“To Build or Not to Build” really does seems to be a major
question on the lips of many con organizers and cosplay judges. It
creates rivalries and hard feelings, but it is certainly at the core of the
cosplay culture right now.This weekend marked yet another whirlwind adventure for me and mine to the big ole’ town of Tupelo, MS just in time for the 2017 Tupelo Comic Con. That's right, geeking out in the birthplace of the King himself.
Tupelo Comic Con is your typical hometown comic convention
complete with minor celebrity appearances, vendor area, prop cars, artists,
cosplayers / fandom community row, gaming tournaments, A LOT of panels and the
obligatory cosplay contest.
It was the cosplay contest, more so the structure of the
contest, at this particular con that really caught my interest. TCC
hosted what was essentially two separate contests. One specifically for
craftsmanship, the second one for overall appearance and the wearer’s ability
to represent the character.
The Craftsmanship Contest required that a minimum 50% of the costume must be constructed by the contestant. A model could wear the costume but the creator must be present. They also stated costumes which had already won awards in other costume contests were not permitted, requiring a completely new and original piece from each contestant. This contest had more strenuous rules and offered more significant prizes than most I have seen.
The Craftsmanship Contest required that a minimum 50% of the costume must be constructed by the contestant. A model could wear the costume but the creator must be present. They also stated costumes which had already won awards in other costume contests were not permitted, requiring a completely new and original piece from each contestant. This contest had more strenuous rules and offered more significant prizes than most I have seen.
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| Wonderland Duo Cosplay (Belle & The Beast) |
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| Tanealya & Robin Burks (Disney Jedi Mashup) |
The Closet Cosplay Contest was 100% focused on the
appearance of the wearer and the costume could be created using any outlets
available, so predominantly store bought, commissioned or thrifted costumes
were moved into this category. There were five awards but it was mostly
for bragging rights and being able to strut your stuff on stage.
Like most cosplayers I find myself interested in the never
ending argument of whether store bought or commissioned cosplay should be
allowed in the same competition with something hand built by the wearer?
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| Blue Bunni Cosplay (Mystery Girl), Derrick (Pirate Crew of MSB), Lauren Knight (Misa), Mr. Fish (Captain Obvious) |
Ok here is my official standing on this. I don’t
know.
Anti-climactic, right? Sorry 'bout that, but here is
my reason for being indecisive.
I have the utmost respect for people who painstakingly handcraft
each element of their costume. That being said, I also can appreciate the
cosplayer who purchased or commissioned the costume and completely OWNS THE
CHARACTER.
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| Heidi (Hawkgirl), Lauren Knight (Velma), Tenitia (Muse), Natasha (Harley Quinn) |
In the past I have been accused of being a bit of a “build
it yourself snob” but I don’t always have time to completely design and craft
costumes for upcoming events. My recurring roles as mother, wife, and my
real world job don’t always allow for time, and being a parent does not always
allow the expendable income. Cosplay is an expensive hobby.
Personally, I love to sew and create, but I do not always
find it is the most effective way for me to create my costumes. So yeah I
will purchase pieces. I will happily forego sewing leggings if I can buy
online cheaper than I can purchase the fabric. However, there is ALWAYS
something of my own creation in my gear and it's usually a major
component.
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| James of Brickhouse Training (Logan) , Kewpie Doll Cosplay (X-23) |
For TCC my favorite Kewpie Doll Cosplay wore her X-23 gear
replicated from the Logan movie. Because the character is in street
clothes, not the usual superhero getup, this costume is 90% store bought.
Her claws were hand built, but the jeans, T-shirt, and denim jacket are all off
the rack. She received a “Cosplay Choice Award” on the floor and much
praise about how she embodied the character. Let's be frank a moment,
even an unbiased observer looks at this kid and understands she was meant for
this cosplay. Is it award worthy? Depends on the contest.
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| Red Skull Alliance Cosplay (Captain America) |
So here is my question to you…Who is at the real
disadvantage? The person who contacted a designer, spent a lot of money
to have their gear custom built to fit their body? They may look great
but not always be able to communicate to a panel of judges, who more than
likely handcrafted their own gear, how it was fabricated. Or the person
who built everything themselves but may not have the same skill level as a
professional seamstress. Maybe it needs to be something each cosplayer
addresses for themselves, but it may come down to finding your place by
strutting on the floor and bypassing the stage.
So I say again, I don’t know. I do know this, as long as
you are happy with your gear, wear it and do not allow anyone, fellow cosplayer
or judge, make you feel unworthy. I know a lot of awesome cosplayers who
fall into both of these categories. Let your geek flag fly as you see fit
and don't worry about what anyone else thinks, but understand that each event
has their own parameters for what they deem worthy of an award.
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| Always my partners in crime...Miss Scarlett Fever & Comanche Rose (aka MidSouth Wonder Womna) |
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| Oh yeah add Kewpie Doll Cosplay to my normal partners in crime! |
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| with Big Daddy Cool |
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| I cannot forget my REAL partner in crime master of shenanigans, my other half and "staff photog" Darrell :) |
Keeping with my goal of positive support of others I am featuring some of my FAVORITE local cosplayers in this post! This is by no means all of my favorites just a few who had epic designs that sprung to mind!
