CON COVERAGE FREE PATTERNS INSIDE

LET HER
EAT CAKE
PRODIGAL THREADS FOR
THE PROVINCIAL PRINCESS
KATSUCON COVERAGE
KICKING OFF THE CON SEASON

THE EDWARDIAN BALL

A NEO-VICTORIAN EXTRAVAGANZA
April/May 2017

ALEXA HEART
BRINGING Y TO LGBTQIA COSPLAY
Display until May 28th 2017
©2017 BERNINA of America
editor’s
letter
CON COVERAGE FREE PATTERNS INSIDE One of the ongoing goals of Cosplay Culture is to
help promote and give a platform to the philosophy
of “inclusiveness” that runs through the cosplay
community. We have always been proud to be part of
a movement that celebrates individuality, self-expres-
sion, and goes out of its way to not be judgmental.
Beyond this letter you’ll find page after page of
articles, features, and interviews with some of the
people who have embraced their individuality and
made it a major component of not only their cosplay,
but their daily life as well. So, starting with our great

LET HER
EAT CAKE
PRODIGAL THREADS FOR
THE PROVINCIAL PRINCESS
KATSUCON COVERAGE
KICKING OFF THE CON SEASON
THE EDWARDIAN BALL
A NEO-VICTORIAN EXTRAVAGANZA
ALEXA HEART
BRINGING  TO LGBTQIA COSPLAY
Beauty and the Beast-themed cover feature, here’s
a quick look at a few of the exciting articles jammed
between the covers.
Cosplayer Jinglebooboo stars in our gorgeous cover
story, photographed by Steve Prue. From one beauty
to another we come upon Alexa Heart, who is speaking
out for the LGBTQIA+ community, both in and out of
the cosplay realm. In our never-ending quest to be at
as many cons as possible, check out the coverage
of Sacramento, CA’s SacAnime, a Midwest blast out
of Ohio with Ohayocon, and the always-glorious
Katsucon. Venturing even further from home to
expand our worldwide coverage, we bring you the
fantastic and frightening Elena Samko, all the way
from Novosibirsk, Siberia.

Between the DIY’s, photographer profiles, the

eccentric Edwardian Ball exposition, and so much
more, it behooves you to just turn the page and start
the fun! So as we welcome you to this issue of
Cosplay Culture, we ask you to welcome your fellow
cosplayers with the same open arms, mind, and heart.

The Editors

Dye, Cut. Sew. Glue. Have Fun.

@Cosplay_Culture

@CosplayCultureMag

facebook.com/CosplayCultureMagazine
COSPLAY CULTURE 3
AT KATSUCON
TEXT BY TIFFANY PEGRAM / IMAGES BY JASON LABOY

T his was our first year as a magazine

having a booth at Katsucon, and every
day we were blown away by the people
who attend this wonderful show. We’d need a full two
issues at least just to even start to showcase everyone
we want to, but the following pages include just a few
of our favorites. But rest assured—from the incredible
feats of sculpting we saw posing in the gazebo, to
each and every reader who stopped by to hang out
and read back issues with us or take photos in our little
corner of the vendor hall, we loved every second we
spent with you and can’t wait to do it again next year!

Cosplay
Culture
Staff
 contributors
PUBLISHER
Jason Laboy is a portrait/editorial
Margaret Pepe
EDITOR IN CHIEF photographer based in Bronx, NY. Jason took
Paul Malle his passion for photography to the convention
CREATIVE DIRECTOR scene 2 years ago and he has quickly
Alison Replinger established himself as one of the most
MANAGING EDITOR
sought-after photographers in the Cosplay
Tiffany Pegram
community. Jason has the knack for turning
tiffany@cosplayculture.com
ART DIRECTOR the mundane into the mesmerizing.
Erica DeMasi
DIY EDITOR
Virginia Britt Alan Scholting of Synester Saints Ent. is a
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
true fanboy turned professional, with over
Paul Latimer, Rich Kirby, Tiffany Pegram,
fifteen years of convention experience and
Steve Savitsky, Alan Scholting, Jill Bergforth
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS multiple contacts in the entertainment world.
Jason Laboy, Steve Prue, Mineralblue Photography, As a columnist, he has had the pleasure of
The Portrait Dude, Arturo Vega interviewing everyone from WWE superstars
PRODUCTION MANAGER to living legends like Stan Lee. His writing has
Andrés Báez
won several awards.
ADVERTISING EAST COAST
KRIS LONGO
973.751.5829
KRIS.LONGO@GEEKRIOTMEDIA.COM Steve Prue likes to go to interesting places,
EDITORIAL OFFICES meet up with interesting people dressed up
1411 Broadway 5th Fl as interesting characters, and shoot them.
New York, NY 10018
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
TonyD@procirc.com
CONTROLLER
Dom Mattingly
DISTRIBUTOR
Curtis Circulation Co. Mineralblu is a daily publication that covers
COVER PHOTOGRAPH all things nerd related, including movies, tv,
Steve Prue
comics, gaming, cosplay, anime, conventions,
and much more.

Word Up! presents: Cosplay Culture #35 (ISSN 2380-2103) is published

bi-monthly by Cosplay Culture in January, April, June, August,, November. Con-
tents copyrighted © 2016. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at NYC and
additional mailing offices. Postmaster please send address changes to
COSPLAY CULTURE, 1411 Broadway #5, New York, NY 10018. Reproduction or
use in any part of the contents without prior permission of the publisher is prohib-
ited. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawing or photographs.
All manuscripts, drawing or photographs sent to Cosplay Culture will be treated as
unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject
to the magazine’s right to edit and comment editorially. All photographs are posed
for by professional models except as otherwise noted. Neither said photographs
nor the editorial nor quotations accompany such photographs are to be construct-
ed as indication of the person’s sexual orientation, conduct, personality, or actual
quotation. Cosplay Culture assumes no responsibility for the advertisements
made therein of the quality and deliverability of the products themselves. Cosplay
Culture assumes no responsibility to determine whether the people whose photo-
graphs or statements appear in such advertisements have in fact endorsed such
product or consented to the use of their names or photographs or the statements
attributed to them. Contact us by mail at Cosplay Culture 1411 Broadway #5,
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PRINTED IN USA
contents
APRIL/MAY 2017

44

Cover Story: Let Her Eat Cake

Prodigal Threads For The Provincial Princess

10 28
Ohayocon Photographer Profile
No Flyover Con David Love: Fantastical Photographs
8 64
Cosplay Culture
News of the Nerdy

16
Pattern Hack
Making Your Patterns Work For Your Body

18
Fanini Rabbids
D.Va Celebrates the Korean New Year
Belle Of The Ball
DIY the Perfect Footwear
20
Best Face Forward
Feminine Make - Up Tutorial by NightEyes 72
24
By Any Other Name
Felt Rose DIY

34
International Cosplayer
Elena Samko: Cosplay’s Jekyll & Hyde

40 Katsucon
Top Shelf Cosplay
Alexa Heart
The Heart & Soul Of Cosplay

90
54
The Edwardian Ball
A Neo - Victorian Extravaganza

80
Wigging Out
Interview & Tutorial with Arda Wigs

86
Indie Cosplay Corner SacAnime
Sudanro Bladeworks Northern CA’s Finest
 cosplay
culture
Up. Up. Up. And coming
No1
The Walking Dead has introduced a new leader to the post
apocalyptic landscape and despite the 4th grade picture
day hairdo, she is not to be messed with. Jadis is played by
the statuesque Scottish beauty, Pollyana McIntosh.
No Pollyanna, she is fierce and she is strange. As leader of
The Heapsters, a group that has found safety in a junkyard,
she and her group dress in black (hides the dirt), make
knives out of the junk, and may have forged a bond with
Rick and the group in Alexandria.
Jada’s unique speech pattern, aforementioned haircut and
steampunk hero persona make her ripe to be cosplayed.
And we can’t wait!
8 COSPLAY CULTURE
WHEN THE REAL WORLD COLLIDES WITH COSPLAY, THE RESULT IS COSPLAY
CULTURE! FROM MUSIC TO SPORTS, FROM FASHION TO TV AND EVERYTHING
IN BETWEEN, YOU HAVEJUST LANDED IN THE COSPLAY CULTURE UNIVERSE.
When Cosplay is Real Play
No2
What happens when a performer becomes the character
he or she has developed for their act? Or could it be that
they build the performance around their own identity?
In the case of Kid Creole of Kid Creole and the Coconuts,
August Darnell is indescribable: a cross between Cab
Calloway and that cartoon wolf from a Saturday morning
cartoon. Timeless and ageless, the Kid has been perform-
ing for more than 27 years to sold-out crowds all over the
world. His Technicolor zoot suits, two-tone shoes and
wide-brim Sunday-best hats pull you in, and his confi-
dence, self-deprecating humor and roguish attitude keep
you there.
With all the dancing, the energy, the humor, the repartee
with the band and the audience (he asks for permission to
segue to funkier music) there’s no question. Do yourself a
favor and check him out!

No3
THE ULTIMATE VILLAIN
Sam Polinsky, better known as Adonis in the wrestling
world, spent five years wrestling professionally in the
United Kingdom before giving Consejo Mundial de
Lucha Libre a try.
Originally from Pittsburgh, the 27-year-old tall blond stood
out in the world of lucha libre, but it wasn’t until he took
on President Trump’s persona in the ring that he became
a superstar, painting his face in signature faux tan orange
and molding his man bun into a platinum comb-over.
“Professional wrestling is a lot like movies or comic books,
people really appreciate the bad guys,” he told Fox News
before a recent appearance at the Arena Mexico, lucha
libre’s greatest stage. To have a good guy, you need a bad
guy and Adonis is glad to fill that need allowing fans to
release their frustrations on his character.
No4
Not Your Grandmothers Corset
and Here to Celebrate Not Disguise.
Rago Shapewear, a favorite of the pin-up style aficionados,
has been smoothing and celebrating the female form for
65 years. Rago survived the 60’s and the 70’s when the
public resisted shapewear, when other similar companies
did not fare well and disappeared, taking their expertise
and design techniques with them.
Red, white, blue and green, Rago garments are made
100% in the USA, drastically reducing the fuel and energy
use of transporting the materials.
The vast assortment includes hard to find pieces like
garter belts, padded garments, waist trainers and zippered
items. With four levels of control from light to extra-firm
and size ranges from XS (24”waist) to 15 XL (58” waist),
you would be hard-pressed to find a more complete line of
foundation garments. Available on rago-shapewear.com
No5
GETTING A LEG UP
As if fishnet stockings were not perfect enough, enter
LirikasByLirika: a collection of embellished ultimate hosiery.
We are talking beads, appliqués and gorgeous combinations
of the two.
Made to order, and with names like Honey Nectar (bumble
bees are involved), Wild Cherry and Starry (in 2 color ways),
the price tag is not for the faint of heart, but if you think of
them as jewelry for your legs, the $150 to $200.00 price tag
makes complete sense. Available on Etsy.com
COSPLAY CULTURE 9
10 COSPLAY CULTURE
 Oh Hey, Ohio!
OHAYOCON 2017
TEXT BY ALAN SCHOLTING / IMAGES BY THE PORTRAIT DUDE

T he month of January is
usually associated with
many things. It’s the month
where all of us start anew. The Christmas tree
comes down and we all get back to our post-
holiday lives. However, for those in the greater
Columbus area, there is plenty of reason to still
be excited even after the stockings come down.

