Narga-Lifestream is one of our favorite cosplayers and with good reason; she brings not only the accurate look of the characters she’s representing — but their attitude as well, as seen here in her portrayal of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens protagonist Rey:
Like this gallery? Browse more Narga-Lifestream cosplay.
The second-largest comic convention in the Midwest, the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (or C2E2) is an institution among – as Norm Macdonald would put it – geeks and nerds alike. The three-day extravaganza of pop culture goodness came and went April 21-23. C2E2 has been running in Chicago for seven years, and though it’s not quite on the level of the more famous conventions in San Diego and New York, it’s quickly emerging as a must-attend for the geeky Midwesterner interested in comics, toys, cosplay and more.
With C2E2 2017 in the books, how did the convention shake up? To find out, AiPT! sent contributor and heavy metal enthusiast, Jason Kolkey, and the site’s Wrestling Wreviewer, Jason Segarra, to check it out and see just what the fuss was all about.
We present to you…
J2E2: The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo as experienced by two guys named Jason.
AiPT!: How would you describe C2E2 to someone who’s never been before?
Jason K: By virtue of its location, C2E2 is situated somewhere between the massive conventions on the coasts and many of the smaller, regional conventions. The crowd is a healthy mix of die-hard comics and sci-fi fans, devoted cosplayers, and more casual attendees. The entertainment-oriented guests are a little limited, but there tend to be quite a few big names from comics. The publishers seem to see the event as a good opportunity to hype their upcoming books, away from the shadow of the gigantic movie projects that can steal all the air at larger cons.
Jason S: So you’d say it’s a convention more for the comic book purist, whereas the coastal comic cons have gone a bit Hollywood?
Jason K: That would be a more extreme formulation, but basically yeah.
Jason S: This was my first con in like 20 years, so it was a bit of a revelation for me. It’s definitely a bit revelatory that there were this many like-minded weirdos in the city. This seemed like a convention for fans of artists more than anything, as most of the big name writers and creators were relegated to panels and the biggest celebrity from the film or television world was either Mike Coulter or Vincent D’Onofrio. Not to knock either of those two gentlemen (both are great, in fact), but knowing that the shows in San Diego and New York get sneak peaks at major movies or stars like Hugh Jackman, it does feel like a smaller stage.
AiPT!: Heading into the show, what were you most looking forward to?
Jason K: For me, the people-watching is the most fascinating part. I am interested to hear what panels have to say and check out some merchandise, but I personally feel no strong desire to interact with creators or celebrities. I might enjoy a lengthy conversation over drinks, but asking a single question about the book they’re promoting or obtaining a signature doesn’t really excite me. That said, I was definitely interested to hear from particular guests like Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, Jason Aaron, Brian Stelfreeze, and Chip Zdarsky and see how they interact with fans. One person I was a tad disappointed not to see was Jeff Lemire, who unfortunately was ill.
Jason S: Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I was more than a little excited to check out the super-into-it cosplayers. I was also looking forward to interacting with creators and writers to learn a little bit of the behind-the-scenes life of the comic and wrestling worlds. To be fair, I wasn’t about to pay $40 to get an autograph from, say, Mean Gene Okerlund, but the chance that I might run into him buying a hot dog or something was a cool thought. Also, as someone who had to fly his nerd flag in secret for most of his life, I was just looking forward to being around people for whom my views on the utter redundancy of the Nate Grey character didn’t require an entire Wiki’s worth of context to be understood.
AiPT!: Was there anything you saw or learned from the con that has you excited?
Jason K: I want to read the mini-series Eric Powell is putting out through his Albatross Funnybooks imprint, based on Brendon Small’s Galaktikon album. I have no idea if that will be good, but it will definitely be kind of cool. And it has to be better than that time Neal Peart based a comic on Clockwork Angels.
Jason S: After the Indefensible Tastes panel, I’m pretty excited for the next few episodes of Cracked.com’s Obsessive Pop Culture Disorder, Sunday’s wrestling panels have me looking forward to the forthcoming season of Lucha Underground, Christina Harrington sold me on the first arc of Astonishing X-Men and Nick Spencer’s insistence that the end of Secret Empire won’t see Steve Rogers’ crimes just magically Kobiked away piqued my interest just a bit.
AiPT!: What was the biggest disappointment of the con for you?
Jason K: It got sufficiently crowded on Saturday, so it was hard to move around. That made it tougher to fully enjoy the event and take in as much as I might have liked.
Jason S: For all their talk of doing something different and revolutionary with their forthcoming Dark Matter event, DC’s new crop of books seems pretty derivative and uninteresting. It kinda feels like they’re trying to recreate the initial buzz that came with the founding of Image comics.
AiPT!: What did you like the best?
Jason K: Observing Nick Spencer go before his public in the wake of Secret Empire, the guy in a Leather Daddy Spider-Man outfit, and Chip Zdarsky’s leggings.
Jason S: Cracked.com had two panels that were great, Artist alley was brimming with talent and enthusiasm (And easily traversed on Friday and Sunday), lots of neat cosplays and some fun meet-ups with other bloggers and fans.
AiPT!: And finally, what advice would you give someone thinking about going next year?
