2013 January - D20 Girls Magazine by Le Nurd Mystique, LLC

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

Staff Credits Editor in Chief - Erika Litherland Content Editor - Tara Watson Layout Editor - Katie Zheng Copy Editor - Tiana Pimentel Ryan Irvin Writers - Katarina Love Valerie Kitty Starr Kimberly Willis-Starin Tara Watson Erika Litherland Cory Benzenhoefer Brittney Fischer Leah Colburn Stephanie Hull Katie Zheng Kara Peznecker Bridgett Bowie Niki Soto

Contributors - Con X Kayla Waters & Sakuya Cosplay Silver Lining Designs CosT Photography Sarah Tanner N3 Photography The D20 Girls of North Carolina Always Love Lorn Constance Lightwood Apocalypse Sue Michelle Savana Photography GoldiBlox Evan Bremer Hex Mex Creations Orchard Corset Katherine Stocking Craig Mitchell Dyer Photography Katherine Elizabeth Coleman Allison Thomas Trinity Fannin D20 Girls across the nation D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

D20 Girls Magazine is published four times per year. Manufactured and published in the United States of America. The Editor-in-Chief welcomes submissions from all sources. Such submissions should be addressed to EDITOR and sent to submissions@ D20Girls.com. D20 Girls Magazine is a copyright of OGO Publications. Products named in these pages are trade names or trademarks of their respective companies. The publisher shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of the advertisement. The publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is limited to republication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement.

Cover Photography By: Chris Wiggins - CosIT Photography cosITphotography.com Model: Sarah Tanner Cosplaying As: Candy Cane Miss Fortune from League of Legends

Contents

IN THIS ISSUE 4 9 14 17 21 36 44 74

Letter From the Editor Nerd Girls of the Future New Years Resolutions Things We Love. Ask Leah Geeky Flicks: January - March 2013 D20 Girls Out and About Best Nerdy Gift

VALENTINES DAY 6 48 50 56

Nerdy Dates Love Songs A Fairy Tale Wedding My Jewish-Pagan Doctor Who Wedding

22 From Goldilocks to GoldiBlox, Creating Load Bearing Dreams Through Story

ARTICLES 18 Pigtails for Peace 24 Interview with Evan Bremmer: Voice of The Joker in Gotham High 46 DIY Polymer Clay Zombie Mushroom 59 D20 Girls Rock! FEATURING: Chiki, D’estelle Geneviefve, Dolly

PHOTO SPREADS 10 Cover Girl - Sarah Tanner 12 North Carolina D20 Girls 68 Photos FEATURING: Katherine Elizabeth Coleman, Allison Thomas, Trinity Fannin

CORSETS

38 A Cosplay Fantasy of Final Fantasy

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28 29 30 34

Modern Corsetry Terminology How to Measure for a Corset So You Want to Buy a Corset I’m Huge In Japan!

Letter From the Editor: It’s winter! As the world (or at least the northern half of it) gets colder, things slow down and go dormant. But not here at D20! We’re already gearing up for a new year of conventions, photo shoots, trade shows, and all manner of activities! D20 Girls Magazine is no exception! We’re making some big changes around here, and are so excited to share them with you! First off is a new staff, including yours truly! My name is Tara Watson. I’m the content editor of the magazine. I grew up in smallish town in California, and then went to high school in an even smaller town in Kansas before attending Emporia State University, where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts. I’ve copy edited for a local newspaper, written articles for various online publications, including G.A.M.E.R.S. Newspaper, our sister publication. Among my other jobs, I’ve taught preschool, been a librarian, and run my own custom sewing business. Of course, I also have my hobbies, which include reading, tabletop RPGs, MMORPGs, cooking, soccer, ancient civilizations and mythology, interstellar travel, and full-contact origami. (Ok, maybe not the last two, but it’d be cool!) My fandoms include Star Wars, Stargate SG1, Harry Potter, Battletech, Warmachine, Firefly, Farscape, Marvel’s Avengers (I want a Quinjet!), and Tolkien. I’m a recovering WoW raidmonkey. But enough about me! The magazine’s going to have so much cool stuff! We’re expanding, providing more awesome stories, pictorals, and great interviews! In this issue, you’ll meet up-and-coming talent Evan Bremer, the voice of the Joker in the new radio drama Gotham High. You’ll get great geeky date ideas for you and your favorite Player 2! Wanting to try corsets, but have no idea what to look for? Fear not! We have 8 pages of information on how to fit a corset, what to look for, and even an idea for a fantastic corset-based costume! If you’re looking for love for you and your favorite Player 2, we’ve got everything from great geeky date ideas, to a nerdy love song playlist, to two fantastic weddings! You’ll meet some amazing D20 Girls in a fantastic Final Fantasy pictoral, as well as in candid shots doing what they do best. We’re always looking for new ideas to bring you! Have an idea or suggestion for what you’d like to see? Let us know at www.D20Girls.com! Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you in the world! --Tara

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Illustrations By: Washue

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NERDY DATES

“Dating can be scary, and planning a romantic nerdy date can be even harder if you’re not sure what to do. But don’t fret, Nerdy romantic evenings don’t have to be expensive or nerve-wracking to be memorable! Here are some ideas for the perfect geek night out.” Contributions from: Erika Litherland, Katrina Love, Kimberly Wills-Starin, Valerie Kitty Starr

GAMING NERDS

othing says sweet, sweet romance like a hot pizza, cold Mountain Dew (or your favorite beverage), and a comfy couch with two controllers hooked up to play your favorite games.

CAUTION:

This can sometimes end poorly if you are both competitive players, so try to find a fun co-op. Nothing says “I love you” like heals and coverage from the hordes you and your partner are fighting against! Take it up a Notch: Take your date to an arcade. If you live near a Dave and Busters or Gameworks you can even combine the outing with a dinner date, If you live in Ohio, check out Just Play Games. It’s a unique twist on an internet café that allows you to pay to play games on their consoles and TV’s.

TABLETOP RPG NERDS

refer dice over directional pads? If your sweetheart doesn’t play your game, take a night where the two of you can create characters for an upcoming campaign. It gives you a chance to answer any questions your significant other might have about stats and rules without them feeling silly in front of the group or getting flustered.

CAUTION:

Maybe you’re not a big rules and stats buff, but your Game Master should be. If you need help, don’t be afraid to talk to him/her. Nothing’s worse than sinking a bunch of time into a character sheet that you have to redo because of a misunderstanding of the rules. Also, some GMs don’t want you to make characters without them, no matter how much you know about the system.

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Take it up a Notch: Go the website for your game of choice and look for standalone campaigns that you can run. Most of these will come with characters, histories and background information. A stand-alone game can be a great introduction to a system because you jump in with a sheet and you get to see how those stats really work. With a better understanding of the system, you can then turn around and make new characters for a continuing game. This is also an excellent solution to allow you to privately share the game with your significant other when your GM doesn’t want you to make characters without them.

COSPLAY NERDS

(TV) MOVIE

ANIME NERDS

BOOK\MANGA

NERDS

F I

f you both like to cosplay, then this is the perfect time to work on a couple’s cosplay together. A couple’s cosplay is sure to be a multiple date event too! From research to planning, shopping to crafting, you can spend a lot of time with your significant other while working on something that you’ll ultimately get to wear together!

CAUTION:

Cosplay creation almost always takes more time and more money than you think it will, and sometimes frustration will make for short tempers. Take it up a Notch: Go to your local thrift store and play a round of ‘Who am I?’ You get thirty minutes to create a costume based off a character from your favorite shows, books or games. Get a third person to award accuracy points or declare a winner. The winner has to buy the other one lunch or dinner! Photos are encouraged, and don’t forget to buy one small item to take home as a memento.

ind out some of your significant others favorite anime, movies or TV series and devote a good chunk of time to watching with them! If you can’t get ahold of their favorite, or if you already know you don’t like it, try to find something in the same genre that will be new for both of you.

CAUTION:

We don’t mean to do it, but when we love something it can be hard to be quiet. Be prepared for “You have to see this part…” and other interruptions. Just try to remind your sweetheart “No spoilers!” Take it up a Notch: Get in comfy clothes and build a pillow and blanket fort to snuggle in while you watch. You get the fun of building it together and then you get to crawl inside with your snacks and significant other. It certainly will make the date memorable. “Hey remember that time we made a pillow fort?”