Founded in 2001 with a modest attendance

rate of 800 con-goers, Ohayocon has become a
staple show for anime fans in and around Ohio.
With exponential growth every year since its
conception, the Columbus-based convention
now attracts more than 12,000 otaku every year.

A good portion of Ohayocon’s success can be

attributed to the unique calendar of events that
have become the signature of the convention.
From the amazing cosplay competition to the
hilarious guest roast and an all-star line-up of
DJs for the rave, there are loads of activities for
everyone.

“It is an exciting event at a fantastic venue, run

by a wonderful group of people,” said founder of
indie apparel and accessory brand Sorbet
Jungle, Deanne George. “The attendees are so
much fun to chat with and the staff is on point. I
attended the convention for a long time before I
started vending, and these two things have always
been consistent. The vendor hall and artist alley
have always been my favorite places to visit.
There are so many talented people and a good
variety so you'll always find something you like.”

COSPLAY CULTURE 11
 Miss George also pointed out the stellar
community of cosplayers in attendance. “The
cosplay scene here has always been really good.
There are many places to take photos and not be
in the way. This is great for some of those bigger
costumes and ones that involve wings or large
props.”

In addition to being a very well-run event,

Ohayocon’s location also has its own unique
perks. One thing that often gets left out of an
anime convention weekend is a nice, hot meal.
We’ve all been there: a hotel table full of junk food
and, uh, “beverages.” But this convention has its
own food court right there in the convention
center, with all the choices of warm nourishment
you could possibly ask for.

So, next year, as you’re fighting the winter

time blues, maybe log on to Ohayocon.org and
check out one of the Midwest’s finest anime
conventions. The 2018 edition is set to take place
January 26th through the 28th. We hope to see
you there!

12 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 13
14 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 15
 PLUS SIZE COSPLAY
AND UPSIZING YOUR OWN PATTERNS
INTERVIEW WITH JESSICA WALSH/SNOW COSPLAYS

B y today’s nerd standards, jumping into a

van with some friends from your anime
club to drive to a convention is a pretty
typical weekend, but back in 2001, it was the craziest thing I'd
ever done. I’ve always been an anime fan, but it was a bit of a
niche market when I was growing up, so hearing about a three-
day event dedicated to sailor soldiers and Gundam pilots was
unbelievable. With MapQuest as our guide, we were on our way
to Anime Central, driving from our St. Cloud, Minnesota college
campus to Rosemont, Illinois. I expected to meet other fans,
maybe find some DVDs or manga series I’d never heard of, but
what I got was my first taste of cosplay and what would become
my first steps into an evolving career as a seamstress.

After three days of filling my disposable camera with various

cosplayers, I was already making plans to play dress-up with
everyone else. More importantly, I was trying to figure out what
I could make. The chances of buying a costume based on a
character I loved were few and far between back then save for
the fairly popular caped crusaders at pop-up Halloween stores.
By the time premade costumes started to become more
common, I’d already fumbled my way into being a full-blown
cosplay seamstress who can create flowing ball gowns and
cute, geeky dresses.

Since I’m self-taught, one of the biggest problems I ran

into was that I had no idea how to draft a pattern for myself.
My solution to this was to buy commercially created patterns
and alter or combine them to make what I needed. While that
worked great, I also ran into another issue -- my partner and I
are plus-size women, and our sizes tend to not be included in
most standard patterns. Even with patterns slowly increasing
in size, many don’t go high enough to fit her, or they don’t work
Photo by Ekyse Lavonne

16 COSPLAY CULTURE
Photo by X-Geek
for the shape of my body. It’s not just the weight of a person
that needs to be taken into account; the shape of their body
also affects how costumes—and clothing in general—look on
them. My body, for example, is a pear shape (small on the top
and large on the bottom), so no matter what pattern I use I need
to make some alterations so my costumes flatter my figure. My
partner, on the other hand, has more of an hourglass shape, so
her costumes need to be altered to account for her curves and
her size.
This may sound a bit daunting at first, but honestly, this is
something that every costumer has to take into account when
bringing these fantasy looks to life. While it may feel extra
discouraging if your body type isn’t one that’s typically catered
to, upsizing and altering a pattern is much easier than you
would think and there’s a few tips I wanted to share.
UPSIZING YOUR PATTERN:
• On the back of the pattern envelope, you’ll find a table
of measurements of your bust, waist and hips. You’ll
notice there’s a pattern to these numbers (usually going
up in increments of two inches per size). If your size isn’t
there, just continue the pattern up until you reach your
measurements.
• Use scrap paper to extend the pattern along the edges
and mark your fabric with very small dots to create the new
line you’ll be cutting along. I recommend using a washable
marker for this.
• Cut along the new line and you’ve got your pieces!
• Some pieces may come out too big, but you can always
tailor it as needed.
Photo by Convergence
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR UPSIZING AS A WHOLE:
• Measure everything three times! Once before you start,
again before you cut, and again before you attach a piece.
• Extra curves mean extra fabric. If you have more curves
then the pattern, add some extra space. You can always
tailor it to the right shape later.
• Don’t be afraid to swap pattern pieces with one another.
Most patterns can be switched out along the sleeve, waist,
and bust line to create the perfect combo. This is especially
valuable for characters whose costumes defy all logic.
• The waist line varies from person to person: for example,
my partner’s natural waist line is higher than mine, so when
I’m making our costumes, I have to keep that in mind.
• A dress form -- or a good friend -- is a must when you’re
trying something on and making sure it all fits the right way.
Use them (or the dress form) to pin things properly.
• Don’t just try on the costume and stand there. Move around
in it. Sit down. Move your arms. Do your normal, everyday
movements to make sure you’ll be able to walk around in it.
• If you’re not comfortable with what a character wears,
alter their look to fit the style you’re comfortable in. Don’t
be afraid to make another outfit you might find in their
closet. Everyone has a closet full of styles, even fictional
characters. (Like the Wonder Woman ball gown.)
• Cosplay at its core is about dressing up as a character you
love and having fun. This isn’t confined to one body type,
nor to any specific height, gender, shape, size or skin color.
Through trial and error you can make any costume for
yourself—it just takes a little creativity.
COSPLAY CULTURE 17
FANINI RABBIDS
D.VA CELEBRATES THE KOREAN NEW YEAR
TEXT AND IMAGES BY ARTURO VEGA

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

You can call me Stephanie, or Fanny. In the cosplay world I go by
Fanini Rabbids. I’m from Monterrey, Mexico. When I’m off cosplay
duty, I’m one of the hosts of a local TV show called ‘Fuera del
Control’.

Were there any challenges you faced in making the costume? Is

there anything you would change about it? 
There weren’t any difficulties in making the costume since it’s an
actual traditional garment, but it was very challenging to move
around. Since it was a full hanbok, it has a lot of layers underneath
the dress. It was really hard to walk while wearing it.

What inspired you to do this version of D.Va? Is it based on

someone’s artwork or is it entirely your idea?
I saw the D.Va announcement for the Year of the Rooster, and my
friend Daejong thought it would be a good idea for me to use her
traditional hanbok instead of making the costume, and by
coincidence it had the same colors as the D.Va skin. It’s a more
traditional version of the Rooster skin.

Do you play Overwatch yourself? Is D.Va your main or do you have

another favorite?
I have played it, though not as much as I would like to due to time
constraints. Whenever I do play, D.Va is my main.

What advice would you give other people who want to get into
cosplay?
Don’t stop for anything or anyone. Never feel judged, and keep in
mind that this is a hobby and you should do it because you want to.
BE THE HERO OF YOUR SAGA WITH SIMPLICITY

PATTERN 8318

Find this pattern and more cosplay must haves at www.simplicity.com

20 COSPLAY CULTURE
MAKEUP
ARTIST night eyes
PROFILE cosplay
TEXT AND IMAGES BY BETH OF NIGHT EYES COSPLAY

I n case you missed my galaxy makeup in the

October issue, I’m Night Eyes, a 26 year old
cosplayer with a penchant for makeup. One
of the most frequently asked questions I get is “how do
you do your female cosplay makeup? Can you post a
tutorial?” And while I have posted a basic cosplay
makeup tutorial on my YouTube channel, it’s quite
convention. It’s a great way to practice your makeup
application, and to make sure everything is perfect
before you’re crunched for time getting ready!

There’s another reason I chose to do a tutorial for Ruby

Rose specifically. Two years ago as of February 1, a
brilliant creator in our community passed away.
Monty Oum was an inspiration to so many of us, from
outdated and my skill has improved immensely since
his unwavering dedication and pursuit of his career,
then. The character I get asked about the most is Ruby
to his attention to detail and connection to fans of his
from the popular show RWBY. So I decided to kill two
work through his character design choices. It’s rare for a
birds with one stone and guide you through Ruby’s
creator to release 365 degree artwork of his characters,
makeup, which can easily double up as a basic feminine
with suggestions for shoe and clothing choices! I had
makeup tutorial. Keep in mind the character doesn’t
the opportunity to meet the Rooster Teeth staff at a
have to be female to be feminine! There are plenty of
panel at New York Comic Con in 2013, and listening to
anime boys that could rock a look similar to this, so don’t
the passion in their voices as they discussed a show
be afraid to apply similar techniques to male characters
beloved by so many fueled my desire to continue
as well! The important take away with cosplay makeup
cosplaying and dream of making it my career. RWBY
is once you have the essentials down, it’s easy to tweak
features a staggering number of strong female
your look to fit any character. I chose pink and orange
protagonists, especially compared to other anime.
tones for my eyeshadow here, but if I were cosplaying
Ruby’s coming-of-age and development throughout
Yang from RWBY, I would have chosen golds and browns
the series has served as a role-model for many young
to bring out the purple in her eyes, as well as match her
women in the community, and I wanted to try my hand at
hair and outfit. You can also choose to forego color in
her look both as a tribute to Monty, and to the character,
general and stick with neutral shades, leaving more room
since I’ve come to see a lot of myself in her. I hope this
to show off your eyeliner and false lashes. Always plan to
tutorial is helpful for your next feminine cosplay, good
test a character before you do a photoshoot or attend a
luck and have fun!