Jason K: Plan ahead, prioritize, and stay alert for the Hare Krishnas.
Jason S: Know what you want to see and plot out a schedule. It’s unlikely you’ll want to go all three days, so have your agenda ready to go. Also, if you want to pick up some merch (or a hotdog with Mean Gene Okerlund for that matter), be prepared to pay for it. Cons are not cheap.
“Justice comes on swift wings.”
Talk about impressive: Kinpatsu forged the enchanted armor of Kayle, League of Legends‘ immortal judicator dedicated to slaying evil wherever its found, so well that she looks more than worthy of wielding the sword forged “before time itself.” (And check out the special guest appearance by GiantShev as Morgana!)
Browse more Kinpatsu cosplay galleries.
Or: Check out more comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 set to hit movie theaters in just one day, we here at AiPT! figured some Guardians cosplay was in short order.
The spotlight in this one is on Niamashina’s Gamora but don’t sleep on Sunji‘s Star-Lord or Ichi’s Groot either. And check out that amazing movie-poster-style shot with Rocket Raccoon!
Instagram: @niamashina
More: Star-Lord Cosplay by Mummery
Are you all ready for today’s theatrical release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? If our advance movie review, yesterday’s featured Gamora and Star-Lord cosplay gallery, or The Art of the Movie review didn’t get you hype enough, please allow this magnificent cosplay rendition of Groot and Rocket Raccoon by Edes and Jerome to get you more than ready for some space-faring satisfaction. Teach us your ways, Edes and Jerome!
Facebook: Groot (Edes) | Rocket (Jerome)
More: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries
Today, we sit down with New Jersey-based cosplayer GlitchyKitty to discuss her epic Super Smash Bros. skills, the cosplay scene and how she got started with all things nerdy!
AiPT!: Let’s start off with learning where you are!
GlitchyKitty: Northern New Jersey, about 20 minutes from New York City! I’ve been here my whole life.
AiPT!: When you aren’t cosplaying, how do you spend your time?
GK: I play Super Smash Bros. Melee competitively. Not only do I spend time playing, but I spend time traveling the country for tournaments as well! From the Smash community, I also found a love for streaming on Twitch! So I guess to narrow it down: smash, traveling and streaming.
AiPT!: Growing up, were you always into nerd culture? Or is it something that developed later on in your life?
GK: Neither of my parents were ever really into cool nerd things, so I wasn’t really “raised” by it. However, I loved Pokemon from before I could even talk. My mom even told me one of my first words was “Pika.” I remained in love with Pokemon and other Nintendo games from then on and my parents let that flourish by buying me my first game system, my Nintendo 64.
AiPT!: How long have you been cosplaying?
GK: I always tell people since 2013, so about 4 years now. That’s when I started to plan and sit down and work on costumes before the night before the convention. However, I will admit I threw clothes together in an effort to look like different Pokemon and miscellaneous characters (I did this with Larvitar, Raichu and even Nyan Cat) since like 2010 when I started going to conventions. Thankfully I have no pictures of them. [Laughs]
AiPT!: When you think of cosplay as an art form, what does that mean to you?
GK: It feels like home … as cliche as that sounds. I don’t really know how to put how it makes me feel into words. When I’m at a convention in something I worked so hard on and am so proud of I just feel like nothing can stop me and I just feel like “home.” Then I looked around and see everyone else’s magnificent creations that I know they also slaved over and it makes that feeling explode even more. I love doing it myself and I love admiring other people.
AiPT!: How much time, on average, would you say you invest into each cosplay?
GK: This is a question I get a lot and it’s so hard for me to answer. I’m a big time procrastinator. On top of it, I’m in college full time. How it usually works (especially during the school year) is I’ll bang out one huge project and maybe one more minor one in two-to-three weekends. I will spend my time doing nothing but that. Sometimes I’ll stream my work so I have people to keep me focussed but sometimes that does just the opposite.
AiPT!: Does it get to a point with costumes where you’ll sacrifice accuracy for comfort or will you force yourself to be uncomfortable to get that extra bit of accuracy?
GK: I rarely get to be comfortable in costume. So going in with the thought that I’ll probably be uncomfortable anyway, I will most definitely make it more accurate over comfortable. [Laughs]
AiPT!: What would you say is the most ambitious cosplay you’ve ever taken on?
GK: Probably Renekton from League of Legends. The armor in itself was a little scary but the blade he carries was really daunting. Renekton’s blade is my one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite, weapon in League of Legends and I was so enamored with it that I pushed through to make it so I could hold it in real life. It makes me feel really cool, I won’t lie.
AiPT!: Is there a cosplay you’d love to do but feel too intimidated by?
GK: This happens often but if I really love it, I’ll try to go for it. Right now I feel that way about Super Galaxy Shyvana from League of Legends, but I’m planning on trying to make her sometime next year, with her probably being my biggest build of all time. Since cosplay is definitely a learning experience, the beauty of being intimidated by a costume you want to make is that one day you’ll be at the level where you can do it.
AiPT!: As the finishing touches are put on your cosplay and you hit the convention floor, what’s the first thing you like to do?
