Cos Culture Magazine - January 2016

cos culture magazine january 2016

c o l l e c t i o n o f yo u r b e s t c o s p l ay memories from 2015!

s i m p l e E VA F O A M

B R E AS + T P L AT E TUTORIAL

S U G A R B OXS T U D I O S

KI N PATSU cosplay

G L A D I AT O R P H O T O S H O O T JANUARY 2016

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Editor/Creative Director: Nikko Marie

Cos Culture Magazine is owned and operated by NH Creative Inc.

Assistant Editor: Patrick Webb

Disclaimer:

FRONT cover image:

Kinpatsu Cosplay as Ironscale Shyvana, League of Legends Photo by GiantShev Photography

back Cover image:

Kinpatsu Cosplay as Syndra, League of Legends Photography by Eric Soloman

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Copyrights of all included text, photos and other material used in this edition of Cos Culture Magazine are the property of their respective owners, and have been graciously provided to us for use in this magazine by the legal owner of each work.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at info@cosculturemagazine.com.

CONTACT: info@cosculturemagazine.com www.cosculturemagazine.com FB: cosculturemagazine Twitter: @cosculturemag ISSN 2368-2582 PUBLISHER:

NH Creative Inc. Ottawa, ON Canada January, 2016 info@nhcreative.ca www.nhcreative.ca

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S 4.

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kinpatsu cosplay

tutorial: how to make a simple eva foam breast plate , by kinpatsu

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sugarbox studios - gladiator photoshoot

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your best 2015 cosplay memories

Gladiator Photoshoot SugarBoxStudios JANUARY 2016

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Kinpatsu as Kayle, League of Legends Photography by Derek Guthrie Photography JANUARY 2016

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Kinpatsu as Riven, League of Legends Photography by GiantShev Photography 6

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kinpatsu cosplay south africa

CC Mag: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Kinpatsu: My name is Tayla, I’m currently 22 years old and I live in South Africa. I’ve just finished my BA Fine Arts Degree and I’m going to be doing a course in Graphic design now to finish off my studies.

Town. I’m from Johannesburg so luckily I don’t have to travel too much for them, but with so many big events appearing in Cape Town now I may have to start travelling a bit more for those cons in the future.

CC Mag: How long have you been cosplaying?

Kinpatsu: I’ve been cosplaying for just over 3 years now.

“... seeing how everyone was so friendly and welcoming and getting to speak to people who shared my interests really made me want to be part of the community.”

CC Mag: What’s the story behind your cosplay name ‘Kinpatsu’?

Kinpatsu: Well I tried to think of some kind of defining feature about myself when I was trying to come up with my cosplay name, and one of the things that kind of came to mind was my hair colour. Kinpatsu means “blonde” in Japanese, and I’ve been blonde my whole life so I thought it might be something I could go with. I also thought being called “Blonde Cosplay” was funny since when you call someone “blonde” it means they’re a bit ditzy and I can be like that sometimes.

CC Mag: Is there a big cosplay scene in South Africa? Do you travel a lot for it?

Kinpatsu: The cosplay scene in South Africa is still quite small but it grows exponentially every year, and we have new conventions appearing all the time, which is great. We have events that take place all over the country, but at the moment most of the bigger conventions are situated in Johannesburg and Cape

CC Mag: WHY do you cosplay? What first drew you towards the cosplay community?

Kinpatsu: The first time I ever went to a convention in 2011 I was just totally blown away by cosplay. I’d seen cosplay online but I didn’t really know we had it here. I spoke to two cosplayers known as Freltana Cosplay who had made Dragon Age 2 cosplays that year. I and asked how they made their armour, and when they told me it was just cardboard I was even more blown away and inspired.

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Kinpatsu as Jinx, League of Legends Photography by Eric Soloman 8

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The next year at the same convention I finally decided to try cosplay myself. I didn’t do anything special, just a last minute closet cosplay but I got to speak to some of the cosplayers more, and just seeing how everyone was so friendly and welcoming and getting to speak to people who shared my interests really made me want to be part of the community. It also inspired me to be more involved with the actual making of costumes myself.

I cosplay because it combines some of the things I love most, like art and gaming. It also allows me to push my skills and is a creative outlet for me, and it just makes me happy. Most people come home and watch television or play games, but I go straight to my cosplay room and start working on costumes. For me, it’s just fun!

Kinpatsu as Lina, Dota 2 Photography by GiantShev Photography JANUARY 2016

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CC Mag: Which conventions do you like to attend?

Which ones are your favourite?

Kinpatsu: Here in Joburg the two big ones for me are Geek Fest and rAge Expo.

then decided to try and tackle some armour stuff, and my first armour costumes were Queen of Pain from DOTA 2 and a Castanic Berserker from Tera, which I never actually finished.

