Bunny Rogue might not be making a movie or comic book appearance anytime soon (not in anything officially affiliated with Marvel Studios anyways), but it’s the favorite of cosplayer Miss Chezza, who we recently interviewed, because she made it entirely from scratch. And if you ask us, she doesn’t look half bad wearing it either:
Instagram: @miss.chezza
Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
For those of you who have been out of the Poke-loop, Glaceon is the Ice-type Eeveelution first introduced in Generation IV (Diamond, Pearl and Platinum). South African cosplayer GiantShev gives us a fun Gijinka rendition in the following set:
Instagram: GiantShev
Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
It’s that time of year again! The comic convention season unofficially kicks off this weekend with Anaheim, California’s WonderCon, the kid sister of the granddaddy of them all, San Diego’s Comic-Con International.
And this intrepid AiPT! reporter will be there! I love going to cons and meeting all the great people who attend, but let’s face it, we all have some bad habits that make things more difficult for others. So I now present the counterpoint to every “making the most of your convention experience” article ever published.
Here are four things you SHOULDN’T do to make EVERYONE ELSE’S convention experience better:
This one should be the most obvious. Some people go to cons just for the costumes, and that’s totally cool. Where else are you going to see Lady Deadpool roll up with Finn from Adventure Time and Steampunk Sherlock Holmes?
But I ask the incredibly creative and passionate cosplayers of the world to also have a little empathy for the cramped convention drones walking past you. Angels may be your favorite thing in the world, but crafting wiry wings with a five-foot span might not be the most considerate thing to do when people already have to perform pirouettes just to get by.
Amazingly well done, but how many took that umbrella to the eye? Taken by Alex Erde of Mild Mannered Cosplay Photography.
If the inconvenience of others isn’t enough to clip your ambition, consider what could happen when you encounter someone with similar initiative. I once saw some kind of cyborg get his boot hydraulics tangled with a warrior guy’s sword, halting them both in their tracks. As I shuffled along my way, I watched them squirm and pull for a good minute, seemingly never getting closer to ending their Gordian predicament. I’m not entirely convinced they aren’t still there, in an empty hall, locked in an eternal struggle between genres.
This one’s related, and goes out to the photo snappers who just have to hold the cosplayers up to get their perfect pic. For example, the Javits Center, home of New York Comic Con, is a fricking huge 1.8-million square feet in size and spans six city blocks, so you’ve got to hustle to make it from one end to the other. Sudden human speed bumps not only slow you down, but can cause multiple geek pile-ups when the people behind you can’t stop in time. There are supposedly official places for cosplayers to show off and soak in the flash bulbs, but that doesn’t stop anyone from mobbing the Sailor Moons and Groots on busy avenues like paparazzi trying to chase down Kim Kardashian.
And it’s fine that you brought a bag with you. We all did. It’s the utility belt of comic conventions, holding water, swag and yeah, you may even need that Bat-shark repellant (the police call it mace). But don’t forget that it’s on you and start braining people when you turn around. While checking out a booth, try to stand sideways instead of sticking it out into the walkway like you were a JanSport Quasimodo.
The worst part of any convention is the lines. If you want to see a panel that’s even the least bit popular, you’d better get there with almost two hours to spare. Standing and watching the world go by is trying enough without being questioned by the lucky walkers, free of your now-stationary existence. Don’t ask, “What is this line for?” because it’s obviously not something you’re interested in, and if it is, you’ll just run away screaming after seeing this convoluted, serpentine beast that stretches three times around the food court.
Yes, this is ONE line. From the NYCC Facebook page.
Once you’re in line, say to talk to a creator, don’t forget there are other people behind you. It might make your lifetime to discuss elf-hobbit hybrids with Sir Edmund Shirepants, but you’re not on a coffee date with the guy, so wrap up the convo after covering the first two trilogies. I’ve got important questions to ask, too, like what his favorite beer is!
