This is part 2 of my Tampa Bay Comic-Con coverage. In case you missed it, here's part 1.
I had a lot of fun playing with the light in this one:
I like the contrast of gold highlights on Elsa and the cool blue on frozen Anna.
Plus aren't they sweet together?
Not sure which was better: these ladies' costumes...
... or seeing how much fun they were having.
It was totally infectious, hearing them laugh!
You see a lot of R2 units at conventions, but a screen-accurate C3PO like this is pretty rare!
They were leading a mini-parade down the main aisle, so I had to snap pics on the move.
This little steampunk Yoshi was fantastic:
So many great details, from the glove to the apples to the Nintendo controller belt buckle!
(Ooh, and I just noticed he's wearing a shell backpack! Awesome.)
This vendor was doing an EXCELLENT job of freaking people out:
Yep, that's a person, not a mannequin - as several unsuspecting attendees soon found out. :D
I've seen strollers and power chairs and the like transformed into all kinds of fun things before: X-wing fighters, candy cars, Iron thrones, etc - but THIS is a spectacular first:
Toothless & Hiccup!
The parents parked for photos right after this, so here's a side view:
I think Toothless is carved from foam, and he has cloth wings and big padded tail.
You've gotta love parents who go the extra mile to help their kids cosplay like this. The little guy is napping here, but I can only imagine how much he loved having his own dragon for the day.
[Update: Just heard from the mom Karen on Pinterest, who thanks everyone for their love & support! This is Connor, and Toothless IS a modified pediatric wheelchair. Connor has leukodystrophy, and has a fundraising page on YouCaring, if you'd like to learn more!]
Next up: DOOOOOM!
And you guys will have to help me ID this one:
(Update: She's Crystal Maiden from the game Dota 2. Thanks, guys!)
John was in costume as Dreamfinder that day, and once again we had so, SO many amazing encounters with people. I loved how all the guys wanted to shake John's hand after getting a photo with him - and how there were significantly more men getting pics with him than women, but all acted like giddy kids just the same. There were actual tears, shouts of glee, and more smiles than I could count. I am officially addicted: I want John to be Dreamfinder at ALL the CONS!
John didn't get any breaks, either; every time I left him to rest for a few minutes, I'd come back to find him up and with a small crowd around him.
:)
Had to run over when I spotted a fellow Lady Vader:
And all the kudos to this Princess Bubblegum, because she got Darth Vader to hold a lollipop:
Batman Beyond & Catwoman:
It's always a delight when someone answers you in character, and this Joker had the manic-but-creepy voice down pat:
I accidentally overexposed the full body shot, did my best to salvage it.
(Er, I mean, I WANTED it to look that way. Yeah. Very... gritty... and artsy.. and stuff.)
My final batch of pics is coming up next; see you then!
Very cool - looking forward to art 3, and even more to maybe running into you both at an event somewhere along the line ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou were there Saturday I take it? Bummer, went Friday due to scheduling conflicts. Would have been great to meet you. Next year perhaps. Thanks for posting what we missed!
ReplyDeleteComment disappeared. Apologies if this is a double post.
ReplyDeleteThat Elsa and frozen Anna are STUNNING!
Thank you so much!!! :)
DeleteLoved seeing the batman beyond, so much fun, same with the toothless, always wondered if I'd figure out a way to cosplay one day as I'd have to have my chair with me. The one guy looks like a the clockwerk villains from Doctor Who
ReplyDeleteYour unidentified cosplay is Crystal Maiden from the game Dota 2. Love her (and that cosplay is SO good!) Great pics as usual :D
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! I always enjoy your convention posts!
ReplyDeleteThe girl in the unknown costume should cosplay as Kaylee. She's a dead ringer for Jewel Staite!!
Whoah, you're totally right! ha!
DeleteNice snapshots. Next time you overexpose, try turning it b&w or do an hdr-ish effect on it (you don't always have to have the varying shots to get an hdr look). You'll be pleasantly surprised at the results
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly!
ReplyDeleteGood job everyone! I don't think I want to cosplay, but I'm always in awe of the amazing things people can do! Anna and Elsa are better than WDW Anna and Elsa.
ReplyDeleteThank you very very much! :D
Deletemy 14 yr old son says the mystery girl is the Crystal Maiden from DotA2. (and he is THRILLED to get to post a comment, we all adore you!)