CC Mag: Apart from cosplay, what other hobbies do you have?

Kinpatsu: I really enjoy K-pop. I go to a K-pop dance class once a week, which is super fun.

CC Mag: How about some of your most recent ones? Can you see a big difference between when you first started and today?

Kinpatsu: Some of the most recent ones I’ve done are Slayer Jinx, Officer VI and Kayle from League of Legends, and Sylvanas from Heroes of the Storm.

I can definitely see a difference in where I started to where I am now. Originally I didn’t know how to hem anything and my lines for sewing were all skew, and while my sewing still isn’t great, it’s gotten much better now. I can at least sew a straight line! The armour has also gotten much better. I actually went back to try finish my Castanic Berserker last year and I was just kinda shocked at how bad it was in relation to my newer stuff. It wasn’t very neat, and the priming wasn’t good so there were a lot of bumps and brushstrokes everywhere. Now I do things far more neatly, and I take a lot of time priming to make sure my armour has a nice finish. I’ve also learned to attach it together much better, and through experience I’ve learned what material work best for what pieces now.

“[cosplay] allows me to push my skills and is a creative outlet for me, and it just makes me happy. ” CC Mag: Who or what do you look to for inspiration when it comes to cosplay?

Kinpatsu: I mainly look at other cosplayers for inspiration. I follow almost 500 cosplayers on Facebook at the moment, and I constantly look at the work they produce and am inspired by it.

CC Mag: What were some of your first cosplays?

Kinpatsu: My first ever cosplay was Misa from Death Note. It was just a closet cosplay, I tried to put the outfit together with clothes I borrowed from friends and from my own cupboard, and I even used my own hair for it. After that I tried to do some sewing costumes and I made Himiko from Btooom! and then Saeko and Saya from Highschool of the Dead. I

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CC Mag: So far, what has been your most challenging cosplay?

Kinpatsu: My most challenging cosplay has definitely been Kayle from League of Legends. She had a full set of armour, glowing sword and wings that I had to make, all of which were very challenging on their own.

It has also been the most challenging costume for me to wear because the armour wasn’t very mobile, and the wings were very heavy. But at least I learned a lot from it that I can take forward into my next projects.

Kinpatsu as Umbreon, Pokemon Photography by GiantShev Photography JANUARY 2016

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Kinpatsu as Katarina, League of Legends Photography by GiantShev Photography 12

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Kinpatsu as Arcade Miss Fortune, League of Legends Photography by GiantShev Photography 14

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CC Mag: Can you tell us about your YouTube videos?

Kinpatsu: I made my YouTube channel in order to put up some tutorials and reviews of my costumes that I had made to make it easier for people to make their own costumes. One of the things I really love about cosplay is how willing people are to share knowledge and information and I really wanted to be part of that and try contribute as well.

CC Mag: What do you have planned for 2016?

Kinpatsu: I have a whole lot of new costumes planned for 2016, and I’m also finally opening up my print store.

However, my biggest plan for 2016 is that I’m going to be going to Anime Expo in Los Angeles. It’s my first time ever going to an international convention, so I’m incredibly excited.

You can find more of Kinpatsu Cosplay’s work here: www.facebook.com/KinpatsuCosplay kinpatsu-cosplay.tumblr.com kinpatsu-cosplay.deviantart.com Photography by: Eric Soloman Derek Guthrie Photography www.facebook.com/DerekGuthriePhotography GiantShev Photography: facebook.com/giantshevphotography instagram.com/giantshev twitter.com/giantshev giantshev.deviantart.com

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TUTORIAL Kinpatsu as Ironscale Shyvana, League of Legends Photography by GiantShev Photography 16

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b r east p lat e t u to r i a l by k i n pats u

I N ST RU CT I O N S

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Create a pattern from cling-wrap and tape. There are many online tutorials on creating custom patterns, but essentially you wrap yourself in cling-wrap, and completely cover the cling-wrap in strips of tape.

You can then draw the desired shape of your armour pieces directly on the tape while it’s still on your body with a sharpie marker. This will ensure the pieces fit your body accurately when you put it all together.

Once the pattern is drawn completely, cut the pattern out along the outer lines drawn by the sharpie.

Cut out a square of 5mm EVA foam slightly larger than the cup pieces.

Heat the foam with a heat gun, and lightly stretch the foam over a curved surface around the same size as your cup size. For male breastplates, you may prefer to keep this part flat, or else use a shallow curve to form your pieces.

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Trace the flat pattern pieces onto flat 5mm EVA foam, and trace the curved cups onto the shaped EVA foam, and cut along the lines. You now have your basic armour pieces ready to assemble.