Which brings me to my last point, and it’s all about attitude. Don’t forget that you’re lucky to be there. We all know how quickly tickets to the big cons sell out, so if you were able to hold the queue and madly type F5 faster than a few other people, remember how easily it could’ve swung a different way. You’re not entitled to anyone’s time and attention, keyboard warrior, just because you had nothing better to do for three hours on a Thursday morning.
And don’t hate on the things at the con that aren’t for you! I’m an old-school comic guy myself, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna run around and slag the people there for the manga or a Bates Motel sneak peek. That kind of geek culture ubiquity is buoying the entire industry and making sure things like this are even able to happen at all. As Forbes contributor Robert Salkowitz points out, there are a ton of different, differentiated cons out there now, so you might have to just choose more carefully if you’re trying to avoid teenyboppers or TV enthusiasts.
In other words, if you come to New York’s Five Points Festival this May for the comics and toys, don’t complain to me about the craft beer and food trucks. It’s the Lower East Side. What were you expecting?
A version of this article was originally published for the pulp press, and is used here with permission.
“Cheers, Love! The Cavalry’s Here!”
You can always count on Spiral Cats’ Tasha to not only put together a striking, accurate cosplay like this Overwatch Tracer one — but bring it to life with aplomb thanks to her liveliness and vivacious body language:
Check out more Tasha cosplay galleries.
Cosplayer Kay Bear looks more than ready to slay some hellspawn in this impressive Demon Hunter set from Diablo III:
Patreon: KayyyBear
Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
“Support has arrived.”
We feel safe knowing that Valkyrie Mercy, brought to life with impressive form in the following set by cosplayer Le Petit Fromage, is ready to be our guardian angel from here on out:
Instagram: @le_petit_fromage
Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
Hey folks, I just got back from WonderCon, and I’ve got the face-crushing head cold to prove it! Before we get to more serious coverage, here’s a photo gallery of what you missed! Yes, there were food trucks. I love you, California, but staying at what looks to have been the hotel from The Shining meant I had to go.
Tifa Lockhart isn’t just about sex appeal; she’s also one of the most important characters in Final Fantasy VII, being the childhood friend of main protagonist Cloud Strife and the one who convinces him to join the AVALANCHE organization in their fight against megacorporation Shinra. Italian cosplayer Meryl Sama looks like she’s ready to take on Sephiroth himself in the following set:
Twitter: @Merylsama
More: Check out Adami’s Tifa cosplay.
Comic book creators and models, and *NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick, oh my! Yes, only New England Super Megafest Comic-Con could bring together this motley crew, which included the likes of legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont, I Dream of Jeannie’s Barbara Eden and wrestler – and real-life G.I. Joe – Sgt. Slaughter.
Also in attendance at Megafest, which ran from April 7-9 in Marlborough, Massachusetts – AiPT! So if you missed out on the fun, fear not, as we’ve got you covered!
Check back Wednesday, April 12 for our Megafest interview with Chris Claremont, then again Friday, April 14, for our chat with writer and artist Bob Budiansky, the man who gave the Transformer Megatron his name!
Can’t wait that long? Maybe these photos from Megafest will tide you over…
Wild Bill’s Olde Fashioned Soda Pop Co.
Writer Chris Claremont
Stranger Things Living Room Prop Scene and the 501st New England Garrison & Rebel Legion.
Lego Batman!
Writer/Artist Bob Budiansky
“This is the droid you’re looking for.”
Writer/Artist Jim Lawson
Feature Editor Chris Hassan found the Empire to be much friendlier than they appear in Star Wars movies.
Photos by Chris Hassan and Mal Souza.
Which World of Warcraft rogue do you prefer? Cosplayer Jo-Jo Chen, AKA Apotheosis’ awesome Valeeera Sanguinar cosplay or this Joleera one? Take your time and study the following set carefully before making your important decision:
Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
Maiev Shadowsong is one of the most revered Wardens on Azeroth, tasked with being the jailor for The Betrayer, Illidan Stormrage before everything went to hell in Legion. She’s also the new hotness in Hearthstone as the new hero portrait for rogues, so we’re celebrating with this phenomenal Maiev cosplay by Mary Booth from back in the day:
Browse: More AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
Or: Learn more about the process Mary underwent to create such a bad-ass costume.
