This time we got to talk to Tucson’s own Cynthiatron! Check out what this beautiful chica has to say.

Thank you for taking the time out to speak to us. How have you been doing lately?
I’ve been awesome!

What got you into doing cosplay?

I’m a seamstress and I enjoy con going, they just went together. I’ve been sewing for a few years and even started a degree in Fashion design. I love sewing, I want to make stuff all the time! Also, the community rules.

What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?

It could be anywhere from being a longtime favorite character, loving a design of a costume, or both!

What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?

I first cosplayed a Female Hawkeye(Marvel) at SDCC a couple years back. That one was a lot of fun! I even walked around with a little Deadpool plushie I made. But my favorite has to be Chun-Li so far, she’s been a favorite character of mine. She’s a tough chick and was the only female character in Street Fighter for a long time. Plus, it’s one of those characters that I think fits my body type. If it’s ok for Chun-Li to have big thighs, then I can too haha!

How long have you been making your costumes by hand?

I’ve been sewing since I was a little Cynthia. I used to make clothes for all my plushies and barbies. But doing cosplay for about 4 years.

Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

CAFFINE! CAFFINE! CAFFINE! Surrounding myself with awesome people. I’m pretty sure all creative people have a routine that they go through when making stuff. Set up, start, gogogo, that weird point where everything is 50% done/not done(It’s the glass is half full/empty thing), the freak out, and what the heck i’m done?! Then it’s convention time!

Have you participated in any contests?
None yet!

What is your best Con memory?

Oh man, probably when I got asked if I was Wonder Woman and I wasn’t even in costume. It’s the big hair.
Or when I met Jim Lee, turned into a nervous wreck, and all I could talk about was Aquaman.

There’s been a lot of turmoil because of the “sexual” component that is being discussed amongst convention organizers that sees many cosplayers getting asked to put some more clothes or turned away because their costumes are to “risque”. How do you feel about the apparent censorship of these costumes?

I totally support a cosplayer going the extremist route. May it be armored, changing your personal look, or wearing the more daring sexy costume. It all depends when and where you are wearing it. Like I totally understand turning down a Vampirella on a Sunday “Family Day” at a con. I would like to one day when I have my kids, be able to take them to a con without having to cover their eyes every 5 seconds because of all the wedgies that walk by. I could stand by that reasoning to turn down cosplayers in those situations.

Then there’s the idiots that think it’s excusable to put cosplayers in a position where it’s okay to make rude remarks or even physically harass them. Which is SAD, we’re supposed to be a community of people that ran away from harassment to unite at these conventions for US. I think as long as this is being made aware, maybe the harassment could end?
I had a guy pick me up and try to kiss me at a con before, it freaked me out! I called him out on it in-front of a crowd to let him and everyone know that kind of behavior is not acceptable. I had people backing me up and the guy walked away defeated.
For every 1 weirdo I get, I have a days worth of awesome people that genuinely appreciate my work and that makes it all worth it.

Many Cosplayers are either into Comic Books or Manga/Anime. What are you most into? Favorite Comic or Manga/Anime?

Comic books & Video games ! I have so many favorite everything it’s tough to pick one or a couple.
As far as comic books go…I have a couple writers/artist that I follow Brian K. Vaughn, Brandon Graham, Riley Rossmo, Matt Fraction, Ashley Wood, Brian Bendis, Humberto Ramos, Jeff Lemire, that’s just to name a few! But I do have my favorite characters too, It’s very common but I do love me some Spidey and Batman stuff.

Video games: Shadow of the Colossus(Made me cry like a baby), Okami, Bioshock(1 & Infinite), Smash Bros, Resident Evil 4, God of War 1,2,& 3. I COULD GO ON. I also really like all the oddball DS/PSP/DL games like Ninjatown, Loco Roco, Patapon, Castle Crashers, Fat Princess, Braid.

Everything else is just Robot stuff and Pokemon.

Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

HAVE FUN!

Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

Always be on the look out Can’t stop, won’t stop!
Find me on my artist page! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cynthiatron/114283658736522
and Instagram: Cynthiatron

Agent Burgos, Cosplay Spotlight: Cynthiatron

TV Host, Model, and Cosplayer, MarieDoll has been working in the entertainment industry for over 6 years and counting. Within that time Marie has been featured in numerous online and magazine publications and is widely known as an avid video gamer and cosplayer.  MarieDoll has made a career of her long time hobby of cosplay by combining it with her modeling,  giving her the chance to show her love for some of her favorite video game, anime, and comic book characters.

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Comic Book Therapy – What got you into doing cosplay?

MarieDoll – I was doing research on the first anime I ever saw (FLCL) I wanted to see more there was only 6 episodes and I came across “cosplay” then I decided I wanted to do it so I went to my first con in 2006 and made some amazing friends

CBT – What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?

MD – Usually I choose something that I’m really into at the time game,comic or anime series. Every now and then I will choose one because I just think the design is beautiful and something I want to make/wear for fun

CBT – What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?

MD – First was Lenalee from D-gray man my favorite right now is Morrigan even though it’s a pain to wear for longer than 45 mins lol

CBT – How long have you been making your costumes by hand?

MD – Since I started in 2006 My first one Lenalee was bought but after I made some friends I did Akito/Agito from air gear and my best friends mom showed me how to work a sewing machine so since then I have been self teaching my self

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

MD – My motivation comes from how badly I want to wear it to a convention usually if there is no con coming up I just procrastinate until there is one haha and usually there is no stress if I start stressing then I don’t do it

CBT – Have you participated in any contests?

MD – No I’m too lazy to sign up and do the all the other stuff that comes with it. Usually at the con I just like to chill with friends and take pictures in my cosplay. I’m not interested in competitions

CBT – What is your best Con memory?

MD – Can’t say there are too many great ones!

CBT – How would you describe yourself as a geek?

MD – Well I have an extensive collection of video games and I have a sexy grimmjow body pillow that I snuggle with …. so yeah lol

CBT – There’s been a lot of turmoil because of the “sexual” component that is being discussed amongst convention organizers that sees many cosplayers getting asked to put some more clothes or turned away because their costumes are to “risque”. How do you feel about the apparent censorship of these costumes?

MD – I think it’s silly and has a lot to deal with religion which is the main reason women’s bodies are looked at as “so naughty” but anyways I don’t really want to get into it because It can turn into a rant

CBT – Many Cosplayers are either into Comic Books or Manga/Anime. What are you most into? Favorite Comic or Manga/Anime?

MD – Manga/Anime Favorite right now (because it changes with time) is One Piece , Queen’s Blade, Sekirei and Nana

CBT – Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

MD – Just have fun and enjoy life! Peace and love!

CBT – Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

MD – I have a bunch of cons lined up for the year you can check them out at www.mariedoll.com !

Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: MarieDoll

Armed with a can of hairspray as her weapon of choice, Malindachan is all about her wigs. She taught herself to style wigs so she could cosplay her favorite overly-spikey-haired YU-GI-OH! characters, and eventually this led to her habit of selecting characters based on who’s hair looked the most ridiculous. As a gamer Malinda loves to play RPGs, her favorites being Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Zelda, and the Tales series. Other favorite things include One Piece, animated films, magical girls, sweets, nostalgic things, and owls.

Encouraged to pursue her artistic talents, she earned a Bachelor’s in Art with a concentration in 3D Computer Animation. She feels she can best exercise her range of abilities through cosplay. She learned to sew at a young age, and other than her Jigglypuff costume attempt at age 11, she started making her own costumes in 2004 and actively cosplaying in 2007.

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Comic Book Therapy – Thank you for taking the time out to speak to us. How have you been doing lately?

Malinda Chan – I’ve been doing pretty good! I got a full-time position working for Arda Wigs several months ago, and it’s a lot of fun. I’m living pretty comfortably, and I get to do stuff I love within my job.

CBT – What got you into doing cosplay?

MC – In High School, our Anime club encouraged dressing up in either cosplay or Japanese styled clothing for special club events. I already enjoyed dressing up, sewing, and crafting, so it was really easy to get into cosplay. Though, I didn’t get super active with it until I went to my first convention in 2007, and then I was hooked.

CBT – What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?

MC – I have to like the character enough to want to invest my time and money into making the costume. Sometimes I get extra motivation if it’s for a group my friends are doing, or if I’m really attracted to the character’s design, but the costumes I am most passionate about constructing are for characters that have a strong personality, good values, or something that I can relate to.

CBT – What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?

MC -I cosplayed Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist when I was in High School. My favorite characters at this point though have been Yusei Fudo from YU-GI-OH! 5D’s and Link from The Legend of Zelda games.

CBT – How long have you been making your costumes by hand?