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If you’re using only EVA foam, then you can fit the cups to the body piece. Once the cup is in place, use pins to secure the pieces together. Repeat this for both cups, adjusting as necessary to be sure both sides look even. You can place the armour pieces on your body to test the fit and make sure the pieces are put together in a way that will be comfortable to wear. Adjust accordingly until you are happy with the shape and fit. If you’re reinforcing the armour, skip to step 6.

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If you’re reinforcing the armour with thermoplastic, trace each flat armour piece onto the thermoplastic and cut pieces approximately 1-2 inches larger than the EVA pieces around each side. This will ensure there is enough thermoplastic to securely wrap around the foam. Once your pieces are cut out, you can heat the thermoplastic using a heat gun, and place over the EVA foam pieces, folding each corner around the foam to reinforce it from all sides.

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Glue armour pieces together using contact cement. Be sure to follow the directions listed on your cement, as different products require different prep and application. Allow to dry completely before flexing the piece too much.

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Once all the armour pieces are reinforced with thermoplastic, the pieces can be assembled.

Thermoplastic sicks to itself, so all you need to do is heat the edges with a heat gun, and press together.

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If you’re attaching EVA foam pieces to the thermoplastic, be sure to use a good contact cement so that the pieces will bond together. 5mm foam is often thick enough for the cup pieces, so they can be glued directly to the reinforced body pieces with contact cement.

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Once your main peices are fully assembled, you can add your detailing. EVA foam detailing can be added using contact cement, and thermoplastic pieces can be self-adhered with a heat gun. Be creative! Look at other cosplayers’ work for inspiration, and reference original character design artwork for an accurate design.

Once fully detailed, your armour is ready for priming and painting. There are lots of great painting resources online!

Check out Kinpatsu Cosplay’s Facebook page and YouTube channel for more amazing tutorials! www.facebook.com/KinpatsuCosplay www.YouTube.com/user/Neix567

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BOXSTUDIOS SUGAR JANUARY 2016

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SUGARBOXSTUDIOS C a rd i f f, W a les

CC Mag: How long have you been doing photography? How about cosplay photography, specifically?

SB: I’ve been working as a part-time photographer for about three years now, and decided to shoot mostly fitness about a year ago. My day job is a video editor. I edit TV shows for the BBC, etc. I fit my photography around the day job, so I shoot on weekends a lot.

As for cosplay photography, I wanted to try something different from my regular gym-based shoots. I had not done a lot of cosplay or composite photography, so thought I’d give it a go. I got a couple of friends from a gym to volunteer, they hired the costumes from a TV costume hire company and the theme we chose was Barbarian.

CC Mag: Would you say that you have a particular ‘style’ to your work?

SB: Yes, my style of photography tends to be dark and gritty. That’s how I like to shoot. I do shoot other styles too, but it’s that style that is getting the most interest.

CC Mag: What is one of your favourite memories from doing cosplay photography?

SB: Fun! It’s a fun experience, as people are dressed up. It’s different to what they normally do, and they like being able to play a character, even if it’s a made up one.

CC Mag: What’s your favourite thing about cosplay photography?

SB: I like how it’s often a relaxed shoot. I tend to not shoot as many pictures either, as there is so much editing involved. Also, I like that I can shoot in my front room, so no lugging a load of gear around to the gym, where I usually shoot.

CC Mag: Tell us about some of your past shoots!

SB: I started out doing children and newborn photography, hence the name SugarBoxStudios, but it wasn’t long before I was shooting bodybuilders and personal trainers! My work soon got out there and noticed, with the thanks to social media and a LOT of hard work. One of my favourite shoots, which was the guy in the barbarian photos, was actually done on the streets of London last summer.

It wasn’t a cosplay shoot, but we hit the streets for a social media stunt. He’s 6’4 and built like a tank, and he had no problem taking his shirt off in front of crowds of people on the streets. We filmed the whole day and posted it on my YouTube channel.

CC Mag: Outside of photography, what do you like to do for fun?

SB: I like to play drums when I get the chance. But right now, most of my spare time goes into photography.

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CC Mag: Can you tell us a bit about your editing process? Do you usually have the end result in mind before editing, or do you figure it out as you go?

SB: I usually have a rough idea in mind before I start editing. It helps to plan ahead, especially with the cosplay composite shots, as I need to make my shots work with the backgrounds. I have a background already set up in Photoshop and have used it as part of my job for years, but it’s only since I started doing the cosplay shoots that I’ve gone deeper into it.

There are a lot of amazing digital artists out there, so I try to make sure my work holds up, even if it’s trial and error sometimes. Some shots can take about a day to edit and I often just get creative as I work. So often the end shot isn’t 100% what I had in mind when I started out.

I have had several people ask me for tutorials or screencast videos of how I edit, but I’ve not had the time to get round to that yet. The videos I am producing are behind the scenes videos of my shoots.