Sure, she’d likely just as soon kiss a Wookie or ask the grinning bobcat why he grinned than explain why a mash-up of Slave Princess Leia and Pocahontas of all things (besides fan-service), but that’s alright: we’ll still enjoy Hendoart’s fun, unique cosplay choice regardless.
Browse: More Hendoart cosplay galleries.
Or: Check out more from the AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay category.
We were blown away by cosplayer/martial artist Danielle Vedovelli’s Chun-Li cosplay, so when we saw her take on another iconic Capcom fighting game character — this time, Morrigan of Darkstalkers fame, we knew we were in for another treat:
Twitter: @DanieVedo
Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
“You will never defeat me.”
If Enji-Night is talking about some elusive cosplay contest that we’re not privy to, then she’s probably right; that’s because her cosplaying exploits never fail to amaze us, like this awesome representation of the Dead or Alive franchises’ main protagonist, Kasumi:
More: Click for more AiPT! Enji-Night cosplay galleries.
I was lucky enough to score an interview with a rising star in the cosplay scene, Fiona Nova! You may have come across her on Twitch or been unlucky enough to get matched against her in Overwatch. AiPT! was excited to sit down with her to discuss Patreon, the tricks of the cosplay trade and her immense love of gaming.
AiPT!: Where are you from and what do you do when you aren’t cosplaying?
Fiona Nova: I was born in Italy, which surprises most people *laughs*. I’ve traveled around a lot because of my parents. I’ve lived in France, London and I’ve been in the US for about 11 years now. But I was enrolled in a French school where I got here, because my mother’s French. I speak three languages: French, English, and Italian.
I’m in school for fashion merchandising and marketing at FIT in New York. It was really exciting when I got in! Outside of cosplay I go shopping–it’s a passion. I’m very into fashion. I really like sports, I play volleyball for my school and I used to play basketball. Unfortunately they don’t have a basketball team for my school.
AiPT!: Growing up and traveling so much, were you always into the nerd scene? Or did that develop for you later?
Nova: One of the main things I spend my time on outside of cosplay is playing video games constantly. When I was younger it was always a passion; my little brother and I were always obsessed with The Legend of Zelda. I’m stuck in Overwatch right now though, so I haven’t had time to play much else. Well, I’m also playing Horizon Hero Dawn and I love the game. The plots so good.
Overwatch is a really toxic game. Sometimes I think I’d be a happier person if I didn’t play it *laughs* So many trolls!
AiPT!: How long have you been cosplaying?
Nova: About two and a half years now. I actually started cosplaying because my little brother suggested we go to New York comic-con. I saw all these cosplayers and we were both drawn it, everyone looked so cool. My brother was immediately like “You should do this!”.
AiPT!: Would you say there’s a big cosplay scene in New York?
Nova: Well when comic-con is here yeah it’s crazy. But afterwards it dies down a lot. I know about ten cosplayers in this area. It’s not as big as people think. New York doesn’t even have that many cons to be honest.
AiPT!: What was your first cosplay?
Nova: *laughs* That’s a hard question because I honestly don’t remember! I think it may have been Catwoman?
AiPT!: Out of all the cosplays you’ve done, which has been your favorite so far?
Nova: I did my Widowmaker cosplay for Katsucon this year and I think that would be my favorite. Making it was hell *laughs*. It took me six months to make it. A LOT of mistakes were made. But at the end it came out great and I was really happy with it.
AiPT!: Would you say that was the most frustrating cosplay you’ve made?
Nova: Yeah! Her body suit is the weirdest thing I’ve ever sewn in my entire life. It’s basically not possible so you just have to do your best to make it similar. If that body suit wasn’t tattooed on her body, it wouldn’t sit the way it does. It’s just impossible! So it was the most frustrating but I definitely learned a lot from it.
AiPT!: Has there ever been a cosplay you’ve given up on making during the process? Or put on and decided it was just too uncomfortable to wear?