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rack down that elusive missing piece of your significant others favorite collection. Local comic or used book stores can be terrific tools for this sort of search, but it may cost you a little extra to get it sent to the store before you can pick it up. Try www. Half.com if you want to chance finding it on your own.

CAUTION:

Once you give them something they want to read, you may find yourself watching them enjoy your gift instead of enjoying your company! Take it up a Notch: Go to a local book store and choose one book that you think you would like but don’t own, then trade books with your SO and find a comfy place to cuddle together and read. Reading something the other person would enjoy can be very insightful, and it just may introduce you to something that you find yourself loving too! And that’s just one more thing you can share.

TIPS FOR NERDS OF ALL FLAVORS

Take pictures:

Nothing scandalous, something you can print and put on your desk at work or decorate your home with. Then it can spark the memory every time you see it, and that’s the real point. Making lasting memories with the person you love.

Plan ahead:

Life is busy. It becomes harder to make spur of the moment dates happen. So plan a day in advance to do something that you can both look forward to. Fluffydragon and her husband of 6 years plan to go watch the new Diehard for Valentine’s Day.

Or you could head out to nerd themed events. You never know who you’re going to meet at one. Every other month in a cozy bar in a Kansas college town you can attend Super Nerd Night where you play games and meet other local people who share your interests!

A for effort:

You’ll make your date feel special if you take the time to look a little nicer than usual for your date. Even if you’re sitting at home, skip the sweatpants on special dates, unless the comfy look is part of the point of the date, that is.

DON’T HAVE A

SIGNIFICANT

OTHER?

No such thing as perfect:

The main thing about dates is that it should be about the two of you. Find the things that you both enjoy and do them together. Things will never go 100% according to plan, but that doesn’t mean the date is ruined. Take a deep breath and improvise. Ten years from now it will be those moments you remember the most. Graphics By: Moriette

For example, you could host a game night! Mix it up with classic board games as well as modern multi-player console games. This can be done intentionally as an “AntiValentine’s Day” singles party or as an open sort of party for all of your friends. Have everyone bring some sort of snack or drink to share.

If you’ve decided you want to get serious about looking for a significant other, head over to www.nerdsatheart.com or find them on facebook. Nerds at Heart hosts singles events and mixers geared toward nerds! They host events in multiple states too!

Don’t stress.

As Valentine’s Day approaches it can be hard to remember that you don’t need a significant other. You’re awesome all on your own! But even if you’re single it doesn’t mean you have to spend the holiday alone!

Photography By: Bentpic5 Models: Kayla Waters & Sakuya Cosplay

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Nerd Girls of the Future I won’t lie, I’m biased, but my daughter is a completely adorable nerd in the making. She loves Sailor Moon, playing Kirby’s epic yarn, and The Avengers, (except for the Hulk). We had a conversation the other day about what a siren is. When we were finished she looked at me and asked, “So Jigglypuff is a siren?” She wanted to be a pink Super Girl for Halloween. She justified her color-scheme by telling me. “I know pink isn’t the right color mommy but it’s my favorite color so that makes it ok.” I love that she’s already latched onto the idea that she can love something and still put her own personality into it, even if it isn’t 100% accurate.

Gracieblove’s Daughter Photo By: Silver Lining Designs

Sophie M. – 5

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SARAH

TANNER HYPNOTIQ AS Candy Cane Miss Fortune FROM League of Legends

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CosIT Photography Cerulean Photography

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GENEVIEFE D’ESTELLE MISS MINA CHIKI MAKA LEE

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KIT KATT TOMIE PHOTOGRAPHY BY:

N3 PHOTOGRAPHY

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NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS AlwaysLoveLorn “Find a way to make cosplaying & conventions work for me. I need to stop, breathe, & make time for the things I love. I have focused a lot on work & paying off bills so much these last two years that I have cut out the fun in my life. I would like to have the time to sew costumes & make a living from that & attending Cons but until then, I just need to make time for what makes me happy.” Leah

Colette “Lose weight, finish all my currently on hold games, make a harley quinn cosplay finally, make boyfriends nerd painting and get him a joker costume so we can cosplay together.”

Ruby

Ruby Red

“Corset train, work on my posture, FINISH SOME OF MY GAMES, work out harder and sew every day.”

“Use my new Kinect at least 15 minutes three times a week!”

Lemon Lime

Kimberly Wills-Starin “Take the New Year to refresh my work area. Trash the scraps I’m sure I won’t use to organize my work space and make things more efficient.”

“Maintain my weight now that I lost what I wanted to, don’t procrastinate on costumes, do more pro shoots, and get a million followers on my fan page ;D” Photos By: Silver Lining Designs

“Sort, clean and donate larger pieces of fabric to the ‘Project Linus’’ donation box at the fabric store. Volunteers take the fabric and make blankets for those in need.” (http://www.projectlinus.org/about/) Constance “Quality over Quantity. I’m trying to make costumes that are fairly simple so I can focus on construction techniques. It’s good to learn things and to improve your craft.”

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“Work out/be more active and lose the couple of inches that I put on...”

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Chiki

Trinity

“I resolve not to procrastinate to the extent I have in the past on costumes. No matter how much you tell yourself a week before convention is plenty of time, I assure you, for your mental health, it is not.”

Alexandria

“Stop smoking, start getting back into shape, and start learning how to sew my own cosplays and make more efficient props!”

Tara

“To finally watch every episode of all of the Dragonball series.... Seriously, I’ve been putting it off for too long.”

Nightmare Marzipan

“To start my Kitchen Superheroes line! Wonder Woman aprons, ladies!”

“Open my lolita and geek chic Etsy shop!”

Apocalypse Sue “I don’t know how nerdy the getting fit thing is but its on my list. More specific, finish insanity. Watch aaaaaaall of Dr. who. Get a Lust costume done. Get a female Dr. Who costume done. New wig for Apocalypse Sue. If I get the Lust costume done, maybe enter a cosplay contest. Learn how to use a sewing machine and put a dress together. Maybe learn how to knit so I can make my own Dr. Who scarf so I don’t have to shell out money to buy one.”

Angelle “Work out (lose all the weight I gained since D*con), finish some prop and costume projects that have been on my to-do list for years, frame and hang the various artwork I’ve acquired from multiple conventions over the past several years, play the video games on my to-play list, read the comics that I’ve acquired over the last several years that are sitting in a giant stack!”

Sarah “To sew more costumes, my machine has been so lonely lately.”

Lilith Finish all the songs on Just Dance 4! Katie “Improve my portfolio.”

Lacey “Focus all my interest on my nerdy interest. So far I am buying all new wardrobe to support my love, even bumper stickers, and cosplaying is coming around as well. Tomorrow I’m going to be doing some Karen Gillan. I even am trying to fight my anxiety fears of Conventions and going distance alone... It’s going to be hard for the last part.. But I’m planning on doing a calendar here soon to help get me money so I know I’m financially safe taking road trips to conventions. Consider this the year of the Vyxiin. The fox is back XD”

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things we love.

Portal 2 Companion Cube Ice Tray $12.99 From Think Geek

MLP Fluttershy Necklace $25 Darth Vader Necklace $30 By RocketsandRainbows at Etsy Dr Who Apron $85 Full Metal Alchemist Apron $65 By DarlingArmy at Etsy

Alien Chopsticks $7.99 From Think Geek

Your one-stop nerd shop

www.facebook.com/TheNerdNook www.etsy.com/shop/TheNerdNook D20 jewelry, crocheted hats, amigirumi, hair doo-dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, chainmaille jewelry and more!

We take custom commissions!

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Pigtails for Peace

I have been a nerdy girl all my life. This love of science fiction, video games, and comic books wasn’t just some phase that I went through; at some point society stepped in and taught me all about “normal”. Girls are supposed to like make up and doing their hair and all things pink, right? I know I’m over simplifying a stereotype, but you get my point. This idea of normal and the pressure to conform to it can be immense. As a girl who also does like a lot of “girl” things, it was just easier for me to compartmentalize myself and the things I liked as shareable or secret. I didn’t stop watching Star Trek and playing video games; I just didn’t publicize those activities. Even as an adult, this behavior continued. I had developed a love of MMO’s, Firefly, Dr. Who, and tabletop gaming, but I didn’t generally

talk about those things outside of my small group of friends who shared those interests; and then I met Jondi. Jondi and I became fast friends and in October 2011 I finally gave in to her gentle prodding about the D20 Girls Project. What could be better than an organization full of women who loved the things that I loved? But the more I embraced the side of me that qualified me as a nerd girl, the more I realized just how out of my depth I truly was. There seemed to be this unwritten list of requirements for claiming to like something, as if a fandom were some sort of old school boys club that I had no right asking for membership unless I could remember the character who died in episode 3 or what the main character’s mother’s maiden name was.

