Oakley’s comments in blue/bold & yellow highlighter
Note that the format of the references is NOT in the style specified for this
assignment.
[student name deleted]
CSC442 Section B
Prof. Burks Oakley
October 11, 2011
It’s early in the morning in Sacramento. The alarm goes off in the hotel room.
Outside the sun is beginning to crest the horizon and for the young woman in the
bed suffering from jet lag, it’s especially hard to muster up the gumption to rise out
of the comfortable bed. Rise though she does, for this morning she has a very
important commitment at the Sacramento Shriner’s Children’s Hospital. Despite
flying from the East Coast to the West on a red eye, she gets up and begins to get
ready. The items she needs are ready to take with; all she needs to do is apply her
makeup. Almost 45 minutes later, dressed in a simple knit dress, she and her
partner depart. He is dressed in comfortable clothes as well, but lugging a gigantic
military tool box. Once they arrive, another hour passes as they don particular
outfits. She struggles into her chosen outfit, donning a wig and accessories. He is
encased in armor- more statue than knight. What exactly are they doing at the
Shriner’s Children’s Hospital!?
Cheering up sick kids of course!!
I am the young woman in the description above. It was earlier this summer
that members of the West Coast Avengers visited the patients at the Shriner’s
Children’s Hospital dressed as characters from the Marvel Comic Universe. I was
lucky to be among them. How exactly does one get involved in such an ordeal?
Flying across country, donning uncomfortable costumes? The Internet of course! My
‘name’ is Abby Dark-Star and I’m going to tell you the story of how a simple geek girl
began to enjoy wonderful experiences and some notoriety due to the Internet.
First of all, let me explain what dressing up in costume actually IS. The term
normally used is ‘cosplay’ and has been present in the United States since
approximately the late 1990s. It is defined, according to the Urban Dictionary as,
“Dressing up and pretending to be a fictional character (usually a sci-fi, comic
book, or anime character).” 1 Cosplay began as a strictly Japanese pastime. As
young fans in Japan admired their favorite manga (a small comic book) or anime
they would make costumes and attend anime conventions dressed as their favorite
characters.2 They would act like them, take pictures, etc. The term cosplay still
usually means anime, while the sci-fi/comic/gaming community has taken to the
term ‘costuming’. It is a way that fans can express their appreciation towards the
creators of their favorite fictional characters. For some even, it becomes a career,
such as the cosplay model, Yaya Han.3 For in creation and portrayal of these
characters, it takes a lot of creativity and ingenuity to bring fictional things to life
accurately. Successful completion of this garners a lot of attention. Some of these
costumers are asked to model, to appear and to participate in media, commercials
or even movies. Others that have skill in fabrication of costumes or costume
accessories (masks etc) even attain jobs within the movie making [movie-making]
industry.
How can someone do this? Well[comma] keep in mind the demographics in
which costumers appear. Comic book conventions are no longer the territory of socalled ‘social rejects’ that the 80s made geeks seem like. Over 130,000 people
attended San Diego Comic Con and approximately $163 MILLION dollars were
generated at the convention.4 Dragon*Con, the second largest convention in the
United States, has attendance anywhere from 35,000-40,000 people. 5 Individuals
Mario Rogic, Urban Dictionary, January 15, 2002,
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define/php?term=cosplay (accessed 10 11,
2011).
2 Eddie Walsh, The Diplomat, September 29, 2011, http://the-diplomat.com/newleaders-forum/2011/09/29/cosplay-diplomacy/ (accessed October 1, 2011).
3 Yaya Han, Yaya Han, 2010, http://www.yayahan.com (accessed October 1, 2011).
4 Wikipedia Contributors, Wikipedia, October 1, 2011,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Comic-Con_International (accessed
October 13, 2011).
5 Dan Carroll, Dragon Con Fact Sheet, July 2010,
http://mediarelations.dragcon.org/wp1
who attend these conventions (and there are many more than just those two) are
people who grew up watching Star Trek, reading comics and enjoying them; they
are now adults, raising their own families and sharing with them aspects of their
childhood. Costumers are the same; they aren’t living in their parent’s basement.
They are doctors, veterinarians, police officers, and teachers. Real people, who have
a passion for the things they enjoy and want to share it in a unique way.
For myself[comma] my journey into this world was somewhat on accident. I
grew up with my father staying at home with me. He had been injured on the job
and could no longer work. My mother worked full-time and my father stayed at
home with me. Not only did I develop a large appreciation for cars, but also for
science fiction and comic books. I remember after school watching cartoons and old
shows with my dad; [use “and” instead of the semicolon] trips to the bookstore to
get the weekly Batman comic release. As I grew, I also had an interest in theater. In
middle school[comma] I began being a part of school plays and this continued all
through college. I still read my comics, enjoy [enjoyed] science fiction literature and
began to be interested in video games. While in college[comma] I realized that I
couldn’t support myself as an actor and became interested in teaching, though I still
had the acting bug. I wanted to still use the creativeness I had learned in theater in
the real world, but how? The Internet became the answer.