CC Mag: Do you prefer in-studio or on-location shoots?

SB: 99% of my work is location based. However, that 1% is nice, because shooting in a studio setting means I have more control and don’t have people walking into my shots, etc.

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CC Mag: Which artists or photographers have been the greatest influence to you?

SB: Instagram and Pinterest, haha! I don’t really have a favourite. I draw inspiration from everywhere. I may see a shot I like and think “I’ll try that”, or I’ll see a scene in a movie that will give me an idea or will try to copy a look or lighting set up etc. I just keep my eyes open all the time and my work is evolving. It’s different now to how it was three months ago!

CC Mag: What would your dream shoot be? Which characters would you shoot?

SB: I enjoy shooting most characters, but for various reasons, I am selective as to themes. I don’t do violence or “sexy”, male or female. Right now, I just like my shots to be cool and epic.

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CC Mag: What do you have lined up for the new year in terms of shoots and photography plans?

SB: I have several gym shoots lined up, but also some cosplay shoots. I have girl who wants to do a fantasythemed shoot and a guy who wants to shoot Ghost Rider. They should be cool! I plan on building my social media following and continue building my empire!

CC Mag: Where can we find more of your work?

SB: You can find me here: www.facebook.com/SugarBoxStudiosUK www.YouTube.com/channel/ UCgI_6hyP2OQ6ZhfNM-Ibbww uk.pinterest.com/SugarBoxStudios Twitter: @SugarBoxStudios Instagram: @sugarboxstudios_photography Models: Emil Goliath - Twitter: @projectgoliath Jessica Rachael - Twitter: @missjrach Vicky McMahon - Instagram: @Mini.Beast

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YOUR favourite

COSPLAy MEMORIES OF

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From our Editor: Looking back on 2015 I can’t help but feel proud about everything the publication has accomplished, and all the amazing friendships we’ve built. The cosplay community is such a welcoming one, and I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know some incredible and talented people while putting together each issue. As a small, completely independent publication, we have certainly had our challenges, but the tremendous support we receive from the community keeps us going stronger every day. We began as a twice-yearly print magazine over one year ago, and we’ve since grown into a monthly publication because there just simply wasn’t enough room to fit everything we wanted to share in only 2 issues per year!

We make this magazine as a way to give back to the community, and share some of the amazing work that is out there. We always try to include a broad mix of content in each issue, from interviews with prop-makers and cosplayers (ranging from beginners to professionals), photography features and tutorials, cosplay tips and tricks, and so on, and as a result I’ve gotten to know so many incredible people from all over the world. 2015 was truly the year that allowed us to grow as a publication and as a team, and I look forward to what 2016 has in store for us.

We’ve asked the community what their favourite memories from 2015 have been, and we’ve collected them all to share with you. Thanks for a wonderful 2015, and cheers to an even better 2016! - Nikko Marie

We asked: “What are your favourite cosplay memories from 2015?”

“My most memorable cosplay moment of 2015 was being one of the official Lara Croft cosplayers to promote Lara Croft Go; a mobile game from Square Enix Montreal. I travelled around the London Underground as Lara and if someone whispered “Lara Croft Go!” to me then they won an iPod. It was so much fun, with a lot of people just happy to have a photo with Lara Croft and certainly brought a smile to the Friday commute!”

- Lady Scion

“First time meeting my absolute favourite cosplayer Kamui cosplay.

I spent months making this Armoured Wonder Woman cosplay, and was up for 36 hours in this photo finishing it up so that I can show her how much she inspired me and how much her books have helped me. After a long sleepless night, the first time I put on the whole costume was just prior to me entering the convention. Best day ever!”

- Allure Cosplay (Photo by 7S Photography)

“This summer I entered the masquerade at Otakuthon in the ‘journeyman’ category for the very first time. There were so many amazing cosplays there, I didn’t think I would win anything. I actually ended up winning ‘Best Props and Accessories’ with my Warrior Archer Merida cosplay (from Brave)! I’m so proud that I made something that was recognized as being the best, it really encouraged me to push past my limits and go ever farther with my cosplays in the future.”