MC – Since I started. Sometimes I modified store-bought items (and still do) if it saved time and money, but even with my Ed cosplay, I made the read coat myself. It was crude compared to what I’m capable of now, but we all gotta start somewhere!

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

MC – Listening to music or a show in the background helps, as well as sharing progress photos with friends as I go. I also switch around with different parts of the costume so I’m not doing the same sort of thing for too long. So I might sew one part, work on the wig, do some more sewing, work on a prop, back to sewing, etc. Time management does wonders as well. I try starting on things as early as possible, and when it comes down to the last two weeks before the con, I make a list of what goals I need to accomplish each day, with higher priorities first on the schedule.

CBT – Have you participated in any contests?

MC – I have, though I don’t do them as much anymore. I’ve learned that a lot of my convention stress is caused by contests because it takes a huge chunk out of my schedule that I could be spending with friends, and now that I’m living further away from a lot of my cosplay friends, any time I can spend with them at cons is very precious. I also always got super stressed when it came to craftsmanship perfection, and while I still strive to make my costumes look as good as they can be, I feel less stressed about it when I’m just doing it for myself rather than for a panel of judges.

CBT – What is your best Con memory?

MC – It’s hard to say, since I have many of them. I feel like every convention location I’ve been to has some good memories with it. Katsucon 2012 is a more recent one that really stands out to me because it was a very unique experience. I was always told that it was a beautiful venue and saw tons of amazing photos from it, so my expectations were really high (which usually means that I won’t be as surprised when I see the real thing), but I was still jumping up and down in excitement when I first walked through the atrium. A-kon 2007 was really awesome too because it was my first convention experience, and I met a ton of cosplay friends there that I am still friends with today. It’s where it all began for me!

CBT – How would you describe yourself as a geek?

MC – Even outside of cosplaying, I love playing video games and watching Anime, as well as things like sci-fi or fantasy films and shows. I like a wide range of stories between shoujo and shounen manga, and I especially love RPGs.

CBT – There’s been a lot of turmoil because of the “sexual” component that is being discussed amongst convention organizers that sees many cosplayers getting asked to put some more clothes or turned away because their costumes are to “risque”. How do you feel about the apparent censorship of these costumes?

MC – It really depends, since I believe there is a time and a place for everything. Conventions are trying to aim to be family friendly, whether it be for the really young kids that are accompanying the fan parents, or the teenagers that are required to have a chaperone parent or guardian. If you’ve got a person wearing a costume that would be considered inappropriate or trashy in a normal public place, then that can create a bad image for both the convention and the area of interest. I grew up in a pretty conservative household, and I know that if my parents went with me to a convention and saw those cosplayers, they’d probably freak out. And if I was still a teenager, they might have forbid me from going to conventions ever again, and might even ban me from owning or watching any more Anime. I’m going to use Yoko from Gurren Lagann as an example here. As long as a Yoko cosplayer is wearing the bikini like swimwear is meant to be worn (aka, no “underboob”), nipples aren’t obvious, and their butt cheeks aren’t hanging out of their shorts, then it’d be fine to walk around in public areas of the con. I think it’s best to limit the more risque stuff to private photoshoots and later times in the evening when under-aged kids aren’t going to be out and about. My husband once cosplayed Kamina at a con, and after our private photoshoot the hotel made him go up to our room to get a shirt to cover his torso. Sure, it might be frustrating that you can’t be “accurate” while you’re walking around the con, but at the end of the day it’s not like other people cosplaying Kamina at the same con get to be accurate either because they are required to do the same thing. Just means you might get to be a little more creative with your costume so that it is appropriate; like making a special themed jacket or PJ pants.

CBT – Many Cosplayers are either into Comic Books or Manga/Anime. What are you most into? Favorite Comic or Manga/Anime?

MC – I’m mostly into manga/Anime. As girly and dramatic as it is, I’ve got a special place in my heart for Fushigi Yugi because it was the very first Manga I started to collect and get hooked on. And while the first series has been completed, there is a prequel (the Genbu Kaiden) that has been ongoing that I still keep up with, and I really enjoy it. :3

CBT – Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

MC – Never underestimate what you’re capable of. Experiment with new materials and techniques, and you might surprise yourself. I was intimidated and didn’t know what I was doing when I tried wig styling, and next thing I knew, wigs became the highlight of my costuming work. Also, never limit yourself to characters people tell you to do, or base what you cosplay on who you look like; you have every right to cosplay any character you want regardless of race, gender, or body type. There can be some mean people on the internet that might put you down, even if your costume is spot-on accurate, but don’t let that hold you back. As long as you are happy with what you accomplish, that is the most important and satisfying thing.

CBT – Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

MC – While I’m not as active online as I used to be, I’m still pumping out several new costumes and trying to catch up on some of my social networking places when I can. New photos will be uploaded to Deviantart, Facebook, and Tumblr, and I’m going to try harder this year to do v-logs again for my Youtube. I’ve been doing lots of wig tutorials through my work, and you can watch them for free on the Arda Wigs Youtube channel.

Make sure you hit like on Malinda Chan’s fan page to check out some of her other awesome photos and keep up to date with her adventures.

Websites:

Deviantart: http://malindachan.deviantart.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Malindachan/123048547767546

Tumblr: http://malindachan.tumblr.com/

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Malindachan

Wig tutorial videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/ardawigs

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Malindachan

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Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: Malinda Chan

Photography and Edits By Andy Wana

My recent introduction to an international audience was when I was the lucky one chosen to play live-action Lilith from the hit Borderlands series, but my life has always been consumed in the arts, and especially in cosplay. It’s taken me several years to get it right and to push my skills as a well-known cosplayer, but it’s taken me even longer to understand why I do it. I aim high to become a well-respected person within my community, and to help and inspire others with their goals, no matter what they are.

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Comic Book Therapy – Thank you for taking the time out to speak to us. How have you been doing lately?

Yasemin Arslan – Hi there! I’ve been doing quite well, actually. Been busy sewing a dozen costumes at once, and prepping for a few exciting life-changing events soon. I’m starting studies in June aswell for game design, which I’m really looking forward to!

CBT – What got you into doing cosplay?

YA – A few things got me into the hobby. Like most people, I got into because I simply liked the idea of becoming my favourite game/anime/comic character for a day, and pushing my creative skills further to create more elaborate outfits. Also, cosplay really helped me with some personal issues such as depression. It gave me a reason. It helped take the emotional baggage off my back. It let me meet some amazing people who changed my life. Basically, it’s a wonder drug!

CBT – What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?

YA – For most characters I portray, I firstly got to have respect and admiration for the character before I cosplay them. I mostly cosplay characters who have a badass and strong personality, or someone who has left a significant impact in the virtual and/or real world.

I also cosplay characters simply for the design. I may not know of a game or series, but if I see a character I like, I’ll research her and bring her to life. I studied fashion design for a while, and it really opened my eyes and helped me respect couture design and bizarre outfits. Some people may be upset at this idea, saying people have no right to “cosplay a character they don’t know”, but I say that as long as they know a bit of their stuff and respect the arts, then I see no problem. (You’ll be surprised how many people do it!)

CBT – What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?

YA – My first ‘proper’ costume was Asuka Kazama from Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection. It was her kimono variation that I chose, and was probably the costume that truly started the obsession. It’s hard to choose a favourite, though. It’d have to be a tie between Lilith (Borderlands 2) and Yuna (FFX).

As most people know, I was chosen by Gearbox to be the live-action Lilith for the Borderlands series, and was featured in the Borderlands 2 game. After all the filming, I decided to make her outfit and go all-out on a shoot with a talented bunch of friends. To this day, it was the most complex, exhausting, and rewarding shoot. But Yuna stands out for me because I slowly made her costume over a span of 3 years. I kept putting the costume back in the ‘do not touch’ pile, but finally decided to complete her, and it turned out to be my most beautiful outfit so far. It was easy to wear, and it felt nice being all girly-girl haha!

CBT – How long have you been making your costumes by hand?

YA – I’ve been sewing for about 8 years now, and I still have so much more to learn. I refuse to buy a costume, and would rather go through all the blood, sweat, tears and money to make something I’d be proud of.

More recently, I’ve been collaborating with more prop specialists, editors, and other costume specialists. Like many art forms such as music, it’s great when people work together to create great things!

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

YA – It’s hard to be motivated, sometimes. Work, life, and many other things can distract you from finishing an outfit. Money and resources play a huge factor, aswell, as Australia has poor access to materials and what we have ain’t cheap. But I have an amazing support team behind me. Great friends, a fantastic fan base, and a wonderful partner who is my knight in shining armour. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

CBT – Have you participated in any contests?