GK: My standard procedure for walking into the convention when I’m wearing a more uncomfortable and elaborate costume is get pictures to make sure I have some before everything potentially falls apart. [Laughs] Then I like to meet up with friends, check out panels, and eyeball potential things I wanna buy in the dealer’s room/artist alley.
AiPT!: Very few men are known as being famous in the cosplay scene, while comparatively it’s the complete opposite with women. What’re your thoughts on this? Do you think it’s harder for men to be recognized for being great cosplayers?
GK: I 100% believe it’s harder for men to get recognized. It’s really a shame but I think with the growing power of social media and cosplayers with more followers spotlighting other cosplayers, we can start to change that.
AiPT!: Whether it be from a friend, stranger, fan or fellow cosplayer – what’s the best cosplay advice you’ve ever received?
GK: I really look up to cosplayer/YouTuber MangoSirene and honestly, all of her Cosplay 101 videos include the most amazing advice. However, she ends all of these videos by saying “and as always, Happy Cosplay!” and I feel that emphasizes that fun and happiness should be the #1 priority when cosplaying.
AiPT!: Due to the heavy prescience of social media in our society, a lot of people are able to form and voice opinions of the cosplay community, without being a part of it. What do you think the biggest misconception about cosplay is?
GK: While I don’t think anyone who doesn’t participate would ever call it “easy,” I’m most certain that many people don’t realize how hard it actually is until they try. Seeing the finished work is one thing, but watching a time-lapse video/work log/tutorial of something that took hours/days/weeks is a whole new world.
AiPT!: Out of these films, which are you most looking for to in 2017 and why? Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Wonder Woman, Alien: Covenant, Thor: Ragnarok or The Mummy?
GK: I’m actually not the biggest comic book gal myself, but I’m a huge Rocket Raccoon fan so I gotta give it to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
AiPT!: Lastly! Where can people find you online?
GK: My Instagram is @glitchykitty, my Twitter is @shannondorf_ and my Twitch is shannonGK!
Even if you weren’t a fan of the Suicide Squad film, you can probably still agree that the Harley Quinn sequences, especially those with the Joker in the night club, were a lot of fun and visually engrossing to boot. Russian cosplayer Anastasya Zelenova recreates that incredible vibe in the following photoset:
Patreon: Anastasya Zelenova
More: Suicide Squad-style Harley Quinn cosplay by Katie Kosova
Got a friend that still doesn’t know the difference between Jaina Proudmoore from World of Warcraft and the Crystal Maiden from Dota 2? Instead of outright rebuffing their friendship efforts, as we would have suggested only a few days ago, show them this amazing Rylai, the Crystal Maiden cosplay from Akina Gasai. The colors, lighting and make-up are so on point you’ll never get the two characters confused again:
More: Check out Akina’s Janna from League of Legends cosplay.
Today, AiPT! is fortunate enough to interview our first European cosplayer, Giorgia. This lovely lady hails from Italy, has a Sailor Moon obsession, speaks multiple languages and offers an insightful look at the growing pains of the cosplay community.
AiPT!: Tell us a little bit about where you’re from and what you do when you aren’t cosplaying!
Giorgia: I was born and raised in Vigasio, which is a small town just a few miles south of Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet and love.
Nowadays, I mainly work with my voice, recording commercials for the radio, and presenting programs for a couple of web-radio on a regular basis. Theater is a big passion of mine, so I also teach in a theater class for kids.
In my free time, I like to go to the movies or read a book or a comic (whether it is American, Japanese, French or Italian, I’m pretty omnivorous in that regard).
AiPT!: Growing up, were you always into nerd culture or is that something that slowly developed over time?
Giorgia: You either are born a nerd or you become one. I was born as such. I have a picture of me wearing the costume of Heidi from Alps No Shojo Heidi that goes back to when I was only 2.
Apart from that, I’ve been into Japanese animation for as long as I can remember, so I think nerd culture is something with which I’ve lived my entire life.
AiPT!: A lot of people had/have to hide their nerd passions growing up due to bullying. Was that something you had to deal with or were you always open about it?
Giorgia: I have been always open about it, even when it led to bullying, so I guess it’s both. I’ve been bullied for various reasons and loving nerdy things was one of them, but I’ve never let that keep me from pursuing my passions.
In the end, I got my revenge: nerd is now almost mainstream and people from my past come to me as an expert in pop culture or even asking me out.
AiPT!: Walk us through that first moment when you decided you wanted to cosplay. What was the discovery process like?
Giorgia: As I said before, I had my first costume when I was 2, but maybe that is something that can be expected when you live in a country with such a strong tradition for costumed carnival.
The first “real” cosplay I wore was Sailor Mars from Sailor Moon and I put “real” between quotes because at the time I didn’t even know I was cosplaying.
I just had been seeing people dressing up like characters from Star Trek and fantasy RPGs (like AD&D) when attending comic conventions.
So I said to myself: “if they can do that with their favorite characters, why can’t I do the same with mine?”