– Didy RedH Cosplay “My best cosplay memory was at Armageddon in New Zealand, as I finally completed my Assassin’s Creed cosplay as Altair. It’s one I have always wanted to do, and was also my first full four day con. I’m never going to forget it! As it happens, I also supported a fellow cosplayer that day. My cospartner, Elizabeth’s World, was due to be on stage for judging that day, and an essential part of her Zelda cosplay malfunctioned. She was extremely upset. So I did my duty and comforted her, gave her a hug and dried her tears. I told her we would go to the “cosplay emergency room” to get her costume fixed up, and be on stage in time for the prize giving. So off we went. We got her fixed up, on stage, and she won a technical award! That was a day I was proud to be a cosplayer, as we help each other out in the good times and bad.” - Chronicalsoul Cosplay “My favourite 2015 cosplay memory was getting to go to my first out-of-town convention, Montreal Comiccon. It was so much fun getting to experience a larger convention and meeting so many wonderful new people!” - Comic Girl Cosplay

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“My best cosplay memory of 2015 had to be introducing my 10 year old nephew to the world of cosplay! I only found out from my sister that we could bring him a week before the convention and I whipped up a makeshift cosplay for him of Ash Ketchum. My husband and I were really happy to share a big part of our world with him, especially when he has been told he’s getting too old for cartoons. And, hey, he had a blast and learned:

You are NEVER too old to enjoy some-thing you love!

Plus he had the time of his life there.”

- Amber Ellis “My first cosplay at my first con (KCCC 2015)” - Alex Carter “In 2015 I had lost my fiancé, Jon. He was my biggest supporter in the realm of cosplay. I completed our last collaborative cosplay design of the Dark Lady from Sailor Moon at SSFC (Santa Fe Comic Con) with intent of it being my last performance. When I entered the convention, both cosplayers who were my friends and patrons gave me a standing ovation. In that moment I knew that I could never give this up. It would mean giving up part of my memories of Jon.” - Jessica Sarabia aka Jess-akita

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“My best cosplay memory of 2015 is joining the community. This was my first year as a serious cosplayer attending Christchurch geddon in March, and it has been an incredible experience of making so many new friends, lifelong connections, self-discovery, and finding a place where I am embraced for my geekdom. I attended Auck geddon in October, which was beyond spectacular. But of all the experiences, the thing I keep coming back to, hands down, are the people. Those who have so openly welcomed me and offered support and encouragement and whom I’ve bonded with... that has been the best thing about being a newbie.” - Abnormal Adlam “After my son was born last year, I knew that it was finally time to work toward my goal of making Sarah’s dress from Labyrinth so that my son could be Toby. I studied the costume and saved for months, and when it was finished he was the perfect age for the part!

What a joy it was to be able to create this memory and to be able to pass on the joy of cosplay to my son!”

- Sarah of Owl Feathers Cosplay (Photo by Antler Productions)

“Due to time and money constraints I was only able to produce one costume this year, but it was worth it to be able to attend Rose City Comic Con; it was 100% amazing. Met some super rad people and was able to support some awesome freelance artists... cosplaying my Nightingale armour was the cherry on the cake.

You can bet I’ll be back!” – SwanMay’s Reliquary

“One of my favourite memories from 2015 is when our cosplay group visited the kids at a Children’s Hospital.

As a premier cosplay group, we strongly support local and national charity events such as Make a Wish, MDA, Cancer Awareness, etc. On Dec 22nd, our league was invited to attend the Christmas party at St. Francis Children’s Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We Spent several hours visiting with the children, passing out gifts, and were honored when we were escorted room to room to put smiles on the faces of not only the children, but parents as well. Makes what we do so worth it!” - Anita Holmes of Oklahoma DC League “There is a convention in my state, Colossalcon, an anime convention at a water park and I had been dying to go for years. 2015 was my first time getting to go, and I was lucky to share the experience with some absolutely amazing friends, it was such a blast and definitely an unforgettable con experience!”

- Majixe Cosplay “I think my best cosplay memory from this year was when I placed first in the Geek Fest cosplay competition with my Ironscale Shyvana cosplay. It’s the first time I’ve ever won a competition and it was a really amazing feeling and a highlight for me.”

– Kinpatsu Cosplay

“2015 was an amazing year for me! I’ve been cosplaying since 2011 but I didn’t really start going to conventions until this year. It started with the Shreveport-Bossier Comic Con in February where I was Cheshire Cat from Pando-ra Hearts. SBC Anime Fest in July was the next one I went to; I was Lady Ciel Phantomhive from Kuroshitsuji. Around this time I was already working on Gwendolyn from the game Odin Sphere, for Geek’d Con in August. I participated in the cosplay contest and made it to the fifteen finalists. That Sunday, I was Suzuya Juuzou from To-kyo Ghoul.

December was when I debuted Black Rock Shooter.

And to end the year, I wore a Christmas Lolita. During this entire year, I’ve met many amazing people and made a lot of new friends! My new year will start with Anime Matsuri in February; I can’t wait to see what’s in store!” - Eco Faerie-Dragon

“Best memory was finishing our Wonder Woman and Aquaman costumes. They were our biggest challenge of the year and the payoff of how badass we looked made it worth it. Aquaman’s shirt is made out of aluminum scales that were hand woven together and weighs about 12 lbs. Wonder Woman’s armour is mostly foam and the lasso is braided lights that glow white/yellow. My husband and I can’t wait for 2016.”