YA – I used to enter cosplay competitions, but these days I don’t find them rewarding or fair, so I rarely go in them. Now I just focus on getting good photos. They’re more rewarding for me. The only competitions I enter now are karaoke comps. Singing is my new craze!

CBT – What is your best Con memory?

YA – The one that immediately pops to mind is when my partner and I were walking up the main city road, and people thought we were getting married!

We were dressed as Euphemia and Suzaku from Code Geass, in their white ball gown outfits. So naturally, total strangers thought we were off to the chapel! They were honking from their cars and screaming out “congratulations”! We just laughed and played it off.

Another good con memory was when I was cosplaying Bad Girl (No More Heroes). I completely lost my voice, so having conversations was quite interesting!

CBT – Cosplaying various characters must’ve given you a lot of geek credibility. How would you describe yourself as a geek?

YA – I’m becoming more of a ‘geek’ these days. I’m playing far more games, getting in touch with Western comics, and I’m learning how to tear apart my PC and put it back other again. One game taking up my life right now is Planetside 2. Can’t stop!

CBT – There’s been a lot of turmoil because of the “sexual” component that is being discussed amongst convention organizers that sees many cosplayers getting asked to put some more clothes or turned away because their costumes are to “risque”. How do you feel about the apparent censorship of these costumes?

YA – I actually understand why conventions are being a bit more restrictive when it comes to girls in skimpy outfits. Think about it- young children, elderly folk, and (sadly) perverts attend conventions. You gotta have ‘some’ limits to what you wear.

Now I’m not saying girls don’t have a right to cosplay what they want. I don’t wear the most modest outfits, myself, and I’m all for a girl being confident in her own skin and showing her dedication to character she respects, and a revealing outfit isn’t an open invitation for pervs to attack. But still, you gotta play safe sometimes.

CBT – Many Cosplayers are either into Comic Books or Manga/Anime. What are you most into? Favorite Comic or Manga/Anime?

YA – I gotta say that I’m more into manga, as I surrounded myself with Japanese culture growing up. My favourite right now is GANTZ. I really hated it first for it’s display of misogyny and over-the-top fan service, but the manga matured over time, and it became brilliant.

The others that I’m into are Claymore, Nana, Fullmetal Alchemist, A Girl By The Sea (R18+), Le Chevalier D’eon, Trinity Blood, etc.

CBT – Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

YA – PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! Never give up! Do your research on your character, and take your time making it. Y’know, the basics haha.

I think my biggest tip though would be for people to study the costume. Make a blueprint and get fabric samples to come up with a combination that works best. I often spend hours in fabric stores just thinking what textures and what weights would be best for each garment piece. If you want to make an elaborate costume, you have to be prepared to spend money, spend time, and spend energy, so make sure you’re inspired enough to do it.

Also, don’t be afraid to get into contact with other cosplays and ask for advice. There’s plenty of tutorials out there, and cosplayers with pages where they post their work.

CBT – Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

YA – You’re welcome, and thankyou!! I’ll be doing a whole ton of things this year, so keep a lookout on my fan page (look up Yasemin Arslan Fanpage on Facebook) or on vera-chimera.deviantart.com!

Make sure you hit like on Yasemin Arslan’s fan page to check out some of her other awesome photos and keep up to date with her adventures.

DEVIANTART: http://www.vera-chimera.deviantart.com/
TUMBLR: http://vera-chimera.tumblr.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vera_chimera

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Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: Yasemin Arslan

Superhero-in-training. Gamer. Cosplayer. Keeper of the Cheese. Eternal student. Gooberdork.

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Comic Book Therapy – A definite privilege to be speaking with you. How have you been doing lately?

Kristen Hughey Cosplay – Ditto! I have been peachy. My semester is coming to an end, so I have more time for killing (or re-killing maybe?) zombies and making costumes.

CBT – What got you into doing cosplay?

KHC – I have been crafting pretty much my entire life and my mom taught me to sew when I was young. When I saw pictures of cosplayers from a convention that my brothers attended, I knew it was right up my alley. You know how most girls see Victoria’s Secret models and think, “Oh lawdy, I wish I could be her?” Well, it’s kind of like that. Only with video game, movie, and comic book characters. And super powers.

CBT – What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?

KHC – It depends. Usually it’s one of three reasons: I see something that inspires me, I want to portray a favorite character, or sometimes it’s a suggestion from a follower/friend.

CBT – What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?

KHC – Black Cat was the very first character I stepped onto a convention floor dressed as. I didn’t think many people would even recognize the character. Little did I know, pretty much everyone and their sister cosplay as Miss Hardy! It made me incredibly happy knowing how loved she is.

My favorite character to cosplay as so far is Poison Ivy because I relate to her so well. She is a nerdy botanist, turned toxic seductress. I already have the nerdy, science loving personality going for me and when I wear my Poison Ivy costume, I feel like her sexier alter-ego.

CBT – How long have you been making your costumes by hand?

KHC – Like I said, I have been sewing and crafting for quite some time. I actually made my first costume when I was 12 years old. I wanted to be the Chiquita Banana Lady for Halloween, so I made myself the costume! As far as cosplay costumes: less than a year. This is completely new to me.

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

KHC – My supporters. 110%. I stay on task and give my best efforts to make them (and myself) proud. The best rewards with this hobby are intrinsic and all of the positive feedback from my followers does that and so much more for me. I don’t think they realize how appreciative I am to have them around to interact with. If you guys are reading this: I <3 you!

CBT – Have you participated in any contests?

KHC – No contests yet! I am hoping to enter one at Dragon*Con 2013 with a pretty intense cosplay that I have in the works. It’s a secret though!

CBT – What is your best Con memory?

KHC – I can’t pick just one because all of the incredible people that I meet at cons are included in my best memories. I have met people who I consider to be life-long friend material at cons.

CBT – Cosplaying various characters must’ve given you a lot of geek credibility. How would you describe yourself as a geek?

KHC – I’m not sure cosplaying has given me geek credibility. I don’t think that is what defines me as a geek. Cosplaying, playing video and tabletop games, loving sci-fi and fantasy, and enjoying anything comic related is just a part of my life. Call it geeky if you want, but that’s just how I grew up and it’s just what I know. I also love school and love to learn, so label me as a nerd if you wish. I believe true defining geek/nerd/dork characteristics include being a genuine, respectful and, most importantly, accepting person. Those are common traits in the “geek” groups that I have tended surrounded myself with. When I think of a “geek,” that is what comes to mind and that is how I would describe myself as one.

CBT – There were a lot of great comics and events that’s been coming out. Have you read any this past year?

KHC – I actually decided to wait on DC’s new 52 editions and give myself time to read and catch up on back issues of some other great comics that I am missing out on. No spoilers!!

CBT – Cosplayers are vital and very popular at conventions. Is there a network that cosplayers established to assist eachother?

KHC – I know that there are groups that different cosplayers can be and are involved with, but for the most part it’s an unestablished bond. We aren’t necessarily a formal team like the Avengers, but we do assemble for a common cause and help one another if we can. So.. it’s more like Secret Wars. =)

CBT – Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

KHC – DO IT!! Cosplaying is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I love doing it and I love the people I have met along the way.

CBT – Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

KHC – Thank you for entertaining my rants! Oh, I just have so much planned for 2013! I am working on a few cosplays right now that will be released over the course of the next three months, so keep an eye out for those! I will also be attending Momocon and PAX East in March, so anyone else attending, please come say hi! Dragon*Con and Heroes Con are also definites, but the rest of my con schedule is tentative. The best place for updates and to reach me personally is my facebook (www.facebook.com/KristenHugheyCosplay), so come join the crazy adventures there! Also, I am in the process of setting up my own site at www.kristenhughey.com. I will be posting tutorials, works-in-progress, photos from shoots, and random videos there, so be ready for that all that magic as well!

Photography done by GRPhotography, Tobias Royal Photography, and Jay Hooker.

Make sure you hit like on Kristen Hughey’s fan page to check out some of her other awesome photos and keep up to date with her adventures.

www.kristenhughey.storenvy.com
www.twitter.com/KristenHughey
KristenHughey.deviantart.com/
kristenhughey.tumblr.com
instagram.com/kristenhugheycosplay

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Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: Kristen Hughey Cosplay

Anastassia Bear is a freelance model originating from Austin, Texas. Starting her career off early in 2008 as a live performance artist, you can now find her in virtually any part of the USA. She loves to travel and frequently does just that! Standing at 5’4” with short blonde hair and green eyes, Miss Bear is known for her versatility and fluidity throughout genres. As of now she describes herself as a full time cosplayer, model, live performance artist, marlboro girl, and aspiring crew member of the firefly class spaceship Serenity.