I told my idea to my best friend and pronto, we were Sailor Mars and Deedlit from Lodoss War, attending the spring 97 edition of Lucca Comics And Games, the biggest comic convention in Italy (and nowadays one of the biggest in the world). As I said, at the time we didn’t even know we were cosplaying, and we called that “dressing up.” It was only after we had internet access that we came to learn that the hobby was worldwide and had a name.
AiPT!: I’ve noticed a lot of your cosplay work is anime-based. Is it fair to say anime is where you derive the most passion and inspiration from when creating a new cosplay?
Giorgia: To me cosplaying is also a way of paying tribute to the characters that were with me during my childhood and expressing my love for them.
Growing up, the Italian television (mainly the private ones) broadcast a lot of anime, so it is safe to say that this is the reason why the vast majority of my cosplay involves anime. But I do have Catra from Masters Of The Universe, for example.
While there could be exceptions, mainly when I’m asked to make a particular costume, the rule of thumb for me is to look at my past and/or at characters that gave me something. And that is why I will only occasionally cosplay as the character of the moment and never just to have the big and bold costume that makes me look epic.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing inherently bad in simply trying to look good in cosplay, but it is simply not for me.
AiPT!: Who’s your favorite Sailor Soldier and what’s your favorite moment from the series (anime or manga)?
Giorgia: I grew up liking Sailor Mars the most, but when Sailor Pluto got on the scene, she immediately became my favorite. As for my favorite moment, I will say the finale of the first season, when Sailor Moon fights the evil Queen Metaria and the spirits of all the other Sailor Soldiers come to help her.
It is one of those “all for one” moment that the Japanese animation masters do so well and that resonates powerfully even if you don’t know anything about the Japanese culture. After all, if you think about it, there’s a similar scene at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire (Harry Potter is of course another passion of mine).
AiPT!: As a fan of cosplay and an active member of the community you interact with a lot of different people. What’s the best interaction you’ve had, whether it was as a fan or while actively cosplaying?
Giorgia: Oh, this is a tough one. May I just bring this home by saying a category instead of a person?
I absolutely love when, while I’m cosplaying, little children come to me with their sparkly eyes and they ask me if I am the real one, if I have powers and questions like that. And it gets even better when it’s whole families, because maybe I’m cosplaying a character that appeals to wider range of generations.
People have come to me saying I inspired them to explore their creativity and It’s always so good to see you can inspire confidence in others.
AiPT!: Out of all the cosplays you’ve done, which is your favorite and why?
Giorgia: This is like as a kid being asked if you loved mom or dad more. But there are actually a couple of costumes of which I hold dear memories.
The first one is Alcyone from Magic Knight Rayearth, which is the costume that allowed me to be selected as the Italian representative for the World Cosplay Summit in 2005. The other one is Silen from Devilman which allowed me to win that competition and so to meet both Leiji Matsumoto (author of Starblazers, among others) and Go Nagai (Devilman, Mazinger).
AiPT!: With the help of online social networks such as Reddit, Facebook and Instagram, the cosplay community has grown exponentially over the last few years. Do you have any concerns for the community or the art, given the fast growth and exposure occurring?
Giorgia: Ever since Facebook got on the scene I have been worried that the cosplay community was going to spread among a number of personal pages instead of the few reliable and steady points of aggregation which the forums of the early internet days provided.
It might sound counterintuitive, but the social network allowed for sociality between the cosplayers and a wider audience, but at the cost of a reduced sociality between the cosplayers themselves.
Apart from this, I worry that the exposure will lead some people to try and take advantage of the situation, trying to exploit the hunger for visibility that some cosplayers show. This is something that happens on a regular basis, with people from different backgrounds and organizations that basically ask cosplayers to work for free to be at events, to promote products or the like … you get the idea.
Also, a greater exposure also means that companies will be looking, and there might come the day when they start asking for money for the right to cosplay a certain character if you profit from it.
AiPT!: When you decide you want to cosplay a character, do you research their backgrounds and history or focus exclusively on the costume?
Giorgia: It depends. If I’m going to cosplay one of the characters from my childhood, I usually already know enough of them and their story and I can focus on the costume, looking for details that I might otherwise overlook.
On the other hand, if I’m going to cosplay a character that I was asked for, I like to do a little online research to at least be able to pull the correct poses, and answer questions if needed to.
AiPT!: To build off of the previous question, how into the character do you get when you cosplay? Simple poses, notable quotes or full on roleplaying?
Giorgia: It depends on the character. Some allow only for simple poses because they might lack a catchphrase or memorable quotes. But if they do have those, I like to play them, because I strongly believe cosplay is costume and playing, both important in equal part.
Then there are those characters that allow for my imagination and improv skills to run wild, like they do when I cosplay Baron Ashura from Mazinger Z for which I like to act stupid and funny like the character is in my mind.
AiPT!: What’re you most looking forward to in 2017?
Giorgia: Fame, glory and money! … and of course, World peace 
AiPT!: Lastly! Where can fans find you online?
Giorgia: Well there’s my website which unfortunately doesn’t get updated as much as I would like and my Facebook page.
You can also follow me on Instagram.
