Cosplay 101
- Apr 9, 2018
- 3 min read
Delhi Comic Con is a celebration of all the pop culture. And With it's unveiling back in 2011, came the discovery of cosplay. A lot many things have changed since i discovered cosplay. Cos play, an abbreviation used for the term costume play, is a hobby in which participants called cos players wear different hand made or printed costumes and accessories to represent a specific character. For someone who is new to this community, cosplay can be both intimidating and fun.
But what to? and how to? cosplay are some of the age old questions that have haunted young and amateur comic book fans.
To begin with lets just say ANYONE can cosplay. People take cosplaying as a very serious activity. There are different communities spread across social media that can tell you as to how serious this art form is. But to do that on a budget is a Boss battle of it own.
I First cosplayed as SUPERMAN in the Delhi Comic Con 2014. The experience itself was overwhelming. You get to meet other cosplayers and people with similar interest. Cosplay is a wonderful art form that challenges you learns new skills and expand on developing as a crafts person. If you are an art fanatic, this can be extremely rewarding. Meeting different people is why i love Comic con.
That said it's also worth remembering the things that cosplay isn't about, or isn't useful towards as a goal. That includes money. cosplay is an extremely expensive hobby but if done right you can create a succeful cosplay without hurting your pocket.
So to begin with cosplaying can be broadly classified into steps
Choosing a Character
Research
Cry
Procrastinate until one week before the convention
have an emotional breakdown
pose for photos at the con and feel like a celebrity
Choosing a character is the most important part of all. If you are low on budget choose characters with costumes that can be easy made with house hold items. Another way to choose characters is keep a list for every time you're watching/reading something and think to yourself "they'd be fun to cosplay".
If you're not already a comic con attendee, this can be daunting. Location is usually a big decider for what conventions are feasible for you, and keep your costs in mind for tickets, transport, accommodation, and food. Above all else your costume should be safe, not just for you but for other attendees, and should comply with the law and convention rules. These usually include things such as coverage of the body, skates, weapons, metal props, size of props, flames and other fire hazards, glitter and other slipping hazards, chemicals, and wings, among others. Comfortable shoes are a blessing, and having painful, blistered feet can be a big mood breaker.
Dealing With Cosplay Bullying, Creepers, and Sexual Harassment
This is a topic I could write about for hours. You could make a truly mind-blowingly accurate cosplay, and there will always be people who'll criticise you rudely online for it, or make unsavory jokes about you. Sometimes the criticisms aren't even about the costume or the character, but rather about things such as Racism, sexism, slut-shaming, fatshaming, shaming cosplayers in wheelchairs, shaming cosplayers with visible physical indicators, and other forms of discrimination.
Unfortunately abusive people don't live in a bubble and harassment also exists at conventions, with physical assault, sexual harassment, and bullying becoming topics of concern for many attendees. Thankfully many conventions pride themselves on being safe spaces, with strict guidelines in place, and security on-site to assist with situations. If someone ever says or does something that makes you uncomfortable, tell them . These are prevalent social issues, and not easily fixed
In the end Comic con is all about meeting people and celebrating superheroes and fictional characters as a popular subculture. But remember you can be a superhero for a day but what you do in real life defines you *wink*.
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