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Comic Book Therapy – Thank you for taking the time out to speak to us. How have you been doing lately?

Anastassia Bear – Pretty good! Working on all sorts of super fun and super secret upcoming projects and photo shoots.

CBT – What got you into doing cosplay?

AB – I came across anime as a young teenager by accident on AdultSwim late one night – my first ever was Cowboy Bebop. I always loved to dress up in costume but after immersing myself in the anime culture I eventually started going to conventions and BAM! It went from there.

CBT – What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?

AB – I choose characters I can either relate to or I strongly admire. Not always as a whole, sometimes it’s one certain attribute or quality I particularly connect with or desire to have myself. I always cosplay characters I’m extremely familiar with.

CBT – What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?

AB – The first cosplay I ever completely handmade myself was my Crysta (Ferngully) costume. The first cosplay I ever did… TECHNICALLY, when I was 3 years old, I went trick or treating as Cat Woman. My favorite cosplay of mine right now is a toss up between my Queen Etheria (Venture Bros) and Sophie Hatter (Howl’s Moving Castle) – neither of which have been photographed!

CBT – How long have you been making your costumes by hand?

AB – About two years now. To be honest, I’m not yet completely confident in my skill level, so I mostly stick to buying bases and adorning them myself.

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

AB – Absolutely! I’m a big fan of coffee, I also like to have music playing while I’m working, I have a couple different Pandora stations I switch through. Sometimes I’ll put on a movie for background noise as well.

CBT – Have you participated in any contests?

AB – Never at a convention, no. One day I will – I’m waiting until I’m 100% sure and confident in my costume making skill!

CBT – What is your best Con memory?

AB - I am a live performance artist as well as a cosplayer and model. One of the best con memories I’ve had was this past year (2012) at IkkiCon in Austin, TX when I got to perform my Nerdlesque routine as Misty from Pokemon. It was so well received I couldn’t help but gush!

CBT – Cosplaying various characters must’ve given you a lot of geek credibility. How would you describe yourself as a geek?

AB – I dunno, I don’t really think of things that way, I suppose. I just consider myself a regular person with a lot of creative drive and artistic passions. Also, an overly obsessive love for Sci-Fi and cartoons.

CBT – There’s been a lot of turmoil because of the “sexual” component that is being discussed amongst convention organizers that sees many cosplayers getting asked to put some more clothes or turned away because their costumes are to “risque”. How do you feel about the apparent censorship of these costumes?

AB – If the cosplayer in question is under the age of 18, I agree. If the cosplayer is over the age of 18, I do not. However, I don’t feel children should necessarily be subjected to seeing men or women running around half naked at all ages events. If this is really a big problem, I don’t see why conventions can’t go about their ways by choosing to be 18+ or not and enforcing the rules appropriately. I am more than happy to be half naked (or totally naked) more often then not, but I’m not really comfortable doing so with children around.

CBT – Many Cosplayers are either into Comic Books or Manga/Anime. What are you most into? Favorite Comic or Manga/Anime?

AB – I’m much more of a manga/anime person myself over comic books. I couldn’t pick a favorite per-say but I am a huge Hayao Miyazaki fan! Some of my top favorite anime/manga are .Hack//Sign, Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, Paranoia Agent, Elfen Lied, Monster, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, and Sailor Moon.

CBT – Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

AB – Don’t dream it, be it! Haha, but seriously – first and foremost, there are a lot of really stuck up, mean people in the cosplay world and whatever you do, don’t let them get to you. Trust me, they aren’t worth your time – believe in what you love and keep working on your cosplays if it’s what you really want to do.

CBT – Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

AB – I have so much stuff coming up! I’m supposed to be shooting a really amazing Kiden Nixon & X-23 set next week with my good friend and fellow model Hex Hypoxia. You won’t want to miss it!

Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: Anastassia Bear

 

Comic Book Therapy – Thank you for taking the time out to speak to us. How have you been doing lately?

 

Ithlia Lin – I have been doing great, thank you for asking!

 

CBT – What got you into doing cosplay?

 

IL – Well, I have always been into video games and anime since I was young. In 2005 my sister and I found out about our local convention and decided that we should cosplay. I’ve always been interested in it, so I figured…meh, why not do it? Ever since then, I’ve loved everything about cosplaying!

 

CBT – What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?

 

IL – Usually I pick characters from series that I watch and play. I tend to pick characters who have a great personality or role in the show. I do also take into consideration the design of their outfit, but usually I pick characters that I like. If I can relate to the character, that’s fantastic, but I also like to challenge myself to act like a character that isn’t like me at all.

 

CBT – What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?

 

IL – Saya from Blood: The Last Vampire. My favorite…oh gosh, it’s definitely a tie between Yoko from Gurren Lagann and Jin from Yu Yu Hakusho. I love Yoko’s character and her role in the show. Jin is from my favorite show and I feel I can embody him very easily because our personalities are surprisingly fairly similar.

 

CBT – How long have you been making your costumes by hand?

 

IL – Just this year. I was able to get a sewing machine early this year, so in the past I had my cosplays commissioned. I love the work my commissioner did, but I just want to try and make everything myself now as a way to keep myself challenged and engaged. However, I still keep commissions in mind when it comes to props and armor. I don’t have the best crafting skills, but rather I’m good at sewing and wig styling haha. I do wish to get better though so I can eventually make everything myself! I’m actually taking on my first difficult crafting project with an upcoming cosplay.

 

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

 

IL – What really keeps me motivated is my pure love for cosplaying, and the people who support me. I’m not “famous” like some cosplayers out there, but the little fan base I have is still fantastic! I’m very grateful to all of them for following me and supporting me, and I don’t want to let them down! So that combined with my love for cosplay really keeps me motivated. There is honestly nothing that I dislike about cosplay haha. As for the stress…I already deal with stress from college, so cosplays just pile up on top of that. However, cosplaying is my way to escape the stresses of the real world, so I don’t necessarily get negative stress from working on my cosplays. Rather, I use that worry to try and do my best so the cosplay is completed on time, but also accurate and made of a good quality.

 

CBT – Have you participated in any contests?

 

IL – Not yet. I really want to participate in contests next year though! I have always found them to be interesting and I want to showcase my cosplay as much as I can. I don’t really care if I win or lose (though, winning is always fun haha), but rather the experience is what is important. Experience to model my cosplays better and to converse with fellow contestants on how things are made, sewn, etc… would be fantastic!

 

CBT – What is your best Con memory?

 

IL – Oh goodness…this is so hard! I have so many fantastic memories with my friends! I love them so much and we have a lot of fun rooming together at Otakon (and Katsucon for the first time next year!). Just anything I do with them is memorable. Such as our mini photoshoot we did together at Otakon this year and just walking around. Or the time my sister, our friend, and I walked the streets of Baltimore at night to get our friend’s things from another hotel so she could stay with us. Just bonding with my friends is always memorable to me. I also love meeting new friends at cons! I also love seeing people smile when they see me cosplaying as a character they love, it makes me so happy. So just picking one memory is extremely difficult for me!

 

CBT – How would you describe yourself as a geek?

 

IL – Oh goodness…myself as a geek eh? I would honestly say that I’m mostly involved with video games. I do love anime, don’t get me wrong, but video games…ugh! I grew up with video games and caught on to anime after, so of course I have a deeper spot in my heart for them. I really want to get into comic books, and I might start with reading Ms. Marvel when I get the time. I love her design and her concept, so I would love to get involved with her comics so I can cosplay as her! But overall, yes…my geekiness definitely shows when I’m talking about video games. I guess you could also say I’m pretty geeky about literature as well since I love to read haha.

 

CBT – There’s been a lot of turmoil because of the “sexual” component that is being discussed amongst convention organizers that sees many cosplayers getting asked to put some more clothes or turned away because their costumes are to “risque”. How do you feel about the apparent censorship of these costumes?

 

IL – I understand the reason for these censorships at family conventions, but I think the conventions sometimes cross the line. It is NOT our fault that the characters are designed to have skimpy outfits. And many cosplayers are very anal when it comes to accuracy. I would never wear anything in public that would show any part of my butt, for example, but I did it when I cosplayed as Yoko. I HAVE to be as accurate as I can with the design of a cosplay, though sometimes I may make a few adjustments for comfort’s sake or modesty (such as not showing underboob for Yoko…not that I have ginormous boobs to do that anyway haha). But even the cosplayers who don’t do this still shouldn’t be asked to change or leave the convention. There are going to be scantily clad people no matter what, even in the real world. To dictate what people can and can’t wear is ridiculous. The only rules for clothes that I ever found reasonable were those about not wearing underwear and having your privates covered (this includes the breasts for women, though I would say that mostly covered is ok since guys can run around shirtless). However, I have heard recent stories that guys aren’t even allowed to go shirtless to cons. This is ridiculous! Guys go shirtless every day in real life, so why should it be prohibited at cons? It isn’t like there is a giant orgy going on or something, goodness! People are going to be exposed to this no matter where they go. Besides, most of us are just bringing characters to life…again, it isn’t our fault that they are designed a certain way. Of course, some people alter designs to make them more risqué but…that’s a whole topic in and of itself.