We greatly enjoyed January Jones’ portrayal of Emma Frost in X-Men: First Class as the beautiful yet deadly telepath. In the following set cosplayer Captain Irachka infuses the look of the character from the movie with the costume fans of the X-Men comic book should be very familiar with:
Patreon: Captain Irachka
More: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries
With temperatures rising and C2E2 in the rear view, it’s clear that convention season is heating up. But if you skipped out on WonderCon 2017, you missed the start of it all.
The unofficial kickoff to all things geek every year, Anaheim, California’s WonderCon isn’t just the little sibling of San Diego’s Comic-Con International. It’s become a destination for those who don’t want the bustle of the big show, but are looking for a genuinely unique, fun and inclusive experience.
If you foolishly overlooked WonderCon 2017, read on and despair at your mistake! Here are the top 13 things that made it stand out from the rest.
You’d be hard-pressed to find another convention with human-sized Lego people, the Dayman from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Multiple Man with an actual dupe. Okay, sure, you got your standard Deadpool, too — but he was carrying a lightsaber and wearing a WWE championship title.
And hey, if you didn’t bring your own costume, you could probably build one from all the amazing booths on the show floor. You could buy a sword, a kilt and a fez all within the same area, and there was even a real creature make-up artist doing people up like extras in Narnia. Walk a little farther down the aisle, and you could’ve gotten a caricature of your new get-up drawn in real-time.
Legendary science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein was a philanthropist, in more ways than one. Having a rare blood type, he made it a point to donate frequently, and set up a general blood drive at San Diego Comic-Con in 1977. It’s been a staple there ever since, and it came to WonderCon in 2007, where you can give a little while consuming a little. It’s good to have balance.
Proving that it’s not just about adult geeks, WonderCon 2017 promoted screenings of several movies from the Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival, including Yoon-Ah Jung’s Living Water and other works from Australia, Iran, Slovakia and elsewhere around the world. Many of the animators and filmmakers were on hand to help advise others on how to make their own children’s films.
Science overtook science fiction and fantasy when the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s David Rosing, Shonte J. Tucker and Todd J. Barber took the stage to discuss their most harrowing moments in creating actual spacecraft. From Tucker finding engineers who goofed in the fetal position, to Barber’s ill-timed impression of visiting governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the very human engineers were there to remind everyone that most victories are preceded by a lot of little defeats. And to to check your damn units.
Like a lot of shows, WonderCon had tournaments for popular tabletop games Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering and Munchkin. But if you didn’t want to invest all that time and effort, you could also sit for a spell, play a few rounds with friends and maybe discover a new game from the small publishers that were giving demos.
Or if you wanted the experience without missing panels, there were even NIGHT TIME sessions at the nearby Anaheim Hilton.
And I do mean nearby. The Hilton was just one of eight hotels within easy walking distance of the Anaheim Convention Center, WonderCon’s home. Beats the hell of out staying in Jersey for New York Comic Con! And if the location wasn’t alluring enough, WonderCon arranged for reduced room prices if you booked through them.
Founded in 1986 to protect the First Amendment rights of comics professionals, the CBLDF financially and legally aids those creators that have their work targeted by censorship from libraries and even government officials. Editorial director Betsy Gomez was at WonderCon 2017 to discuss ongoing cases and others that the Fund actually helped triumph in, including one you might not expect, when neurologist and science advocate Steven Novella was sued by a quack medical practitioner for calling him out on his bullshit.
Yes, it’s California, and yes you will get delicious, off-beat culinary creations — right in front of the Convention Center! And if you were interested in the Filipino fusion of White Rabbit or the down-home barbecue of MeatUp, there were more than a dozen others to choose from. Almost worth the price of tickets alone.
WonderCon doesn’t just celebrate pop culture — it thinks about it. The Comics Arts Conference was first brought to San Diego Comic-Con 25 years ago by Peter Coogan Randy Duncan, and the “academic track” of programming, where university professors and others gather to examine comics more critically, appears in Anaheim, too. Panels this year included a skeptical look at Marvel’s character diversity by Jonathan Flowers of Southern Illinois University, and a discussion on whether genre definitions limit storytelling.
Yes, that is Tara Prescott of UCLA leading a scholarly panel dressed as Squirrel Girl.
Every year, at the end of the weekend, WonderCon attendees get to speak directly to the convention’s organizers to let them know what worked and what didn’t. If it weren’t already obvious, they really are the con that listens. Though maybe they shouldn’t heed that suggestion to publicize the location of the cheap Chinese buffet.
Hey, don’t laugh. The much-maligned 90s comic superstar, partially responsible for the creation of Deadpool and X-Force, and the obfuscation of countless feet, still packs ’em in. Liefeld had an entire panel devoted to him, as he promoted his new Deadpool: Bad Blood original graphic novel, drawn and co-written by the man himself. It was one of the few panels all weekend that actually had to be capped for attendance.
You read that right — for the most part, you didn’t have to worry about being shut out of your favorite panel at WonderCon 2017. And there was glorious elbow room throughout the Anaheim Convention Center, yet you could still cover all the ground in a relatively short period of time. Add in great Wi-Fi, plenty of handicapped-accessible seating and tons of outlets and bathrooms, and you get one of the most people-friendly conventions in the world. You could actually enjoy your enjoyment!