- A-Okay Cosplay (Photo by Theorem Productions)

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“I just started cosplaying in June. When I went to my first con, I was floored. Everyone loved my cosplay and was interested in what I was. I didn’t realize that there was a haven for people like me.

Since that point I’ve been engrossed in making more cosplays and getting my sisters involved. I’ve started a page and I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback. It’s just a good time, good friends, and a ton of laughs.” - Jadie Lane (Photo by Baby Seale Photography) “At my first Oz Comic-Con 2015, cosplaying as my version of a Female Joker. Some people would say “If you’re a guy, why are you cosplaying as female characters?” and I reply to them with:

“It’s cosplay, I can wear whatever I want. Gender roles don’t apply, I cosplay to have fun!”

And of course, the Joker had to claim the Iron Throne!”

- Arthur’s Cosplay Kingdom a

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“My best cosplay memory was being Poison Ivy for the first time; my second cosplay ever. I plan on doing more.” - Rachael Tebeau “My best cosplay memory from 2015 was making a cosplay I hold dear (it was a rework, now that I’ve improved my skills) and to be able to make a group with my friends and cosplay Warcraft characters. I was a Holy Priest from WoW.” -Anais Aguilar “My partner and I did our first couples shoot! We were Snow White and Prince Florian in Victorian style.”

- Ruri and Xeno Cosplays (Photo by Pixie Captured Images)

“My best memory is recreating a scene from Gurren Lagann with Pixie Päffgen (Nia) and me as Yoko.

It was at the August Cosplay Beach Day at Point Pleasant Beach. There were some personal things going on in my life at that time that were pretty rough. The day itself was a perfect distraction from all of that, and I had this specific scene in mind when we all decided to do beach Gurren Lagann cosplays. We actually forgot to buy a flag before leaving that day so we stopped at a Target on the way to make a flag out of a pencil and some yellow duct tape, haha. I was so excited when I saw the photo, because it turned out so great and we had a lot of fun trying to get it right, despite me having to constantly face plant in the sand for it!”

- Katja Kosplay (Photo by Butch Lee Productions)

“One of my favourite memories was when my cosplay friends showed up at my wedding dressed as super heroes and princesses. I love cosplay and wanted to find a way to work it into my wedding somehow, so my awesome cosplay friends offered their time to be part of my big day. The kids loved it and it was a nice surprise for the guests...

It was also pretty epic to have Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Tink and Rapunzel throwing down to some Bohemian Rhapsody on the dance floor.” - Malicious Cosplay

“I’m Julie, aka Scarlet Cosplay! Back in Otakuthon (Montreal, QC), my best friends and I wanted to have some fun in comfortable costumes, so we decided to do the main girls from Fairy Tail in a set of robes they wear at an inn. They were quick to make, easy to wear, and best of all: comfy. This particular weekend was also our Juvia’s birthday, so I got the idea to order a custom cake from her favourite local cupcake shop, inspired by her favourite Disney princess. We wanted to give it to her as a surprise at the end of our photoshoot, so we roped our photographer - also a good friend - in on it to share in the fun. Our mission was a success: the intended was so happy that she cried, and we got photos of the entire presentation. I look back on this as a magical memory and I’m glad I was able to organize it all. We plan on doing another similar group for 2016 and I know it’ll be just as fun.”

- Scarlet Cosplay (Credits: Scarlet Cosplay, Bossbot’s Boudoir, Nyctophobic Cosplay, Libel Costographer.

Photo by Katya Perin - Cosplay Photographer)

“I met Carol Ann Ford, Paul Mcgan, Wendy Padbury, Brendan Frasier, Katy Manning, Janet Fielding and hundreds of great Dr Who Fans at Long Island Who in November. Oh and the group from Doctor Puppet was there also.” - Bud Santos “My best cosplay memory of 2015 was DragonCon in Atlanta. It was the first time I got to troupe with two really awesome groups. First was the Jackal Soldiers, who are an original creation of my friend Gin who is the white jackal Ghost. They are a group of cybernetic soldiers in a post-apocalyptic ash waste. Second are the Mord Sith, who were the all-female bodyguards of the Lord Rhal from Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth book series and the TV show Legend of the Seeker. It’s one of the things I’m looking forward to doing again in 2016!”

- Scarlet Aquila Costumes and Cosplay “I love that my family cosplay’s together. The best memory of 2015 for us was when both my husband and I won in our categories at Wizard World in Tulsa, OK. When they called out “Dr. Doom for Best Male Villain”, then called out “Samurai Stormtrooper for Best Female Villain”. My knees literally almost gave out. I started tearing up under my mask. I could not believe we had both won at Wizard World together. A dream come true!!! Also, My son is the Scarecrow in this one with us.” - Cheeky Cheetah Cosplay “A close friend of mine writes the webcomic Final Arcanum, and for her birthday at MAGFest 2015 a group of friends surprised her by all dressing up as the characters from her webcomic!”