Nova: I came close with Widowmaker *laughs* The process was incredibly frustrating and the body paint was awful to wear. I did a Psylocke cosplay that I couldn’t finish. At the time I wasn’t very good at sewing; today I could definitely make it to fit me properly, but back then I couldn’t get it. The costume was very uncomfortable and was basically falling off of me.
AiPT!: Is it fair to say cosplay is for everyone?
Nova: I don’t think people should be restricted from doing a certain cosplay based on their size, sex or skin color. Why stop someone from dressing up as something that makes them happy? To tell someone that “you can’t do this” because you’re a girl playing a boy, or vice versa, no I don’t agree with that.
AiPT!: What would you say is the average amount of time you invest into creating a cosplay?
Nova: I can make most basic articles of clothing in a day, such as pants or a jacket. Armor making definitely takes a lot longer. I have to set goals for myself each week. There’s painting, designing, sanding and so on. Armor pieces are usually a month and a half process. It can depend on how big and what it looks like.
AiPT!: What’s the most ambitious cosplay you’ve attempted?
Nova: Definitely Widowmaker. The body suit wasn’t something I could pick up quickly. It was a weird design and took a really long time.
AiPT!: When you’re making these cosplays is there a line your drawn with funds/time investment?
Nova: Absolutely. I improvise all the time. Leather is a great example. It’s expensive and unfortunately a lot of great character costumes use it. So I’ll use pleather instead–it looks like the real thing and works just as well. There are times that I can’t find a cost effective alternative, so I’ll just say screw it and not include some small detail.
AiPT!: Are your costumes entirely made from scratch or a combination of homemade pieces and store bought props?
Nova: Well it’s funny because while I do craft a lot of my own stuff, I actually have all these prop makers reaching out to me, offering their equipment and pieces if I’ll advertise for them. It’s a nice compliment!
I can’t make wigs so those I have to buy. I also get a lot of my pieces at thrift stores, especially belts.
AiPT!: I noticed that a lot of your cosplays are based off of characters from video games. Is that the area you intend to focus on or do you have plans to branch out into other genres?
Nova: My cosplays are focused on gaming because I am so into gaming. Those are the characters I see the most.
When I first started cosplaying I used to be very focused on anime, I had a lot of friends that introduced we really into anime. But once I started to get confident and come into my own I shifted to my passion, which is gaming.
In terms of branching out, if I see a character and I like it, I’m going to cosplay it. It’s that simple. It doesn’t matter whether it’s from gaming, anime, manga, whatever.
AiPT!: When you’re cosplaying, how far into the character do you get?
Nova: I’m myself. I don’t role-play. If you want me to strike a pose of the character I’m playing, that’s fine, but otherwise I’m myself. I’m going to laugh if I try to role play.
AiPT!: Patreon is an area where there’s a lot of strong conflicting opinions right now. Some people say it’s exploiting fans, while others say it’s a valid way to fund an expensive hobby. What’re your thoughts?
Nova: I think the majority of the criticism comes from people who’ve never cosplayed before and have no idea of the amount of time, money and effort that goes into it. Patreon isn’t just for cosplayers, it’s for all sorts of content creators. Artist spend a lot of money on supplies and tools, why isn’t there criticism there?
I don’t see any problem with asking for help and support for doing something that makes a lot of people happy. Patreon is simply a way for people to support their favorite content creators by choice. No one is forcing you. I don’t understand the hate. If a cosplayer’s fans are willing to support them, what’s the problem?
AiPT!: What’s your next con?
Nova: Anime Central in Chicago. I’ve never been and a lot of my friends are going so I’m really excited.
AiPT!: What cosplay can we expect from you next?
Nova: I’m working on a new Widowmaker since she just got a new skin! I’m also planning on doing Lich King eventually.
AiPT!: What’re you most looking forward to in 2017?
Nova: To get my 3D printer and start using it with my cosplays. I’ve taken a few classes on 3D modeling and I’m really excited to incorporate it into my cosplaying. I’m also really excited to continue to grow on Instagram and Twitch. It’s been a lot of work but I love seeing my work pay off.
You can support Fiona Nova by contributing to her Patreon, or following her on Instagram and Twitch.