Ana, the matronly healing sniper from Overwatch, is a favorite amongst players for her lore and unique gameplay.
Cosplayer Lunar Crow, who already wowed us with her Symmetra cosplay, nails her Captain Amari skin as well. Peep the downright impressive detail and accuracy in that body armor:
Facebook: Miss Lunar Crow
Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries
Today, AiPT! sits down to talk cosplay with kung fu extraordinaire Luna Gabriella! We get insight into her detailed cosplay creation process, how she got started with kung fu and her love of all things nerd!
AiPT!: Let’s start things off by learning where you’re from and how you spend your time when you aren’t cosplaying!
Luna Gabriella: I’m a graphic designer and I work with my husband Sillas. We created a methodology to teach English, so he’s the teacher and I create the materials’ design and everything related with that.
In my free time, I like playing games, practicing sports and creating my cosplays. Recently, I started a sewing course to improve my skills.
AiPT!: I can see from your Instagram profile that you’re an active practitioner of kung fu. What inspired you to pursue martial arts? In addition, what was your biggest misconception about the kung fu that you realized once you became active in it?
LG: My cousins and I always liked playing fighting games since we were kids. So we used to play like we were fighters and sometimes we started fighting for real, getting hurt, noses bleeding and everything. Kids stuff … I also grew up watching martial arts movies and I think it sparked my interest in it. But since I was studying and working so much, I didn’t have the opportunity to start practicing before.
When I watched the movie Ongbak, I wanted so much to start practicing Muai Thai, but I didn’t find a place to practice here in my city. However, the gym where I work out also offers kung fu classes, so I decided to give it a shot.
I always thought that kung fu was too soft for me, but in the first class I totally changed my conception, and since then I just love kung fu, it’s so complete, just perfect! Kung fu is not just choreography movements, or just punches and kicks. It’s constantly changing, from inside to outside, a great evolution to become a stronger and complete person.
AiPT!: With the explosion of the comic convention and cosplay scene, there are huge cons happening all over the world now. What’s the furthest you’ve ever traveled to attend a convention that you were cosplaying at? I’d also like to know what con you’ve never attended but dream of getting to one day.
LG: Well, I never traveled too far to attend a convention. The biggest con that I went to was Comic Con Experience in São Paulo. However, I would love to attend other cons around the world. I have a particular interest in Comic-Con International: San Diego.
AiPT!: Anyone who’s attended a convention for the first time can attest to the chaos of it. As someone who attends in cosplay, how do you prepare yourself for each con?
LG: I always try to get everything prepared one day before – all the accessories I’ll need, makeup and that stuff. I also try to get ready before I get there, sometimes the bathrooms are just too crowded to wear a costume or do a makeup.
AiPT!: Take us through your cosplay creation process. What’s the method behind the madness?
LG: When I start making a costume, I draw it first. This way I can pay attention to all the details. I don’t have a lot of experience with armor and props crafting, but I always try to be creative and figure out the best way to make it, to be beautiful, durable and comfortable.
AiPT!: Sex appeal and social media presence in cosplay is a hot-button issue these days. With the rise in popularity of Patreon and boudoir shoots, some people say cosplay is drifting away from its core values and becoming more about money and popularity. What’re your thoughts?
LG: That’s the perfect question! I have a Patreon and I also cosplay some sexy characters, since I like mostly to cosplay fighters and comic characters, it’s difficult to find one that’s not sex appeal. I do think that people can do what they want with their lives and their bodies, but that’s not the kind of work I want to do. I mean boudoir, lingerie, bikini, sexier versions and that stuff.
I imagine I could be much more popular doing that, but it’s not the kind of admiration I want, also I can’t imagine my family seeing me in social media half naked or too exposed, they would be totally ashamed.
I don’t have hundreds of patrons or millions of followers, but I’m so glad for each one I have, ’cause they respect me and they truly admire my work as a cosplayer and martial artist.
Patreon is an awesome platform, a great opportunity for all the types of artists, of having their works really valued. Unfortunately, nowadays when you mention it, all that people can think of is lingerie shots.
AiPT!: Tell us about your best cosplay experience!
LG: I think the first one is always unforgettable. It was in 2012, I went to a convention in São Paulo as Narusegawa from Love Hina. Even though it was an old anime, people recognized me and took many photos. Since then, I never stopped cosplaying.
AiPT!: Is there a cosplay you’d love to do but are nervous of taking on because it would be extremely challenging?
LG: A barbarian and demon hunter armor from Diablo III. I played Diablo so much and I love every single character. I already cosplayed a Wizard version, but it was very simple, no armor.
AiPT!: If you could jump into the world of any video game, anime or comic book character – which one would you pick and why?
LG: If I was a kid, I certainly would answer Power Rangers! That’s difficult, almost all the universes are in chaos. I totally would like to be a superheroine, but all those wars, worlds falling apart, that’s not for me. I would prefer something like Skyrim!
AiPT!: Out of these upcoming films, which are you most excited for and why? Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Thor: Ragnarok, Wonder Woman, The Mummy, Spiderman: Homecoming and Transformers: The Last Knight.
LG: Wonder Woman! I’m excited to see how my favorite superheroine will be performed in her own movie.