- Sinja JANUARY 2016

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“Seeing the faces of really young kids I walked past during Hamilton Armageddon Expo.

Their faces either lit up with delight or lit up with fright, haha!”

– Bloodshedshuriken (Photo by Pixiscene Cosmedia)

“Cosplaying as my childhood hero and my hero recognizing me! This one’s a little bit of a fun story.

I’ve loved Teen Titans since I was 8 years old, and I’m now 20! I finally decided that I was confident enough to cosplay Starfire, but I also decided to push my skills and create the wedding dress from Episode 29 (Betrothed). While the competition itself went with a hitch (my audio for my skit didn’t play at all), I still had so much fun being able to spend the day being recognized as Starfire! The best things about these days though were: 1. Cosplaying as Starfire on the 12th anniversary of the premier of Teen titans.

2. Hynden Walch (the VOICE) of Starfire thinking I looked beautiful as her!

Favourite cosplay ever!”

- Lillybug Cosplays (Photo by Amity-Jane Photography) “It was Free Comic Book Day 2015 and my best cosbuddy and I cosplayed as Applejack and Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. We went up to a local comic book shop and helped entertain the kids! We had so much fun. We even had cupcakes and balloons from us to the kids to help make the day more awesome. It was so sweet having the little ones recognize our characters and want to get their photos taken with us.” - Curvy Kitty Cosplay

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“I got featured in Riot’s cosplay panel on their page and actually got paid with skins for that. Also, I had a job with another cosplay, and made one of my most successful ones!” - Psycho’s Cosplay

“Being featured by League of Legends for my Forecast Janna cosplay. I never could have imagined that this picture would be so appreciated. The shoot was done at La Défense in Paris, early in the morning. It was so cold and there was anybody there, as usually this place is invaded with people.” - Ynotece Cosplay (Photo by BLUFF Lab) “Having been to #auckgeddon this year, and cosplayed as Kylo Ren. I had around 20-30 people come up to me for a photo, which was a huge surprise for me, since I normally don’t get that many. Best part is that I was actually the only guy to cosplay Kylo ever!!!” Joseph Maugaotega “My favourite was when I was my own version of Harley Quinn and Jared Leto took my pic! Credit of the pic goes to Jared Leto. Being “collegeaged Harley Quinn” was fun for me and definitely great because of the creativity!”

- Bree McEldowney

“My best cosplay memory would have to be going to #auckgeddon with my girls! Our first day cosplay was the weirdest group cosplay ever! We had a Casey Jones (Vicky Rogers), Zatanna (Me), two pop art zombie apocalypse girls (Rhiley Palmer & Jax Maynard), a Halo Spartan (Stacie Stanley-harris) and Max Bluett who didn’t cosplay at all. After walking around for ages, we all got a bit tired and stood in this booth-looking corner and some people would see us standing there and come up to us and ask for photos, while others just stood there confused. It was by far the best Armageddon I’ve been to. I can’t wait to do it all again in 2016.” - Paige Hepi “My cosplay as Dark Hyrule Warrior’s Zelda that I 100% made myself!! I also won two awards for it.

Definitely the highlight of my cosplaying thus far!” Hyruleroyale Cosplay “Doing a Jem and the Holograms photoshoot with my friend was probably my most favourite cosplay memory of 2015. Photographer Alex Morrison’s photos made me feel super confident in myself, and I’ve never felt prettier. It was a fairly easy costume to make, but the reactions I got from Jem and the Holograms fans made it all worth it!”

- Ashley’s Creative Studio

“My fondest cosplay memory happened during the Newark Comic Con. I had just gotten out of a terrible relationship that left me empty and to top it off she played the victim and kept most of my friends who I went to conventions with. So I was alone, depressed and still going through enough that I normally wouldn’t have gone. Despite that, I went and I met some of the greatest people from the DC East group. To add to that, cosplaying the Green Arrow was a turning point for me because Arrow is a common show but people can see how Stephen Amell portrays Oliver Queen, a haunted hero. I have a deep connection to Oliver for multiple reasons. Also as the con was ending, I was heading toward the exit when a small kid about 7 or 8 years old screamed Arrow and ran after me with his dad struggling to keep up and he said “Mr. Arrow, I know you’re really busy saving people but can I give you a hug? You’re my favourite hero”. Melted the ice that my problems had left around my heart. Kids are the best fans. And I was going to quit cosplay but it was there, that moment that made me realize that I can’t quit. I made that kid’s night.”