COSPLAY CULTURE 21
Feminine Cosplay Makeup Tutorial
TEXT AND IMAGES BY BETH OF NIGHT EYES COSPLAY
No1
Photo 1. Start off with a clean
and moisturized face. Make
sure your hair is out of the
way, and if you want to wear
colored lenses, put them in
first. Apply a face and eye
primer and let them set.
Photo 2. Using your preferred
method of application, (mine
is a damp Beauty Blender),
and your foundation of
choice, apply an even layer
on your face, making sure to
blend into the neck, ears, and
hairline. For extra coverage,
apply a concealer on any
blemishes. To brighten your
undereye and appear more
awake, take a concealer and
gently pat it under the eyes,
being careful not to tug the
skin. Set your concealer and
foundation with a
translucent powder or
powder that matches your
foundation.
Taking a cool toned brown
that is a few shades darker
22 COSPLAY CULTURE
No2
than your skin tone, begin to
contour the face. Since this
is a feminine look, you won’t
need to go as harsh as you
would a more masculine
structure. Light contouring
in the hollows of your cheek
bones, under the jaw, and
down the nose bridge are
perfectly fine. I prefer powder
products and lightly dusting
them on with brushes, but
cream products and beauty
blenders work great as well!
Next grab a color a few
shades lighter than your skin
and highlight. You’ll want to
focus on the tip of your nose,
your cupids bow, high on your
cheek bones, and the middle
of your forehead. Similarly
to contour, I prefer powder
highlighter and a fluffy brush
for application. Don’t be
afraid to use shimmery colors
to highlight, they photograph
really nicely! For blush I
chose a peachy pink and
concentrated it high on the
No3 No4
apples of my cheeks as well once you’ve contoured and
as on the outside corners of highlighted the eye to your
my eyes. I applied this with a liking. For Ruby’s younger
fluffy angled brush. facial features, and the color
scheme of her outfit, I went
Photo 3. For the eyeshadow
for pinks and oranges to bring
I used a variety of browns,
out the gray of the circle
pinks, and oranges to create
lenses and compliment the
depth and bring color to my
red in her clothing.
eyes. Start with a shimmery
Experiment with different
beige/off-white and highlight
shades until you find a
the inner corners, bringing
combination that works for
the color down under the
your skin tone and the
lash line as well. Apply
character you’ve chosen!
towards the inner third of
Start with your lighter colors
the eye lid and then take a
and build up to the darker
neutral light brown shade
ones, concentrating the
and blend across the eyelid. I
darkest shades in the outer
choose a shimmery color for
corner and crease of your
this as well, but matte works
eyelid, as well as blending
great too. Starting on the
them on the lower lash line.
outside corner of the eyelid,
Take a thin brush and a matte
take a matte transition color
brown shadow, and lightly
(a color close to your skin
trace a new lower lash line
tone, or a color that will blend
just beneath your natural one,
the specific colors you are
stopping about halfway. This
using well) and blend into
will help your eyes look bigger
the crease with a fluffy brush.
without relying on heavy
The colors you choose are
bottom lashes.
completely optional

No5
Photo 4. Using a black pencil
liner, tight line your upper
water line by gently tugging
on your eyelid until the thin
layer of skin is revealed
just under your upper lash
line. This will close the gap
between your water line and
lash line. Line a very small
portion in the outer corner
of the lower water line. Then
using a liquid liner of your
choice, apply black liner to
your eye lid, creating a shape
that best suits your eyes.
For mine, I like to do a wing
that goes out slightly straight
rather than angular, and I thin
out the line as it gets closer
to my inner corner. Take the
liner down slightly until it
meets the liner on your water
line and the darker colors you
used to create a new lash
line. Apply more eyeshadow
if necessary to create a better
transition.
Photo 5. Apply mascara to
your lower lashes, and if
No6
you’d like to use bottom
lashes, apply them over
the line you drew earlier. I
decided not to use them as
I like the way it looks on my
face better without them.
Grab a pair of natural looking
false lashes and place a thin
strip of lash glue to the band.
Wait around 30 seconds for
the glue to become tacky and
place them as close to the
upper lash line as possible.
Once the lashes have dried
take your mascara and use
it to blend the falsies and
natural lashes together. If
you have naturally straight
or droopy lashes, use an eye
lash curler to further blend
your false lashes.
Photo 6. Taking an
eyeshadow that matches
the color of your wig, and
an angled brush, begin to
draw your eyebrows. If you
have eyebrows, simply fill
them in following the natural
shape. If you wish to cover
Youtube: youtube.com/c/nighteyescosplay
No7
your eyebrows, there are
many tutorials for glue and
concealer methods that work
to hide them. Or, if you shave
yours like I do, simply redraw
them in whichever shape
matches the character you
are cosplaying. Go slow, and
work in small sections with
little strokes at a time. If you
make a mistake, simply take a
cotton bud with some
makeup remover and clean
up the lines. Apply more
foundation and powder to
any areas erased with the
makeup remover. If your
character has a natural hair
color, eye brow pencils work
great too. Eye liners can also
be used to draw eyebrows,
but make sure to set them
with eyeshadow or
translucent powder
afterwards!
Photo 7. Use a lip liner that
is close to the natural color
of your lips and fill them in,
redrawing the shape if
Instagram: @nighteyescosplay
No8
necessary. Then take a pinky-
red color, here I used a liquid
lipstick, and apply to your lips,
using the lip liner as a guide.
Clean up any smudged lines
with a synthetic brush and
some concealer, and you’re
done! Finish off with a setting
spray or loose powder to
ensure your makeup stays in
place all day.
Photo 8. Put your hair under
a wig cap and grab your wig.
Take a few selfies with your
phone and look for any
glaring mistakes or places
you might need more
makeup, and touch up
anything you see issues
with. Sometimes things don’t
stand out until you take a
picture of the finished look,
so don’t be discouraged if
you see anything you need to
change. Once you’re
satisfied, throw your
costume or inspired clothing
on and get ready to take
some incredible photos!
COSPLAY CULTURE 23
24 COSPLAY CULTURE
Felt Rose DIY
MATERIALS
One pc. of 9” x 12” (red Scissors
wool) felt sheet
White chalk pencil
One Pc. of 9” x 12” (olive
Small pliers
green) wool felt sheet
Craft glue
One pc. 12” floral stem
Rose Pattern
Floral tape

Hand sewing needle

Red thread

Straight pins

Step 1: Cut 14 petals from the red felt and Step 2: Prepare the sections for gathering Step 3: Hand gather the marked edge of
one of each desired size leaf from the olive by overlapping petals at the large dots. Pin the petals using a 24”length of the red
green felt. Use the marking pencil to mark in place as shown. thread.
the overlap point and basting lines on the
Helpful Tip: The final fullness of the rose is
marked edge of each petal. The large dot is
determined by the gathering.
centered within the dotted lines along the
marked edge of the petal.

Step 4: Pull up gathered threads as shown
and secure the thread ends. Starting at
one end, begin to roll the gathered edge,
rolling tighter to start. This will create the
center of the rose.
Step 5: Using a 24” length of red thread, Step 6: Glue or hand sew the leaves to
hand tack securely as you roll. Secure end the underside of the rose. Glue additional
in place. Create a small loop on one end of leaves to the stem.
the floral stem. Slide the stem through the
rose. Apply a small amount of glue to the
underside of the rose. Working in an angular
motion, wrap the stem with floral tape. COSPLAY CULTURE 25
Felt Rose Pattern
• Cut 14 rose petals from red wool felt
• Cut 2 leaves from green wool felt

Pattern courtesy of

26 COSPLAY CULTURE
28 COSPLAY CULTURE
PHOTOGRAPHER
PROFILE
david love TEXT BY JILL BERGFORTH

S ome photographs are so magical that they

can unlock a mystical realm of fiction, fantasy,
and fairy tales; a world where time stands still,
and where anything is possible. Created by masterful artists,
these photographs tell captivating stories, stories like the ones
told by photographer David Love.

All of David’s models embody their chosen characters so

perfectly in appearance and in spirit, and David has a natural
ability to find that perfect angle every single time. His portrayal
of feelings and emotions are utterly compelling, and his use of
composites create a dreamscape of adventure and possibilities.

When David lost his graphic design job after a 16-year career, he
believed his whole world was crumbling. Little did he know that
a new adventure was about to unfold, as he decided to dust off
his camera and make a living from photography. It was a
decision that would change his life forever.

David’s expertise in graphic design has helped him develop an

eye for lighting and color, using it to tell entrancing stories. His
unique style of mixing design aspects with composites is exactly
what makes David’s imagery stand out from the competition.

Are you ready to escape reality and immerse yourself in an

abstract plane of beautiful wonderment?

First of all your work is absolutely magical! Is photography

currently a full-time gig for you?
Two years ago I lost my design job and thought I was doomed,
but photography has kept me going. My friend Danica Rockwood
and I created a Patreon page, and the people that have pledged
have really helped us a lot. People think [cosplay Patreon pages
are] just people trying to cash in without realizing the money
that goes into cosplay and photography. I call them stockholders
because they get the benefits of what we create with their help.

COSPLAY CULTURE 29
So, my life is now all photography, all the time. I’m either
shooting or editing. Editing is long hours behind a desk with no
life, but I love seeing how the picture or video turns out and I love
working with talented and awesome people.
You’ve worked on a lot of beauty and fashion photography;
how did your passion for photography end up geared towards
cosplay?
Cosplay is still modelling, so the two worked together well. I don’t
want people to see cosplayers, I want them to see the characters,
and to see the characters in their own worlds. Sometimes it’s
hard for cosplayers to think of poses when shooting and I just ask
them “What would the character do?” After that it’s easy.

Do you have an interest in movies, anime and video games

yourself?
I go blank when someone brings me anime stuff until they tell me
about the character, but if it’s movies or characters I know,
I light up.

My favorite comic when I was younger was Conan the Barbarian,

then Batman, etc. I get most of my inspiration from movies: The
5th Element, Star Wars, The Crow, Braveheart, Marvel and DC
movies, but I usually enjoy behind-the-scenes videos on how it’s
all created more than the actual movies themselves.

How do you approach your photo shoots? Do you usually have a

concept in mind?
It’s usually been discussed with the cosplayer before the shoot.
They will send me reference images and we’ll watch videos
looking for scenes that people will remember, so we are prepared
when it’s time to shoot.

