October 12, 2015

"I don't know who 90% of these characters are, but they all brought it, didn't they?"

Top-rated comment at "The Costumes of New York Comic-Con 2015," an unusual post for Tom & Lorenzo, who typically cover high fashion shows and celebrities. They say:
[T]here’s no happier nerd than a nerd among his or her kind. Regardless of whether you share the same nerdy passions as any of the people in the following shots, it’s hard not to smile at the glorious self-expression, body-positivity, and technical skill that compels your average cosplayer to put on his or her very own version of a drag show. And like most drag queens, they are all more than happy to immediately cop a pose and hold it for however long it takes you to get a picture.
I like this guy.

39 comments:

traditionalguy said...

Where did he get my picture?

jr565 said...

That's Xerxes, from the movie 300.

FleetUSA said...

AA wants "this guy" as a garden gnome.

Big Mike said...

That guy? Lady, that's all padding down there.

MadisonMan said...

Not my favorite Dr. Who in there at all. I'd say that the person dressing up as Colin Baker is the one and only fan of his.

Quaestor said...

I like this guy.

You would, wouldn't you?

I much prefer this rubenesque Vampirella. The well-fed undead!

Ignorance is Bliss said...

There’s no happier nerd than a nerd among his or her kind.

Projection.

A large percentage of nerds are introverts, who are just as happy on their own, and would certainly have no interest in making themselves the center of attention.

MadisonMan said...

would certainly have no interest in making themselves the center of attention.

Someone dressing up as a character, and doing it well, as in the photos, is putting themselves out there as a center of attention. Granted it's not as themselves, but as a character, which makes it a lot easier.

Sincerely yours,
Introvert and nerd who has dressed in costume at times.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Shouldn't there have been a BLM die-in?

Conserve Liberty said...

He lost me at the first reference to nerd. They just can't stop their micro-aggressive judging, can they?

chuck said...

> body-positivity

The reviewers minds have been co-opted by convention. Is it too much to ask that they should manage a smidgen of individuality?

Unknown said...

Don't you think it's kind of sad that adults spend so much time and money -- often t
raveling -- to do this?

MadisonMan said...

Don't you think it's kind of sad that adults spend so much time and money -- often traveling -- to do this?

Perhaps you should formulate a list of approved activites: How can other people spend their own money?

It's dreadful that other people are making you have the sads.

Dave D said...

I spend my free time doing LOTS of nerdy things (Astronomy, Wargaming, Computer Gaming, Reading Fantasy and Scifi books). I don't think it is sad at all that I chose to do this versus endless hours and dollars on golf, attending sporting events, playing "over 40" sports, watching endless hours of broadcast TV, etc. You judgmental cool kids suck!

Sam L. said...

You like that guy? You baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad girl! Does Meade know?

Anthony said...

It's where nerds go to mate.

Which I understand because some of them are pretty wicked hot. Even the chubbers can get lucky though.

great Unknown said...

Disclaimer. "Unknown" @ 12:13pm is no relation to me: biologically, genealogically, and certainly philosophically.

damikesc said...

I love when they broadcast their amazing lack of cultural knowledge.

Unknown said...

Not true, MadisonMan; long live Colin Baker!!

William said...

On the plus side, you've got to be reasonably trim and fit to bring off a Superman or Wonder Woman look. I didn't see any Jabba the Huts. Maybe it encourages fitness in its practitioners so it's all to the good. It would be kind of hot to play around with Wonder Woman, but some things you just can't do with dignity and decorum as a senior citizen.

Fritz said...

Aquaman! Really? Who goes as as Aquaman?

dbp said...

I scrolled through the pictures and knew that the one Althouse liked was Xerxes from The 300 before I followed the link and confirmed my guess.

Barry Dauphin said...

I like this guy.

...even though he's wearing shorts.

Nichevo said...

Of course it was. Althouse likes what's bad. She likes what's the worst the best. She picked the one I'd shoot first and that includes Godzilla and Alien. Rotting flesh.

madAsHell said...

I found Princess Layme.

She's either a lot uglier than what I remember, or just out-n-out false advertising.

Meade said...

Sam L. said...
You like that guy? You baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad girl! Does Meade know?

Do I know? That guy IS me. Me wearing my costume.

Ann Althouse said...

It's true!

Big Mike said...

@Meade, it's still padding.

Meade said...

If it were padding, I'd be calling myself "Big Meade".

dbp said...

Meade, do yourself a favor: If your bride has not seen The 300, sit down one evening and watch it together. She may not like it as a piece of film/artwork, but her reaction to it will be worth it. Think of it as a kind of graphic novel turned into a film.

Christy said...

I loved the Colin Baker Doctor! He was just stuck with the two worst companions of all time.