- Omega Cosplay (Photo by Jason Laboy Photography) “My best memory from 2015 would have to be the signatures I got: Doug Jones (Bangor Comic and Toy Convention) and Ron Perlman (RICC)” - Ben Santos “My best cosplay memory in 2015 would be meeting Kamui Cosplay. I never thought she would come to New Zealand but she did for NCComicon. She was so lovely and loved my World of Warcraft druid cosplay.”

- Pink Star Cosplay

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“I did a body paint cosplay of the female Titan and didn’t stain my bath this time” - Just Chris-Tea (Photo by Peter Ali, body paint by Ashley Wallace)

“SO many to choose from! We (my daughter Sami and I) were fortunate to inadvertently bump into some awesome celebrities this year and had wonderful moments with them, from Brett Dalton chasing Sami in circles around me... she only knows him as the bad guy Ward, so of course she SCREAMED and RAN! LOL! (of course this was also RIGHT after I just purchased a photo op) to “Ariel” hanging out with Philo Barnhart and getting an autographed Little Mermaid picture he drew. I think I am going with Stan Lee being my favourite moment, though. We were at C2E2, Sami was cosplaying Ariel and was needing a break so I walked her to an area in the back that looked pretty low key. Along the way we had to stop for a golf cart to pass by and on it was STAN LEE! Sami and I both love Stan Lee... Every time she sees him in a movie she squeals “Hey, it’s STAN LEE!” Anyways, as he was going by he looked down at Sami, smiled and said “AWWWWW!” We were both so excited about this and as we were talking about it I said to her “Oooohhhh my God, Stan Lee just SMILED AT YOU” and she says “NO mama, he smiled at YOU!” What a little sweetheart!” - Sami Mini Cosplay “Our bunny suit raptor squad from Dragoncon 2015! Our raptor lord, Justin, lead us around holding hands because we couldn’t see anything. It was amazing to be anonymous and just dance and be weird and make people laugh.”

- Gabby Dierickx (Cosplayers: Madcat Cosplay, Takumi Cosplay, Magnolia Q Cosplay, and Regalias Forest. Photo by Nerd Caliber)

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“I had made this year my favourite cosplay of all time: Super Sonico, the Christmas Version. I love to cosplay her. I’m 28 years old and cosplay as Miss Santa Claus, from Remember Me.” - Luna Stellar Cosplay

“My best memory of 2015 was wearing Leto’s Joker the first time with Kizaki Cosplay.” - Riddle Costumes (Photo by Totenbuddler) ”I was actually recognized for the first time at New York Comic Con from my cosplay page by another cospayer I look up to. It seriously made my year and helped me feel better about cosplaying.”

- Miss Gotham Cosplay “This is my best memory of this year: my Angelic Valla Battle Armour. I made this for Blizzcon, and I met a lot of friends there. I just love them all! The day before Blizzcon I had lots of trouble, because of the trip some pieces of my armour and my crossbows had damage. My friends Steelbarrel Cosplay helped me to fix everything. I really don’t know what I’d do without them. I love Ashley and Mike, they are so talented, and most of all, people with good heart and amazing values. It is amazing that you can find good friends around the world. And there are a lot of people that helped me on this costume: my brother Andres, Kary, David and his family, Pepe, Esteban, the guys from Sais, a big team of awesome people!”

– Velissedra (Photo by Jaime Recalde and Gaby Tenganan)

“My best cosplay memory is when my home made K9 met K9 at Anime Nebraskon. I was in heaven.”

- Ashley Ruzicka “My daughter Lexi. This was her first time doing cosplay in a competition. She loved being Elsa. We are working on a couple different ones for this year.”

- Christina Cook “My family did all of the emotions from “Inside Out” at DragonCon this year. While we were wandering around, the cutest little girl came up to me and gave me a tootsie pop. She said she wanted Anger to be happy. Definitely my best cosplay memory all year.”

- Brayton Family Cosplay (Photo by Neko7 Cosplay Photography) “My favourite cosplay memory would be cosplaying something I made for the first time, and having a bunch of random people outside of Fan Expo screaming “it’s the Arkham Knight!” rushing to get pictures with me. The experience left me with new friends, a feel of achievement, and wanting to make more cosplays! Let’s go, 2016!”

- Alfredo Lainez (Photo by Kris Byers)

“Making my best cosplay: Jinx, and being invited to many many conventions, especially Nightshopping, which I got payed for (my first payed con ever!)”

- Marty Novotná

“Debuting my very first cosplay at my first con!”

- Randy Burks “This would be my best, as this is my first cosplay build ever. I made it for the Midnight screening of The Force Awakens.”

- Luke Dodunski

“It’s not a fantastic picture, but it was the first time my son and I cosplayed together. I’m a Storm Druid and he is Ragnaros. This was taken at Pop Expo.”

- Jessie Yaternick

THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIES! JANUARY 2016

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