We put in a lot of work during shoots, but I try and keep things
fun. I like the idea that someone will look at their photos and
remember having a good time when creating them; plus, it
relaxes cosplayers during the shoot.

Which has been your favorite cosplay shoot thus far, and what
made it so special?
I was hired to do a family cosplay shoot where they wanted a way
to reveal that they were expecting a new baby. They all dressed
as superheroes with a giant robot attacking the city behind them,
with their daughter calling for backup and her hologram showing
the ultrasound. I thought the idea behind it and the surprise
people would get from it made it really cool. They had a huge
print made, and I love to see my photos in print.

What is the most exhilarating part of your shoots - capturing

that perfect moment, the end product, or something else in
between?
I was in a rock band in the late 1980s in Los Angeles, and it was
the same type of thing: coming up with that really cool idea,
playing it for an audience, and hearing the applause.

30 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 31
So now it’s the fun of the shoot, looking at the photos after, and
then finally releasing them to see how they do. It’s because of
my music days that I understand the show business aspect of
cosplay.
I like to put the cosplayer in charge of their own branding, so
after each shoot we sit down and they choose the images they
want me to work with. This way I don’t spend hours on an image
they hated from the start.
Is there a Cosplay shoot you haven’t done yet, but are
interested in working on?
I’d like to see more men in pics, but cosplay is harder on them.
People don’t go nuts for the guys’ shoots like they do for women
– there’s just less attention and exposure. They don’t sell as
many prints or get the same opportunities, and a cute girl in a
less-than-great Wonder Woman costume is still a cute girl.
If a guy does Batman, he better look like Batman, so there’s a lot
more to it. But I got to shoot TJ McDonnell’s Batman costume
recently, and that was awesome for me because I know Batman.
I’d love to find a Conan, but that guy will have to be huge.
You’ve had a very successful graphic design career, and I’m
sure those skills come in very handy when editing your photos.
How much work is involved to produce the perfect Cosplay
photograph?
Design definitely helped me develop an eye and learn how to use
lighting and color to tell the story. Movie posters, comic covers
and game covers have an important job: they have to entice
people to want to know more from a single image. So even if
our theme is anime, I tell cosplayers, “they are doing a live action
movie, you’re the star, and we’re doing the poster for it.”
The most important thing is a great expression and pose. I can
fix the cape flying the wrong way, a missing costume piece, or
even change skin or eye color, but I can’t fix an expression if it
doesn’t sell the character.
The rest is me spending 6 to 40 hours creating an environment
around the character. I see people just stealing google pics and
slapping someone on top of it, and it bothers me because it
will be the cosplayer selling the print that will end up in trouble
when someone sees their work being used. I shoot my own
stock images and it’s nice knowing the entire image is my work.

32 COSPLAY CULTURE
You also released your own book ‘Cosplay Composition’ back
in 2014; what inspired you to release it?
Mostly, I wanted to have something physical that showed my
work at the time. Also, I was getting a ton of messages asking
for Photoshop tips, so I wanted to explain to people that anyone
can learn a program but it’s their idea that matters. When I
watch movie FX videos, I care more about why they did it a
certain way than what tool they used.

How was your book received and how many copies did you
sell? Are you planning on releasing more books in the future?
Some people were disappointed that it wasn’t a step-by-step
book but how do you explain 16 years of design in 150 pages?
Hopefully, people that buy it get inspired to find their own style
and learn how to think creatively when taking the picture instead
of trying to turn a normal pic into something else. Having the
finished image in your head from the start shows you how to
light it, the right angle, and helps you direct the model with pose
and expressions. The rest is just video tutorials on YouTube.

I wanted to do a new volume every few years, even if only for me

to have my favorite images in print. Everything I do is for me, to
impress myself or outdo myself. If I start thinking about what
other people want me to do, I’d go nuts. I do images that I like
and I’m just happy others have my same taste in art.

COSPLAY CULTURE 33
 COSPLAY GONE
Jekyll
&
H yde
INTERVIEW WITH ELENA SAMKO

34 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 35
 INTERNATIONAL COSPLAYER

S exy, seductive, and provocative one day and

utterly gruesome, revolting, and bloodcurdling
the next: meet cosplay extraordinaire Elena
Samko from Novosibirsk, Siberia. Inspired by sex and death,
Elena showcases a stunning portfolio that’s taking the cosplay
industry by storm.

A few female cosplayers dare to experiment with gory

characters, but being able to pull off both sexy and scary cosplays
is extremely unusual. In a very competitive industry, Elena has
found the perfect formula to set herself apart from the
competition. Business strategy or not, her ability to portray a
wide array of characters certainly proves how very talented Elena
truly is. “All of my cosplays are 50/50. I’m very much inspired
by sex and death. So there isn’t really one cosplay style I prefer
more than another. I also like to be different and enjoy surprising
my fans with a variety of different characters.”

Elena may be torn between her love for both sexy and scary,
but she doesn’t restrict herself to either: she also has a never-
ending fascination for the video game series ‘The Witcher’.
Elena has been haunting her next victims as the ‘Brewess’, ‘the
Weavess’, ‘Bruxa’ and as a ‘Nightwraith’. For Elena, ‘The Witcher’
video game universe is simply a masterpiece. “I’m a huge
‘Witcher’ fan! I’ve already cosplayed quite a few characters and
I’m not done yet. I’m obsessed with all of the characters, there’s
not a single character I don’t find fascinating. I even own a copy
of ‘The Witcher’ game with autographs from the developers!”

Other terrifyingly awesome cosplays Elena has done include

Lilith and Azazel from ‘The Binding of Isaac’ video game, the
nurse from ‘Silent Hill’, Beatrix Russell from ‘Fallout’ and some
pretty scary original cosplays.

If these cosplays are just a little too gruesome for your liking,
then can Elena perhaps enchant you with one of her many seduc-
tive shoots? Through the use of alluring poses, well-defined make-
up and seductive poses Elena can pull off just about anything.

“I love embracing my female assets, and doing super seductive

cosplays is the perfect way to go about it! I’ve done Jessica
Rabbit, Elle Driver from ‘Kill Bill’, ‘Succubus’ and many more,
and of course a few sexy cosplays from my all-time favorite video
game series ‘The Witcher’ such as ‘The Lady of the Lake’ and
‘Triss’. I also did an awesome ‘Sorceress’ Cosplay from
‘The Witcher’ just recently which was a super fun shoot.”

36 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 37
38 COSPLAY CULTURE

Not only does Elena boast the most unusual cosplay portfolio
but her character creation is simply out of this world! From
make-up to costume creation and creative concepts, everything
you see in Elena’s stunning cosplays is her own work. Elena’s
costume designs are so very detailed and resemble picture-
perfect duplicates. You’d almost expect her costumes to be on
screen in a Hollywood blockbuster.
“I have always loved working with my hands and creating
things. One day I decided to make a fantasy costume just for fun
and I loved it so much that I started doing costumes from video
games. Everything requires time, experience, money, and a whole
lot of patience, but I love every bit of it! Unfortunately, cosplay isn’t
a full-time gig for me (yet!) and I’m trying to juggle both my hobby
and my daytime job.”
Lack of time and money aren’t Elena’s only struggles. Hailing
from Siberia, Elena doesn’t have the luxury of promoting her
INTERNATIONAL COSPLAYER
work at major conventions like ‘Comic Con’ or ‘WonderCon’.
Even though there are nearly 1.5 million people in her home-
town, locals aren’t very familiar with the art of cosplay nor
very accepting.
“Unfortunately the community of Novosibirsk is quite
close-minded. Cosplay is still pretty new to locals and they tend
to be pretty reluctant, but that certainly doesn’t stop me from
living my dream.”
And luckily, there are airplanes. Every opportunity Elena gets,
she travels across the globe to attend conventions.
“Thankfully [Moscow] is quite close to where I am from,
so I was able to attend Comic-Con in Moscow two years in a row.
Last time around, I sported one of my favourite ‘Witcher’ cos-
tumes. I absolutely love big events abroad and try to get as many
opportunities as I can possibly get.”
We’d surely be happy to welcome Elena at any convention!
COSPLAY CULTURE 39
 ALEXA
HEART
TEXT BY ALAN SCHOLTING
C osplay has been around long enough now
for many subgroups to have a voice and an
ambassador for that community. For this
issue, we felt it appropriate to feature the convention champion
of a group that, for many years, seemed to not have much
representation in the scene.
Alexa Heart is known by many as the voice for the transgender
cosplaying community. Her travels take her to conventions
around the country to speak directly to the ever-growing group of
not only transgender, but all LGBTQIA+ cosplayers (and allies). In
this interview, you’ll get to read about Miss Heart’s cosplay heroes,
her efforts in helping the trans community be comfortable with
who they are, and her never-ending love for burritos.
CCM: How did your journey into cosplay begin?
I discovered cosplay about four years ago when I stumbled onto
the Replica Prop Forum while making my Dark Knight Rises
Catwoman. I was super excited that there was a huge community
of people who liked celebrating their fandoms by dressing up like
their favorite characters. I attended a local convention, and was
immediately sold on the atmosphere. I went home to research
where more cons were being held and started working on more
costumes. After attending several conventions in cross-play and
becoming more and more comfortable with myself, I decided to
come out as transgender. I was floored with the support I
received, as I was honestly scared of how others would react.  Doomkitty and Eric Moran were the first "professional" cosplayers
Finding a community that was so diverse and accepting was a
huge relief, especially since I had taken a break from costuming
after being bullied over my costumes just a few years prior.
Since finding your place in the cosplay community, what is
something cosplay has given you that nothing else had been
able to before?
I've had the chance to speak to the LGBT community and its
allies about my experiences, both good and bad, in the nerd
community and as a whole at conventions and events across the
40 COSPLAY CULTURE
THE HEART AND
SOUL OF COSPLAY
country. I've been able to visit places I never thought I'd see and
meet so many great people. It's kind of turned me from a shy,
introverted idea person into a craft-savvy social butterfly.
Other than cosplay, what are some of your other hobbies?
THERE IS NO HOBBY...ONLY COSPLAYYYYYYYYY! No, seriously,
though. I own a nerd-focused business outside of cosplay, so I
take a lot of time creating new designs for the business. If I'm not
buried in costume creation or making product for my business,
I try to take in a hockey game or two. Lately, I've been working
on new makeup styles, which is a hidden passion of mine. I also
enjoy cooking, eating said cooking, pinning things from Pinterest
I'll never do or make, and making ridiculous Facebook posts.
You’ve been involved with the cosplay and convention scene for
some time now. Who are some people that you personally draw
inspiration from?
Can we give this a separate page? There's so many! The cosplay
community has so many talented people that it's hard to just
name a few who inspire me but when I think about it, SKS Props
and Cullen Cosplay have foam skills that make me want to better
myself every time I look at their work. People like Aaron Rabe (the
perfect Jack Sparrow), RuthlessFX, Mogchelle, Zach Fischer, and
Josh Hart inspire me with their creativity. Riddle [Riki LeCotey]
and Elhoffer Design have a level of quality I strive for. I was always
told to never meet my heroes because I'd be disappointed. Ivy
I had ever heard of; I looked up to them because of their message
that anyone could cosplay, and Ani-Mia was someone who was
my ‘cosplay hero’ because of the amazing amount of positivity
she exudes and her love for helping people. After meeting and
becoming friends with these three, I can safely say that they're
genuinely passionate about the community and are some of my
favorite people on this earth. Looks like my Dad was wrong about
these heroes. I think that's a theme in the cosplay community -
most people are pretty darn genuine and likable.
 “I despise the stigma
that you have to look a
certain way to cosplay
certain characters.”