While the Diablo III monk is most commonly represented by Kharazim, the Heroes of the Storm character based on the class, I much prefer to picture Azka’s bad-ass, accurate version:
Facebook: Azka cosplay.
Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
As I am sure many of you are aware, the latest Star Wars Celebration has come and gone. It was the eighth U.S. Celebration and the twelfth overall in a series of conventions that first started in connection with the release of Episode I. This year’s Celebration was held in Orlando, Florida, from April 13-16, 2017 and if there is one word that could describe this convention to a T, it would be…
Lines.
Oh my word, the lines.
Reedpop, the company that puts on Celebration (along with NYCC and some others), announced that the attendance record was over 70,000 people. On the first day you could easily get the feeling that they didn’t plan on that many people actually showing up. It was like they were just printing tickets with no real plan for controlling or organizing the massive influx of people.
Anyway, let’s take a look back to my Celebration experience:
Day 1 (Thursday)
The big thing on Thursday was the 40th Anniversary Panel, of which I was not all that excited about. The people who slept out in the convention center were able to get into the panel room itself (a room that held only 3,000 people), but when I arrived at the convention at around 11pm Wednesday night, the actual panel wristbands had all been given away. The way Celebration did their large panels was that you got there early to wait in line for a wristband, which would get you access to the panel room. Well, I decided to get up early Thursday morning to get in line for a wristband for one of the two rooms that they were screening the panels in, especially since I missed out on the live panel.
The line I waited in to get a wristband to see the 40th Anniversary Panel.
The line was so bad, that I was actually closer to the convention center in my bed than I was at the end of the line.
A washed out view of my hotel, through the woods in the direction of the convention center.
The lines were so bad for one primary reason: security. This is my third Celebration and I have never had to go through metal detectors before. They had six metal detectors for the massive crowd trying to get into the convention just to line up. For some reason they thought this was enough. Apparently, at the last minute they realized their error and were putting together more metal detectors, but literally one person was putting them together as we slowly walked by in our line.
Finally I get through security and pick up my wristband for the third screening room and proceed back to my hotel to get my family. We breakfast and head back to the convention center for the 40th Anniversary panel.
Like I said, initially I wasn’t all that enthused about the panel. Technical difficulties in our screening room didn’t help any matters where first they were showing us a distant view of the screen:
Our view of the 40th Anniversary panel for the first 10 minutes.
When the intro video was almost finished (about 10 minutes into the panel), they finally fixed the issue. Not a good start to the convention, but things slowly progressed. They proceeded to bring out the man himself, George Lucas.
The Maker.
As my wife said sitting beside me: “Don’t you wish you slept out overnight now?”
This was true. I was feeling the urge to be in the panel. I wanted to be there but knowing full well that wasn’t a possibility. Then they brought out Harrison Ford for his first Celebration ever. This is what I’m talking about. A real 40th Anniversary panel. Bringing out the top guns. This made me forget all of the troubles up to that point. I also didn’t care that I was in a screening room. I knew they were there, at that moment, with me, in the same building. I may have swooned.
The full lineup for the 40th Anniversary
Along with a rather moving tribute to Carrie Fisher and watching John Williams conduct live, I may have been a bit in euphoria by this point. And on top of that, after the panel we got a really sweet Carrie Fisher poster.
Free Leia Tribute poster
Afterwards we wandered the floor for a while checking out the merch. The layout of the floor was … weird. They felt like they had tons of space, but everything was crammed into the center of the floor. Making the showroom both feel very open and crowded at the same time. And in previous Celebrations I felt they did a better job of separating the actual licensed venders from the local shops hocking their wares. But overall, even though they were nice to look at the crowds were getting overwhelming. The family left to go enjoy the pool at our hotel, the Hyatt Regency across the street.
After they left, I met up with my good friend Dale to prepare for our next endeavor, The Bounty Hunt. This is something that I look forward to each Celebration. It is a scavenger hunt where you need to solve clues and then run around the convention center to find your “bounties”. And the best part, out of 60 teams on the first day, we came in fifth!