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I went to my first convention in March of 2012 and I instantly found that I both loved and hated conventions with equal passion. Here you are, surrounded by the things you love and people who also love those things, but if you express interest in a fandom you suddenly have to prove your right to like it. The word fake flows pretty freely through all of nerddom, but it wasn’t until that first convention that it hit me how similar to high school this had become. The desire to be normal hadn’t changed, but the definition of normal had taken on new meaning... and I still didn’t qualify. I love Dr. Who, but I haven’t watched even a full season in order and somehow I suddenly felt like that was important; like I couldn’t really claim to love Dr. Who because I hadn’t put in the same amount

of hours as the fans who have watched every season and movie ever produced. I was suddenly immensely afraid of saying anything about Dr. Who at all for fear that I’d be quizzed, fail, and be labeled fake. At some level this also made me question if I could really say I loved Dr. Who, even to myself. This sudden bout of selfdoubt could have easily pushed me back into that shell where I’d put my nerdy hobbies neatly into their boxes and pretend that I wasn’t as into them as I thought I was. But being part of the D20 Girls had introduced me to an amazing group of girls who have never once held their nerd cred over me. Instead of feeling fake, I embraced my lack of knowledge as a problem of education, not a lack of passion. To put it more simply, it became a perfect excuse to throw myself into being a nerd. In recent months a spotlight has been turned onto the issue of “fake” nerd girls. And while this isn’t a new sentiment, it is disheartening. It’s an issue we can all relate to. We’ve

seen those girls at conventions wearing skimpy outfits and it’s easy to let jealousy or cattiness color our perception of these girls. We pick apart their costumes and ask them questions about the nerddom they are promoting and when they don’t know “enough”, we tear them apart. This behavior is not limited to cosplayers; it’s as familiar as the hallways of the high school that we thought we left behind. We grow up comparing ourselves to others and pointing out others’ flaws to distract from our own. We want everyone to look at someone else because we’re afraid that if they don’t, they’ll turn all that animosity on us instead. We seem to forget that underneath the skimpy costume is a girl who tried her best to look like the character she’s portraying; it’s a double edged sword. The girls who don’t fit the body type are torn apart, but a girl who can rock those costumes is called slutty and fake. Have we forgotten that the characters they are portraying wear these outfits too? I could

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go on and on about the way that females are portrayed in most nerddoms and how unrealistic those images often are, but I won’t. The point I’m trying to make here is that you’re bashing someone for trying to fit a mold that is incredibly hard to actually squeeze into, and most of the time they do it for no other reason than for the love of the source material. Sometimes that love comes with larger doses of knowledge than others. I’m not naive, I do realize that sometimes girls squeeze into these outfits because they were hired to do so, and occasionally they not only don’t know anything about what they’re wearing but they don’t care that they don’t know either. We often forget that those booth babes are employees. Hired by vendors or sponsors to work these events and this job, like so many others, often comes with a uniform. It would be easy to claim that we should be mad at vendors for hiring these girls but that’s not fair either. The vendors are there to make money, and this form of marketing is clearly working for

them, which speaks more to the market that they are selling to. So why is it that in this scenario, it’s the girl that we’re angry at? As a community we should be welcoming new faces, encouraging people to embrace their hobbies, and grow in their fandoms. And that isn’t about what your gender happens to be or how many hours you’ve logged or even the amount of facts you know. It’s about the sheer joy you get from something you love. We need to fully embrace that feeling of community and stand up and say that we’re not ok with bullying. I was struggling with my feelings on this issue when I stumbled across a Facebook group called Pigtails for Peace. This amazing group was started by a girl who had enough of being bullied. Her response to being bullied for wearing pigtails to school wasn’t to yell and scream or get violent; she made her statement by continuing to wear them and getting her friends to wear them

too. Now they’re getting national recognition for standing up to “bullies of every gender, race, domestic lifestyle, and social class.” I like that message and the fact that standing up to these bullies is as simple as a set of pigtails. For this issue of the D20 Girls Magazine I asked the D20 Girls across the nation to take pictures of themselves in pigtails and nerdy shirts or cosplays. The message in these images is one of pride, in ourselves and in our fandoms. It’s also a message of resolution: to stop making the idea of being nerdy into a competition and to start making it about sharing what we love with others. And perhaps most importantly, it’s an admission of our imperfect natures. We aren’t perfect, but we’re still learning and growing, and we’re making an effort. ALBinWonderland, a youtube vlogger, said it best: “There is no such thing as fake geek girls. There are only girls who are at different

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varying levels of falling in love with something that society generically considers to fall under the nerd culture category.” I’d argue that this could apply to even those booth babes, if they just gave nerddom a real chance. Until then, let’s all stop pointing fingers at each other and simply enjoy the fact that we share a love for some really awesome things. You could always follow the golden rule: if you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all. Models: LemonLime, Gracieblove, Little Alice, Harley, Apocalypse Sue, AlwaysLoveLorn, Haimaru, KitKatCaughtcha, Washue Photography By: The Enthusiasts Michelle Savana Photography

Dear Leah, I just got into the convention scene over the past year. I love it!!! But...my other half is less than enthused. Even when we find a sitter for our kids, he’s dragging his heels. When he’s there, he just stands back and doesn’t do or say much to me or anyone else. He’s a bit of an introvert, and doesn’t care much for crowds, but I know he’d love going to cons as much as I do if he’d give it a chance. We have a lot of the same fandoms, some of mine are a direct result of his own love of it! I’d love to be able to share the con experience with him without making him be the cosplay pack mule. Have you got any suggestions for ways to get him involved without making him monstrously uncomfortable?

Thanks,

Share the Love Okay, first, it’s SO FREAKING GOOD that you wanna share such an important part of your life with your significant other. That being said... this just might not be his cup of tea. The way you describe him, he’s a nerd, which is fan-freaking-tastic, but being naturally introverted is something that runs deeper than hobbies. This could be just one of those things that’s your girl time, where then menfolk could just stay at home. If he acts like he’d like to get more involved, I think what I would do is sit with him a few days before the con and go through the programming schedule together. Have the you-list, us-list, and him-list of panels and things to go to- it’s not like you (or he) has to stick to it like your life depends on it. Just give him an opportunity to call the shots and wander off without feeling like he has to be right by you the whole time. On top of that, wing it! Maybe if he’s not following you around and watching you get attention for cosplay, he’d be more comfortable being there outside of being the cosplay packmule. If that doesn’t work, keep in mind that he’s no less of a nerd and you’re not a bad girlfriend for doing this one separately. Silver lining here: He’s not horribly relationship-killing convention jealous.

Ask Leah

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From Goldielocks to GoldiBlox, Creating Load Bearing Dreams Through Story By: Stephanie Hull

In September, 2012, 29 year old Stanford Engineer Debbie Sterling launched an innovative toy: a construction set with story book designed to catch the interest of young girls. She called her creation “GoldieBlox” after the main character of the book she wrote to add an interactive element to the engineering toy genre. What specifically sets the $30 GoldieBlox apart from toys like Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys or the classic Erector Set is the purposeful introduction of the basic principles of engineering contained within each story: the girl (aimed at the 5-9 year set) reads the story and builds along with Goldie, learning about wheels, axles, pulleys, force and

friction. The pieces will interact with subsequent books to facilitate creativity. “Growing up, I was always intimidated by the word, “engineering,” says Sterling. “I thought it was just for boys. I’m creating GoldieBlox so that girls, from a young age, can learn that engineering is for them too. By incorporating a female role model character, storylines girls can relate to and a sense of humor, GoldieBlox will lessen the intimidation factor and get girls excited about building.” In short, she set out specifically to assist in acquiring the spatial thinking skills necessary for a career in engineering. Sterling is no stranger to strong female role models. Her grandmother was one of the first female cartoonists and one of the creative minds behind “Mr. Magoo.” With that background, it should come as no surprise that she wrote and illustrated the prototypes for the books herself. Once she had the concept, she set up a Kickstarter (an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects) account, raising more than a quarter million dollars in a month. Using that funding, she produced the first book and toy, “GoldieBlox and the Spinning Machine”,

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selling out the first run- set for a February 2013 releasein less than a month. Her company, appropriately named “GoldieBlox, Inc.”, started taking orders for the second run, due out April 2013. Currently available in only in hardcopy, Sterling plans to release the books for the iPad and iPhone, complete with narration and animation. GoldieBlox has it all: a curious and relatable female character, an intelligent and creative designer and a firm grasp on how to attract females to a field traditionally dominated by males. It won the Editor’s Choice Award at the World Maker Faire in September, the very month of its first release. The toy can be pre-ordered through Debbie Sterling’s website, www. GoldieBlox.com. After all, as the website says, “Engineers are solving some of the biggest challenges our society faces. They are critical to the world economy, earn higher salaries and have greater job security. And they are 89% male. We believe engineers can’t responsibly build our world’s future without the female perspective. We are here to bring the female voice into engineering.”