COSPLAY CULTURE 41
You mentioned people like Ivy Doomkitty who spread the of programming geared toward trans nerds. There weren't a lot
message of ‘cosplay for everyone,’ which is a very important of guests at conventions who were any part of the LGBTQIA+,
message that we take to heart as well. On that note, you have period, to connect with, and there weren't a lot of safe spaces like
also become one of the biggest voices in the community for the gender-neutral restrooms, open acceptance policies, et cetera. I
transgender community. Was this something you sought out decided to make it my mission to try to change that. I don't
from the beginning, or did it just happen organically? consider myself the voice; I'm just a voice among many.
When I started cosplaying, I didn't aspire to anything. All I wanted
What is the biggest responsibility associated with being an
to do was to go to some conventions, wear some costumes,
ambassador for the trans cosplay community? 
meet some new people, and talk about how much I love Metroid,
When you're an ambassador for anything, the biggest
comics, burritos, and Batman Forever (don't judge me...campy
responsibility is making sure people are educated about your
stuff rocks). But seriously, it's humbling that people actually think
cause. We're all ambassadors for something. I think being one of
that, much less told you that! I really had no aspirations before
the many ambassadors for the trans cosplay community, it's my
I came out. I had been cross-playing for about a year, but I was
responsibility to remind promoters that there is a huge segment
terrified that I would be judged harshly by my peers and the
of the LGBTQIA+ community that loves and attends conventions
geek community as a whole for being trans, which was definitely
and to push for programming and guests to make the community
something that was only in my mind. I wasn't sure there would
feel more comfortable and included. I feel that I'm also
be others who were like me because up until that point, I didn't
responsible for being the person people from all walks of life can
know any other trans cosplayers. I honestly felt that I had no one
talk to - be it trans, gay, bi, straight - when they have questions
to share experiences with. I started to realize that there were
or concerns about anything concerning my transition, someone
a lot of trans cosplayers, fans, and allies in general who didn't
else's transition, or burritos.
have a voice in the convention/nerd scene, but there wasn't a lot

42 COSPLAY CULTURE
 “I feel that I’m also responsible for being the person people from
all walks of life can talk to - be it trans, gay, bi, straight - when
they have questions or concerns about anything concerning
my transition, someone else’s transition, or burritos”

Burritos are delicious! Before I get too sidetracked though, have

you ever had any other members of the trans cosplay
community tell you that you are their inspiration for being
comfortable with who they are?
I've been told so many times—through social media and in
person—that I've done something to help someone, trans or
not, be more comfortable with themselves in social settings, in
coming out to their families, and just attending a con as their
true selves. It's humbling when someone tells me, but for some
reason when parents tell me I've helped their child, it's even
more impactful. I was at a con recently where I had spoken the
previous year. A parent found my booth and made it a point to
find me to tell me how happy they were that they had come to
my panel with their daughter the year before. They told me their
daughter came out to them shortly thereafter, because they had
all sat in and listened to my experiences about how supportive
our community has been. I teared up a whole lot.

That’s beautiful. There really are so many great people in the

community. I know you are also working to abolish some of the
bad stigmas in cosplay. What is one that you really push to get
rid of?
I despise the stigma that you have to look a certain way to
cosplay certain characters, or that you can only cosplay
characters of your body type. It's sad and it's not true. If I want to
cosplay Roadhog, I will. If I want to cosplay Yang, I will. If I want to
cosplay a guy, I will. It's a hobby, a costume, and your
interpretation of the character. There's no limits to that. Do what
you're comfortable with. Modify that sexy Starfire costume if it
shows off more skin than you're comfortable with.

What is one piece of advice you'd like to share with anyone

reading who may be new to cosplay?
Cosplay for you. Don't cosplay for ‘cos-fame', dreams of quitting
your job, guest appearances, or for anyone else. If you're having
fun, awesome. If those other things are going to come, they will
with time. If you're not having fun and doing it for you, you are
missing out on the best things about cosplay.
To keep up with all of Alexa Heart’s cosplay adventures check
her out on Facebook: @alexaheartcosplay or on Twitter and
Instagram: @alexaheart_

COSPLAY CULTURE 43
 LET HER
EAT CAKE PRODIGAL THREADS FOR
THE PROVINCIAL PRINCESS
INTERVIEW WITH JINGLEBOOBOO / IMAGES BY STEVE PRUE

44 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 45
Tell us a little about your background as
a cosplayer and the types of cosplays you
normally do.
Hi! My name is Jennifer but I go by
Jinglebooboo online. I grew up in Fort Collins
Colorado and have been cosplaying for over 8
years now and am completely and utterly
addicted. I love to cosplay everything from
anime to video games as well as comics,
cartoons and science fiction, but my two
favorites are probably Anime and Video
Games. I grew up playing video games and
started watching anime in middle school, and
the combination of my interests and cosplay
made me who I am today. I still get just as
giddy starting a new project as I did when I
was a youngster.

46 COSPLAY CULTURE
Can you take us through the process of creating this look? What was the most challenging part?
The most challenging part of creating this look was the proportions. The typical proportions I was going for was a large skirt, small waist
and big hair. REALLY BIG HAIR. By the end we ended up putting a pannier, hoop skirt and bum roll under there to get the appropriate
proportion. I was also very nervous with the hair. The whole time I was styling the wig I kept being like “This is too big” or “I am going to
look silly”. But I kept it big and tried to stay confident that in the end with the dress it’d look glorious. Even when I first tried it on I was
questioning it since I didn’t have the dress on at the time, but it was completely styled at that point, so I couldn’t really shrink it. When
I finally tried everything on together I almost cried, I was so happy. It read exactly how I wanted and just goes to show to keep pushing
forward.

COSPLAY CULTURE 47
48 COSPLAY CULTURE
Shoes by American Duchess
COSPLAY CULTURE 49
50 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 51
 52 COSPLAY CULTURE
Shoes by American Duchess
 What gave you the idea to make a Marie
Antoinette inspired Belle gown?
I had always wanted to create a pretty ballgown
type outfit but got scared and wussed out every
time. I typically do more armored outfits with
articles of clothing so a huge dress intimidated
me. But I love Beauty and the Beast and the idea
of making a Belle inspired outfit got my juices
flowing and I knew I needed something big and
flashy that would read as Belle. Being as the film
took place in a french setting, the first thing that
came to mind was Marie Antoinette. She was a
strong powerful woman but also beautiful and I
thought the connection between her and Belle
was uncanny and would make a great design.
So I went for the huge Marie Antoinette
inspired dress and wig and added as
many elements to make it read
Belle as possible. I made sure to
keep her traditional yellow color
scheme, off the shoulder top,
rounded full skirt, and added the
iconic red roses to her hair. I am
so proud of this creation being my
first big dress and now I want to
make 50 more!

COSPLAY CULTURE 53
54 COSPLAY CULTURE
What advice would you give someone looking to create
a successful mash up gown? How do you find the right
balance between the two characters?
I learned so much by making this mash-up gown. I hadn’t
done one before and was very nervous, but my first word
of advice is just go for it! Be confident and believe in
yourself, and even if things aren’t going as planned push
through. With a mash-up there is a lot of creativity in-
volved since the design is based on what you envision,
so you can go as crazy as you want. There were many
things with this cosplay that didn’t go how I envisioned,
but since it was my design, I could just do something
differently and no one knows. In the end I was in love with
my design and proud I created something unique. Finding
that balance between two characters can be tricky and
I would recommend drawing out some ideas and
getting a second opinion from a friend. Friends can help
you brain storm new ideas if you are stuck, or make you
confident by saying they love what you have done so far,
which might give you that push to keep going.

Finding a balance between two characters was the

funnest part for me. I tried to keep with the Belle color
scheme and key classic elements and then translate
them into Marie Antoinette’s style. I think picking the
important elements of both characters and writing them
down ahead of time helped me combine the two easier.
I went through so many designs and saved hundreds of
reference pictures, and being able to look up so much
source material was a life saver.

I grew up watching Disney movies like many little girls, and

Belle is one of my favorite Disney princesses, as well as
Ariel. Belle is intelligent and kind hearted and beautiful. I was
so happy to portray her, especially in a new unique way.
I am French as well and have always been fascinated with
French culture and history. To be able to combine two
characters that I love so dearly was an amazing feeling.

My favorite part of this experience was creating something

I had not tried before and falling in love with it by the end.
I don’t know if I would have ever done a fancy beautiful
dress on my own. With the push from Cosplay Culture I am
so glad I tried something new and now I think I might be
doing a lot more pretty things in the future!

COSPLAY CULTURE 55
“Together we’re creating a
collage or a tapestry of
immersive experience. “

56 COSPLAY CULTURE
 THE
EVER-EXPANDING
GOREY PARTY
CELEBRATING THE ECCENTRIC & ESOTERIC EDWARDIAN BALL
TEXT BY STEVE SAVITSKY / IMAGES BY MARCO SANCHEZ

O ne of the most elaborate retro-fashion

and art events in the world is the
Edwardian Ball, a multi-city, multi-media
exposition which has been staged in San Francisco annually
since 2000, and in Los Angeles since 2009. Described as a mix
of Cirque du Soleil and Mardi Gras, what sets this event apart
from all others is the devotion to all manner of art—including
operating with the blessing of The Edward Gorey Charitable
Trust (with some of the proceeds going to them). This year
the Ball expands even further, with an event in New Orleans,
featuring a topnotch line-up of New Orleans-based performers,
music, and entertainment, all presented in a renovated 1820’s
sugar refinery.

