Afternoon all. You may remember me as the crazy guy who cosplayed as Statesman at the NYC Comic Con. Life got crazy there after, but I wanted to share my lessons learned. If someone could post, tag or flag this in a place where it could have better visibility I would really appreachate it.
Quick note on weapons: Yes they are legal as long as security decides they are safe and flagged as such. I used a real lightable tiki torch ($8 from Walmart) that had never used fluid.
1) If you're not a half nakid chick, the Media is just flat out not going to care. If you're a 'man with a cause' they care even less. It's just a fact of life. So unless you have an awsome body and want to be Sister Psycii, accept it and move on. There were some amazing costumes that never saw air time.
2) Close to no one knew who Statesman was. More people thought I was "Torchman" then knew who or what City of Heroes was. That said, every Cosplayer I met had no problem holding a spare torch and some even thought it was an interesting novilty. This to me speaks volumes of how poor CoX's media budget was. I think as fans we should be really proud of the strong, sustainable community WE created since it certainly didn't come from Korea.
3) Show up as YOU, in YOUR superhero costume. Everyone came as someone else's character. Deadpool was very popular. The Batmen and Spidermen were of course common too. What makes CoX special was not Statesman, but that WE are the heroes who inhabit it. Be proud of what you created and if anyone asks then it is a natural lead in to Save City of Heroes. Now is the time to start planning social get togethers at the various cons. It can be very daunting showing up and not knowing anybody. Remember, the first Star Trek cons were as much social get togethers. Planning one hour lunches or dinner at 'x' will go along way to keeping memories and thus momentum alive.
Here is the big take away for me. Hundreds of cosplayer show up to these things right? Yet no one is their true hero or villainous self. They were ultimately someone else's copyright. By being something so unrecognizeable I think it really turned heads, even if only for a wtf. If five, or ten of these 'personalized heroes' showed up and pal around together, I think it would have a HUGE impact on the culture.
Remember, the Future is Never Set In Stone.
Jeffrey "Graphite" Martinez
Very good points. So does this mean you won't be donning the statesman's uniform next time?
I agree go as your character it's them we are fighting for!
those are very good points. something that i myself have never thought of.
good sound advice.
So, wear a low-cut top and write "death to NCsoft" on your boobs?
Quote from: Golden Girl on March 21, 2013, 03:59:47 AM
So, wear a low-cut top and write "death to NCsoft" on your boobs?
Ain't nobody wants to see me in a low-cut top, I promise. :P
But to be serious, I like your points, Graphite. Cryptic and then Paragon gave us powerful tools for it, but
we used them to make this strong community. They gave us an amazing setting to be heroes in, but it's
our heroes that matter in the end. They worked hard to come up with, develop, and then bring to life, characters like Statesman in places like Atlas Park. But the reason they did it was so that
we could come up with characters of our own, to develop and bring
our stories to life.
We can honor both Paragon and ourselves by embracing those characters and stories we created. Whereas continuing to use Statesman as our symbol seems more like honoring NCsoft, what with them owning the IP and refusing to share anymore. They took their toys and went home... they don't
deserve to be honored by us any longer.
Let's be OUR heroes now.
I do have a body type more attuned to capt. Sweatpants, so maybe I'll try that over the lowcut shirt. Not to mention the Big Bang Theory tie in might make the "STAR" shine in the public more. :D
The only problem that I would have with dressing as my favorite toons is that I'm built like Jeff Goldblum, and they're built more like Power girl or Molotov Cocktease. :)
Thank you for the heads up, Graphite. The security aspects, especially, could save headaches.
I'm a scrawny, 33-year-old dude. I resemble in no way, shape, or form Santa Claus, a Santa-resembling mafioso gangster, orange-shades-and-bomber-jacket-wearing soldier, one-eyed elderly professor, or plump mutant penguin.
Well, take out an eye and give me another forty years, and I might be able to pass for my Professor White, but other than that? :)
It's easier for a skinny guy to pad up to play Santa than a fat guy to try to and dress up as Slender Man.
This is truth. :)
Quote from: FatherXmas on March 22, 2013, 08:08:50 AM
It's easier for a skinny guy to pad up to play Santa than a fat guy to try to and dress up as Slender Man.
Just get a bowl full of Jelly and you're all set. Right? :P
Just reading this thread reminds me of why I miss City of Heroes so much and why I don't care two cents for those other MMORPG's. The humor, wit, and camraderie of this community is nonpareil. Oh wait, let me just say you all are AWESOME!!!! (Loving especially the quip by Golden Girl and Triplash's reply, as well as detailed observation in the OP, Way to /em holdtorch, Graphite!!!!!)
I make a deal with you Jolly Elves. I go as the Man in Red if you go as my Undead Zombie Hero Rotten Luck!
I wanna go as my friend's homage "Wonder Woman" toon - he loves both comic books and horror genre and so mixed them - thus I would be dressed as zombie (get this) Princess Die! Only I'd never fill out her uniform properly, no, not even vaguely. :D
I'd imagine that no matter how you dressed, if everyone carried a tiki torch it would garner attention.
A collage of photos showing Statesman at New York Comic Con 2012 (http://todogut.deviantart.com/art/Statesman-at-New-York-Comic-Con-2012-333252020)
(https://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx188/Elenlanta/NYCC201225.gif)
Quote from: Golden Girl on March 21, 2013, 03:59:47 AM
So, wear a low-cut top and write "death to NCsoft" on your boobs?
hmmmm. Somehow, I don't think this would work for me :)