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Evan Bremer: A Voice In the Making By: Tara Watson

That laugh. That piercing, maniacal cackle. It pierces through the speakers, letting everyone know that Jack Napier, aka The Joker, is plotting something particularly nasty. Never mind the fact that every time he sets a plan into motion, Bruce Wayne will thwart it. That part doesn’t matter. It’s all about the anticipation, and the chance that he just might pull it off on the new radio drama Gotham High.

But who is the man behind the laugh? Who gives Jack the shrill edge of madness that separates the clown from the boys? Enter Evan Bremer. Bremer comes across as bright and optimistic, but tempered with a measure of self-deprecation. He got his first taste of voice acting in 2007 in a class that his father told him about. It was a surprise, and one

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that he hasn’t forgotten. In the class, he got to learn from voice actor Crispin Freeman, noted for his voicing of Alucard in the Hellsing series. He voiced a few lines for Scrapped Princess, and was bitten by the voice acting bug. Next was a class with voice actress Sherri Berger. Bremer credits Freeman with teaching him how to record his voice, but says that it was Berger who taught him how to act with it. Fast forward a few years.

Bremer hadn’t really pursued a career in voiceover, and was a junior in college when he found a class for voice acting. He took it, and learned about voicing for television and radio, and realized that he really could make a career of it. His first big break came when he auditioned for the radio adaptation of Natsuki Takaya’s manga Fruits Basket as Yuki Sohma. He recorded his voice and sent it to the producers. Then radio magic happened in editing, and his voice was suddenly interacting with the other actors’. Hearing the final production, Bremer was nothing short of in love with his chosen vocation. Having made the decision, Bremer needed an agent. His

college voiceover professor lent him the use of her equipment, and he created demo reels for distribution. Demos went out to every agency in the Chicago area, and DeSanti Models picked him up. Gotham High is a story of the Batman characters if they were all in the same high school as teens. Originating as a neverrun animated series, when auditions for a radio adaptation were announced, the 24 year old Bremer auditioned for every male part. He was thrilled when he was offered the part of a teenaged Jack Napier. Bremer hadn’t been a big Batman follower before hearing about the Gotham High auditions. When he started doing research, he found a

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new voice acting hero in Mark Hamill. As far as he’d known, Hamill’s fame was for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, and that he’d faded, only doing bit parts here and there. Upon learning of Hamill’s extensive work in voice acting, particularly that of The Joker, he sat up and paid more attention. When he learned that he’d been cast as the Joker in Gotham High, he pulled heavily from Hamill’s portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime, as evidenced by the tonality and drawn-out syllabics in Gotham High’s Joker. When asked who his favorite mainstream Joker is, he immediately cites Mark Hamill, but is quick to follow with the late Heath Ledger. Their performances capture different facets of the character, but are

equally valid and outstanding in their own way, and Bremer would love to be able to follow in their footsteps.

blue ninja and the green samurai for far too long and I want to bring something new to the party!”

If these are his inspirations, then what is the story behind his recent tweet stating that actor and motion-capture master Andy Serkis is his totem animal? Bremer laughs and says that watching Serkis move, and watching him twist his voice as well as his physique to create characters is amazing, and that he is in awe of Serkis’ talent.

What does the Evan Bremer of the future have planned? “In 5 years, I would like to be sitting at a table hosting a panel at San Diego Comic-Con while wearing cosplay.”

Evan Bremer is not only a voice actor. He is also a game designer and amateur cosplayer. He is very vocal in the matter of acceptance, particularly in the face of the recent rash of “fake geek girl” arguments, having blogged about it on his website. “Cosplay is one of my favorite pass times. I do not consider myself a good cosplayer, since I can’t barely make anything myself and when I do, production is sluggish at best, but cosplay is something I love and I’ll never give it up. And I believe that people should cosplay who they love no matter what.” Bremer intends to develop new cosplays this year, expanding on his current costumes of Mortal Kombat’s Sub Zero and a samurai version of Legend of Zelda’s Link. This year, he plans to create a version of Disney/Pixar’s Wall.e and a Hawkeye based on Jeremy Renner’s portrayal in The Avengers. He says “I’ve been the

That’s not an impossible dream. This year, Bremer will be hosting a voiceover panel at Anime Central, the Midwest’s largest anime convention. Bremer posted on Facebook and on his own website “I have some big news for you all. I will be officially showcasing a panel at Anime Central 2013. It’s called “Voice Acting Industry: How to get in!” A couple others and I will be hosting a lecture about what it takes to get into the voiceover business as well as give out some hot tips for anyone who is interested in trying to get their foot in the door. You have no idea how excited I am” Bremer’s excitement is infectious, and his enthusiasm comes through both in his written updates as well as when speaking to him. Bremer describes himself as a “total geek”, with Speed Racer being his favorite movie and Sonic the Hedgehog holds court as his favorite comic and video game character. He’s played all of the games featuring the speedy critter, starting with Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis. When what side of the

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Star Trek vs. Star Wars debate he falls on, Bremer laughs and says “Firefly!” What does he want to see happen in his career? “To have my voice in video games and anime, and to have as many credits as my idols, both professional and non-profit.” Considering who his idols are, it’s a lofty goal, but one that Bremer is well capable of achieving. Evan Bremer can be found online at http:// evanbremervoiceover. com/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/evanbremervoiceover. Gotham High’s first episode, “Dance the Knight Away”, can be heard at http://blip.tv/ lacthewatcher/gotham-highaudio-drama-episode-dancethe-kinght-away-6488186, with behind the scenes clips on youtube at http://www. youtube.com/channel/ UCFoow8rdYxH3Jxtxym15XSw.

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Modern Corsetry Terminology: By: Cory Benzenhoefer

BONING: This is the structural part of a corset, sewn in at seams in pockets to create the affects of waist reduction that steel boned corsets offer. Plastic or acrylic bones: ribs made of plastics which are made to offer structure, but not waist reduction. Found in fashion corsets and lingerie, also often used in dressmaking. Flat steel bones: used in the construction of waist reducing corsets, most usually in places that don’t need much flexibility in wear (such as the back or the sides). Usually coated in plastic to avoid sharp edges and rust. Spiral steel bones: (also referred to as spring steel) made of the same steel as flat steel bones, but in such a manner that they bend and flex like a spring. Used in the curvier areas in a corset, or in all boning spots on many custom built corsets. BUSK: The hard flat bone often used on the front middle of corsets for closure. It has loops on one side and hooks on the other and provides a sturdy closure option that contributes to structure. BUST: Those are your breasts, silly! (remember: busk and bust are two very different things!) COUTIL: The canvas-like herringbone pattern fabric used on the inside of a corset, made from yarns of cotton.