 

CBT – Many Cosplayers are either into Comic Books or Manga/Anime. What are you most into? Favorite Comic or Manga/Anime?

 

IL – I honestly haven’t had any interest in comics until recently. I keep seeing characters with fantastic designs which makes me want to read their comics to find out more information about them haha. As for aime/manga…my absolute favorite show and manga would have to be Yu Yu Hakusho. I love it so much! It was one of my first anime shows that I became interested in, and I love re-watching it. I also love Miyazaki’s films, Hellsing, Sword Art Online, and Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic.

 

CBT – Cosplayers are vital and very popular at conventions. Is there a network that cosplayers established to assist eachother?

 

IL – Most definitely! I LOVE helping cosplayers out, whether it is with make-up, sewing, posing, etc… Personally, I use Facebook, cosplay.com, and gaiaonline to talk to more cosplayers. There is also socialcos.com and cosplyr.com that I use as well. We also have cosplay “families” that we establish ourselves with. Basically it is a group of people who cosplay together, room together, hangout, help each other, etc…

 

CBT – Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

 

IL – Don’t be afraid to cosplay! Pick a character with a simple design at first so you don’t overwhelm yourself. You don’t have to look like the character, but I would definitely suggest picking a character you relate to. This will make being in-character for poses much easier. As you become more comfortable with cosplaying, picking characters will become easier. Also, practice your poses! It would suck for you to do the same pose throughout the convention, and then when you look up pictures of yourself…it will basically be the same picture over and over again. Study the character and figure out poses you could do for him/her. Also, don’t let anyone put you down for cosplaying. No matter you body type, size, skin color, height, etc… you can cosplay whoever you want to. Do NOT let any of that discourage you! Cosplaying has so many benefits (make friends with similar interests, build self-esteem, etc…) that I would hate to see anyone discouraging you to do it. Just have fun with it! If you want to take it more seriously down the line, that’s awesome! Just remember that it is still a hobby to have fun with, but it can also be viewed as an art form.

 

CBT – Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

 

IL – Well, the only things I can say to be on the look out for would be me at Katsucon 2013 haha. I will be bringing Jill Valentine from Resident Evil 5 in her battle suit, and Ada Wong from Resident Evil 6 with her crossbow. I will also be touching up my Yoko cosplay because there are parts that I am upset with for next year as well, but that will probably not be complete until Otakon (though I am striving for Katsucon if I can). Also…one last announcement is that I will be cosplaying as Tiny Tina from Borderlands 2 for Otakon (or ColossalCon if I can attend it).

Make sure you hit like on Ithlia Lin’s fan page to check out some of her other awesome photos and keep up to date with her adventures.

Hey cosplay and fellow geeks!! As the continuing interest in the cosplay world grows, we want to reach out to the cosplay community and highlight those who dedicate their time and effort to a passion for cosplay. Tell us YOUR story! If you know someone that you would like to be featured in this section let us know!

To be featured in a Cosplay Spotlight, please complete the following steps:

• Contact us at: dezdewberry@comicbooktherapy.com (Please put “cosplay” in the subject line)
  
• Gather 5-10 photos of you in your favorite cosplay outfits
• Sit down, relax and get ready to be contacted back!

Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: Ithlia Lin

My Name is Catherine and I have been creating costumes and characters for years! When my daughter were young they discovered Anime and started attending conventions. They cosplayed from the begining, showing me pictures of their characters and I would create the costumes. A few years ago they talked me into cosplaying with them and opened a whole new world to me!
As a fan of comics and comic book movies I drifted toward the kickass characters the most.
As far as the Military goes, I have always been a patriot. My daughter choose to pursue a career in the Army as an Apache pilot and I couldn’t be prouder! I have been a USO volunteer for years and nothing makes me happier then seeing the smile on a service members face when they eat a sandwich or “finally get a Mountain Dew”.
Having modeled off and on for years I am able to combine a bunch of my interests and create art. Somedays I am a military pin up, other Days a trained assasin and all the time getting to stretch my creative soul!
Thank you so much for joining me on this ride.

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Comic Book Therapy – Thank you for taking the time out to speak to us. How have you been doing lately?

Lady Catherine – Hello! So excited to have this opportunity to chat with you guys. Life has been crazy busy lately.

CBT – What got you into doing cosplay?

LC – Really my kids (twin daughters). They are huge anime fans and gamers (I had a small additction problem with Super Mario Brothers myself). When they got tickets to attend their first anime convention (Anime Expo 2004) they both brought me pictures of the characters they wanted to be (Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho and a Chocobo from FF) and we went to work creating costumes. I have been a model/artist and had a small business making hats and girls clothing so this was just fun….a few years later they convinced me to join them

CBT – What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?

LC – Well the first part in choosing a character is getting to know the character. There are characters that I find visually appealing but I don’t like them or the movie/game etc they were in, so I move on. Next I try to find artists renditions that will work with my body type and whose costuming appeals to me. If it is a character that is in a movie then I will look at the costumers sketches for the character, if I can find them, and research the fabric used. In a whip version (one to two days, I just work with what I have laying around the house mainly)

CBT – What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?

LC – My first Character I feel I truly cosplayed Was Queen Gorgo from the Movie 300.

My first Character I Cosplayed at a con was Alice in Wonderland from Kingdom Hearts (Anime Expo 2009). My favorites seem to be all Villians! I loved playing Harley from Arkham Asylum, a Silent Hill Nurse, a little known character, Lady Vic, from DC’s Secret Six….okay I just love everyone I get to transform into!!!

CBT – How long have you been making your costumes by hand?

LC – I have always made my costumes with the exception of American Dream…which I bought for a Halloween Party and then began modifying.

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

LC – I don’t stress about the authenticity so much as finishing it on time! Although my daughters have run into folks that can be hypercritical because they are so dedicated to their particular fandom, that hasnt been my experience.

CBT – Have you participated in any contests?

LC – Only non con related only Halloween Related. Queen Gorgo won first place and I won a $100 as well as my Jessica Rabbit but let’s face it, Halloween contests in general, you are only competing against store bought silliness for the most part.

CBT – What is your best Con memory?

LC – One of my first Con Memories is when a man asked me if he could take pictures, I said sure (as Alice) my daughters held my bags and then he said, “Damn now if I could get my wife to dress like that!” my kids were horrified and I couldnt stop laughing. I think the most amazing moment was when I saw someone cosplaying a character I wasn’t familar with, that had created wings that could open to an 8 foot wing span! I talked to them and they said they based it on how lawn chairs open!! I am just so amazed by all of the talent around me every time I go!!

CBT – How would you describe yourself as a geek?

LC – Hmmm…well I was a big Xman fan growing up, I loved the power Jean Grey had and the internal fight she had going on….(and her costumes) I played video games (starting with…..Pong! LOL), watched Star Trek after school and have a Brother named Luke so this just seems a natural extension

CBT – There’s been a lot of turmoil because of the “sexual” component that is being discussed amongst convention organizers that sees many cosplayers getting asked to put some more clothes or turned away because their costumes are to “risque”. How do you feel about the apparent censorship of these costumes?

LC – Gosh that is hard. I have heard people complain about girls just wearing very little to get attention and you see some of that with some girls randomly wearing bikinis. It is frustrating when you see an amazing costume and it doesn’t get as much attention because it isn’t revealing. At the same time, if you love the character and you have the guts to pull off the artist’s rendition then go for it.

CBT – There were a lot of great comics and events that’s been coming out. Have you read any of those evens?

LC – I tend to read books more (sci fi and action) and Go see all the Comic Movies! I cannot wait for all of the new Superhero flicks coming especially the Avengers! I also love the sarcasm and tortured heroes like Iron Man and Spider Man. I am also enjoying the Walking Dead and am reading and watching…can’t get enough!! I love zombies!

CBT – Cosplayers are vital and very popular at conventions. Is there a network that cosplayers established to assist eachother?