“Love in a Tauntaun” taking fifth place! Photo courtesy of Jawa James.
Some teams solving some of the problems. Photo courtesy of Jawa James.
A team getting their bounty at one of the stations. Photo courtesy of Jawa James.
We even won some awesome watches, one of which my daughter was more than enthused to get.
Prizes!
Day 2 (Friday)
I decided to wake up even earlier than I did the first day to get a wrist band to the much-anticipated The Last Jedi panel. I wind up in the first screening room this time, which was actually rather fun. The irony is that we sat with a good chunk of the people who slept overnight at the convention center and still weren’t able to get into the live panel. We had Warwick Davis as our stage host and even though the panel was being screened, he still ran around the crowd and provided a good waiting period before the panel started.
Finally…
The Last Jedi
I am as stoked for this movie as I have ever been. I am a big Luke fan and that is what has driven my love of the saga beyond Return of the Jedi. Now that the EU has officially been wiped away, the new canon provides me with a whole new set of mysteries, I am pumped to find out what happens. The Force Awakens left me with a Luke-sized hole in my heart but I feel The Last Jedi will easily plug that up.
The Last Jedi Panel
And after the panel, not only did we get a super sweet trailer (goosebumps!!!), but as we walked out, we got a frame-worthy The Last Jedi poster.
Free Poster!
Afterwards, I spent most of the afternoon with my family so we will go on to the next day.
Day 3 (Saturday)
After the hustle and bustle of getting up pre-dawn the last two days, I was planning on taking it easy. By this point it seemed that the convention organizers finally figured out how to fix the lines. Friday was WAY better than Thursday, and Saturday seemed to be even better. It appears that they got their act together, maybe even hired more people, and finally realized how many people 70,000 really is.
On our way into the convention center, the wife had spotted a panel about being the spouse of a Star Wars fanatic and we were headed over to it when we walked past a screening of the Rebels panel, which we were told had room so we could just walk right in. Now this is something I wanted to do and since our daughter also loves Rebels we detoured our route to the panel.
I was quite disappointed to learn that this is the final season of Rebels. But even with that disappointing news, this was the first panel my daughter really seemed to get into. She even enjoyed the Season 4 trailer at the end. After the trailer, the family went off to the bathroom and I packed up the stuff. The screen turned off and went to its generic Celebration poster. However, while we were standing out in the hallway, I hear the screen come back on again with another clip from the show. My wife asks me if this is old or new footage, and to my amazement it was new! So we walked back in to find out they were screening the entire first episode of Season 4! Since this was something totally unannounced, it was a tremendous surprise to get to see it.
After the show, I spent some more time wandering around the show floor. Here are a few images (with more in the video at the end of the post).
Wampa!
Life-size Starfighter
Some Mandalorian skull decorations for sale. A bit out of my price range.
The Diorama builders actually let kids construct parts of massive sets at each Celebration. This year was the Death Star.
A Minion droid in the R2 Builders room.
On a side note: Through the last two days I had tried to get the Celebration exclusive copy of Thrawn (The newest Star Wars adult novel out). The first day I didn’t want to do the line, so I waited and found out later they were all sold out.
The second day they said they would give out tickets starting at 10 a.m. for some of the remaining copies. I arrived at 10:05, due to the door people at my door not letting us in at 10 like they were supposed to, and they were all out.
On day 3, they said they would do a raffle starting at 3. I wandered around the floor waiting for the raffle. I ended up getting mixed into the line without realizing it and lo and behold, I won the raffle to be able to buy my edition. Yes, I know I can get essentially the same book at Amazon for far cheaper, but still, it’s an Exclusive. Collectors understand.