COUTURE: In the same way as this term is used in the fashion world at large, this refers to many corsets with custom-made elements, whether off the rack or custom. This could be embroidery, beading, or any other hand-sewn element or embellishment. CUSTOM: A corset made to the exact measurements and requirements of its wearer. LACING: Much like shoelaces, this refers to the apparatus usually at the back of the corset that contributes to the ability to tighten a corset for waist reduction. Often a fashion corset not designed for waist reduction will have lacing at the back--if it is made with plastic or acrylic bones, the lacing is only included for decoration. LONG LINE: A corset that is made longer on the bottom either to accommodate a very long torso or to wear over the hips and buttocks. MIDBUST: A corset cut to cover about midway up the bust, usually with a straight cut across the top. Also sometimes referred to as Edwardian. OFF THE RACK: A corset that is manufactured in a predetermined size, only to be worn by someone who fits the measurements of the predesignated sizes set forth by the manufacturer and designed

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to be worn only occasionally, not recommended for waist training. OVERBUST: A corset with a cut that goes over the bust. UNDERBUST: The cut of a corset meant to be worn to only modify the waist line and not cover the bust. Also commonly referred to as a cincher. WAIST REDUCTION: The process by which one cinches down one’s waist and ribcage shape with the use of a heavily structured corset. This can be achieved with occasional corset wear in a non-permanent fashion, it can also be done permanently with extensive custom corset wear and direction of a doctor and corsetiere (see: waist training). WAIST TAPE: A horizontal tape sometimes made from a twill often found at waist level inside a corset. This is used to take some of the strain of the corset and prevent it from stretching out of shape. WAIST TRAINING: The practice of using corsets with progressively smaller measurements (with the help of a corsetiere and doctor) to permanently alter the shape and size of one’s ribcage and waistline. This process can be extremely dangerous, please do not attempt it without the advice of a doctor and guidance of a qualified corsetieree.

How to Measure for a Corset: By: Cory Benzenhoefer

Full bust - around the fullest part of your bust, with or without a bra, depending on how you plan on wearing your corset. Ribcage/chest - under your bust at your ribcage Waist - right at the smallest point in your natural waist Top of hip - right at the top of where your hip bone starts (this may not be necessary for some off the rack corsets) Hip - all the way around the fullest part of your hips and buttocks

Please note: a custom corsetiere may have other or different measurement instructions, which they will provide to you.

Drawing By: Moriette

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So you want to buy a corset. By: Cory Benzenhoefer Illustration By: Moriette

Corsetry is a whole different category from clothing. Historically, corsets were worn to reduce the waist and were purported to help posture. Women would wear them from adolescence and thereby often had trouble sitting and standing without them by adulthood. YOU, new corset wearer, are probably not looking for something this structured and likely are only looking for waist reduction that’s going to give you that hourglass look for a costume or occasional wear without being intolerably uncomfortable. So, waist reduction, how does that work? Well, it’s pretty simple. A corset is made of

heavy duty materials like coutil, canvas and steel boning. They’re constructed in such a way that they smooth and reduce your waistline when the cording in the back is pulled tight—this is called tight lacing. How do you know what size you need? Well, this is a little more complicated question. There are companies who sell corsets made in a specified range of sizes. Generally speaking, these “off the rack” corsets will work for costuming and occasional wear. They’re not a great idea for waist training (something we’ll talk about later) and a terrible idea if your measurements don’t fit in their

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sizing chart. As an example, we’ll look at my measurements. I measure 43” at the bust, 36” at the waist, and 45” at the hip. Looking at a manufacturer of corsets who has a wide distribution in the US/UK, they recommend measuring the smallest part of your waist and subtracting 4” to get your corset size. Now, this would mean I should wear a size 32 corset, without looking at the other measurements involved. I say this is important because not everyone is proportionate to their specifications, so you don’t want to get a corset and find that it’s a bit too large in the bust or too small in the hips. So the

next step is to find the actual size chart for their corsets (you may need to ask the company’s customer service people for this). Looking at the size chart for this company, a size 32 corset is suitable for a bust of 42-43”, a natural waist of 36-37” and a hip of 44-45” so I happen to fit in their sizing chart, but not everyone does. Another thing to consider here is the style and length of your prospective corset. I’m 6 feet tall and long waisted, so I personally have to consider the length from top to bottom of the corset, most importantly with overbusts, so my breasts don’t literally fall out of the top. It’s not like a bustier or a corset-style top you can wear a little higher up on your torso—the waist of your corset needs to fall on your waist or you’ll be squeezing your ribs and at minimum be uncomfortable, at maximum crack a rib. If your measurements don’t fit into the sizing chart for an “off the rack” corset, it’s time to look for a custom. Some companies that sell off the rack will make their corsets to order in your measurements, usually this costs a little extra, but it’s definitely worth it for a proper fit. Other corset manufacturers ONLY deal in custom sizing. This is a great thing to look for, even if you fit into an off the rack corset. Custom sizing can be the saving grace in your hunt and can make or break the appearance of your corset. It’s especially important if you plan on wearing it for extended periods of time or waist training. To be fair, off the rack corsets are really only ideal

for occasional wear, even for a person who fits into their sizing chart perfectly. They won’t be comfortable enough to wear for an extended period of time, and they definitely will not shape your waist into anything that it isn’t already. On the subject of waist training: first and foremost (and I can’t stress this enough), never start this process before consulting your doctor. You CAN injure yourself if it’s not done properly, and not the sort of injury you can simply walk off. For legal reasons, I can’t really walk you through the process, but quite basically it involves wearing corsetry that’s made a bit more sturdy and “heavy duty” than a standard modern steel boned corset and using those corsets to gradually change the shape and curve of the waist, hips and ribcage. This should ALWAYS be done with an experienced corsetiere who makes corsetry custom for their clients and is knowledgeable in the process of waist training. Most companies who make off the rack corsets will offer corsetry they suggest is suitable for waist training, but rest assured, no matter how often you wear one of them, they will not be anywhere near as effective as one made just for you and your waist training regimen. So. Now you know most of the basics, here are a few more things to know. You’ll want to make sure the corset you’re getting has steel bones. Acrylic bones do not a corset make! They’re not made to produce

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any sort of waist reduction and will crease and fold after wearing them for a short period of time. In order to be considered an actual authentic “corset,” it needs to have steel boning. This boning can be flat, spiral or a combination of the two. Spiral boning is a little easier to bend and move in, flat boning is a little more restrictive. As an example: I have an overbust with flat steel bones and an identical one with spiral steel. The flat boned one keeps me from bending at the waist, so I find myself squatting or asking people to pick things up off the ground for me quite a lot. In the spiral boned corset, I don’t experience this at all. Spiral steel bones are also a bit more effective for creating dramatic waist reduction, so if you have been waist training and want a corset you can wear out, you’ll want to look for spiral boning. Corsets are lined with heavy fabric that will wick at least a little moisture away from your body and help your corset hold its shape the way it’s supposed to. Usually cotton coutil or duck are used on the layer closest to your skin, a waist tape will usually be visible on the inside (although some corsetieres use an extra layer on top of waist tape), there will be at least one additional layer between that one and the outer layer usually made of the same thing the inner layer is. The outermost layer is the one everyone will see, so this can be poly brocade, leather, pvc, cotton, silk...really whatever your corsetiere offers. There are corsetieres who will offer options with lining, these

will be fitted over the “core” layers and may make your new corset a bit more comfortable if you have sensitive skin and can’t wear sturdier fabrics. Corset laces should start at the top and bottom and meet in the middle. So when you tighten, you pull from the middle and tie the laces together in the middle. Don’t tie your laces around your corset—this can weaken your busk (if you have one) and cause undesirable bending of your boning. Your laces should be very long, I have been known to just tie them in a long bow and let them hang or tie them up and tuck them into the top. Lacing should be a sturdy thick lace, not a ribbon or a cord. It should have the sort of strength and structure of a good thick boot lace. If you don’t like the color or want to change out the cord for any other reason, please make sure you buy a corset lace to replace it, anything else could end up breaking while it’s tightened. Tightening your corset is not as scary a proposition as it may sound. Firstly, remember that the first few times you pull those laces tight, they may not move smoothly through the grommets in the back of your corset. This is normal, similar to thick tennis shoe laces for their first few wears. The easiest way I’ve found to tighten on my own (and I have a bit of a shoulder injury, so it’s very difficult for me to reach back there and pull those cords) is to pull either top or bottom closed first. So start at the top and pull pull pull until it’s just as tight as I think it’ll go...