LC – Well when I started a modeling and photography group with an awesome Photographer that spent years in the comic industry, Allen Freeman, we discovered there was a whole wonderful world of amazing cosplayers that needed people to take pictures. I schedule shoots based on everything from post apocalyptic video games to shoots with the Batmobile to Loli style! Our network of skilled photographers and cosplayers keeps growing! (Inland Empire Models and Photographers Club)

Everyone helps inspire each other to greater heights

CBT – Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

LC – oh gosh, um, don’t fall to pieces if it doesnt come out perfect and have fun (and bring a glue gun and safety pins)

CBT – Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

LC – Yes! Starting in January, the Magazine I just did a calendar for, Sweet Dreams Magazine is taking submissions for their Sweet^playful Dreams Issue. The theme is cosplay,comics and video games so if you have what it takes to be in the magazine make sure you have your photographer submit your photo!! It’s going to be about 100 pages long and comes out in late Feb or if you Love Cosplay “Like” the page so you can get the updates!!!

Thank you guys so much I am VERY honored to be a part of this

Make sure you hit like on Lady Catherine’s fan page to check out some of her other awesome photos and keep up to date with her adventures.

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Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: Lady Catherine

The Merc with the Moves. The Dancing Degenerate. That one Deadpool cosplayer you’ve probably seen on the internet.

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Comic Book Therapy – What got you into doing cosplay?

D-Piddy – Friends. I always saw pictures of cosplayers on the internet, and being a super-duper geek myself, I’ve always wanted to try it. Of course, I didn’t wanna go and dress up myself. But when a bunch of my friends decided to attend Anime Expo in Los Angeles a couple of years back, I decided to join in on the fun. We dressed up as a group of Anbu ninjas from Naruto. Seeing how much I enjoyed the experience, I attended more conventions, and did more cosplays. I always had a good time whenever I went to a con, but it wasn’t until I decided to cosplay as Deadpool I found the full extent of how much fun I could have at a convention.

CBT – Deadpool is definitely a fan favorite for many. What interested you to portray the merc with the mouth?

DP – Deadpool was always a favorite character of mines, so cosplaying him was inevitable. I also thought, “if I was Deadpool, I can act silly and still be in character!” Win/win for me.

CBT – Your videos are hilarious and fun. What inspired you to do the “Deadpool Vs.” videos?

DP – Firstly, I’ve always wanted to make a convention video. I mean, there’s already tons out there, but they’re always the same: feature a cool/sexy cosplayer, pan the camera around the subject, pan away, fade into the next cosplayer. I thought, “conventions are FUN,” and I wanted to record a nice, humorous, silly video. My friends at Critiques4Geeks.com asked me to come along to a convention with them, and they suggested I do a video in my Deadpool outfit for their YouTube channel. At the time, I actually retired my Deadpool, but I did for them. Apparently, a lot of people liked the video (Deadpool vs Fanime), so I did more, and more, until it ended up being this… thing. Now I’m getting tons of request to do Deadpool vs Whatever. Hopefully I have the time to do them all, cause some of the fans’ suggestions are pretty rad.

CBT – How did you come about creating your costume?

DP – I never cosplayed a full-on spandex suit before, and I had no idea how to make one, so I initially eneded up buying a Deadpool outfit from eBay. Unfortunately, it didn’t look the way I wanted it to look. The eyes were weird shaped, small and pointy, and the blacks weren’t that bold. The face was just completely wrong. So, I decided to go out and shop for some materials, and with the help of some costly forums, was able to make my suit. For all the straps, utility pockets and holsters, I bought them all from a local army surplus store and sewed them all together. My straps for my sword I had to make myself. The belt buckle was a piece of wood I carved, sanded and painted on myself. And… yeah, that’s basically it. My suit is really damaged though, so I’m currently making a new version.

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

DP – Motivation? I just don’t have a life.

CBT – Have you participated in any contests?

DP – To be honest, I think my Deadpool costume sucks. People say I’m great as Deadpool, which is flattering, but my costume isn’t the best Deadpool costume out there. People don’t judge cosplay contests by the way you act; they judge by the quality of the costume. Maybe if I think my Deadpool 2.0 is good enough, I’ll enter that.

CBT – What is your best Con memory?

DP – I have too many. I always have a good time at every convention.

CBT – Cosplaying as Deadpool must’ve given you a lot of praise and great encounters from other cosplayers. Aside from Cosplay, how would you describe yourself as a geek?

DP – I’m a huge geek, in almost every aspect. While I don’t have the time to play as much as I’d like to, I play tons of video games. Some of my favorites are Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Super Metroid, Super Castlevania, Mega Man X, Einhander, Puzzle Fighter, Xenogears, Katamari Damacy, Ikaruga and Fallout 3. Nowadays, I’m only playing UMvC3, Persona 4 Arena, Tekken Tag 2 and SF4 (I love fighters). I also love film. Some of my favorite films are Fight Club, Seven, Drive, Die Hard, Taxi Driver, Oldboy, Perfect Blue, Watchmen and The Departed. And while I don’t watch or read much anymore, I was into a lot of anime and manga. Now I’m only reading Berserk. I have a pretty big collection of comics and figurines, and I have two, 5-shelved bookshelves full of novels, art books and other random stuff. I like studying about World War II and film. Uh… comic books are a given, I guess. I’m not reading too many “superhero” books though, as I find independents a lot better. I’m really enjoying Brian Vaughan’s Saga, and of course, The Walking Dead. I love almost all of Mark Millar’s stuff… and, yeah. That’s about it. Oh, and I’m totally looking forward to Star Wars Episode VII.

CBT – There’s been a lot of turmoil because of the “sexual” component that is being discussed amongst convention organizers that sees many cosplayers getting asked to put some more clothes or turned away because their costumes are to “risque”. How do you feel about the apparent censorship of these costumes?

DP – Well, if they’re trying to be as accurate as possible to the character they are portraying, I don’t see why the problem. I mean, a girl can’t be Spider-Woman without a skin-tight suit, or a Vamprella without some skin showing, am I right? But when a girl dresses up as a “slutty version of Homer Simpson,” and then wears nothing but yellow body paint, a white bra and some denim underwear, then yeah, I understand the problem.

CBT – Many Cosplayers are either into Comic Books or Manga/Anime. What are you most into? Favorite Comic or Manga/Anime?

DP – I was always into American comics since I was young, but started to get into anime during my early teens. Now I’m back into reading comics again, but not so much the mainstream, superhero stuff. As for my favorite manga: Death Note, Berserk, Dragon Ball. Anime: Paranoia Agent, Princess Mononoke, Trust/Betrayal (Samurai X). Comics: Watchmen, Neonomicon, Y: The Last Man

CBT – Cosplayers are vital and very popular at conventions. Is there a network that cosplayers established to assist each other?

DP – A network? I dunno, I just kinda ask them for there phone numbers so we can hang out.

CBT – Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

DP – Don’t do drugs.

CBT – Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

DP- I’ll finally be making a new cosplay, which I’ll be debuting at WonderCon 2013. I’m going to be Daken, Wolverine’s son. Oh, and of course, more Deadpool vs videos.

Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: D-Piddy

Sup? The name is Vicious. I’m a strange girl with a somewhat introverted personality who loves to cosplay, model, explore abandoned buildings, write, act, watch horror movies, and indulge in anything geeky.~

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Comic Book Therapy -What got you into doing cosplay?

Vish Cosplay – About 7 years ago I was introduced to the world of cosplay by a few old friends. Costumes? Modeling? Acting? Geekery? I was immediately hooked!

CBT – What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?

VC – The characters I cosplay and plan to cosplay, come from various comics, anime, manga, films, video games, books, cartoons, and etc. that I love! Everyone becomes attached to a certain character from a specific series and when that happens with me, I add that character to my future cosplay list!

CBT – What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?

VC – My first cosplay was of Integra Hellsing from the manga/anime/OVA, Hellsing. And my favorite cosplay to do is Harley Quinn from Batman!

CBT – How long have you been making your costumes by hand?

VC – I don’t always make every single costume piece by hand. Sometimes parts are commissioned or bought. But I’ve been sewing for a few years now.

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?

VC – Staying motivated can always be a challenge. Especially if you have a very busy life outside of cosplay! But once I get started on a costume, I am 100% motivated to finish it because I know how much fun it’s going to be to wear it around cons and do photoshoots. The only time I ever get stressed on a costume is if I can’t get something right or the con I’m making it for is approaching fast. I’m not very good at dealing with the stress it causes but I always try to remind myself it’s just a fun hobby and nothing to get worked up over!

CBT - Have you participated in any contests?

VC – Yes I have. Costume contest at Wizard World Philadelphia 2010. Didn’t win but it was fun!

CBT - What is your best Con memory?