AiPT!: Last, but certainly not least, where can fans find you online?
LG: On my website you can find more information about me, my cosplay list, next projects, kung fu and everything!
Patreon: www.patreon.com/lunagabb
Facebook: www.fb.com/lunaagabb
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lunagabb
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lunaagabb
Youtube: www.youtube.com/lunagabriellaoficial
Deviantart: lunagabriella.deviantart.com
Although far less necrotic-looking than some Death Knights you’ll come across in Acherus: The Ebon Hold or even New Avalon, cosplayer Ashe Kai nonetheless presents the look of World of Warcraft‘s first hero class in authentic, detailed form — particularly the impressively designed armor and Runeblade:
More: Support Ashe Kai’s cosplay work at her Patreon page.
Or: Browse more World of Warcraft cosplay galleries on AiPT!
The early reviews for the upcoming Wonder Woman movie have been overwhelmingly positive, so we’re celebrating with some of our favorite Wonder Woman cosplay offerings. First up, Jenifer Ann, who represents the strength and determination of the Queen of the Amazon in fine form with the following set:
Show Jenifer Ann your support on her Patreon page.
Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
The Wonder Woman movie hits theaters on June 2nd — and we’re keeping on with our favorite Wonder Woman cosplay offerings to celebrate. Yesterday we featured Jenifer Ann’s classic and movie costumes and today we feature Cosplay Butterfly, who not only offers an alluring look at the traditional costume but a fun, vintage bombshell bikini variation as well:
Show Cosplay Butterfly’s work some support on her Patreon Page.
Or check out more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
“How much do you trust me?”
If we’re talking about looking like the spitting image of Gamora from the Guardians of the Galaxy films, then we trust cosplayer Sara Moni a whole hell of a lot. Check out the following video and photoset for ample proof of that. And check out that amazing Black Vortex Gamora costume, too:
Twitter: Sara Moni
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We’re still getting hyped for the Wonder Woman movie release on June 2nd and celebrate today with this cosplay offering from cosplayer Anastasya Zelenova that’s so impressive you’ll think the following photos are extra promo stills from the movie itself. Big ups to photographer Sergey Shetukhin for creating such amazing atmosphere as well.
More: Check out Anastasya’s Suicide Squad Harley Quinn cosplay.
Or: Browse more AiPT! comic book/video game cosplay galleries.
Brittany Chaos is one of the most earnest cosplayers I’ve had the opportunity to talk with. In AiPT!’s latest cosplay interview, we discuss what drives the passion behind Brittany’s love of tattoos, Dragon Ball, conventions and of course, cosplay.
AiPT!: I’d like to start off by finding out where you’re from.
Brittany Chaos: Currently, I live in San Antonio, Texas, with my husband and two children, but I’m from Dayton, Ohio, originally.
AiPT!: How do you like to spend your time when you’re not at conventions or working on cosplay?
BC: I’m a hairdresser by trade and I work out of my home. My husband’s in the military and as I said I have two kids, so it’s easier for us since I can work at home and take care of one my kids while the other is at school.
When I’m not with my family, I’m usually catching up on my nerdism. I religiously watch Dragon Ball Super every Sunday. I’ll actually be in a podcast because I’m such a Dragon Ball fan (laughs). The podcast has a Dragon Ball section, so after seeing my Beerus and Goku cosplays, the creators thought I’d be the perfect person to have on. Beerus and Vegeta are my two favorite Dragon Ball characters.
I’m also big into my nerd TV series and I love swimming.
Most of my family is out of state, so I spend a lot of time on FaceTime catching up with them. I’m new to San Antonio, so I’m trying to get to know people and make friends. I’m still trying to get my bearings, get to know local cosplayers and build some new friendships.
AiPT!: What was the first moment you knew you really wanted to try cosplay?
BC: I’ve had a passion for dressing up and costumes for a long time. When I was still living in Ohio, my brother and I would attend this enormous Halloween party our friend threw every year. We’d also try to go over the top with our costumes, plan them six months in advance and spend a lot of time and money.
So later when I was working for Journey’s, I was attending a big company party for their top-selling managers and the theme of the party was Comic Con. Right off the bat I knew this was up my alley, I’m a big comic fan and I decided to go all out as my favorite comic book character – Deadpool.
AiPT!: Did you enjoy the movie?
BC: I was there opening day (laughs). No one could have done it better than Ryan Reynolds. I LOVE that movie!
So I started with Deadpool at my company party and at the time I had already purchased tickets for Dragon Con in Atlanta. Growing up in Ohio conventions aren’t a big thing there, so I was only really aware of San Diego Comic-Con. My husband clued me in to the fact that there’s a lot of other conventions out there. So we got tickets to Dragon Con and I went all out. Along with Deadpool I made a Goku and Green Arrow cosplay for the three-day weekend.
AiPT!: Wow, you dived into the deep end of the pool right off the bat!
BC: I really loved the idea of cosplay in general and I was able to combine it with my passion for Halloween and my skills as a hairdresser. So it felt like a perfect fit. The response from people at Dragon Con was overwhelming, I’d never encountered anything like it before. The feeling of having such an intense connection with people I had never met before, over the shared love of different characters, was a high like nothing I’ve ever felt. That’s why I keep doing it today.