Justin Katz, executive producer and co-founder of the Ball,

theatre, fashion, circus, fine art, literature, cosplay, stage
explains the event’s continual success is due in part to its
shows, live music, ballroom dancing, and DJs—combined with
”inclusive, rather than scripted, style of participation, in a
honoring the art and legacy of Edward Gorey, the celebrated
respectful, permissive, creative environment. We never
late-great macabre author and Illustrator from whom the ball
demanded any particular aesthetic or compliance with the
takes its name. The other Edward hinted in the name refers to
theme. The point is effort: just dress in a way that feels special,
the Neo-Victorian/Edwardian historical era as well as retro and
no rules, no judgment, just enjoy.” For most people the biggest
steampunk fashion. In addition to the wealth of spectacular
draw is actually each other. “Everybody is so impressed that
costumes, art, music, and uniquely created carnival rides, there
virtually 100% of participants come in fantastic costume and
is a large theatrical production adapting one of Edward Gorey’s
character. There’s a lot of DIY costuming, especially people that
stories, as the centerpiece homage to the literary great.
create great Edward Gorey-inspired characters.” Related to the
Attendees are encouraged to participate as costumed
idea of cosplay, and the difference in experience between a
characters in the darkly humorous presentation, with this year’s
costume and a character, he says, “we like to encourage people
interpretation of “The Deadly Blotter,” a classic murder-mystery
to move towards the character end of the spectrum.”
whodunit.
Co-hosts the Vau de Vire Society does a fantastic job of
This celebration of the eccentric and esoteric has grown from an
costuming in a “very true to Gorey look: black & white,
underground club party into an internationally recognized festival
crosshatching, props, flats, really wonderful 2D and 3D work.
of the arts, drawing attendees from all over the world, and

COSPLAY CULTURE 57
The designer, Rose Hardin, has pushed us in the direction of
stage costume design—something that might look rough up
close is exactly the kind of look that reads well from the back of
a 1500-person ballroom. We’ve had a lot of costume
development as related to theater, which is very different from
the fine costumes that people come up with on their own.”

Additionally there is great appreciation for the attention to detail.

“We’re about curating things in every corner, things you don’t
expect, things you’ve never seen. Everywhere you look there
is something great: art, stage shows, pop-up performances,
decor, lighting, oddities. I love the fact that we have the ability to
support 30, 40, 50 artists and do it equitably, because nobody’s
a headliner; together we’re creating a collage or a tapestry of
immersive experience.”

While they choose not to politicize the Edwardian Ball, “the act
of gathering in this inclusive manner is a form of political and
social resistance to those that may be inclined to discourage
diversity and inclusion. Insofar as we are creating an open door
for people to come and express themselves, it’s an inherently
political and social endeavor that is very much needed right
now. There’s a civility and an elegance to that era, and people
are using the opportunity of imagining the past to create an
alternate reality to the moment.”

As a producer, Katz loves the challenge of finding the balance

of curating content and crowd flow. “It takes a lot of energy
and consideration to figure how to improve the experience and
differentiate it from one year to the next. It’s almost harder when
you know your show’s going to sell out because the onus is on
you to make the experience worthy of people’s expectations.”

He explains the Ball’s expansion, and how they integrate the

show into local cultures, without completely changing the Ball.
“For each market we bring in just enough of our core scene to
preserve our identity, and the remainder reflects the local
culture—people attending and participating have their own
style and priorities of what they want out of the event.”
Regarding the future, Katz’ team is really excited: “We have great
local allies, and if we can pull New Orleans off, maybe in year 2
or 3 it’ll really gain some legs and be a gateway to more addi-
tions of the Edwardian Ball, maybe around the world.”

58 COSPLAY CULTURE
 “Co-hosts the Vau de Vire
Society does a fantastic job
of costuming in a very true
to Gorey look: black & white,
crosshatching, props,
flats, really wonderful
2-d and 3-d work”.

COSPLAY CULTURE 59
More information can be found at www.edwardianball.com
 “Everybody is so impressed that
virtually 100% of participants
come in fantastic costume
and character. “

60 COSPLAY CULTURE
 COSPLAY CULTURE 61
More information can be found at www.edwardianball.com
64 COSPLAY CULTURE
 Magic
WHEELCHAIR INTERVIEW BY HALEY FISHER

C osplay has inspired people from all over the

world to put themselves out there and showcase
who they really are and what is important to
them. With that said, being a part of this community is not limited
to those who attend conventions. There are many charity groups
emerging from cosplay and costume building, one of which is the
request for a costume. Once a family and child’s request comes
through, the child gets to play an active role in deciding exactly
what kind of costume they would like.

Magic Wheelchair.
Magic Wheelchair was founded in 2015 by Ryan and Lana
Weimer. Together, they have five children, three of whom were
born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Sadly, that requires them to
use wheelchairs for the rest of their lives. But Ryan didn’t let the
confines of a wheelchair prevent his sons from having fantastic
Halloween costumes every year. Instead of going the
“traditional” route with costumes, he would build a costume
around their wheelchairs. Once the news of these amazing
costumes spread, Ryan began to receive requests from other
parents to help their own children have a special Halloween. Thus,
Magic Wheelchair was born. In 2015 alone, the team built eight
Magic Wheelchairs in two different states. The non-profit
organization grew since then, and were able to build 25 Magic
Wheelchairs in 11 different states in 2016.
As one can imagine, a lot goes into the process. When asked how
this works, Ryan stated, “We like to give our builders at least two
months to create a costume. Ideally 3 months, but that is start to
finish: meeting the kiddo, coming up with a design, fundraising
etc. Generally, in a nutshell we have our volunteers meet the
family/kiddo, talk shop, come up with some design ideas, build
and fundraise throughout the build. We try to find a fun event to
do the reveal at and Bam — you got yourself a smiley kiddo!” The
application process for this is actually fairly simple: all families
have to do is go to Magic Wheelchair’s website and submit a
“We built a Captain America tank for a young man while he was in
the hospital. He was an amazing kid. The High School he attended
put the tank on display in his honor,” said co-founder Ryan. “We
built a TIE Fighter for another young man as part of his Make A
Wish. He loved it. His mom shared with us how much of a huge
impact his Make A Wish party was. She said he’d talk about his
TIE every day and ‘flew’ it around as often as he could. She said it
was the best two months of his life.”
As Magic Wheelchair is a nonprofit organization, they are always
looking for volunteers. Currently, they are looking for people to
help with operational/management aspects, build/design teams,
marketing, fundraising, social media, and digital media. A big
focus for them is that they have a growing list of children who
have not had a chance to get a build due to a lack of volunteers to
make it in the area. “We also want the community to be involved
in the builds and fundraising. We feel that it’s a great way for the
community to get involved. They can see firsthand what their
contributions have done. It brings communities together. It’s
pretty awesome. I really want Magic Wheelchair to be a
community based effort. I think the more we get involved in our
community, the more we get to know each other, the stronger our
communities become,” said Ryan.
People can donate or apply to volunteer at  
http://www.magicwheelchair.org/
or at the Magic Wheelchair Facebook page

COSPLAY CULTURE 65
Princess Shoe DIY

MATERIALS
No1

Shoes for embellishing

Gold spray paint

2 yards Simplicity® gold braided trim

1 yard Simplicity® lace trim

(1 ¼” - 1 5/8” wide)

Hot Glue Gun & Hot Glue Sticks

Select a shoe style with enough surface area to decorate.
2 Red fabric roses (small/medium size)

1 Package gold adhesive gems

66 COSPLAY CULTURE
No2

Apply several coats of gold spray paint to the entire visible area
of the shoe.
No3

Choose a gold braided trim and hot glue around the border top
of the toe and heel.
No4

Choose a wide lace trim, pleat fold and hot glue under the toe
portion of the shoe.
No5

Complete your embellished shoes by hot gluing a red fabric

rose to the toe and accent the trim with gold adhesive gems. COSPLAY CULTURE 67
68 COSPLAY CULTURE
Stained Glass Cell Phone Case
Purchase a clear phone case for your phone.

No8 No7 No6 No5 No4 No3 No2 No1

Create a stained glass template design on paper with
markers based on the inside dimensions of your phone
case.

Purchase EK Tools Plastic Sheets Brights. We used SKU

#55-59015, which can be found at your local craft store.

Use a light box, or tape your stained glass design to a

window.

Lay the plastic colored sheets over your design and

trace around the matching stained glass color with a
washable marker.

MATERIALS Find a piece of clear plastic sheeting and cut to fit your
cell phone template design.

1 Clear cell phone case

EK Tools Plastic Sheets Brights Tape your stained glass template design behind the

1 Clear plastic sheet clear plastic sheeting.

Lightbox

Tape Cut out your traced stained glass pieces from the EK
Rose template Tools Plastic Sheets and glue them with transparent
glue to the clear plastic sheeting, lining up with your
Washable marker
stained glass template.
Scissors
As you cut out your stained glass pieces wipe away any
No10 No9

Ruler
washable marker outlines with a damp paper towel.
Transparent glue

Damp paper towel

Once your stained glass window’s glue is dry, insert

inside your clear phone case and enjoy with your phone!

COSPLAY CULTURE 69
Stained Glass Rose
Template for Cell Phone

*For design reference only. Adjust design to your

own cell phone case measurements.

70 COSPLAY CULTURE
 OFFICIALLY
LICENSED
SEWING
PATTERN, 8404

available at

© 2017 Simplicity Creative Group ©Disney www.disney.com/beautyandthebeast

 KEEP CALM
KATSUCON
AND

TEXT BY TIFFANY PEGRAM / IMAGES BY MINERALBLU

72 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 73
W e’re not sure what it is about
Katsucon that draws so many
amazing costumes, year after
year. Maybe it’s the location; the Gaylord Resort practically begs
for beautiful ballgowns and elaborate armor to be photographed
in it. Maybe it’s the people, cosplayers like Jessica Nigri, Kay
Bear, Yaya Han, and Leon Chiro bringing their best work and
inspiring others to do the same. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the
fact that despite its growth from a small group of 500 in 1995
to nearly 20,000 people from around the world in 2017, the
community at Katsucon is still one of the warmest and most
welcoming we’ve met at any convention. It doesn’t matter what
a cosplayer’s perceived “ranking” is, they’re just as willing to talk
about cosplay and their work to a grandmother they meet on the
street while getting lunch as they are to talk to a reporter, or to a
cosplayer just starting out. They hang out in the hallways until all
hours of the night, sharing stories and trading tips. They’ll stand
for hours in sometimes incredibly uncomfortable poses so
people can admire their craftsmanship, and they’ll encourage
each other to improve, to persevere, to do what you love
because you love it and they do, too.