VC – Each convention I have been to leaves me with amazing memories so it’s honestly very hard to choose. But I always enjoy cosplay gatherings! It’s a fun way to meet people, hang out with friends, see cool costumes, and show off your own!

CBT - Cosplaying various characters must’ve given you a lot of geek credibility. How would you describe yourself as a geek?

VC – I think I’ve always been a geek. Growing up playing video games, reading comic books, and watching Star Wars constantly kind of paved the way for the geek I am today. I love a little bit of everything and thus, I’ll cosplay from everything. But if you want to see me SERIOUSLY geek out, mention Batman or anything horror related and I’ll talk for hours.

CBT – There’s been a lot of turmoil because of the “sexual” component that is being discussed amongst convention organizers that sees many cosplayers getting asked to put some more clothes or turned away because their costumes are to “risque”. How do you feel about the apparent censorship of these costumes?

VC - It honestly depends on the location of the venue and the type of convention. Some cons have a much larger younger crowd than others and I can understand why the costume rules would be a bit more strict at those. I might be a nude model but I do know when certain costumes are appropriate or not.

CBT – Many Cosplayers are either into Comic Books or Manga/Anime. What are you most into? Favorite Comic or Manga/Anime?

VC – As stated in an earlier question, I’m into a little bit of everything! I love American comics just as much as anime and manga. My favorite comic series is Batman. My favorite anime series is Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. And my favorite manga series is Alive: The Final Evolution.

CBT - Cosplayers are vital and very popular at conventions. Is there a network that cosplayers established to assist each other?

VC – There are many cosplay sites around the internet like Cosplay.com, ACParadise.com, and CosplayGen.com where cosplayers from all over the world post their work, sell retired costumes, help each other, talk about conventions, share photos, and so much more. Sites like that really do help but in my personal opinion, I prefer networking with my personal cosplay friends that I meet and bond with at conventions. I click more with them than anyone else.

CBT - Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?

VC – The most important rule of cosplay is TO HAVE FUN! Seriously! If you take your focus off of the fact that it’s a fun hobby, it will become a chore that you will quickly get tired of. Just remember that and you will fall in love with the world of cosplay!

CBT - Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?

VC – You’re very welcome! Make sure to follow me on all of these sites to keep updated with my cosplay work and geekery!~

Make sure you hit like on her cosplay page to check out some of her other awesome photos and keep up to date with her adventures. You can find her on the following places:

https://www.facebook.com/VishCosplay

Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: Vish Cosplay

Pharaohmone is an all-genre digital recording artist and multi-talented costumer, pushing boundaries that both electrify and educate audiences.

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Comic Book Therapy – Thank you for taking the time out to speak to us. How have you been doing lately?

Pharaohmone – Thank you for taking the time to sit down with me! As for how I’m doing… If “busy” is any indication of doing well, then I’m fantastic! With a mix of back-to-back projects and events this year, it’s really nice to take a breather and do a little introspection with you guys.

CBT – What got you into doing cosplay?

It’s important to remember that many entries in a given contest are just people who wanted to celebrate their favorite characters in front of a large crowd, and not everyone is equipped to deal with draconian rules and procedures.  If I had to say anything to the convention scene at large, I’d tell them to remember that your contestants give up entire portions of their weekend to pay you to put on your programming.  Masquerades are often the highlight of many attendees’ visits, and its important to recognize the forces behind your show.

I have to say, hosting a costume contest may seem glamorous — but it also subjects you to being on stage with no break or margin of error for up to hours at a time!  That said, I hope to be able to do more shows in the future, and am very thankful to the conventions who gave me an opportunity this year to do so.

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Hey cosplay and fellow geeks!! As the continuing interest in the cosplay world grows, we want to reach out to the cosplay community and highlight those who dedicate their time and effort to a passion for cosplay. Tell us YOUR story! If you know someone that you would like to be featured in this section let us know!

To be featured in a Cosplay Spotlight, please complete the following steps:

• Contact us at: dezdewberry@comicbooktherapy.com (Please put “cosplay” in the subject line)
• Gather 5-10 photos of you in your favorite cosplay outfits
• Sit down, relax and get ready to be contacted back!

Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: Pharaohmone

A Chinese, Laotian, Chipowa, Norwegian and German cosplayer. I am Kasea Vp and I have been cosplaying since the summer of 2005. I am a cosplayer that believes in equal LOVE for ALL cosplayers. No matter your weight, shape, size, race,status,age, or color– you are all the same to me, you are all beautiful and equally loved. No matter what.:)

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Comic Book Therapy – Thank you very much for your interest and taking the time out to speak to us. How have you been doing?
Kasea VP - Thank-you so much for having me, I’m doing awesome!

CBT -What got you into doing cosplay?
KVP - Growing up both my sister and I were always into comic books, video games, drawing and dressing up. Our parents always encouraged us to be different and to be creative, that advice followed us all of our lives. When I was about 17 or 18years old, we found out about conventions and how you could go and dress up as some of your favorite characters, which to us was really cool and we wanted to be a part of it. The first convention we went to was DragonCon 2005 and we dressed up as Yuna(Gunner) and Rikku(Thief) from Final Fantasy X-2 and we had a blast. I’ve been cosplaying ever since then and I’m really honored to be a part of the ever growing cosplay world today.

CBT – What is your process in choosing the characters you want to portray?
KVP - I really like choosing characters that are rarely ever cosplayed and bringing recognition to them. The type of character I am usually drawn to is very confident, strong, and fierce– I’m beginning to like more “fighter” characters because I love to do action shots and feel I can portray them very well especially with my background in gymnastics.

CBT – What was the first character you cosplayed as? Your favorite?
KVP – The first character I ever cosplayed as was Gunner Yuna from Final Fantasy X-2 and I do love her, but now I have so many new techniques that I’ve learned over the past few years–I’m pretty sure I will make that cosplay over again, I want to make it better than before. My favorite coslay so far would have to be my Aion Asmodian Assassin cosplay. That cosplay has huge black wings, weapons, armor and all that jazz! Everything you see on it was all made by my husband and I by hand–it was a lot of hard work. It took us about a month and a half (with work mind you) just to construct the wings, but it was so worth it. It was a lot of trial and error, but we made it work to our advantage and it’s by far my best cosplay to this day– I’m very happy with it and would love to make more wings in the future.

CBT – How long have you been making your costumes by hand?
KVP - I’ve been making all my cosplays by hand ever since I started in 2005 and I’m so proud of that! It’s definitely more rewarding when you can make your own cosplay and say, “Yes, I did make all of this myself.”

CBT – Creating costumes is very time consuming, especially when you want to make sure it’s authentic as possible. What keeps you motivated to continue and how do you handle the stress?
KVP - What keeps me motivated and stress free is seeing the end result in my head and thinking of wearing the cosplay once it’s completed. I’ll admit I’m a big procrastinator, but I’ve always managed to get every cosplay done on time so far. It is very important to give yourself that extra time to construct a cosplay though–espcially if you need to order things online (i.e. wigs, shoes, contacts, accessories).

CBT – How did League of Hot Geeks form? How long have you been a part of the League?
KVP – I guess you can say I’m what inspired The League of Hot Geeks to form in the first place. I’ve been with the group since the very beginning, through the hard and good times, but I’m so happy with what we have today. We stand for all types of geeks/nerds and embrace it with people all over the globe!

CBT – Have you participated in any contests?
KVP - I just competed in my first cosplay contest this year actually and it was amazing! We had a huge Mortal Kombat group at San Diego Comic Con 2012 and did the masquerade and we actually did very well! It was an amazing experience and I would love to do more skits/contests in the future.

CBT – What is your best Con memory?
KVP – My best convention memory so far would have to be from SDCC this year (2012) and being able to do the masquerade with all my friends. I was added to the skit last minute, but they welcomed me with open arms and helped me out so much with the music and choregoraphy. We really made a great team and gave SDCC an amazing skit to remember.

CBT – Cosplaying various characters must’ve given you a lot of geek credibility. How would you describe yourself as a geek?
KVP - Me? I’m a geek of all things. I love and understand cars, racing/drifting (thanks to Initial D), videogames (preferrably MMO’s or fighting games), I like to draw my own manga/comics for fun,  I’m a cosplay/convention addict and I’m a soon to be mom!