then go from the bottom to the middle, pull pull pull. Then pull those ends once more just to even everything out and tie. This works really well when you’re all alone with a new-ish corset. If you’ve used it a while and the cords pull through the grommets freely, you can hook the laces on a door handle (not a plain old round one, the kind that are like a long handle—the kind the raptors learned how to open in Jurassic Park) and walk away until you’re tight laced. Then hold those cords and walk back to unhook yourself and tie. “I CAN’T BREATHE!” This is one of the most common things heard from the mouths of new corset wearers the first time they are tight laced. Well yeah, you probably can’t. Everything in your chest and stomach area is being squeezed and your body is kind of saying, “hey wait, this...no stop oh my goodness I don’t have space to function!” First rule: don’t start breathing quickly. You’ll hyperventilate. Second rule: think about how you’re breathing. Your breaths should be coming from your diaphragm, not your chest (band and vocal types know what I’m talking about here). Third rule: if you still feel like you can’t breathe, loosen up a little until you get the hang of diaphragm breaths. Put your corset on early, and give yourself about an inch of breathing room, then go finish getting ready. Get your makeup on, wig, shoes, drive to where you’re going...all of that. Then when you’re ready to make your appearance, finish tight lacing. You don’t want to do this forever,

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just the first couple of times you put it on, maximum, to get used to diaphragm breathing. It’s not terribly difficult to get the hang of. If you’re wearing an off the rack overbust corset, it’s always a good idea to put a pair of pasties on underneath. Not only for comfort (canvas/coutil/cotton duck is not all that comfortable on nipples, let’s be honest) but just in case something slips if you have to bend over or reach for something. Wardrobe malfunction isn’t as big a concern if you’re wearing a custom sized overbust, but it’s something to think about more from a comfort standpoint. Above all else, if you’re buying a corset, you should be able to speak to the seller and get a good feel for what they know and how they can guide you through the process. A good corsetiere (even if they only sell off the rack) knows the limitations and capabilities of their product and can tell you what to expect through the process. If you take your waist measurement and it’s 24”, a good corsetiere would be able to say they don’t believe a size 20 corset would be very comfortable due to your lack of body fat and inability to squish as much as someone larger. A good corsetiere can recommend styles, colors and shapes based on what you’re looking for your corset to do. Above all, don’t be afraid to ask questions. A good corset is an investment, and you want to make sure you get return on that investment in the form of wear and use.

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Geeky Flicks january Texas Chainsaw 3D

All Superheroes Must Die Jan 4, Limited Release : NR Genre: Indie A group of abducted young superheroes, their powers stripped by

:R Genre: Horror Leatherface terrorizes a young woman who has come to Texas to claim an inheritance: a mansion with a terrifying secret in the basement. Dan Yeager, Alexandra Deddario.

Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters PG-13 Genre: Fantasy/Horror The fabled siblings are given a grown-up spin as bounty hunters specializing in witches. Jeremy Janssen.

work together to defeat his â&#x20AC;&#x153;gameâ&#x20AC;?, and save the city. Jason Trost.

february

The Sorcerer and the White Snake Feb. 8, Limited PG-13 Genre: Fantasy Ancinent Chinese legend in which an herbalist falls in love with a thousand year old White Snake disguised as a woman. A sorcerer Li, Shengyi Huang.

PG-13 Genre: Thriller Mysterious girl Lena comes to a small Southern town. Together with local boy Ethan, they discovers secrets about the town, their families, and themselves. Emma Thompson, Emmy Rossum, Alice Englert.

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Escape from Planet Earth NR Genre: Animated Bold astronaut Scorch Supernova is a dangerous alien planet. Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba.

January - March 2013 march

Jack the Giant Slayer

Oz the Great and Powerful

Carrie

NR Genre: Fantasy The tenuous truce between humans and giants is strained as a farmer leads a group into the giants’ kingdom to rescue a princess. Nicholas Hoult, Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGreggor.

NR Genre: Fantasy A stage magician is carried via tornado to a magical land whose inhabitants hail him as a Real Wizard, while three witches each have their own plan for him. James Franco, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams.

R Genre: Horror. A quiet high school girl unleashes her newfound

The Croods

Genre: Framed for treason, the Joe team is terminated.

NR Genre: Animated A prehistoric family sets out on

Cobra and their own government to save the

Nicholas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone.

Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson, Ray Park.

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who bully her. Julianne Moore, Chloë Grace Moretz.

The Host NR Genre: Sci-Fi over human hosts. One invader bonds with her “host”, and together they set out to free the humans from enslavement. Saoirse Ronan, Dianne Kruger, William Hurt.

WINTER 2012-13 D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE

LEFT D20 TO RIGHT: Relm, Terra, Lenna, Rydia, Celes GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13 38

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A Cosplay Fantasy of Final Fantasy BY: Chiki

f we view cosplayers as artists (and I do), then they must have their own style. My cosplay signature over the years has become Final Fantasy Amano Concept Art. In 2008, upon completing my first Amano inspired costume of Princess Lenna Charlotte Tycoon from Final Fantasy V, I found my cosplay voice. Amano’s concept art for the Final Fantasy games tends to be very organic and not incredibly detailed. It’s easy to interpret how you’d like, which is

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perfect for a cosplayer like me who hates to be limited by the confines of being “accurate.” Plus, there’s gold! Lots and lots of gold! The Saturday that Hurricane Sandy struck the coast of North Carolina, my fellow North Carolina D20 Girls and I ventured out heavily weighed down with pale makeup, glitter, and beads to model each of my creations. I don’t think I’ve had a prouder moment in my life than when these amazing photos got back to me.

Princess Lenna

Charlotte Tycoon FINAL FANTASY V

MODELED BY: Mizuhana Cosplay I began my Amano journey with Princess Lenna Charlotte Tycoon. I made this costume initially for Anime Boston 2008, and then re-wore it with updates for Animazement 2010. The costume is a mess of gold and copper, with thousands of hand strung beads sewn to the skirt. It also features copper wiring stripped from an abandoned house. This costume took the most work to interpret from the original sketch. The Lenna concept art is so completely different from how she appears in the game. The design granted me tons of wiggle room and what resulted was an amalgamation of the feelings I have for the character and my personal style.

Rydia of Mist FINAL FANTASY IV

MODELED BY: Anna Panda

Rydia was my second venture into Final Fantasy costuming. The original costume was completed for Animazement 2011 and re-worn with updates for Anime Weekend Atlanta 2011. I think gathering supplies for this costume took longer than making it. I was so inspired by all the different fabrics and materials I gathered that I found myself overwhelmed by the possibilities, and I could not decide which direction to go. The answer came to me when I was sorting through a box of old costumes. There sat a hand-made kimono that had last been worn by a dear friend of mine who had passed away. From there the costume took a life of its own, stemming from the sleeves of the kimono and building from there. Now this costume is a homage to a lost friendship, which seems fitting for the character. D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

Celes Chere FINAL FANTASY VI

MODELED BY: Geneviefe d’Estelle Celes Chere was never in my costuming plans; it was only after re-discovering artwork of her character that I decided to create the costume. This costume is the least detailed of the lot but possibly the most beloved amongst my friends. It’s funny how unplanned things tend to go the best.

Terra Branford FINAL FANTASY VI

MODELED BY: Maka Lee Terra Branford is the fourth in the lineup and the most planned out costume of the bunch. The fabric was purchased 5 months prior to the construction of this costume for Katsucon 2012, then it sat unceremoniously in a pile of forgotten materials for months before being hastily constructed a week before the convention. Yes, I have a problem. Despite that, this costume turned out beautifully and I am very proud of it. This Terra design incorporates aspects from both Amano’s concept art and Sakizou’s illustration art. The end result is a mixture of the two designs and my favorite cosplay of the five.

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Relm Arrownry FINAL FANTASY VI MODELED BY: Chiki Relm was an exercise in cosplay supply recycling. I have a terrible time throwing away any craft supplies I may find a use for some day, so after four other heavily detailed Final Fantasy costumes and a plethora of costumes from other series, I had accumulated quite the stash of supplies. Relm was

PHOTOS BY: N3 Photography MAKEUP BY: Geneviefe d’Estelle COSTUMES BY: Chiki Cosplay

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born from recycled bits of a Black Canary costume, thrift store fabric finds, scraps from Steam Punk Sailor Venus and leftovers from all the Final Fantasy costumes that preceded it. I only purchased two things for this costume: the wig and the painter’s pallet. I felt like I was cosplaying “green.”

Sarah Tanner

Fire Trinket & Little Alice

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NC Girls

D20 GIRLS OUT AND ABOUT

Alyssa

Little Alice & Apocalypse Sue

Dolly & Shiloh

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DiY

N MA W O R U E YO

e n i r u g i F y a l C r e ym

l o P E I ZOMB

MAK

OOM

SHR U M Y R O LEST

By: Moriette

Materials Polymer Clay (Sculpey, Primo, etc) | Markers (Prismacolor, Sharpie, etc)

Step 1 Prepare the clay

You’ll need 3 colors: Yellow, Brown, White

Step 2 Shape the clay

Using your ﬁngers, mold the base of othe mushroom with white clay. Using the palm of your hand press until you have the cap of the mushroom.