Through the referral of friends, I learned of a convention in Orlando, Florida.
It was called MegaCon. 6After doing some research on the Internet about what it was
about, I went. My eyes were opened to so many possibilities. As I walked the isles,
perusing artists, seeing comic legends that I had read their work for years- I saw
costumers. I saw Batman, Superman, Batgirl, Rogue, Storm, and Professor Xavier. I
saw people with amazing costumes and I thought- “I CAN DO THAT!” I had the skills,
I had the knowledge, and all I had to do was try.
I began researching costuming, comic book conventions using search
engines. Just entering ‘cosplay’ into Google gives you 42,800,000 results.7 I then
joined online forums to find more information about how to make costumes, how to
choose costumes, and found a plethora of not only information, but also a
community of support and inspiration. Slowly[comma] I began to try out costumes
at local conventions. By trial and error I became better. 8My own anal-retentive
perfectionist nature began to lend itself to costumes that were gaining notice.
People would take pictures of me, and through my online efforts to share my work
content/uploads/2010/07/DragonConFactSheet2010.pdf (accessed October 1,
2011).
6 MegaCon, MegaCon, 2011, http://www.megaconvention.com (accessed October
2011).
7 Google, Google, 2011, http://www.google.com (accessed October 4, 2011).
8 Wolfpack Elite, Wolfpack Elite, 2011, http://www.wolfpackelite.com (accessed
September 2011).
on sites like Deviant Art9; [comma rather than semicolon] I realized that I had
found something that could allow me to share my creativity with others. It also
started the ball rolling for me to do more.
Shaun Cooley asked me how I would pick a character. Usually I will pick a
character that I felt some sort of kinship or resembled.10 My first costume was
Poison Ivy, based on one of my favorite comic book covers, Batman, Shadow of the
Bat. I examined the artwork and began to research how I could put the costume
together. I found existing materials and modified them, added to them and voila:
11
12
With each success I found new inspiration from artwork, movies and games. I
began to look for new ways to accomplish making other costumes. I would use
fabrics in new ways; learn new techniques to make props and costumes by looking
for tutorials. 13 Each new accomplishment was a new encouragement and I love
doing this. I have found a hobby that I enjoy and am passionate about. It has enabled
me to do things as I mentioned in the beginning of my paper- volunteer work at
hospitals and events. I helped raise $6000 for Make-A-Wish, and have been at Toys
for Tots events for the past four years. [OUTSTANDING!]
Deviant Art, Deviant Art, 2011, http://www.deviantart.com (accessed September
2011).
10 Shaun Cooley, "Choosing Characters" (10 11, 2011).
11 Brian Apthorp, "Batman Shadow of the Bat Annual 3," DC Comics.
12 "Poison Ivy," Poison Ivy.
13 The RPF, The Replica Prop Forum, http://www.rpf.com (accessed October 2011).
9
“With great power comes great responsibility,” said Uncle Ben in Spiderman.
is also true with popularity. With increased popularity, I had to deal with
admirers. Many wanted to ask me questions, interview me for blogs, and feature my
costumes and photography on their websites. 15 This popularity, [no need for a
comma] kind of made me ‘famous’ and lead to me developing a pseudonym, “Abby
Dark-Star”16 so that I might retain some professionalism in my career[comma] but
also to protect my family from comments or just gawkers. As I attend comic
conventions now, people I’ve never met easily recognize me. They come up to me,
saying my name, exclaiming about my work, complimenting me. It’s very strange,
because they think they know who I am- and I don’t know them. Many mention that
they thought I was taller than I actually am, but the best compliment I get is how
nice I am to them. 17I don’t treat admirers like fans, and abhor the use of that word.
I’m just a geek girl who likes to portray her favorite characters as accurately as
possible as a ‘thank you’ to the artists and writers who made my childhood
enjoyable. I’m not looking to become famous, or to make money. I just want to enjoy
my hobby.
14This
The best part of costuming is that I get to meet so many people. I’ve gotten to
be friends with numerous comic book artists. With actors, voice actors and others in
the movie/TV industry. [sentence fragment] I’ve been invited to sets, comic book
headquarters, and private homes of popular actors. I’m not mentioning names due
to protecting my friends’ privacy. I’ve gotten to know people of extraordinary talent,
and while they inspired me, I’ve also inspired them and their art. I’ve been used for
a model for several DC statues (again-I cannot comment on which ones due to
confidentiality) and artworks by up and coming [I would have used “up-andcoming”] artists.
Robert asked me what would be considered my most successful costumes
and how they’ve become popular.18 That is actually a hard question to answer. See,
many costumes are popular just because of the sex appeal. My Poison Ivy is a thong
back, and I have other ‘cheeky’ costumes. Those are popular with certain people and
tend to get a lot of attention. Then you have people who admire my attention to
detail in my Arkham Asylum Poison Ivy costume. This costume is my favorite to
date. It took a lot of work, a lot of preparation and involves a lot when I wear it.
So what does it take to make a popular, accurate costume? Let me show you
my process. First of all, I find a character that appeals to me, or maybe I resemble.