AiPT!: When you first jumped into cosplay, what did you discover to be your biggest misconception about it?
BC: That it would be easy (laughs). I thought it would be so much easier than it is. But bigger than that, I didn’t realize the amount of guts it takes to step out on the convention floor in your costume in front of thousands of people. There’s good criticism but you also have to face the bad criticism and initially I didn’t think of that.
Goku was one of the first cosplays I ever did and it was thrown together and awful (laughs). No one knew who I was half the day, so I put a scanner on and of course I got hell for that because Goku never wore a scanner. The first time I received criticism like that it was really hard, now I just let it roll off my back, but the first time was one of the hardest things I’ve had to deal with.
AiPT!: How do you deal with the online negativity, the trolls, the keyboard warriors, the people who don’t have anything nice to say?
BC: It depends on the criticism. If it’s just basic negative criticism of my work, I don’t really mind, I don’t have time to spend worrying about that. Whatever, you don’t like my cosplay. If it’s inappropriate, that I do have a problem with. I try to keep a clean image that leans towards family orientated. You’re not going to see me using profanity and calling out followers or commenters. I want to keep things positive.
AiPT!: When you arrive at a convention what’s the first thing you like to do?
BC: It depends, I could either be at a photoshoot I have lined up beforehand or if I have time I like to walk the floor. I love browsing the merchandise (laughs). I’m a geek at heart, I love to see all the artwork on display. Artist alley is always my favorite place to be.
AiPT!: What’s your process look like for selecting and then creating a new cosplay?
BC: (laughs) Part of why I call myself Brittany Chaos is because of how many planning and preparing process unfolds- total chaos. Usually I like to bounce ideas off my brother and husband, they’re booth into a lot of the nerdy television shows I like and I draw a lot of inspiration there.
Since it’s so hot in Texas I always try to find fabric that will reduce how much I’m going to sweat. Craft foam is my best friend, you can make anything with it.
AiPT!: I saw your Rey cosplay and loved it. I’m a massive Star Wars fan myself and I’d love to know more about your relationship with the Star Wars franchise and what it means to you.
BC: When I first saw it I was 15 and forced to watch it by my brother. I secretly started to fall in love with it and then as I got older I was more open about it and really explored the genre. My brother has always been a huge influence there. When the prequels were released we saw all of them together on opening night. I fell in love with the universe.
I made my Rey cosplay for the opening night of The Force Awakens, it was done in a hurry and made almost entirely of curtains. I partnered with a local photographer in my neighborhood who was just starting up and we got some really amazing shots at a local construction site that gave the appearance of a different planet.
I’d really like to do a Sith Lord in the future. Jessica Nigri’s Sith Lord was a really big inspiration there.
AiPT!: I’ve noticed that you have some tattoos and as someone that has a lot themselves, I’m really curious how many you have and what they are.
BC: (counting) Four. I’d like to get more. Tattoos are something that you take to the grave, so if I’m getting one, it has to be really meaningful.
The one on my ankle is the kanji symbol for strength – I went through a rough year with losing some family and it was a lot to go through. But I came out of it a stronger person. I have text on my arm for my mother who passed away. My best friend and I got matching hearts on our pinky fingers for a pinky promise. Then I have an anchor and heart on my side for my husband who keeps me truly grounded.
If I were to get another one it’ll most likely be something for my kids. But eventually I’d like to get logos for all my favorite characters that I’ve cosplayed as.
AiPT!: Do tattoos factor at all into your decision making when selecting a cosplay?
BC: A lot of the costumes I have cover almost all of them anyway, but either way I’m going to do what I want to do, regardless of it my tattoos are showing.
AiPT!: I know you have quite the toy and action figure collection. What would you say is your favorite type of toy to collect and hunt for?
BC: My Pop!s are definitely my babies. My friend who cosplays as well, just put one of my favorites on lay away for me. It’s a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive, a little Beerus. I also collect other larger collectibles, some of my favorites are my Deadpool and Groot figures. Lady Deadpool is my pride and joy.
AiPT!: What’re you most looking forward to this year?
BC: I’m looking forward to finishing the costume I’m working on, Hawkgirl! I’ve never put more work into anything. There’s so much blood, sweat and tears that I’ve shed working on this. The wings alone are one of the most ambitious things I’ve ever done, there’s so much work required. I’m crafting fake feathers, including real feathers, air brushing and giving them the ability to open and close. Then there’s her mace, cowl, boots and body suit too.
AiPT!: Last but not least, where can we fans find you online?
BC:
Facebook – facebook.com/BrittanyChaosCosplay/
Instagram/Twitter – @brittanychaos
Website: pr3ttyninja.wixsite.com/brittanychaos
Email: BrittanyChaosCosplay@gmail.com
McCree is a fan favorite of the Overwatch series for a lot of reasons, including his cowboy garb. Holly Lauryn captures McCree’s essence perfectly in her cosplay of the sharpshooter. Check it out below–it’s high noon somewhere, after all.
Facebook: Holly Lauryn Cosplay
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