Exclusive Celebration Edition of “Thrawn”
After all this, I tried to get the Celebration Exclusive signed by Timothy Zahn (the author). To get a book signed at the Barnes & Noble booth, you needed to buy a book from them (which is plain ridiculous to begin with). Since that was not possible for me with this book I had to try and do the Del Rey booth, where he was also signing. I get there at 4:30 (the signing started at 5) to learn the line was capped, even though people weren’t allowed to sign up until 5-10 minutes before. So I ended up waiting in a line, that wasn’t really a line (because fire code), to get on the line, which they said they would uncap once the main line started to filter down. Well, eventually I did it and was able to not only get Timothy Zahn’s autograph but also Delilah Dawson’s (A Perfect Weapon reprinted in The Force Awakens paperback) and Christie Golden’s (Dark Disciple).
Day 4 (Sunday)
The last day of the Celebration and I was anticipating a slowdown in the crowds. It was Easter Sunday after all. And after the Easter Bunny hit up CVS for some Easter goodies for the kid to find (really, no Easter baskets at all? She got an Easter Little Mermaid bag), the family headed off to Disney World while I braved the lines for some author signings. And it wasn’t actually too bad. Also, found out about the new Star Wars books on the way:
New Star Wars books upcoming from Del Rey.
I managed to get signings by Chuck Wendig (Aftermath), John Jackson Miller (A New Dawn), Jason Fry (Servants of the Empire: Edge of the Galaxy). I tried to stay canon for all my author signings this time. I also got to get a picture with story group member and Star Wars guru, Pablo Hidalgo.
Photo with Star Wars guru and story group member, Pablo Hidalgo.
And in the mix of all that, I got to brave the crowds to get my photo op with Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill.
Me with Mark Hamill. I’m the one on the right.
And that may have broken me (in a good way).
Wrap up
So after all that Star Wars goodness, and a bit of the badness (lines, lines, and … lines). It was overly good. Were there things I wish they would change? Absolutely. Like the fact that I haven’ been able to go into the official Celebration store in three Celebrations because there are better things I can do than stand in line for three hours for the opportunity to find out if they even have what I wanted to buy. But things seemed to get better over the course of the convention. I heard nightmares about the photo op/autograph area from the first day but they seemed to have it figured out when I went over there on Sunday. This is also a first Celebration for Topps to be running that area. We’ll see if they are invited back again.
But even with the bad, nothing about a Celebration could stay bad for long. With the tons of kids dressed up as Jyn or BB-8, to the expertly crafted adult costumes, there are things everywhere for any Star Wars fan to enjoy. To that end, I put together a video of some of the sights I saw:
After everything, I am warmed by the new friends I made, the old friends I got to spend a lot of time with, and overly having a great Star Warsy time. Can’t wait for the next one. How far away is 2019 again?
Were you at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo(or C2E2), which ran from April 21-23 at the Windy City’s South Building at McCormick Place? If not, don’t worry, because AiPT! was on the scene and took plenty of photos for you to check out!
And if you WERE there with us, then some of these images will probably look familiar. Enjoy – and stay tuned for more C2E2 recap coverage in the days ahead!
All photos by Jason Segarra.
Gather round, cosplay fans. This is an interview you won’t want to miss – our first feature interview with a male cosplayer. In the largely female-dominated field of cosplay, we were very excited to get time with the astoundingly talented Nipah! We dig into his love for the art, hobbies and advice for those new to cosplay.
AiPT!: When you aren’t at Overwatch headquarters, where can we find you?
Nipah: I am originally from Orlando, Florida, though at the moment I live in Texas.
AiPT!: How are you spending your time when you aren’t cosplaying?
Nipah: I actually run a commission store for wigs and occasionally props, so cosplay is still a part of what I do even when I am not working on my own cosplays. Though when I want to take a break from it entirely, I usually am playing video games, Overwatch is the one I play mostly nowadays.
AiPT!: Tell us about the moment you knew you wanted to try cosplay.
Nipah: When I first started cosplaying, I wasn’t all too sure what it was to be honest! I learned about it thanks to a friend who told me in order to get into a convention you had to wear a cosplay, if you didn’t they wouldn’t allow you to enter. So, thanks to her I made my first cosplay, Dark Link from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. After making that, it was all downhill from there and I stumbled into the cosplay crazed person I am today.
AiPT!: How long have you been cosplaying?
Nipah: I have been cosplaying since 2010, so for a little over seven years now.