Step 3 Align the two pieces And SQUISH

Step 4 Shape the Tag

Flatten the yellow clay into a rectangle.

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Step 5 All together now... Press the tag into the mushroom.

Step 6 Bake the charm! Place it into the oven. Hint - Sculpey bakes at 275 C per 1/4” Careful! It’s always better to underbake than overbake.

Step 7 Drawing it in!

On Cap: Use brown to detail the marking in. On Base: Draw in eyes and mouth with black. :} On Tag: Write in the red character using red. Extra: Use light blue to ﬁll in the eyes.

Complete!

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WINTER 2012-13 D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE

Love Songs Honorable Mention Wizard Love – MeekaKitty Lumos Flies – All Caps Nerd Girl (Sweet Version) – The Four Eyes Hot Girl in the Comic Shop – Tripod Geek Like Me – The Wonderstrucks

Boo! Valentine’s Day! Boo!

The Breakup List

Love Like Woe – The Ready Set Down with Love – Michael Buble with Holly Palmer Single – Natasha Bedingfield Love Hurts – Nazareth The Morning Sad – Veruca Salt

Breathe Again – Sara Bareilles Cry – Kelly Clarkson Jar of Hearts – Christina Perri Shake it Off - Florence and the Machine I Almost Do – Taylor Swift

Movie/TV Anyone Else But You – Mouldy Peaches (Juno) Storybook Love – Mark Knopfler (The Princess Bride) A Thousand Years – Christina Perri (Twilight) Laundry Day – Neil Patrick Harris (Dr. Horrible) The Power of Love – Huey Lewis and The News (Back to the Future)

Nerdy Crushes Nerd Girl – MC Chris Hey Molly – Mike Lombardo Chemical Love – Charlie McDonnell Here Comes My Baby – Sons of Admirals My Universe Revolves Around You - Danny Tieger WoW Is A Feeling – Pure Pwnage Do You Want to Date My Avatar – The Guild

Video Games Navi’s Song (Hey, Listen!) – Meekakitty Mario Kart Love Song –Sam Hart Pokemon Love Song – HelloIamDanica Still Alive – GLaDOS & Jonathan Coulton Somewhere Beyond the Sea – Bobby Darin (Bioshock)

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Roy Allyson’s List

Nightmare Marzipan’s List

Elephant Lovesong Medly - Moulin Rouge Dare You to Move - Switchfoot Falling Slowly - Once Halls - Colton and Zara To Be With You - Slim Man

Music of the Night - Phantom of the Opera On My Own - Les Miserables Granger Danger - A Very Potter Musical Hallelujah - Lenord Cohen You Make My Dreams Come True - Hall and Oates

Gracieblove’s List

Leah Rose’s List

Parachute (Acoustic) – Ingrid Michaelson Antonia – Motion City Soundtrack The Book of Love – The Magnetic Fields Past Lives – Ke$ha Pretty Little Girl – Blink 182

We’re In This Together – Nine Inch Nails My Favorite Book - Stars, Lovesong - The Cure, Until the End of the World - Apoptygma Berzerk The More You Ruv Someone - Avenue Q.

Moriette’s List Tong Hua (Fairy Tale) - Guang Liang Say U Love Me - Jason and Lara Why Did I Fall In Love With You - DBSK Flower - Back-On Haru Haru - Big Bang

Mixtress Mandy’s List Come What May - Moulin Rouge Can’t Fight This Feeling – REO Speedwagon When You Say You Love Me - Josh Groban A Walk Through Hell - Say Anything Your Song - Ewan McGregor

Sairin’s List Far Away - Nickleback La Vie en Rose - (Louis Armstrong’s version) Purple Rain - Prince Save Me - Queen Unforgettable - Nat King Cole

Illustrations By: Washue

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

y r i a AF

e l a T ing

d d e W

BY KARA PESZNECKER

hen girls say they want a “fairy tale” wedding, they usually don’t mean it literally, but I am not a typical girl. I had never spent years dreaming of my ideal wedding. I didn’t have the perfect dress picked out. I hadn’t been

what food would be served. about what I wanted. The one thing that I did know is that my husband-elect and I were unashamed geeky, gamer, fantasy-loving metalheads and we wanted a wedding that

and brought all of our family and friends together in a fun way. D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

My husband Gary and I love any excuse to dress up. I remember on our first date he informed me that he enjoyed LARPing. I have to admit that was an avenue of nerddom that I had never traveled down before, but when he told me costumes were involved I was in. This made our decision to have a themed wedding quite natural, and from that point on my vision for our wedding was Bilbo Baggins’s Birthday. We asked all our friends and family to be inspired by their favorite fantasy or fairy-tale characters and come in costume. We encouraged costumes across all genres – medieval, viking, steampunk, Disney – we really weren’t picky about how they dressed up as long they gave it some effort and had fun with it. In our “save the dates” we included a list appropriate costumes ideas that included knights, fairies, pirates, damsels in distress, princes and princesses, hobbits, elves, dragon hunters, men in tights, your 15th level Elven Wizard/ Cleric, your cousin’s 67th level Resto Druid, etc. I am very happy to say we saw pretty much every single one of those ideas represented and so much more.

Photography By: http://www.craigmitchelldyer.com

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

The wedding itself was held at Eagle Fern Park in Estacada, Oregon in an old open-air A-frame structure, complete with moss and surrounded by large evergreens and lush vegetation. It truly felt like we had stepped into Middle Earth… until of course some park- goers thought it would be

okay to fire up their motorcycles and reve them loudly during our ceremony. The situation was resolved quite quickly when they were confronted by my husband’s uncle (dressed in traditional Scottish garb and, armed with a large sword) and his cousin (dressed as Thor, wielding Mjölnir) asked them to leave. During our vows, we promised to love each other “until death or undeath did we part,” as our subtle nod to the zombie apocalypse. In place of a unity candle our father’s built us a treasure chest that we filled with letters from our mothers, gifts, and a bottle of his uncle’s special home-brewed mead. The chest was then locked with two antique padlocks to which we each hold a key. We will open the chest on our 5th anniversary and share in our treasure. For me, the highlight of the ceremony was our processional music. Gary and

I met at an Epica concert where they played a symphonic metal version of the “Imperial March.” Even before we knew each other we shared in that special moment and I am pretty sure we both shed a tear of joy. For the wedding I found a live recorded version of the song and managed to keep it a secret from Gary to play as we walked down the aisle together for the first time as husband and wife. During the reception we kept the fantasy feeling alive by playing traditional celtic and folk music along with folk metal and dancing to some epic power metal. Our first dance was to Blind Guardian’s “The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight” that is based on the story of Tristan and Isolde. Our cake topper was two fairies standing on a bridge that had a waterfall going down into a pond on a sheet cake that had

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a mermaid bathing in it while a white dragon kept watch. I cut the cake with a dagger strapped to my boot. We drank mead out of custom painted drinking horns and my Maid of Honor told everyone that Gary was not my first long-haired love, but that in fact that honor in fact belongs to Legolas, who still stands in my living room today. Toward the end of the ceremony my mom informed me that my brother’s best friend had arrived and that I might want to take a look at our gift table. There, on the table, was a big beautiful Captain America shield, which I fully intend on using in a cosplay in the near future. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a photo-op so my husband stole his cousin’s Thor helmet and hammer and posed for our final picture before driving off into the sunset to our heavy metal after party.

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June 21 2012

Bridgett & Peter My Jewish-pagan doctor who wedding

y husband and I are huge nerds. We watch things, we read things and we create things that are worthy of the nerddom name. So when we decided to get married we had many ideas! Some of the more exciting thoughts were of a Klingon or Betazoid wedding. Lots of things were vetoed until finally we decided that our main nerd flare would be Doctor Who!

