out with groups costumes; Ash, Brock and Misty or Snap, Crackle and Pop. So senior year came around and my friends didn’t want to do it anymore. I was super into it and wanted to go out with a bang and my friends just didn’t want to do it. So I said, “Fine I’ll do it myself!”. At the time I was super obsessed with Avatar, specifically Korra. So I did some googling and I came across aicosu, who are an amazing cosplay couple, Sheila and Sylar. In the picture I found of them, they were dressed as Avatar Korra and Tahno. When I saw her I said to myself “Oh my god. I want to be that!” So I’d messaged Sheila on Tumblr and through talking to her she kinda segued me into what cosplay is.

After that I made my first cosplay and it was Avatar Korra. I had a photographer friend so I did a photoshoot for it and posted it online. Soon after that it was published on MTV.com and I couldn’t believe it. My first photoshoot ever and I made cosplay of the month. I was on such a high from that and I immediately wanted to do another cosplay. Since then I’ve never stopped.

AiPT!: Everyone that cosplays are always looking for ways to save money, find the best tools to craft with and tips and tricks for creating new and exciting cosplays. If you could share one piece of knowledge on this subject that you feel would benefit other cosplayers the most, what would it be?

AS: I’d have to say for anyone that’s starting off in cosplay, the most important thing to remember is everything most cosplayers learn comes from online. Cosplay is accessible for anyone who wants to get started. If you want to be Goku all you need to do is google “How to cosplay as Goku” and you’ll find countless resources online. I’ve learned everything I know from YouTube, asking questions on DeviantART and asking questions on cosplay.com. When you interact with the cosplay community you’ll find that they’re incredibly resourceful, open and happy to share everything they’ve learned.

A big mentor for me when I was first getting started was Kamui cosplay. I would ask her everything and I learned so much from her tutorials. It’s important to remember that when you first get started with cosplay, you aren’t alone. Everyone in the community is your best friend.

AiPT!: Out of all the characters you’ve cosplayed as, which one do you align with the most from a personality standpoint?

AS: That’s such a hard question because I feel like I relate in some way to every character I’ve cosplayed as. There’s a different side of myself that speaks to all these characters. At the time that I cosplayed as Korra I felt like I really embodied her because I was trying something new and I wanted to be confident and strong. Princess Daisy I felt a little bit sassy and that’s definitely a part of myself. Darksiders Morrigan was a sensual side of myself–I love feeling sexy and that’s what that character spoke to. I don’t think I’ve ever done a cosplay where I don’t relate to the character somehow.

The only way I can go through the long hours of crafting something is if I love it. Cosplay is a very passionate hobby that’s about not just loving the character but accomplishing something for yourself. You have to love it or you won’t finish it. That’s part of why I love it so much, seeing how excited and passionate people are about what they’re doing.

AiPT!: Would you call yourself a big gamer? Comic book fan? Anime fan? Tell us about your biggest geek passion and why it’s important to you.

AS: I would say I started off as a video game person. I didn’t get into comics until recently. I didn’t get into anime until high school. I started off playing with the NES and N64.

AiPT!: Favorite video game of all time?

AS: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

AiPT!: People come out of their shell at cons and you see a lot of things you won’t see anywhere else. What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had at a con?

AS: The first thing that came to mind wasn’t even really that weird, mainly because I was so in awe. So it wasn’t the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen at a con but it was the most amazing thing. A cosplayer was dressed as Fiddlesticks from League of Legends and the first thing that came to mind when I saw them was “Oh my god that’s utterly amazing”. They were up on these giant stilts, had nailed the personality, the costume and it was just so incredible.

AiPT!: If time and money weren’t a concern, what would be your ultimate cosplay?

AS: I love this question! I would be dressed as a priest in tier 5 armor from World of Warcraft. Some day I’ll wear it to Blizzcon and my life will be complete after that [laughs].

AiPT!: Is there a quote or piece of life advice that’s stuck with you over the years?

AS: The first one that comes to mind is by one of my favorite motivational speakers named Matthew Hussey; he’s kind of like a life coach. He once had a quote, I don’t know if it originated from him, but that’s where I heard it: “It takes real passion to finish something, while it only takes a novelty to start something”. This is something I relate heavily to because it’s easy to start a cosplay, but it takes real dedication and character to finish it. My cosplays don’t have to be perfect, if I finish them then that’s enough of an accomplishment.

AiPT!: I’m honest enough with myself to recognize that I’m a total weirdo. It turns out there nearly everyone is! What’s one quirk or habit you have that falls into the weird category that people may not know about?

AS: [laughs] I never eat green candy. If I’m eating a bag of Skittles I’ll never eat the green ones. Sour Patch Kids? Nope, never eat the green ones.

AiPT!: The green Sour Patch Kids are the best ones!

AS: No! Green candy is evil. Gross! Watermelon and apple candy is disgusting. Never eat green candy. Never. Nope. That’s my weirdness.

AiPT!: What’re you most looking forward to in 2017?

AS: I feel like it already happened. We’re already half way through the year. The thing I was most anticipating was Anime Expo, which is basically the biggest convention for the west coast next to San Diego Comic Con. I would hope that at some point this year I could go to a con that’s out of states or out of country.

Here’s where you can find Anngela online:

Instagram: @annjelife
Facebook: facebook.com/annjelifecosplay
DeviantART: Annjelife.deviantart.com