74 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 75
76 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 77
78 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 79
80 COSPLAY CULTURE
 WIG OUT!
A CONVERSATION WITH MALINDA MATHIS OF ARDA WIGS

F irst, introductions! Can you explain your

position at Arda, how long you’ve been doing it
and what steps led you to doing this for a living?

My name is Malinda Mathis, with the cosplay alias “Malindachan”

on social media. At Arda I work in Customer Support, and am
the lead stylist. I style wigs for various marketing projects, and I
create resources for our customers such as guides and tutorials. I
also offer color and style recommendations to customers
needing input on a project.

I’ve been styling wigs for my own costume projects for almost
10 years. My fans on social media liked my wig work, so that
motivated me to pick characters with crazy weird hairstyles. The
owner of Arda Wigs reached out to me 5 years ago to style a
custom character wig, and I was thrilled to do so since I loved her
products. A few months later, she reached out to me to work for
her company. She wanted someone who was familiar with their
products and could provide good customer service, and after
meeting me at a convention she thought I would be perfect for
the position. I moved from Missouri to Chicago later that year to
work full-time.

I graduated college with a computer animation degree, but

wasn’t having much luck establishing a career. Styling wigs
for theater or movies wasn’t something I considered until after
college, and by then I wasn’t sure if I could afford cosmetology
school in addition to my student loans. When traveling to
conventions, I always get weird looks when I’m carrying wigs at
the airport. But there was one time when an elderly woman came

COSPLAY CULTURE 81
82 COSPLAY CULTURE
up to me and asked, “Are you an actress?” When I explained that I
made costumes as a hobby, she told me with confidence, “You’re
going to go places.” This interaction happened literally days before
I got the call from Crystina at Arda Wigs. Back then, Arda was a
very small company of 4 people, so I had a lot of questions and
concerns. I’m glad I took the elderly woman’s encouragement as
a sign, because I’m happy to be working for such an empowering
and successful company.
Take us through what a typical day at work looks like for you.
My first priority is to answer customer emails, which are usually
inquiries for style/color recommendations, or styling advice. If I'm
not too busy, I’ll also help our marketing team answer questions
on social media. Sometimes I’ll have additional desk work from
coordinating contests.
When desk work is done, I’ll occasionally help our photographer
display wigs on the mannequin for product photos. We're
constantly getting new products, so this can keep us pretty busy.
When I have more creative time, I’ll write up suggestion guides for
popular shows/games/etc., style wigs for marketing projects, or
film styling tutorials.
Do you prefer to style wigs based on a specific character or to
style original designs? What are the pros and cons of each?
I’m more familiar with styling wigs based on specific characters,
so those tend to be a bit easier for me. Creating original designs
offers opportunities to try new things, though, so I like to do a bit
of both for a nice balance. Character wigs can be easy or
difficult depending on what references are available. Having a 3D
reference of the character is much easier than trying to translate
a 2D design to a 3D wig. With original designs, there isn’t a right
or wrong way to style it, but it can take more time to plan a unique
idea if you aren’t using an inspiration board. Both types of wigs
can yield satisfying results.
Do you have a favorite wig you’ve styled? If so, why is it your
favorite?
This is a hard question; it’s like picking a favorite child!
With character wigs, I’ve styled a few YU-GI-OH! wigs, and they’ve
become my favorites because they’ve inspired others. It’s been
many years since I’ve styled them, but I still get fans that share
their own wigs with me, saying they followed my tutorials.
Out of my original designs, my favorite so far is the blonde/green
ombre braid I styled for the Labyrinth of Jareth Ball. Part of the
design credit goes to Arda’s Alexa, who created the flower
accessories. I was inspired by woodland elves and fairies, and my
favorite princess (Rapunzel).
Do you style many wigs for yourself, or mostly for other people?
Up until last year they were mostly for me, but now I style fewer
personal projects and more for work or friends. It’s good for me
because I’m spending less money, haha!
What’s your favorite part about working in the cosplay industry?
The people I work with! We have a lot of interests that connect us
together, such as cosplay and the pop culture surrounding it. With
some jobs, it’s hard to explain your hobbies to others, but I’m free
to be expressive and creative without fear of being judged.
COSPLAY CULTURE 83
Wig Styling Tutorial
Become the Belle of the ball with this wig tutorial
No1 No2

Arda wigs has two beautiful If you’re on a budget, the Grace

style options for Belle: Dany
and Grace. The Dany is a
lacefront style, which will have
a more natural hairline.
might be the right style for you;
it’s styled similarly, but has a
skin top instead of a lacefront.
For this tutorial, we’ll be using
a Dany in Spanish Brown.

COURTESY OF ARDA WIGS

No7 No8
MATERIALS
1 Matching hairbun accessory

1 Hair elastic

Hairspray

A Teasing comb

A clip

Visit the Arda Wigs Website for more wig styling tricks!

You might be able to pull all
hair from along the hairline
back, but it depends on the
wearer’s head size.
84 COSPLAY CULTURE
For our model, we’re leaving a
piece down to conceal her own
hair above her ears.
No3
Gather your materials.
No9
Use your hair elastic to tie the
two sections together in the
back. Arrange the hair hanging
down.
No4
Pull a section of hair in the
front upwards, spritz with a
little hairspray, and backcomb
for more volume. The back-
combed sections should be
hidden, so try doing this on the
backside of the hair piece only.
For Emma Watson’s Belle,
you can skip the backcombing
step. Use a hair dryer to set the
hairspray more quickly.
No10
Find the little combs inside the
hairbun accessory, and hook
them around the elastic to
secure it.
No5
The backcombing will help
create a slight bump shape.
Twist the section back, adding
more pieces from the side as
you do so.
No11
You can also use bobby pins
for more security, if the combs
give you trouble.
No6
Use your clip to hold it in place
as you repeat on the other
side.
No12
Now you’re ready to dance
the night away, or read a good
book.
COSPLAY CULTURE 85
Indie
Cosplay
Corner
WITH SPECIAL GUEST: SUDANRO BLADEWORKS

86 COSPLAY CULTURE PhotoNXS

 INDIE COSPLAYER

Can you tell our readers a little about yourself?

My name is Baxter Durham, but all my friends call me Bucky. My
cosplay handle is Sudanro Bladeworks and I'm a cosplayer from
Rock Hill, South Carolina. I'm currently a Senior Nuclear Design
Engineer by day and an avid gamer, reader, and costumer in my
free time. I enjoy video games and table-top, and even co-host
the Cool Domain Podcast, which is a predominantly gaming-
focused show. Finally, believe it or not, I also really enjoy cooking
and baking, because you've got to be well-rounded.

How long have you been cosplaying? What was your first
costume, and why did you choose it?
I've been attending conventions for almost 14 years at this point
and have been cosplaying almost that long. My first real costume
was Cloud Strife at Animazement 2004. I chose the character
because at the time I loved Final Fantasy VII, he was blonde and
I refused to wear a wig, and I also wanted an excuse to make a
giant sword. It helped that my best friend was there as
Sephiroth, too.

You do a lot of really complex armor- and weapon-building for

your costumes. Is that your favorite part of cosplay? What
makes it as interesting as it is?
My favorite part about cosplay in general is watching a huge
stack of materials start to take shape into something you
enjoyed from a game or a movie and the closer you get to
finishing, the more exciting it becomes. My two favorite parts of
the process are definitely sanding and detail painting for props
and armor. There's something incredibly cathartic about the
process where I just lose track of time and everything else while
focusing on finishing the task at hand. Then there's wearing the
costume; there's really nothing like having someone else who is
a huge fan of whatever media you're representing gush over your
portrayal of a character.

What’s your favorite costume you’ve ever made?

My favorite costume I've made so far is Abysswalker Artorias
from Dark Souls. Garrus Vakarian from Mass Effect 2 is a close
second, but I'm far more proud of the former.
Phosphorescence Photography
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced in a build?
Sewing in any fashion is my biggest challenge. I much prefer
building armor or weaponry, but I force myself to sew, too. I'll
even specifically pick a costume to challenge myself on the
sewing front after an armor build so that I can continue to
improve my skillset.

COSPLAY CULTURE 87
Is it the character that draws you to a cosplay or is it the
costume? Or a little bit of both?
For me, I prefer to cosplay characters I like and identify with;
however, I sometimes pick characters for their design.
Sometimes it's fun to portray someone who is completely
different from your norm.

Do you have any new costumes coming up this year?

This year I plan to overhaul a few of my costumes; Artorias is
getting upgrades, my Mandalorian will finally be finished, and I
plan to rebuild Garrus from the ground up. That's not to say that
I don't have new costumes planned, I have a few major ones,
but I'm keeping them under wraps until I start working on them.

What about dream costumes to make in the future?

I've got a few dream costumes I'd love to make from the Witcher,
Warhammer 40k, and a couple of Blizzard IPs. I have a
penchant for characters with white hair. Also I would love to do a
demon-form Sparda or one of the twins' demon forms from the
Devil May Cry series. With my new workshop, I imagine I'll get
around to all of these sometime in the future.

Are there specific materials or resources you recommend for

people interested in armor-building?
I am a huge fan of EVA foam floor mats. Price and ease of
working with them can't be beat. That being said, there are
some excellent YouTube channels and books out there for
working with foam and they even have some templates
available for you. The Foamsmith books and Evil Ted
(www.eviltedsmith.com) are a couple of great informational
resources. The Replica Prop Forum is also an excellent resource
full of people willing to lend a helping hand. Once I get my new
makerspace set up, I'll be back to creating tutorials on my
channel as well.

What advice would you give people just starting out

in cosplay?
To quote Shia Labeouf, "just do it." Half of the techniques I've
developed and strategies I use to make costumes have come
from experimentation, trial, and error. If you get stuck, we live in
a golden age of tutorials and help with resources available all
over the web. Pick your favorite character, even if you think it's
out of your skill range, and just go with it. You'll have fun, you'll
learn, and you'll improve. The best way to get better at it is to
keep doing it.

TO FOLLOW SUDANRO BLADEWORKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

88 COSPLAY CULTURE
 Danielgrayphotography.com

Hoakakyou Photography

www.instagram.com/SudanroBladeworks www.YouTube.com/Sudanro www.facebook.com/SudanroBladeworks

COSPLAY CULTURE 89
90 COSPLAY CULTURE
SacAnime
2017
TEXT AND IMAGES BY AMANDA JENSEN

T he Sacramento Anime Convention has evolved greatly from its

humble beginnings, from a 1986 mall comic, toy & anime show, to
a modest anime show in a single ballroom in 2004, to the present
large-scale event with over 10,000 attendees. Since 2013, SacAnime has been held at the
Sacramento Convention Center (along with the Sheraton Grand Hotel and the Memorial
Auditorium), providing plenty of room for additional special guests and events, with the
focus mainly on anime and manga.