I grew up watching the show and was able to introduce it to my husband. The doctor helped us bond on many levels. Once we decided on a theme we had to think of everything else. My colors were white, blue, black, and pale pearlescent. We had it at a local camp ground because I wanted to be closer to the earth. My bridesmaidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dresses were royal blue with white poke dots while his groomsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; men were all different doctors! We had the first, the fourth, the eleventh, and my husband was the tenth. My something blue was my knee high royal blue convers with Bad wolf on the side! Our chuppah was blue to represent the TARDIS

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and once our ceremony was finished we ran off stage to the theme song! I could not have asked for a more perfect day. I had the perfect balance of family, fun, and nerddom.

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CHIKI D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

D20 Girls Rock - Featuring CHIKI

CHIKI NC D20 Girls Manager

Chiki began her life immersed in a costuming world. She learned to sew at age 10 and grew up in Opera costume shops with her aunt, now the costume shop manager for the Barter Theater. When she was not backstage, she also participated onstage performing for Sarasota opera, Chautauqua opera, school productions, and Community Theater. She began her venture into Cosplay in 2001 when she was in 8th grade.

Since then sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attended over 25 conventions and has made over 45 costumes. Some of her favorite characters to cosplay are Sailor Venus from Sailor Moon, Super Girl, Rarity from My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic, and ladies from Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI. When she isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t behind a sewing machine, Chiki works as a professional photographer and obsesses over the Fallout series of video games, Buffy the

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Vampire Slayer, and manages her state of North Carolina for the D20 Girls project. A love of cosplay and a need to find a community within the often cruel cosplay world led her to the D20 Girls Project. As a state manager she and her girls enjoy attending conventions, coordinating photo shoots, and hanging out. She is very proud of how close the girls in her state have become as friends.

CHIKI D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

D20 Girls Rock - Featuring CHIKI

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13 D’ESTELLE GENEVIEFVE D20 Girls Rock - Featuring D’ESTELLE GENEVIEFVE

D’ESTELLE GENEVIEFVE Article By: Chiki

ELIZABETH

TURNER MS/NC D20 Girl

If there was a major for “being a better geek” Elizabeth is well on her way to earning a Master’s degree in it. As a graduate student studying Library Science at UNC Chapel Hill, Elizabeth applies her knowledge to the little things in nerdom, like effectively researching characters she cosplays and finding the best ways to search ebay for the perfect touches to add to her Lolita coordinates. She has turned a passion for geek culture into a lifestyle. Elizabeth began cosplaying at age 16: Elizabeth Swan was the first character she chose, from there she expanded into further costuming endevors that led her to participation in SCA. Historical Fashion costuming is her first love, but she returned to her geek roots by her junior year in college when she got involved with the 501st/ Rebel Legion and began attending conventions. Her schooling brought her from her from Mississippi to

North Carolina all the while remaining an active D20 Girl. She now is an integral part of the NC Girls and spends much time cosplaying, going to conventions and plotting adventures with her fellow girls. She’s especially proficient in sharing her knowledge and talents with others through panels she leads at conventions on a variety of topics including: Lolita, Theater Makeup, and the Plight of the Nerd Girl in Society. “I’m a fairly balanced geek as far as fandoms coming from a variety of fields” Turner explains, “my first fandoms were Harry Potter, Tolkien, and Avatar the Last Airbender. My current fandoms are DC, BBC, and I have rediscovered a love for Tolkien. I’d been out of the fandom for a while but the new movie got me back in. Teen Titans and Birds of Prey are my favorite DC comics though I tend to like independent stories like Sandman and Preacher more

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than superhero ones. Proving a love for table top gaming, she has been playing Dungeons and Dragons since she was 14: “My first character somehow managed to be really overpowered in Charisma skills so even though I was only a level 1, I managed to disguise myself as the pirate captain whose camp we were infiltrating, steal his plans, and then let the party set fire to the galley (which had all highly flammable booze in it). The DM was all wtf is even happening? Best part of that campaign? It was an official part of my lit class that year. The teacher’s assistant was the Dungeon Master.” If D20 was a college course, we’d say she gets an A+!

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13 D20 Girls Rock - Featuring D’ESTELLE GENEVIEFVE D’ESTELLE GENEVIEFVE

DOLLYD20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

D20 Girls Rock - Featuring Dolly

DOLLY The name is Dolly! I work very hard in the world we live in and enjoy every moment life shares with me. I often use the word “Hun” way too much, and smile when the time just isn’t right. I take things to heart and my emotions are pure. I consider myself witty yet laugh at almost every pun. I am a five foot small Puerto Rican girl with nothing but a geeky mind to lead me through. I am a gamer… Girls played with Barbies, yet I played with Mario. Girls did their hair, while I found Cloud his wig. I have always been on a personal level with my video games. From Survival horror, to Rpgs, I am a gamer girl; from head to toe you can see it. I have tattoos of the PlayStation buttons and Nobuo Uematsu’s real signature, but this isn’t just an image. This isn’t just a hobby. It’s my life. I not only play video games with friends and family, but I’m working in school right now to become a gaming producer and I plan to make it to the top. I WILL bring gaming to the next level with all the gamer girls in this generation. I want to show the world that being a gamer girl is not only about being beautiful with the things you love, but making a difference in the world within it. I am an anime fan… My first boyfriend was

New Jersey D20 Girl Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho. We had a really solid relationship, with him fighting yokai and all, until I became overly obsessed with the anime Marmalade Boy. It was all uphill from there. The art is what caught my attention at first; I became so passionate about drawing the features of characters and giving them their own lives. It then became all about the music. How magical the melodies worked to continue a story. It came together when I noticed the sheer brilliance of an anime plot line. Call me crazy for falling in love with “Cartoons”, (which we will not call them ever again!) but they are the gripping stone of my creativity. Without the lessons learned from anime heroes, I would never be the woman I am today. I am a manga freak… 489…490..491…Oh, well I should probably stop counting the manga and manhwa on my wall. These are my collectors’ items. They are the pieces of my childhood and gripping tales of my years to come. Every character, word, and image running through the pages of these books is truly incredible. You have never experienced an out of world enlightenment until you have turned the pages of a manga or manhwa. I am a cosplayer… Finding beauty in a character is an amazing feeling. Being able

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

to show off their beauty, inside and out is phenomenal! I have been cosplaying for a little over two years now. As I am new to the game, I have gone through several gorgeous costumes. My line up so far has been: Lilth from Darkstalkers, Yoko from Gurren Lagann, Lumiere from Kiddy Grade, Garnet from Final Fantasy IX, Shadow Bolt from My Little Pony, C.C from Code Geass, Pleinair from the Disgaea series, Gijinka Goldeen from the Pokemon series and Dollface from Twisted Metal. I am me… I have never let being a geeky girl slow me down, and yes, it was hard at first. I was bullied for loving what I did. I was harassed for being in touch with a character or story from any platform of geeky wonder. That never once pushed my passion for them away. “The world isn’t perfect. But it’s there for us, doing the best it can. And that’s what makes it so damn beautiful.” This is a quote spoken by Roy Mustang from Full Metal Alchemist and his words ring true. Like the world, I am not perfect, and that to me is the ultimate beauty. I am a strong geeky girl and truly proud of it. Now, I am a D20 girl pushing women to be proud of who they are, too. To be proud of what they love and voice it to the world!

DOLLYD20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

D20 Girls Rock - Featuring Dolly

K AT H E R I N E

ELIZABETH COLEMAN AS Harley Quinn FROM Batman

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

ALLISON THOMAS NATSUO COSPLAY As Megurine Luka FROM Vocaloid

“I actually purchased this costume from Calssara cosplay

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K AT H E R I N E ELIZABETH COLEMAN AS Sailor Venus FROM Sailor Moon

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

TRINITY

FANNIN As Natsu FROM Fairy Tale

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Bentpic5

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

TRINITY

FANNIN AS Erza FROM Fairy Tale

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Bentpic5

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

ALLISON THOMAS NATSUO COSPLAY As Yuki Cross FROM Vampire Knight PHOTOGRAPHY BY Tony Teresi www.t3-photo.com

“I hand made this whole costume myself. The jacket is lined and the scythe is made by carving polystyrene foam. “

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13

best nerdy gift.

Michelle “Death Star Infuser” “Dr Who Apisode Plushie” “Dr Who K9”

Trinity “I got a Tardis mini fridge!!!!” Katrina “A Super nintendo.”

Corey “I got a Catwoman pimp chalice, a Batman pint glass with a cape, a black Batman logo glass and a wonder woman shot glass with a cape.”

Alyssa “Dr Who - Exterminate”

News, reviews, convention coverage...

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D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE WINTER 2012-13