CBT – There were a lot of great comics and events that’s been coming out. Have you read any this past year?
KVP – I’ll be honest, I have always been a fan of the old school comics– but I’ll have to check out what they have coming out this year.:)

CBT – Cosplayers are vital and very popular at conventions. Is there a network that cosplayers established to assist eachother?
KVP – The internet is great for cosplayers these days! There are tons cosplay/costuming forums/tutorials online these days(i.e YouTube, American Cosplay Paradise, just google what your looking for and I guarantee you will find something). The League of Hot Geeks is always available too if you have any questions!:D

CBT – Any advice you would like to offer up and coming cosplayers?
KVP – The best advice I can give is make a cosplay that you are absolutely in love with and you know you can make. It’s completely fine to start out simple and work your way up to more difficult cosplays in the future. That’s the only way to get better after all–you learn techniques from previous projects and other cosplayers that will contribute to your work later on. Also, confidence is key!

CBT – Thank you so much for your time. Anything else you’d like for us to be on the look out for?
KVP – Thank-you again for having me! Please come check out my page for more cosplays and updates!

>Click Images for Bigger Versions<

Make sure you check out Kasea VP Cosplay Fanpage for more cosplays and updates!

_________________________________________________

Hey cosplay and fellow geeks!! As the continuing interest in the cosplay world grows, we want to reach out to the cosplay community and highlight those who dedicate their time and effort to a passion for cosplay. Tell us YOUR story! If you know someone that you would like to be featured in this section let us know!

To be featured in a Cosplay Spotlight, please complete the following steps:

• Contact us at: dezdewberry@comicbooktherapy.com (Please put “cosplay” in the subject line)
• Gather 5-10 photos of you in your favorite cosplay outfits
• Sit down, relax and get ready to be contacted back!

Muy Mareado!, Cosplay Spotlight: Kasea VP Cosplay

When Baba Yaga gives a writer the unusual power to control those he writes about, the incredible gift proves to have consequences far worse than he could have imagined. Meanwhile Baba Yaga has long sought control over the nexus and Earth itself and she may have finally found the one item that will reveal the secrets of the universe to her. One which will allow her to stay one step ahead of all her enemies.

This issue features some of the top cosplay ladies in the industry and takes place during one of the biggest conventions in the Southwest: The Phoenix Comicon!

The story to this one shot is written by Raven Gregory, Alex Lopez is on pencils, Millen Parvanov has art duties, and Jim Campbell rounds things out with letters. I’ll admit, when I first started reading this I was really scratching my head. I was wondering why what was happening was in fact happening. The story is about a group of female cosplayers as they get ready to attend the Phoenix ComicCon. They start doing things out of the ordinary, they start attacking people. All of this is done with good looks and skimpy outfits. The gang finally meets up in Arizona and goes out for the night. Things get even stranger.

Eventually we find out what the synopsis tells us, they are being controlled by the writer of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Once that happens, you can pretty much figure out how things go from there. Once we get to the final part of the story, the rest of the story clicks into place. It’s a fun romp with cosplayers. It seems like other things are being set up for other stories in the Grimm universe. This is a story inside a story inside a story. It’s very Story-ception (witty wordplay on Inception and I apologize for it).

The art and colors on this book are well done for the most part. The ladies are drawn gorgeously and the crowd shots of the convention are nicely handled.  You almost treat it like a Where’s Waldo book for those scenes. You’re looking at all the costumes moving about in the crowd. At the end of the book you have some nice profile pictures and information on who the ladies are in real life as well as one on the writer.

Bottom Line: This is a story of twists and turns, some of which you see coming a mile away and some you don’t see at all. It’s a good comic convention tie-in story and tries to show off the Phoenix convention. It’s a light story. It’s accessible to new readers, but it feels like we’re seeing something that should be an interoffice book. The real life Zenescope employees are in the story, and it looks and reads like they had a blast making it. The reader gets let in on some of the jokes along the way. Because it’s a convention one shot with some decent laughs, I give it a 2/5.

Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell, Grimm Fairy Tales Cosplay One-Shot

About a year and a half ago, I was tweeted by Dan Burgos, asking me to retweet a link to an important story. Knowing Dan, I retweeted it with no thoughts. I later went back and read the story associated with the link. It was a story about a young woman who, with her family had started a non profit. I became intrigued and linked over to the facebook page of her non profit. In it there was a “bucket list.”

Sarah as Sleeping Beauty, her favorite animated Disney Princess

Now for those of you who do not know, a “bucket list” is a list of things someone hopes to accomplish before they die. One of the items on Sarah’s list was to be in an action adventure movie and be a kick ass heroine. I am guessing, not unlike the characters in Sucker Punch. Knowing I could never make that happen I offered to put her in my comic book, Youth in Asia. After some coercing from Dan, Sarah got in contact with me, and I am very glad to say, the rest is history in the making. Sarah inspired the new character and heroine for Youth in Asia, Fluxx. Not unlike the Green Lantern, Fluxx was passed down her power gauntlets by a mortally wounded warrior who sought her out. The gauntlets give Fluxx the power to conjure up hard light constructs and weapons to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. In the book, Sera has adopted the codename of Fluxx, which I just thought was a cool name, and with Sarah’s help, I wrote her into the sixth issue of Youth in Asia, where she suits up for the very first time.

The following is an email interview I conducted with Sarah “Fluxx” Schwartz.

CBT – For our readers who don’t know, how did you first get into cosplay?
Sarah - “Well, the first cosplay group I came upon was the 501st Dune Sea Garrison. I saw them in front of the arena for the first home game of the Phoenix Coyotes. I had know idea why they were there, but I just walked up from behind and hugged the shortest one. They now refer to me as the hugging bandit, cuz I kept running into them and hugging them. They gave me their card, and that was my introduction to cosplay. The first costume I ever made was my Senior Prom dress. I decided to go with Sleeping Beauty’s blue dress (everyone does the pink). My dad actually helped me make it, He taught me to sew and it’s been a lot of fun ever since.”

CBT – What are your earliest memories of comic books?
Sarah - “I grew up with 2 older brothers, I got the hand-me-downs. But Batgirl was always my favorite.”

Sarah as "Sweet Pea" from Scott Snyder's Sucker Punch

CBT – You’ll be cosplaying other characters at Phoenix Comic Con, can you tell us about them?
Sarah - “I’ll be doing Sweet Pea from SuckerPunch on Saturday for the Fashion Show with the D20 Girls. We have almost covered the entire cast. And Friday I’m doing an Archer cosplay, and I will be dressed as Momma Archer. I can pull off a drunk old lady, don’t you think?”

The Phoenix ComiCon Exclusive cover featuring Sarah as Fluxx.

CBT – How did you get involved in Youth in Asia 6?
Sarah - “Honestly, I don’t remember how it all went down. All I know is that my charity work earned me a character of my own, thanks to John.”

CBT – How much creative involvement did you have with the Fluxx character for Youth in Asia 6?
Sarah - “John kept my involved the whole time, I knew about any changes made, I even made some myself. I’m not sure how much I helped, but I’m happy that he kept me in the loop.”

Sarah Schwartz

CBT – And lastly, you are involved in some charity work of your own, can you tell us about that or how we can support those efforts?
Sarah - “I have terminal cancer. When I found out that treatments on me were no longer available, I decided I wanted to help people who have beaten cancer but remain with many bodily changes. One side effect of radiation and chemo is that your teeth could very well have irrepairable damage. This is not something anyone tells you about and no insurance will cover enough to make a difference. I personally, was quoted around $40,000 to totally repair the damage. We decided that would be our original goal, to find ways and means to fix people’s smile. If you want to help, send us an e-mail at TraciesToothFairy@gmail.com and tells us if you need help or if you want to help.”

Sarah cosplaying Fluxx and myself at the Anti-Hero Brand Press booth 451 at Phoenix ComiCon

I would like to thank Sarah for her time to do this interview and inspire not only myself, a cancer survivor, but just about everybody who has met her.

She is an amazing young woman, and she truly deserves the chance to be a super hero in comics, cause to me, she is a real life super hero. I would also like to thank Dan Burgos for introducing us, and Comic Book Therapy for hosting the interview.

And fans, Youth in Asia issue 6 features Fluxx in costume for the very first time. Issue 7 is going to feature Fluxx going into battle against a trio of crazies out to cause a lot of mayhem. On behalf of Sarah, and her entire support team, I ask that you look into Tracie’s Tooth Fairy and see some of the stories and amazing cancer survivors that they have helped inspire to smile again.

John Chihak, The Hardcore Interview: With Sarah “Fluxx” Schwartz

But thats not all: CHECK OUT THIS BRAND NEW PRINT that will be available at Artist Alley Booth 949 & 951 AT PHOENIX COMIC CON with Mike Debalfo and the official Squirrel girls! 

Uh…….well…..not much to say right??? I mean……

Here is another shoot that Jessica is working on…can you guess what it is? 

Agent Burgos, This Is Why You Need To Attend Phoenix Comic Con 2012