This year’s convention featured voice actors Cherami Leigh, Cassandra Lee Morris, and
Bryce Papenbrook from Sword Art Online, Nolan North (the Deadpool videogame and
Nathan Drake from the Uncharted videogame series), Vic Mignogna (Edward Elric from
Fullmetal Alchemist), and, for all the old-school gamers, Charles Martinet (Mario). Panels
such as Women of Voice Acting were very informative and entertaining, as Cherami and
Cassandra talked about their experiences in voice acting, along with Michelle Ruff who
voiced Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach, and Erica Luttrell who voiced the female witch
doctor from Diablo 3. All these ladies made it so enjoyable as they took turns telling funny
embarrassing stories, and taking a bite of an apple close to the microphone so everyone
could hear it while one of the other girls were talking. No one could take them seriously
after that, and you could not help but laugh. During the Q&A sessions, Bryce and Vic did
funny in-character rants: Bryce quoted a favorite line from his character Rin Okumura from
Blue Exorcist, talking about how badly he wanted to kick Satan's butt. And Vic Mignogna
quoted Elric's line of "Who are you calling a pipsqueak midget?!" like he was actually in the
studio shouting the line into the microphone for us all.

But conventions are not solely about special guests; they’re about cosplayers showing
off their skills in recreating characters from anime, video games, and comic books. Friday
was a bit of a slow day for cosplay, although some good cosplayers did come through the
show room floor that day. There was a Soldier 76 (created by day_the_mole_dude), a trio
with Deadpool, Deathstroke, and the Punisher, as well as Ruby from the Rooster Teeth
original animated show RWBY. Seeing these five cosplayers enjoying their costumes and
being their characters made me remember why I love cosplay so much.

Saturday was the day all the big cosplayers came out to play. You saw everything from
original designs for the Pokemon Go! games' Team Mystic and Team Instinct, Edward and
Alphonse Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, to an original Princess BB8 design from the mov-
ie Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And that was all just on the show room floor. That night
there was a cosplay masquerade show over at the Memorial Auditorium that I took place

COSPLAY CULTURE 91
in, as Celty from the anime series Durarara!. The cosplays at this
show were absolutely breath-taking: Shawn Pugh and Jay Gray
as two Ghostbusters from the Sacramento Ghostbusters group
won the Audience Choice Award, and Makayla as Queen Ash
took Judges’ Choice. For Best Overall during the show,
Mikasa Antoinette took 3rd place, a Skyrim Group took 2nd, and
1st place went to Meranda Hermin as the Twilight Princess. There
were a few other winners as well, with the show handing out a
grand total of 12 awards, and everyone did an amazing job on
their cosplays and stage performances. It was my first time being
part of a cosplay masquerade show and it surely will not
be my last.

Earlier that day during Nolan North's Q&A session, someone

set off the fire alarms, forcing the session to stop and everyone
to evacuate. As we were leaving, Nolan did an impersonation of
his Deadpool character talking about how “Of course it would
happen during my panel!”, which was pretty funny. Once outside,
we all just wandered around, waiting ’til they could let us all back
in, and I have a feeling passers-by thought we were some huge
nerdy flash mob about ready to bust out dancing. People were
honking and waving at us all, and of course we could not help but
wave back. Once the alarms were off and the sea of cosplayers all
headed back inside, I ran into some amazing cosplayers out on
the show room floor and the terrace. There was a huge Pikachu,
multiple Edwards and Alphonse Elrics, a red pirate, nice Batman
cosplays, and some fawns. I am still amazed at how these people
made their cosplays look so good. No matter how advanced
or simple your cosplay is, everyone cheers you on, which is an
amazing feeling.

SacAnime has definitely stepped its game up since I was first

there in 2009. All the special guests were awesome and there
was a ton of great cosplayers that came through over the course
of the weekend. My overall experience was a good one and I
really look forward to the next SacAnime this September, with all
the other amazing cosplays that will no doubt be there.

92 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 93
 THE RISE OF
Robots is NEAR
INTERVIEW WITH JEFF LEINIGER, ROBOT COSTUMES USA

CAUTION ADVISED Robots have been spotted

roaming the thoroughfares of planet Earth. Standing a freakish
ten feet tall, artificially intelligent, and programmed to be just like
you and me—authorities are not yet aware how dangerously cool
these robots are!

My fellow cosplayers, consider yourselves warned: an army of

super awesome robots is about to come your way, and they might
just take over your next convention with a BANG! Please, allow me
to introduce you to their creator, the forefather and innovator of
‘Robot Costumes USA’: Jeff Leiniger.

Inspired by humanoid robot C-3PO from Star Wars, Jeff was on

a mission to turn his fascination for robots into a hobby, and
ultimately, into a full-fledged career. Taught by premier
entertainment companies like Disney and Universal Studios, Jeff
learned how to produce unique lightweight composite finishes;
skills that very soon proved to be a stepping stone to Jeff’s robotic
success.

After working countless hours, Jeff spent every minute of the

night working on his next robotic breakthrough and, in 2002, Jeff’s
dream finally came true. He founded Robot Costumes USA, which
quickly turned into the place to go for robot-related items. After
producing custom designs for huge entertainment companies
and movie makers for a few years, the company started a line of
16 stock costumes featuring unique designs for clients in 2007.

Today, Robot Costumes USA exports over 200 costumes each

year to customers like Disney, Universal Studios, Samsung,
Chevron and Rovio Entertainment. Oh, and of course, awesome
cosplayers just like yourself. Jeff Leininger’s custom robot
costumes even stole the limelight on TV shows like Disney’s
Kickin’ it, Lab Rats, Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and
Fox’s Bones.

The best way to predict the future is to invent it, and Jeff Leiniger
has done exactly that.

How has your company evolved throughout the years?

Robot Costumes USA has become known as the place to go for
anything robot-related. We now produce free-standing exhibit

94 COSPLAY CULTURE

displays, body parts for real robots—shells or skins are what they
are called—and movie props when clients just need something to
look like a robot.
You have 16 stock costumes readily available, tell me a bit more
about the creation process from conceptualizing the designs
through production?
We have 16 stock costumes, which means that they are our own
designs and the parts have already been produced. They are on
the shelves in primer and ready for the customer to choose from
two colors. Since each client likes a different color, we start from
there. Some costumes can even be shipped within 5-7 days once
the color has been chosen. All of our production is done in-house.
From walking to talking and dancing – all of your robots do some
pretty cool stuff. Which was your first prototype that featured
such technology?
Well, it was a model we no longer have in stock: Syphon, which
was a version of a Storm-Trooper-like costume. It was the very first
model where we started experimenting with different effects back
in 2008. Syphon featured basic fiberglass composites with a
simple paint finish. The follow-up model was ‘Carbon X’ (which is
now Model#1), which was entirely vacuum-formed ABS plastic
with an automotive paint finish and two layers of clear coat. Next
up was "Wheely," which was built over a custom Segway. This
gave it the effect of a real "rolling" robot.
How much work is involved to produce such high-end tech
costumes?
Custom costumes are the most work because we always need to
match the client’s designs. Using sculptors, craftsmen, and 3-D
printing to produce the molds for fabrication of the costumes is
the biggest challenge. It must look like a robot; however it still has
to fit the human body. It takes up to 300 man - hours to produce
some of the larger custom costumes.
You manufactured an entire army of robots for a restaurant
project in Tokyo – the Robot Restaurant. What were your first
thoughts when this project reached your inbox?
Well, we had no idea that they were going to order so many
costumes at once until the client came to our shop with about 6
guys and a bag of cash. They walked around the shop test fitting
everything and having fun taking photos of each other before they
showed me an order for five of each of our costumes. The total
order tallied 60 costumes as well as 12 custom costumes and
then, they laid that big ol’ bag of cash on my desk. It was time to
start working.
You’ve also worked on a lot of robot costumes for movie related
projects; which venture are you most proud of? 
Studios come to us after the film is produced and need cos-
tumes of the characters in the film for promotion at premieres,
events and trade shows. Hasbro came to us with Optimus Prime
and Bumblebee for the release of the new designs. NASA even
approached us to create a costume version of Robonaut. Disney
needed a fighting robot for their Kickin’ It TV show, which was also
a pretty cool project.  
From gigantic costumes to insane designs and special add-on
requests - what was the craziest costume request you’ve ever
worked on?
By far, the craziest was the “Rock-in Rio” Robot for the Rockin’ Rio
Music Festival in Brazil. The robot stood over nine feet tall, had
every special effect we could come up with, and it even had its
own tricked-out golf cart to transport it around. The costume cost
over $100,000 to produce!
Are you planning on expanding your bespoke costume portfolio
in the near future?
We are always thinking about the future and how we can take
over the world with robots. We can only hope one day that Will
Smith will try to stop us from achieving this.
COSPLAY CULTURE 95
 cosplayer
submissions
Every day we get a ton of amazing costume submissions online from readers all over the world. Check out some of these
amazing costumes that were so cool, we just had to share them with the rest of you! Want to see your picture here?
Send us a message on Facebook or tag us on Instagram! We’d love to see what you’ve got!

Stoosh Costuming
& Cosplay Echothymia

CHARACTER: WIZARD FROM DIABLO III

PHOTO BY: ANDREY SPIRIDONOV PHOTOGRAPHY

CHARACTER: SCORPION FROM MORTAL KOMBAT

PHOTO BY: LESLEY STOOSHNOFF / SPARKINGBAT

96 COSPLAY CULTURE
 Brittany Chaos Christina Dark Cosplay

CHARACTER: CHOLA HARLEY QUINN CHARACTER: FEMALE DARTH MAUL

PHOTO EDIT BY: FENIX ARS PHOTO EDIT BY: GIO-X PHOTOGRAPHY

Pulp Heroes: R obbie Dunn, Adam D’Hulst, Kyle Anderson,

Skyler Pinales, Roman Daniels

CHARACTER: GREEN HORNET, THE SHADOW, SPIDER-MAN NOIR, ZORRO, THE PHANTOM
PHOTOS BY: JOSH WEES / JW PHOTOGRAPHY COSPLAY CULTURE 97
匀 䔀 䔀       夀伀 唀 刀 匀 䔀 䰀 䘀       䤀 一  
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圀圀圀⸀䄀刀䐀䄀䄀圀䤀䜀匀⸀䌀伀䴀
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