AiPT!: Growing up, was nerd culture something you’ve always found yourself drawn to?
Nipah: Oh yeah, definitely. My uncle would watch Dragon Ball Z all the time and that was my first introduction to anime. From there, I picked up some DC comics and got really submersed into that fandom/universe as well. Cosplay then became a way for me to fully express my love for all things in this vast spectrum of nerd culture.
AiPT!: When someone says the word “cosplay,” what does that mean to you?
Nipah: Cosplay is one of the greatest art forms, in my opinion. From crafting, designing, to the moment you are walking around in the finished product, you are walking art. It helps you escape the nuances of everyday life and lets you become your character. It is an amazing thing that has transformed my life in so many ways.
AiPT!: On average, how much time would you say you invest into each cosplay?
Nipah: It all depends on what the cosplay is, honestly. If it is just a simple full fabric work, I can usually get it done in a few days. If it is highly detailed with armor and embroidery and crazy wigs, then that’ll take me a few months. I try to space out my time when working on cosplays as to not get too overloaded with work.
AiPT!: Is sacrificing your own comfort something that occurs during your creation process?
Nipah: Oh yeah, all the time. I have made quite a few cosplays that were impossible to sit in or just were hard to move in, in general, but I am a stickler for trying to get it as accurate as I can, so I gladly sacrifice my own comfort for the sake of this insane hobby.
AiPT!: What was your most ambitious cosplay?
Nipah: Most likely Bird Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle. I had no idea how to go about it and I had a couple weeks to finish him, it was crazy. I made my own harness, made wings for the first time, made a body suit of feathers and fur. I am very happy though for the challenge it presented and it helped me grow as a crafter.
AiPT!: Are you in the camp of cosplayers who not only wear the cosplay but also play the character?
Nipah: I am not the type to get into character while cosplaying, I just see it as less welcoming, rather than just being myself to people. I want them to know me, not the character cause most likely they already know the character pretty well. Only time I would get into character is for photos or the occasional video.
AiPT!: Very few men are known as being famous in the cosplay scene, while comparatively it’s the complete opposite with women. Do you think it’s harder for men to be recognized for being great cosplayers?
Nipah: For a while, cosplay was a female-dominated hobby and while the amount of men are increasing this is still kind of the case. It is widely accepted for female cosplayers to cosplay male characters so they have a wider pool of people to cosplay as well. Not saying men can’t cosplay girl characters, just that the amount willing to are immensely smaller compared vise versa. A lot of male cosplayers years back also used to only do armor work or props, not a lot of them sewed so that also limited their choices on characters. Though as cosplay has grown, so have the people who cosplay and many guys are sewing, doing makeup and doing everything the girls have been doing for years. It can be harder, yes, though we are quickly catching up.
AiPT!: What advice would have you for someone that has no experience with crafts, sewing or costume making whatsoever?
Nipah: Tutorials are everywhere nowadays. You can find a video on how to do anything needed for cosplay or even a simple write-up on how to. The knowledge to accomplish what you want to do is out there, it is up to you to obtain it. Every cosplayer you see started off where you are now, not knowing how to do anything, so get started now, make mistakes, learn from them and grow as a cosplayer! If this is something you want to do, don’t let anyone stop you from trying.
AiPT!: What’re you looking forward to in 2017?
Nipah: I look forward to advancing further in my craft, I want to do my armor work and bigger projects. Work on some original designs and just expand my horizon on all things cosplay. I’ve got a list of projects to do and my goal is to bring them all to life.
Find Nipah online here:
@nipahcos – instagram
@nipahDUBS – twitter
facebook.com/nipahdubs
nipahdubs@gmail.com
It’s not surprising that Tifa Lockhart is a character that’s revered by so many gamers; one of the lead protagonists from Square’s Final Fantasy VII, Tifa is strong-willed, independent, interesting, as well as attractive. What is surprising is not only how accurate Sayla’s coplay of Tifa is, but how well all those constituents of the character’s demeanor come across as well:
Instagram: @saylacosplay
Or: Browse Tifa Lockhart cosplay galleries.