Watched the Tom Felton (Drago Malefoy) documentary on Superfans last night. In his exploration of why fans become obsessive in pursuing celebrities and why they devote so much energy to cosplay, he went incognito as The Joker to a convention. He surprisingly enjoyed the camaraderie.

I love costume parties. We had one every weekend at the beach house, and I had a blast making loincloths, togas, bone jewelry, etc.

Carnifex said...

The 300 IS a graphic novel turned into a film. I watched it with my dad, who hated it, and my nephew, who loved it. They both missed the point that everything is exaggerated in the movie because it represents a retelling from the point of view of the survivor. He owuld have returned to Sparta, and embellished the story, the embellishments growing greater and greater over the years.

I don't know if Leonidas actually said the "fight in the shade" or, "come take them" quotes, but in the legend and mythos of fighting men, does it really matter?

averagejoe said...

dbp said...
I scrolled through the pictures and knew that the one Althouse liked was Xerxes from The 300 before I followed the link and confirmed my guess.

10/12/15, 3:53 PM

LOL! Me too!

Robert Cook said...

"I didn't see any Jabba the Huts."

I did. I went this year for one day. I've never been to Comicon--it's always sold out before I even know tickets are available--but a friend had an extra ticket and asked if I wanted to buy it.

There was someone there dressed as Jabba the Hut.

I went to my very first convention--a comics convention--in July 1975 in Florida, and then a couple of weeks later attended one in Atlanta. Harvey Kurtzman and Roy Crane were the guests of honor at the first one, and Stan Lee the guest of honor at the second. Over the years since, I've been to my share of Sci-Fi conventions--including at least a half dozen or more WorldCons--and a number of other comics cons. The last convention I attended was the World SF Convention in Philadelphia a week before 9/11. I would definitely call most of the attendees at every con I've attended nerds. But, even so, as an introvert, I am always unable to approach strangers--even nerd strangers--and strike up conversations. I would certainly never dress up in a costume and parade around in public. (I do like that Vampirella Qaestor linked to. I did not see her the day I was there.)

I found NY Comic Con to be rather unbearable. Too many people in a space--vast as it was--that couldn't accomodate the throng and was overcrowded and cramped. Imagine a NYC subway car at rush hour, and imagine having to spend hours in that p moving sardine can, with everyone inside in constant motion from one end of the car to the other. When I got home I felt almost beat up.

I prefer cons that are smaller--or, at least, smaller relative to the space where they're being held--and where careful schedule planning beforehand and long waits in line are not necessary to attend discussion panels and movie showings and the like. Also, I have little interest in superheroes anymore and not much interest in most of the other things today's fans find compelling--my tastes run to Robert Crumb, ZAP Comics, Thomas Ott, Philip K. Dick, J.G. Ballard, Robert Sheckley, and the like--so it's not likely I'll be doing much more con-going in my life.

This nerd has said his piece.

Nichevo said...

Bob, I can't I'm saying this, but come to Lunacon! 3am bull sessions can always use another always-right ;-)

Stoutcat said...

What? No cunnin' orange and yellow hats with pom-pom, a la Jayne Cobb? Pfui.

Robert Cook said...

"Bob, I can't I'm saying this, but come to Lunacon! 3am bull sessions can always use another always-right ;-)"

Nichevo, Thank you. I don't think I'll make it, but I appreciate the sentiments! I see Rick Sternbach is going to be a guest of honor. He was an artist guest at the first Worldcon I attended, the SunCon, in Miami in 1977!

Did LunaCon ever locate at a hotel airport in Queens, NY? I was working at the Sheraton Inn at LaGuardia though most of the 80s, and some sort of SF con was there one weekend. It was odd to be working the front desk at a hotel hosting a con, seeing as our guests people I recognized from other cons I'd attended.

Tom said...

I've been to a lot of Star Wars conventions. (My son is the nerd, not me.) Amazing the number of Princess Leia's who go the metal bikini route, although with most the ratio of Leia to bikini is waaaay off. Also drag Princess Leia's.

Latest thing is mashups. Recently saw Mary Poppins with a light saber ("That medicine WILL go down, young man, with or without a spoonful of sugar!") and Elsa from Frozen with a light saber.

Nichevo said...

If you've got a hotter date than Princess Leia, Bob, I understand, but we do need every available Steinbrennerian fanny in our seats, as you probably know, the Shirts ran the thing into the ground and we're resurrecting. Spread the word at least...even your input would be welcome, on what would draw you to a con. There is some cat herding going on, some feeling our way.

I remember the Sheraton in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. What. A. Dump! Yours could have been I-Con but I will check. Remember the year? It would have been before my time, that was the move to Westchester.