ReplyDeleteI always love the beautiful pictures you share!
ReplyDeleteElsa and frozen Anna are amazing!!
ReplyDeleteThank you :) We worked really hard on them
DeleteAs a newcomer to this, and I am sure I will be pecked to death by the l33t for asking....but why do you do this? I've seen the show "Heroes of Cosplay", and it looks like this stuff is NOT for the beginner. You better go big or not bother. There are some cool looking characters, but where would one even begin?
ReplyDelete"Heroes of Cosplay" is not a good place to get exposed to cosplay. They take over costume contests and rig them so that the show's "participants" (read: Cast) win.
DeleteCosplay is, when NOT being profiteered from by SyFy Channel, meant for fun and enjoyment. Plenty of people go big, yes, but the fun of it is going to the cons, finding people who like the same things you do, getting your picture taken and taking other peoples pictures, and just having FUN. A lot of people go simple, and a lot of people go elaborate.
It's all about what you feel comfortable doing. I know a lot of people work their way up in terms of extravagance, but not everyone goes that far.
Sorry if I intruded, I just have a friend in the anime convention cosplay circuit, and a lot of people I know from around her are upset about that show.
Anonymous, don't worry, people don't get pecked to death around here, we are not those people.
DeleteI've just got into cosplay, and I'm super new to it, and I love it. It's definitely something you can do at any level, and you can begin anywhere you like. I saw a great gender-bender cosplay of Captain America that I loved, and contacted the creator to ask if I could wear it too (she used a freely available pattern to make the dress, and customised the decorations). She was all for it, and so I got it made by someone, added some accessories and off I went. I'd read ONE Captain America comic at that point. Still have, in fact. I had the best time wearing that dress, and still grin when I see it in my wardrobe. I wore it to Free Comic Book Day here in Melbourne, and had the greatest moment when I was walking past a comic book store, and someone outside yelled out to me, 'Woah, love your outfit!' I was so rapt.
There are other people I've seen who wear just a printed t-shirt and jeans, who keep it really low-key.
Look, there are always going to be people who want to drag you down. But the vast majority of cosplayers that I know, are super encouraging and really nice, and would never, EVER, tell someone not to bother.
Personally, if you are interested in cosplaying, I'd say, go for it. Choose the outfit you want, and work out if you can make it (or parts of it), and if you can thrift it, or if you need to enlist someone's help - and then start saving! Choose an occasion to unveil your masterpiece, and work to get it done. It's a real thrill working on it, and feeling like it will happen, and the first time you wear that outfit, you will feel a hundred feet tall, and no loser will be able to bring you down.
Go for it, Anonymous, and share some pics when you're done!
Not sure I can improve upon what Jess & Samantha said, so lemme add a quick, "What they said!" ;)
DeleteAnd FWIW, I've found some cosplay is just to draw the big crowds, sure, but most of it is about expressing your love of something, and using that expression to connect with other fans. Whether you do that with a t-shirt and a few accessories or a hand-built suit of armor, you're going to have so many positive encounters that I guarantee you'll get hooked.
If you hadn't said anything I *would* have thought that Joker picture was intentional. I like it, it looks kind of cell shaded and comicbook-y.
ReplyDeleteFrozen Anna? Jedi Princesses? These people are so creative!
ReplyDeleteAwesome cosplays, as always! C: The unidentified one is Crystal Maiden from DotA 2!
ReplyDeleteThat Elsa and frozen Anna is absolutely brilliant! Love it. And oh my gosh, Hiccup and Toothless? I about died. Simply amazing, and what great parents! Thanks for sharing again. I love seeing all the costumes and creativity from the cosplayers!
ReplyDeleteLooking great, Jen! I'm 99% certain the lady you can't ID is Crystal Maiden from Dota 2. :)
ReplyDeleteThe "not a mannequin" vendor looks to be a Clockwork Droid from the Doctor Who episode "The Girl in the Fireplace"
ReplyDeleteTotally agree!!!!! I came into the comment section to say the same thing. He even had the jerky movements going on. Great pics!
DeleteThis is actually me as The Joker! Great job on these I love the gritty look though.
ReplyDeletethese look awesome! this is my page :) facebook.com/Flintwyrm
The overexposed photo actually looks really cool! It looks like a drawing!
ReplyDelete