Spider-Man. (n.d.). Quotes.net. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from Quotes.net
Web site: http://www.quotes.net/quote/8628
15 Barbara Matthews, ""How become famous on the internet and others expectations
of me"."
16 Abby Dark-Star, http://www.facebook.com/abbydarkstar.
17 Barbara Matthews, ""How become famous on the internet and others expectations
of me"."
18 Robert Bissonette, ""Successful costumes and how they became popular"."
14
My boyfriend and I (who does Tony Stark/Iron Man- he was invited to the movie
release in London dressed in his armor) and I discuss the possibilities. Upcoming
for the convention year (usually stars around February and continues until October)
I have been considering doing the Avenger’s Movie Black Widow.
19
I see photos released through the media and then begin. I use Google to do a
search for media sites like Screenrant.com20who do research on Hollywood movies
and take pictures of production as they are going on. I then save the images that I
find. I find pictures from every angle, giving me a thorough picture of what the
costume is, how the accessories go together, the hairstyle etc. I then start
researching fabric, guns, etc. I’ll post a thread on the RPF.Com stating my intentions
and then asking anyone if they have any input on the materials used, my own
thoughts.21 From there I’ll make decisions based on what looks the most accurate.
I’ll begin sending emails to vendors to see about getting pieces made, or patterns. If I
find the fabric, I’ll use the Internet to get samples of fabric, [“and” rather than
comma] paint before actually ordering what I need. Once I have all the materials, I’ll
begin fabrication. From making the bodysuit or ordering it from a reputable source
on the Internet. 22 [sentence fragment]
Using all the art I’ve collected, I’ll assemble the costume. Normally I’ll order a
wig or make it if it’s a unique piece. With the Avenger Black Widow, I’ll need a wig
since my hair is long. So I’ll go on ebay.com (which for me is the best source of
affordable wigs) and find one that is similar in color and texture. Once I receive that,
I’ll style or cut it to look like the one in the picture.
Entertainment Weekly, "Screen Rant," screenrant.com,
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Avengers-Black-WidowHeadshot.jpg (accessed October 2011).
20 Entertainment Weekly, "Screen Rant," screenrant.com,
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Avengers-Black-WidowHeadshot.jpg (accessed October 2011).
21 The RPF, The Replica Prop Forum, http://www.rpf.com (accessed October 2011).
22 Loreen, Spandexwear, January 2010, http://www.spandexwear.com (accessed
October 2011).
19
Once everything is together, I’ll put it on. I’ll do test pictures and move
around. See what aspects need to be adjusted, what doesn’t photograph well and
make adjustments. After that- I’ll wear it to a con or photo shoot. That is how I make
and wear my costumes. Without the Internet, this wouldn’t be possible.
In the recent years, the Internet has played a pivotal role in my happiness. It
has allowed me to connect with many people through a hobby that it is directly
responsibly for. Without the Internet, I wouldn’t have the resources to make such
great costumes, nor would I have met my amazing boyfriend. It has truly changed
my life, both my regular one and the one of Abby Dark-Star. For that, I am truly
grateful for the minds behind the Internet.
Bibliography
Apthorp, Brian. "Batman Shadow of the Bat Annual 3." DC Comics.
Art, Deviant. Deviant Art. 2011. http://www.deviantart.com (accessed September
2011).
Bissonette, Robert. ""Successful costumes and how they became popular"."
Carroll, Dan. Dragon Con Fact Sheet. July 2010.
http://mediarelations.dragcon.org/wpcontent/uploads/2010/07/DragonConFactSheet2010.pdf (accessed October 1,
2011).
Contributors, Wikipedia. Wikipedia. October 1, 2011.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Comic-Con_International (accessed
October 13, 2011).
Cooley, Shaun. "Choosing Characters." 10 11, 2011.
Elite, Wolfpack. Wolfpack Elite. 2011. http://www.wolfpackelite.com (accessed
September 2011).
Abby Dark-Star. http://www.facebook.com/abbydarkstar.
"Poison Ivy." Poison Ivy.
Google. Google. 2011. http://www.google.com (accessed October 4, 2011).
Han, Yaya. Yaya Han. 2010. http://www.yayahan.com (accessed October 1, 2011).
Loreen. Spandexwear. January 2010. http://www.spandexwear.com (accessed
October 2011).
Matthews, Barbara. ""How become famous on the internet and others expectations
of me"."
MegaCon. MegaCon. 2011. http://www.megaconvention.com (accessed October
2011).
Rogic, Mario. Urban Dictionary. January 15, 2002.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define/php?term=cosplay (accessed 10 11,
2011).
RPF, The. The Replica Prop Forum. http://www.rpf.com (accessed October 2011).
Walsh, Eddie. The Diplomat. September 29, 2011. http://the-diplomat.com/newleaders-forum/2011/09/29/cosplay-diplomacy/ (accessed October 1, 2011).
Weekly, Entertainment. "Screen Rant." screenrant.com.
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Avengers-Black-WidowHeadshot.jpg (accessed October 2011).